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The perfect gift! How to choose the best sleep aids

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The perfect gift! How to choose the best sleep aids

#快眠・安眠

Sleep, which is said to account for one-third of our lives, is essential for spending the remaining two-thirds actively. Why not choose sleep-promoting goods as a gift for your loved ones to enhance the quality of that sleep?

When to gift sleep-promoting goods

While quality sleep is essential for everyone, when is the best time to give sleep-promoting goods as a gift?

Father's Day, Mother's Day, birthdays, etc.

High-quality sleep-promoting goods are often a bit expensive, making them perfect for gifts. Additionally, since sleep is vital for physical and mental health, it's a great way to convey care and affection to the recipient. You can express your daily gratitude on Father's Day, Mother's Day, or birthdays.

When the recipient seems exhausted

If someone is busy and unable to make time for themselves, or feeling stressed, they may not get enough sleep and accumulate fatigue. In such cases, receiving a sleep-promoting gift would be comforting, just by knowing that someone acknowledges their difficult circumstances and mental state. Even if it's not a special occasion, a small sleep-promoting gift can help them achieve better quality sleep.

What causes poor sleep or sleep disturbances?

Many people have likely experienced some kind of sleep problem, such as difficulty falling asleep, feeling tired even after a full night's sleep, not feeling refreshed, waking up in the middle of the night, not being able to wake up clearly, or severe snoring. Here are three common causes of poor sleep and sleep disturbances.

1: Shallow sleep during the golden hour

The quality of sleep is greatly influenced by the first 90 minutes of sleep. The key is how deeply you sleep during these initial 90 minutes. Body temperature consists of skin temperature and core body temperature, and deep sleep can be achieved when the difference between skin temperature and core body temperature narrows (within 2°C) during sleep. In particular, cooling the head is said to improve the quality of sleep during the "golden 90 minutes."

2: Lifestyle habits

When you wake up, first open the curtains and expose yourself to sunlight. Since the human body clock is slightly longer than 24 hours, if you don't expose yourself to sunlight every morning, your body clock will gradually shift. Also, melatonin is secreted about 15 hours after exposure to morning sunlight, which helps you naturally feel sleepy at night. This effect is present even on cloudy or rainy days.

It's recommended to take a bath 90 minutes before bedtime. Generally, about 90 minutes after bathing, the temporarily elevated core body temperature returns to its normal level, and continues to drop afterward, naturally inducing sleep. If you don't have enough time before going to bed, it's better to take a shower to avoid raising your core body temperature too much.

Furthermore, daily lack of exercise, unhealthy eating habits, excessive smoking, and drinking can lead to poor circulation and coldness, so it's important to address the root causes of coldness.

3: Sleep environment

A good sleep environment is also crucial for improving sleep quality. This includes a comfortable mattress, a pillow with the right height and firmness for you, relaxing sleepwear, and blankets. Also, allowing heat to escape from your hands and feet promotes natural sleep, so avoid sleeping with socks on. If your feet get cold, warm them with a massage before sleeping and cover them with a blanket without pressing it tightly against your feet.

What are the keys to achieving restful sleep?

Restful sleep is the ultimate high-quality sleep that brings your brain, body, and mind into their best condition. What's important is not the duration of sleep, but its quality. Moreover, sleep and wakefulness (performance) are two sides of the same coin; achieving the best sleep leads to the best wakefulness (performance).

If you find it difficult to improve your lifestyle habits or get enough sleep, focus on your sleep environment. By effectively incorporating sleep-promoting goods, you can resolve your sleep problems.

Tips for choosing sleep-promoting goods as a gift

Sleep-promoting goods range widely from inexpensive to high-priced items. Choosing high-quality items that someone might not buy for themselves can support better sleep and will likely be appreciated.

Research sleep concerns

Everyone has different sleep concerns. Some have trouble falling asleep, some have shallow sleep and wake up in the middle of the night, and others have neck or back pain when they wake up. Observe the recipient's daily conversations and demeanor to research their sleep problems, and then choose an item that might help resolve them.

If you're considering gifting a pillow, it's an item where personal preferences for height and firmness vary, so make sure to know what kind of pillow they usually use. By telling the sales associate both the type of pillow they use and their sleep concerns, you can find a product that will help them sleep better.

Recommended gifts! 3 sleep-promoting goods

Finally, here are three sleep-promoting goods that enhance sleep quality and make excellent gifts.

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