Find out about my experience with SIMBA Australia, and make the most of a special discount code for you!
Just recently, my partner and I had his parents to stay for a night. And nope – there are no in-law jokes or digs here – I’m lucky that I get along with them really well! However, unfortunately, this particular visit saw us end up with a not-so-happy father-in-law.
He woke up the next day barely able to walk: sleeping on my old mattress had thrown his back out. And he had a seven hour drive to get home. You can imagine how bad I felt!
So it seemed like fate when that same morning, after waving my partner’s parents off, an email popped into my inbox with the opportunity to test a mattress, new to the Australian market.
I didn’t take much for me to say a big “yes please”!
UK brand, SIMBA, is Europe’s fastest-growing high-tech mattress brand – and it has just launched here in Aus! Mine arrived within just a couple of days of ordering, rolled up in a box (yes, that’s right, in a BOX!).
I took it out of the box, unrolled it, and laid it out on the bed, letting the foam expand over the next few hours until it the cover had filled out and the mattress was ready for sleep action!
So what’s all the fuss about?
SIMBA has five layers of memory foam – developed using Sleep to Live Institute’s data of 10 million people. Initially, it felt very soft and giving when I lay down, but I could feel the support and firmness underneath that top layer of cushion.
The springs are ‘conical’, which means the more pressure applied, the more resistance the springs give. The idea is that this makes SIMBA a “one-type-fits-all” bed – or in the words of SIMBA’s Australian Managing Director, Matt Taylor:
“…designed to support a hippo on one side and a mouse on the other.”
I’m sure this is something my partner’s father would like, being six-foot-something tall and well-built, while his wife is super trim and petite.
But for now, this mattress is all mine, and being fresh back from holidays overseas for a few weeks, I’m very happy to be sleeping in my own bed again!
So once we have a good mattress sorted, what else can we do to improve our sleep? Here are five quick tips from SIMBA sleep psychologist and ‘think well sleep well’ ambassador Hope Bastine to help send us off to sleep:
1. Decorate in soft colours
Bedroom décor is key to promoting a good night’s rest. In general, softer, muted colours like grey, pink and purples are neutral and promote tranquility.
My solution: Luckily, blues and greys are my favourite colours for decorating, because they feel so peaceful. You’ll see these colours in my bedroom in the images below.
2. Keep it cool
Maintaining a bedroom temperature of 18 degrees or lower will mimic the body’s hibernation state and help maintain a calmer state of mind.
My solution: I sleep with a fan on to keep air circulating, and the white noise of the fan also helps me fall to sleep.
3. Turn down the light
Modern light sources (particularly fluorescent lights, laptops, and cellphone screens) contain a high level of blue light that disrupts melatonin production and throws off our natural circadian rhythms, keeping us awake when we should be sleeping. The American Medical Association, 2012 says ‘this effect can be minimised by using dim, [warm] lighting in the night-time bedroom environment.’
My solution: I have a salt lamp that serves as my bedside light. It’s the only light I have on at night when getting ready for bed and reading and I love its soft, warm glow.
4. Treat your senses
Inhaling serene scents is a great way to ensure a restful and relaxing night’s sleep. Evidence suggests certain aromas may actually reduce blood pressure and heart rate, creating a calming effect in the body. Sedating scents such as lavender or jasmine around your room with either a plant or aromatherapy devices are extremely effective.
My solution: I love to give myself a little foot massage with a nice smelling lotion – this not only acts as a bedtime ritual, but relaxes me and feeds my senses.
5. Prioritise unwind time
To induce the alpha brainwave state (the relaxed pre-sleep state), find activities that activate right-brain engagement. This is the creative, non-verbal side of your brain. Such activities include: journal writing, playing an instrument, listening to music (classical/chill-out); reading or listening to a book (literature or fiction – nothing logical or analytical) reading poetry, writing poetry; writing a gratitude diary.
My solution: As soon as I stop looking at my phone, and start reading a book, I almost instantly feel my eyelids start to droop. I always wonder why I didn’t start reading earlier to make myself fall asleep already!
Fancy your own SIMBA? The team have given me a special discount code to share with you! Enter ‘HBPS150’ at simbasleep.com.au when checking out to receive $150 off your order.
I would love to know how you make sure you get a great night’s sleep? Do you have any tips to share? Let me know in a comment below. And, take a look at my SIMBA in action below!
Nice post as always, thanks for useful advice 🙂 I’m waiting for more entries.
Thank you for the kind feedback Katherine – glad to hear you enjoyed it!