How well we sleep doesn’t only impact our nights but also our days. It determines the mood we wake up in, our energy levels and the amount of patience we have. Sleeping well is what gives us focus and clarity to take on a new day. Yet many women don’t sleep as well as they should.

Almost 30% of women suffer from some kind of sleep problem compared to 20% of men.

Hormonal changes during our periods, pregnancy or menopause can make sleeping more difficult. This can challenge our sleep in a number of ways, one of those is our ability to keep the right temperature for sleep. If we can’t stay in the ideal climatic comfort zone our sleep, in particular our deep sleep suffers.

HOW TO SLEEP BETTER THROUGHOUT OUR LIVES

Our sleep changes throughout our lives in many ways. Partly because our sleep rhythm changes, the older we get the earlier we feel ready to fall asleep and wake up. Another very important factor for women and sleep is the impact of hormonal changes throughout our lives. Menstruation, pregnancy, maternity and motherhood are all periods of hormonal changes that unfortunately impact our sleep negatively. But don't despair, there are actions we can take to learn how to get a good night sleep at all stages of our lives.

MENSTRUATION

Many women sleep poorly a week before their period and during menstruation. This is due to changes in the levels of the hormones progesterone and estrogen that can lead to menstrual symptoms such as cramping, moodiness, cravings, and irritability.

During the menstrual period, it is common to have an increase in nighttime awakenings and an increase in vivid dreams.

HOW TO SLEEP BETTER DURING THE PERIOD

There are some easy changes we can do to our sleep hygiene that can make a real difference to our sleep quality and duration throughout our lives:

• Food and drink: be mindful of sleep killers such as alcohol, caffeine and foods that are difficult to digest like meat and deep fried food.
• Movement: By exercising regularly we can fall asleep faster and enjoy a better sleep quality. Exercising for at least 150 minutes a week can improve sleep quality by 65%.
• Stress: Leave your laptop, mobile phone and worries at the bedroom door. Try to switch off work earlier and clear your mind.
• Habits: Follow a regular sleep schedule, go to bed and wake up the same time every day.
• Health: Prioritize getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night.
• Bed room: Keep the ideal sleeping temperature by keeping the room temperature below 18°C/ 64.4°F and wearing temperature and moisture regulating sleepwear. The best pajamas for women need to support our physiological sleep needs. 

PREGNANCY

Different studies show that from 66% up to 94% of pregnant women report some kind of sleep problems while pregnant. Hormonal changes can lead to similar effects to that of hot flashes and the elevated heart rate can lead to a restless sleep.

As the pregnancy advances and baby bump grows it can be increasingly difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position and back aches and leg cramps can make it difficult fall asleep. Increased need to visit the bathroom also often lead to a restless sleep.

HOW TO SLEEP BETTER WHILE PREGNANT

Though sleeping can be tricky during pregnancy there are a number of actions you can take to get a good night’s sleep:

• Try sleeping on the left side, this keeps the uterus off our liver. You can also experiment with a pillow between your legs or under your stomach and try supporting your lower back with a small pillow
• Combat overheating and night sweats pregnancy by keeping the bed room temperature low and by wearing temperature regulating sleepwear. The best maternity pajamas should not only be the most comfortable pajamas for women, but also aid your body’s natural thermoregulation process
• Don’t let nausea keep you from falling asleep, eat a light dinner and a few crackers before going to bed.
• If leg cramps wake you up, try pressing your feet hard against the wall or try standing on one leg. It can also help to stretch your calf muscles before going to bed.
• If you find that stress or anxiety is keeping you awake you can try to meet it head-on by joining a group for pregnant women or a childbirth class.

Read more about how to sleep better while pregnant. 

NEW MOTHER

After giving birth, the baby’s feeding and sleeping schedule places more stress upon the mother. This can create more challenges with sleep times. Studies suggest that women with significant sleep issues, such as insomnia or poor sleep quality, are more likely to report depression symptoms or even develop postpartum depression.

For mothers breast-feeding can make sleeping well even more difficult, in part because you need to wake up more frequently during the night but also because of the temperature changes caused by hormonal changes. Many women complain of night sweats after having a baby, not being able to keep the best temperature for sleep lowers our sleep quality.

HOW TO SLEEP BETTER AFTER HAVING A BABY

Not getting enough sleep is a common problems for new parents caring for their newborn. Following the below advice could help to get enough sleep at this precious phase of life:

• Take a nap when your baby naps.
• Ask for help around the house and try to delegate household chores.
• Ask your partner for help with nighttime feedings.
• Have a daily routine for you and your baby.
• Use the right nursing pajamas, that makes it easy to breast feed and that helps to regulate temperature changes and night sweats after having a baby.

MENOPAUSE

75% of women sleep worse during menopause and our total sleep decreases with up to 40 minutes per night. The most common menopause sleep problems are hot flashes at night as well as breathing problems such as sleep apnea as well as insomnia.

Hot flashes usually last only a few minutes but it may take time for you to settle down into sleep again. This can interrupt sleep and cause women to be tired during the day.

HOW TO SLEEP BETTER DURING MENOPAUSE

If you are experiencing insomnia or breathing related problems please contact your doctor. There are also remedies including treatments with hormone replacement therapy that might help. To beat hot flashes at night you can take the below steps:

• Keep the bedroom temperature cool: A cooler bedroom, below 18°C/ 64.4°F, is good for our sleep quality regardless of life phase, during menopause it’s even more important.
• Keeping a cooling aid nearby: by keeping a glass of ice water next to your bed and a wet cloth you can quickly cool yourself down in case of hot flashes at night.
• Use the right pajamas for hot flashes: most sleepwear today is actually not designed to aid our sleep. They trap in excess heat and easily become soaked if you start to sweat. By using at light weight, moisture wicking pajamas that is very breathable you can moderate the impact of hot flashes to ensure that you sleep deeper for longer. The right menopause pajamas can make a real difference.

Read more about how to get a good night's sleep during menopause.

HOW TO GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP WITH DAGSMEJAN

Regardless of what phase of life you are in some elements you should look for when choosing the best pajamas for women

1. Temperature regulation: keeping the ideal sleeping temperature is instrumental in getting a good night’s sleep. Your sleepwear should adapt to your individual physiological sleep needs, providing lightweight breathability to ensure you don’t overheat whilst keeping you warm enough.
2. Moisture management: the best pajamas for women is not only a moisture wicking pajamas but rather also combine that with evaporative cooling. This way your sleepwear works with your body’s natural thermoregulation process, not against it. It allows you to cool down whilst staying dry.
3. Supreme fit and comfort: the most comfortable pajamas for women is designed for sleep and designed for women. Look out for tags, buttons and seams that can cause irritation during the night and make sure your sleepwear has the right comfort fit.
4. Super soft touch: When we sleep the blood flow to our skin increases making us more sensitive to touch. Make sure that enjoy a great night sleep by wearing the softest women's pajamas.

FIND THE BEST PAJAMAS FOR WOMEN

Dagsmejan sleepwear caters to your individual physiological sleep needs so that you can get a good night’s sleep. Combining the finest natural fibres with the latest textile technology, Dagsmejan sleepwear is scientifically proven to improve your sleep by helping you to keep the best temperature for sleep. With a sustainable and ethical production in Europe you can truly sleep easy. Find the best pajamas for you:

STAY WARM

Combining the finest merino wool with high-tech Tencel from Eucalyptus the super-soft NATTWARM™ fabric keep you warm without ever overheating. This luxury pajamas are your perfect match if you have a tendency to get cold during the night or during the winter season. Discovery what merino pajamas can do for your sleep

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BALANCE

Struggle to keep the optimal sleeping temperature? Balance out temperature changes and don’t worry about sweating while sleeping with NATTWELL™ fabric. By enhancing beechwood fibres with a trademarked sleep technology, the Balance collection is 6x more breathable than cotton and 4x better at moisture management.

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STAY COOL

Never overheat with this collection of lightweight pajamas based on Eucalyptus fibre. NATTCOOL™ fabric is 8x more breathable than cotton and dries in 1/3 of the time. That’s what makes Stay Cool not only the best summer pajamas for women but your ideal sleep companion all year if you want to make sure to never have to worry about night sweats.

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