How to Get a Good Night's Sleep

Don't Give Up Your Blankets Without a Fight

Nora Beane
How to get a good night's sleep has become a high powered topic in our fast paced society. No one functions well when they consistently miss out on valuable hours of sleep. Your mood, your productivity, your ability to respond and interact all take a hit when you aren't clocking enough hours getting quality z's . For everyone who doesn't get enough uninterrupted sleep there are unique causes to be considered. But for plenty of folks, the nightly battle for the covers can be a prime factor in sleep disturbance. Here are a few suggestions for bringing that battle to a satisfactory conclusion if you are the injured, that is to say sleepless, party.

Obviously the first step you should take is to talk to your sleep mate about the problem. It is possible that he or she is totally oblivious to the issue. Your solution could be only a simple conversation away. The suggestion that there be a little less assertiveness with regards to the blankets might bring your problem to a halt .

More likely though your partner will doubt his or her guilt. Often times solving the problem of how to get a good night's sleep has to include demonstrating clearly to your partner the truth of your claims. If you routinely wake up in the middle of the night with half your body out in the cold, it's past time to share the evidence with your mate. No need to wake him or her in the middle of night but the next morning for sure do a quick reenactment that shows the discomfort you are experiencing and why you are cranky so often. Some partners will feel very guilty and resolve to try harder to leave the blankets evenly balanced on the bed during the night . But sometimes even the most well intentioned fall short. They are just habitual blanket hogs.

So try changing sides of the bed and see if that helps you to get a good night's sleep. Most people favor one side over the other for sleeping. If your mate's favorite side causes him to turn away from you he or she is likely to drag the blankets in that direction - away from you. Changing sides sometimes can right that wrong. Or try tucking the covers in on your side of the bed and then getting in as if you were getting into a sleeping bag. If you can sleep while tucked in you may have your problem licked.

Still no results, you may become desperate enough to respond to nightly blanket theft by using the old "eye for an eye" technique. If your partner leaves you out in the cold, you reciprocate. Sometimes this type of giving as good as you get response is a quiet if not so subtle reminder. Let's face it, it can get pretty annoying if one of you gets a marvelous night's sleep every night while the other person is sporadically waking up with no blankets and finding it difficult to reclaim them from the other side of the bed. A few well timed raids on the blanket supply on the other side of the bed may give your partner first hand information about your problem

If you find that approach a little too cruel then dial it back a bit and respond when you sense a blanket theft coming by holding tightly to your blanket edge and simply refuse to let go. This little tug of war may also be just enough of a signal to get a little more active cooperation from your mate and a good night's sleep for you .

If you still have no luck and are more tired than ever, consider that getting a good night's sleep is certainly worth the price of second set of blankets for your side of the bed. Now your partner can do whatever he wants with his set of blankets and hopefully you can sleep peacefully without getting a draft every hour or so when your partner lurches to turn over and pulls all the blankets that are on him, with him. You will have your own set that will remain on you. Or pull out all the stops and purchase a sleeping bag for your side of the bed. Think about it, the sleeping bag is pretty much a theft proof covering and comes close to guaranteeing you that good night's sleep you have been craving.

Your sleep is important, it sets the tone for your entire day and for your continued good health. Far to many physical ailments are tied to or worsened by the lack of a good night's sleep. Maybe one of these methods will help you to restore the balance of blankets in your bedroom and you can sleep happily ever after.

Published by Nora Beane

I am a former high school history teacher and Director of Religious Education with a total of 27 years of active experience as teacher and administrator. I am now a semi retired freelance writer. I have two...  View profile

  • Fifteen Tips for Getting a Good Nights Sleep
  • How to Get a Good Nights Sleep
  • Tips for Insomnia and Getting a Good Nights Sleep
  • Good sleep is important to good health.
  • There are many ways to prevent losing blankets and sleep each night
  • Using a sleeping bag can prevent your mate from accidentally stealing your blankets

To comment, please sign in to your Yahoo! account, or sign up for a new account.