DYMPNA McGLINCHY, director of sleep at the Westin, Dublin, describes her day
MY JOB IS to help guests at the Westin hotel in Dublin get a good night’s sleep. I was appointed to the position three months ago, but really it all came about as a result of survey work 10 years ago which showed that the most important element for guests staying at a hotel was that they get a good night’s sleep.
So Westin hotels set about researching the perfect bed and came up with our Heavenly Beds, which have 13in pillow-top mattresses and 10 layers of material.
I work Monday to Friday, from around 8.30am to 5.30pm, commuting on the Luas from Sandyford. The concierge at the front desk refers people to me. I give them hints and tips about how to achieve a good night’s sleep.
For example, one of the best things you can do is have a massage, especially if you’ve been travelling. Or take a warm bath – not a hot one, which will exhaust you but not relax you. Never sleep on your stomach, either: it puts too much pressure on your internal organs and can give you a stiff neck and back trouble. Sleeping on your left side puts pressure on your heart, so it is much better for you to get into the habit of sleeping on your back.
Your diet can make a difference, too. It’s okay to have light snacks late in the evening – maybe cashew nuts, juices or cookies – but don’t go for the pizza.
Don’t watch TV in bed, either. It’s best to sit on a chair to watch it and then turn it off before getting into bed. Equally, don’t be tempted to work in bed. Use your laptop at the desk and then turn it off before going to bed.
If you’re having trouble getting off, the best way of all for getting to sleep really is counting sheep. It’s because it uses both parts of your brain, one side for visualising and the other for counting.
People are very particular about how they like their beds, so I help them get their beds the way they want them. I have one lady who insists on 13 pillows, for example.
A lot of our guests come off long-haul flights, so they need help with jet lag. Often they want coffee, but I tell them that a smoothie or fruit plate is much better for them and that, even if they want to go to bed, they’re better off getting out and acclimatising first.
I was always a rotten sleeper myself. I’ve had terrible problems with it. My mind seems to be hyperactive, because I was always lying there, thinking about work. Since I’ve been doing this job, and started putting all I’ve learned into practice, I sleep like a baby.
** In conversation with Sandra O’Connell
** Dympna McGlinchy is director of sleep at the Westin Dublin