In this article, we’ll be looking at how your sleeping habits can affect your life. From your looks, to your mood, to your libido – we examine how losing sleep can have an impact both the day after, and in the long-term.

Whether it’s because of one too many late nights, burning the midnight oil at the office or sleeping on a mattress that you find, frankly, nightmarish – if you’re overtired, your body will feel the effects.

A waking nightmare

It’s 3am, the lights are out and you’re lying in bed with your eyes closed, desperately trying to get to sleep.

It might have been the glass of wine you had before bed causing you to wake up early, after just a few hours’ rest. It might be the gentle snoring of your partner in bed next to you. But one thing’s for certain, no matter how many sheep you count, you’re absolutely wide awake.

If this situation is familiar, you’re not alone. Over a quarter of Brits feel they sleep poorly most nights, and it’s something which can have a huge effect on your overall health.

Groggy mornings

After a poor night’s sleep, the next morning is going to be tough. Your first challenge is convincing yourself to get out of bed.

Sleep deprivation due to anxiety or a snoring partner is a common problem. But if being unable to find a comfortable sleeping position is what kept you awake, you’ll also have to contend with a sore back and stiff muscles.

Mattresses which don’t provide you the right sleeping conditions can be damaging to your physical health¹. To get a good night’s sleep, you need to be comfortable. This means your body must be stable and supported, without too much pressure being put on any one part of your body.

Old mattresses – which can be uneven or lumpy – aren’t great for your sleeping posture, particularly your back. If you’re not receiving proper support your spine could be out of alignment, putting undue strain on your muscles and ligaments.

If you’re regularly waking up with back ache, investing in a firm mattress might solve your problem. And if your back problems aren’t sleep-related, memory-foam mattresses can often help provide balanced, pressure relieving support that eases aches and pains.

Ready for the day?

After dragging yourself out of bed, your next step might be peering at your reflection in the bathroom mirror.

Sleeping badly is rarely great for your appearance, so the face looking back at you might not be all you’d dreamt of. Red eyes, dark circles and sallow skin are all short-term consequences of a bad night’s sleep. If your sleeping problems have been going on for some time, you might also be confronted with the appearance of wrinkles which you could have sworn weren’t there before.

Beauty sleep, it turns out, is more than just a myth our mothers told us. Sleep allows the body time to regenerate, and to produce the protein collagen, which keeps skin looking youthful and supple². If your body doesn’t get enough time to switch off, it hangs on to toxins³ and dead blood cells, causing your blood vessels to dilate and creating those dark circles⁴.

After a bad night’s sleep, you might also wake up feeling dehydrated – which can cause those tell-tale red eyes.

While your duvet keeps you warm at night, your mattress also has a huge impact on your temperature as you sleep. Mattresses with too much ‘sink’, or that mould to your body like some types of memory foam mattress, can trap heat. Even if you sleep under just a sheet, you may still be too warm.

Making sure you change your mattress every seven or so years will make sure it stays stable and supportive. And if you have tendency to overheat, it’s best to opt for a pocket-sprung mattress over memory foam or find a memory foam mattress with built in airflow.

Bed at last

Having yawned your way through the last 12-hours, it’s finally time to head back to bed.

Hopefully, on the evening after a bad night’s sleep you’ll nod off easily, waking up after a solid eight-hours ready to face the day. But if sleeping badly is a regular problem, it’s something you need to address.

The long-term physical and mental effects of sleep deprivation range from low-libido and depression, to heart disease and fertility problems⁵. So, whether it’s your bed, your lifestyle, or environment that’s keeping you up – it’s time for a change.

Get your bounce back and start sleeping well. Our range of mattresses might have what you need to get the spring back in your step.

¹http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/sleep/choosing-best-mattress-lower-back-pain
²http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/skin/Pages/Keepskinhealthy.aspx
³http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24567412
⁴http://www.eyehealthweb.com/dark-circles-under-eyes/
⁵http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/tiredness-and-fatigue/Pages/lack-of-sleep-health-risks.aspx