4 Tips For Getting The Best Night’s Sleep In Your House Share
Moving into a house share can be a great way to meet new friends and socialise, particularly if you’re relocating to an unfamiliar place. But, when you’re living in a busy house with other students or professionals, all that extra noise can be disruptive to your sleep – especially if you’re stuck with a lumpy rental mattress. So we’ve rounded up our top tips to help you get the best night’s sleep in your house share.
Invest in your bed
Whether it’s the unsettled feeling of being in a new place, or just the noise from your new flatmates, there are few reasons you might be struggling to sleep in your house share. But, a good way to tackle this is to make sure your bed is as comfortable as possible, so you can fall asleep quickly instead of lying in bed pondering over things.
Investing in new bedding, like soft duck down pillows or a thick snuggly duvet, will make you feel comforted as soon as you climb into bed at night. If your mattress has seen better days, then consider updating it with a mattress topper: these are a cheaper alternative to replacing the whole mattress and do a great job of making your bed cosy. We recommend these ones from Dormeo, which in a range of styles, sizes and firmness levels.
Tackle light and noise disruptions
As you usually view potential house shares in the day, there’s not always much indication of how loud the surroundings will be, or how effective your blinds or curtains will be after dark. But The Sleep Council has reported that both of these things can disrupt your slumber and keep you awake at night. So if you have some poorly made blinds that let excess light in, or the road outside your window is frequently loud and busy throughout the night, this can have a big impact on your sleeping pattern.
It’ll be good to take precautionary measures before you move in to tackle these problems. While a polite conversation might encourage your flatmates to keep the noise down, in some cases it’s wise to invest in a good pair of earplugs, like these Pluggerz ones from Boots, so you can make sure you’re getting the rest you need. If you can’t fit your own curtains, a sleep mask, like this one, will block out any ambient light from outside that might keep you awake.
Bring some home comforts
It’s natural to feel unsettled in a new environment. But taking steps to make your new room feel like home will help you to settle in quicker. Plus, if it feels like a comfortable and familiar space, you’re bound to find it easier to sleep. This could mean taking some soft furnishings from your room, like your favourite throw or decorative pillows, and integrating them into your new room. You might even want to bring scented candles that remind you of home, as these can help you to feel calmer and more peaceful if they’re associated with pleasant memories. It’ll also be a good idea to bring some photos of your loved ones to hang or frame around your room, to raise your mood and make you happier. For more advice on how to feel settled in your new home, check out our guide to making a rental room feel like home.
Use a sleep app
If you’ve taken all of the above steps and still can’t drift off, try using tech to help you get to sleep. Using a sleep app like Relax Melodies can soothe you to sleep with relaxing sounds of nature and calming melodies that you’re able to create yourself. You can even integrate songs from your music library to really appeal to your senses and get you sleeping quicker – just make sure you don’t use your most upbeat song choices!
Additionally, meditation apps can help to calm nerves and worries and get you in a positive mental state that’ll mean you can sleep easier. We recommend the Headspace app which works on developing mindfulness and creating a calm mind. Taking some time to yourself and creating a peaceful environment will be helpful in reassuring you in your new house share.
Living in a house share is a great way to save money and meet new people. But, as with most new places, it can sometimes be a struggle to get settled and sleep well. With our top four tips, some communication and time, you’ll be well on your way to a good night’s sleep in your new home.
