The New Way To Sleep

Sleep Well, Be Well

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 04:44:00 GMT

What sleep does

"It recharges my batteries." That's the way many think about their sleep -- the refreshed feeling after a good night's sleep! The reality, though, is much more than a recharge. Teamed with good nutrition and fitness, sleep is the undisputed driver of our well-being and health.

Yet, at the same time, the converse is also true: If we don't have sufficient sleep on a consistent basis, then consequences start being felt and seen -- in deteriorated health, performance, and well-being -- even carried into our personal interactions, relationships and love-life. Our body won't continue functioning at peak performance. Would you expect your car to run well if it's not maintained? Here's a partial list of health problems known to associate with poor quality sleep:

Lowered immunity to illnesses
Weight gain; weight challenges; obesity
Increased risk of heart disease and stroke
Insulin resistance and diabetes
Breathing-related disorders
Moodiness; aggression; depression
Reduced physical and work performance
Grogginess and fatigue
Lower alertness and poor concentration
Reduced learning and memory performance
Accelerated aging
Decreased sex drive; impotence
Pains and inflammation
and many more . . .

Many people don't think about their health as having any links to their sleep quality. Yet the fact is: Quality sleep drives quality health!

Good News and opportunity

I remember a story from my school days. Its lesson was that problems are all opportunities in disguise. I don't recall how the entire story went, but the gist was that we're always better off when we solve a problem -- because it moves us forward. I've always remembered that insight, and it certainly holds true with sleep: Everyone has the opportunity to raise the quality of their sleep (through their sleep habits and lifestyle, and especially with NightCare technology and sleep surfaces). When you can raise your quality of sleep, watch it flow into your quality of life!

So here's a question for you: Given sleep's influence on your health, is getting good sleep a part of your health consciousness. . . meaning "not neglected"? Or is it always out-prioritized by everything else happening in your life and schedule?

Treat yourself, and let the benefits flow!

Related Page Links:

Sleep and Health; How Typical Beds and Pillows Can Hinder Your Sleep; How to Select Your Perfect Bed and Pillow; NightCare Unique Benefits; NightCare Proven Performance; Materials Comparison Chart; NightCare Online Store; Online Advantages; Knowledge Base

Sleep and Medications

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 04:42:00 GMT

Check medications for negative side effects to sleep

Medications and medicines can have unexpected side effects that may be robbing you of sleep quality while they're working to help your health problem.

Be sure to thoroughly discuss your medications, and their side effects, with your physician and/or pharmacist. Be aware of their side effects, especially as they affect your sleep. Loss of high-quality sleep over the long-term can be counter-productive to achieving and maintaining your health.

Medicine can disrupt the normal balance of the body and can often lead to a disruption in sleep, or insomnia. Many people have no idea that medications can alter and interfere with normal sleeping pattern. Oftentimes people attribute their sleep problems to the ailment and not the cure. Even sleeping pills can have a negative impact on sleep.

Here is a short list of some medicine types that can adversely affect sleep:

Antihistamines
Decongestants
Sleeping medications
Antidepressants
Weight loss medication
Theophylline (asthma-related medications)

Antihistamines and Decongestants

Antihistamines may cause a person to become drowsy and, when taken during the day, they may cause sleepiness that may interfere not only with your job and your driving, but also with your later sleep. Decongestants, on the other hand, can cause jitteriness, excitability, insomnia and fatigue, and if taken too close to bedtime can make it hard to fall asleep.

If you're taking one of these over-the-counter remedies, be sure to read about its possible side effects, and ask your pharmacist or doctor to explain the side effects. Because of so many different brands with differing combination's of ingredients and strengths available, it is even more important that you read closely their information and know their side effects and conditions of use before using them.

Most over-the-counter cold remedies contain some combination of acetaminophen and various decongestants, antihistamines, and cough suppressants. Some experts believe that these ingredients may work against one another. If a cold is making you extremely uncomfortable and you feel you must take something for it, you may want to consider taking a single-ingredient product appropriate for the particular symptom you are treating. Read the labels, and ask your doctor or pharmacist for their recommendations.

Sleeping medications

Sleep medications can sometimes amplify or make worse the exact problem they are designed to help. This is because many sleep medicines override the body's natural sleep mechanisms, making the body "forget" how to lull itself to sleep without assistance. For this and other reasons and risks, most sleeping pills are recommended to be used only for short durations and should be used only under the direction of your doctor.

Be sure to discuss with your physician the conditions of use, risks and side effects of all sleeping medications before using them, and be sure to understand the length of time sleep medications are intended for use. Keep in mind that some sleeping pills have addictive qualities.

If you have chronic insomnia, you'll want to consult with your doctor to identify and remove or treat the underlying cause(s) of the insomnia. Oftentimes, all that is needed are some positive changes or adjustments in your lifestyle, along with upgrading to the best bed and pillow.

Antidepressants

Because depression can have such an impact on sleep, antidepressants may play a role in your sleeping too. However, while some antidepressants may help sleeping, some are linked to causing sleep-related problems either directly or indirectly. Be sure to discuss this with your physician prior to beginning any course of medication, or if you think your current medicine may be affecting how you sleep.

Weight loss medications

Weight loss medications often contain some types of diuretic, and/or stimulant such as caffeine to increase the body's metabolism rate. The stimulants can excite the mind and make it difficult to fall asleep. Diuretics can cause people to awaken during the night to go to the bathroom. Also, depending on your unique situation, other specific side effects may directly or indirectly affect your sleep. Consult with your doctor about potential impacts on your sleep.

Theophylline (asthma-related medication)

Theophylline and other asthma and related medications have been studied in regard to their possible effect on sleep. While helping clear airways, there may be some reduction of time asleep and/or soundness of sleep. If you are using these medications and notice any adverse change in your sleep behavior, be sure to bring it to the attention of your doctor.

Summary

Side effects of medication use can directly or indirectly affect your sleep. Discuss their effects on your sleep with your doctor or pharmacist, and follow their recommendations.

Related Page Links:

Sleep and Health; Sleep and Pain; How Typical Beds and Pillows Can Hinder Your Sleep; How to Select Your Perfect Bed and Pillow; NightCare Unique Benefits; NightCare Proven Performance; Materials Comparison Chart; NightCare Online Store; Online Advantages; Knowledge Base

Activity and Lifestyle Factors Affecting Sleep

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 04:41:00 GMT

An Easy Self-Evaluation

Every day, factors we can control in our daily routines and lifestyle either undermine or improve our ability to sleep well at night. By knowing how and why certain activities and behaviors affect our sleep, we can make choices each day that will improve our sleep quality at night. Everyone can influence and improve their sleep quality!

These factors, many of which are directly in your control, are referred to as your "sleep hygiene".

See where you have opportunities to BOOST your sleep quality. Everybody has opportunity!
Focus on the following factors where you can improve . . . These can be your "New Sleep Resolutions":

A regular bedtime - The body gets accustomed to falling asleep and waking at regular times. By keeping the time you go to bed reasonably constant, you will fall asleep faster.
Avoid caffeine and smoking 4-6 hours before bedtime - Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants, and they disrupt typical sleep patterns. This includes caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea and many sodas, as well as chocolate.
Empty the tank - Go to the bathroom just before bedtime. Sleep is always more comfortable and less disrupted when your tank is empty. And, if you have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, get up and do it! Don't suffer awake in the middle of the night because you have to go!
Internet surfing, Instant Messaging and television are like caffeine and nicotine. These are engaging activities and can put your brain, thinking and emotions in hyper-drive. Tone it down and off before going to bed.
Avoid alcohol 3-4 hours before bedtime - alcohol does not help sleep. While it may have an immediate sleep-inducing effect, later as alcohol levels in your blood fall, there is a stimulant or waking effect.
Exercise regularly but not right before bed - Regular exercise, particularly in the afternoon, can help deepen sleep and encourage a sleep routine. However, strenuous exercise within 2 hours before bedtime can decrease your ability to fall asleep.
Leave talk of worries for outside the bed - Keep your bedroom as your place to relax, de-stress, to enjoy love-making and intimacy, and to sleep. It should not be the routine place to discuss worries about job, school, finances, relationships and so forth, or for your work. Have your bedroom be your "sanctuary of calm and relaxation".
Impact of napping - If you nap throughout the day, falling asleep at night is often more difficult. It's like snacking throughout the day, when it comes time for a meal, the appetite may be lost. Extended nap-taking suggests you aren't getting a sound night's sleep, and your body is craving more sleep. If you do need an afternoon nap, try to limit it to 30 - 45 minutes in the early to mid afternoon.
Don't go to bed hungry - However, don't eat the wrong foods just before bedtime. Hunger can disrupt sleep patterns and a healthy snack before bed is ok. Warm milk or caffeine-free herbal tea can be helpful. Foods high in the amino acid L-Tryptophan, such as bananas, milk and turkey, can help induce sleep. Avoid heavy, fatty or spicy foods, and avoid heavy eating just before bedtime. If you do have a late meal just before bedtime, avoid meats heavy in protein (such as a steak), choosing instead carbohydrates such as pasta.
Have a pre-sleep routine - Certain pre-sleep routines, such as a warm bath, a foot rub, very light stretching, intimacy with a sleeping partner, or a few minutes of reading in low light, can help induce sleep. The routine signals your body that it's almost time for sleep.
A subtle, helpful tip - Most people brush their teeth right before bed. This is good; it not only freshens the mouth which actually helps falling asleep, but also becomes a part of the pre-sleep routine which the body recognizes as one of it's signals that it's time for bed.
Relaxation techniques - Examples including deep breathing, meditation, toe tensing, deep breathing, a gentle massage, soothing mental imagery, all can help prepare you for a great sleep.The objective is to de-stress, relax and clear the mind.
Some "Don'ts" re-emphasized - Your bed should not be your desk, office or workspace. It's also not the place to argue with your spouse or sleeping partner, to discuss stressful situations or to re-enact the day's dramas.
If you are taking medications, check them - Medications can often cause insomnia and sleep difficulties as a side effects. Consult with your doctor to assess if these are contributing to your sleeping problems, and especially for those taken within 4 hours of bedtime. Often, other medications can be substituted by your doctor that do not cause insomnia, or which can be taken earlier in the day. Ask your doctor to review your medications with you regarding their impact on your sleep. He or she can discuss each medication's impact on your sleep quality, and also any effects if taken in combination with other medications. Follow your qualified doctor's guidance and advice.
Finally, sleep's priority in your life - Seriously, how important is getting proper sleep to you? Is getting good sleep a low or high priority in your life? Are you giving it adequate time in your schedule, or is it always out-prioritized? Are you substituting needed sleep time for internet surfing, instant messaging, computer games, work or other recreations on a regular basis? What's your sleep priority? Given all the ways it affects your health, happiness, performance and well-being, we recommend it not suffer a low priority. For some lifestyles, this may be the biggest opportunity of all.

How do you fare? Sure, certain activities and lifestyle factors that undermine sleep may be habitual or "standard routine" in your life right now. The real key is to think about how you can replace those with new habits and routines that will help your sleep. Not just think about it, but actually make the change.

Remember, "little things can have big impact"! Just think about the tiny mosquito. Small as it is, we all know how it can disrupt a good night's sleep! Positive changes and little adjustments in your own activities and lifestyle can pay big dividends in terms of your sleep quality.

Related Page Links:

Sleep and Health; How Typical Beds and Pillows Can Hinder Sleep; How to Select your Perfect Bed and Pilow; NightCare Unique Benefits; NightCare Proven Performance; Materials Comparison Chart; NightCare Online Store; Online Advantages; Knowledge Base

Sleep Environment

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 04:40:00 GMT

Our sleep environment affects our sleep

UNDER ATTACK: Each night, our sleep comes under attack through our five senses. Our awakening by the morning alarm clock is a stark example of a "sleep interrupter" in our sleep environment.

Some "disturbers" during the night can be subtle and almost unrecognizable. Others are not so subtle. In any case, it's often overlooked that we can actually make improvements in our environment to improve our sleep.

Here are top ways to improve sleep quality with slight changes to your sleep environment:

Factor # 1: Your Sleep Surface - This should be PRIORITY ONE. Your bed and pillow comprise major parts of your sleep environment. We review their role and what you can do for this top priority throughout our website. More: How Beds and Pillows Can Hinder Great Sleep, Sleep and Pain, How to Select Your Perfect Bed and Pillow, Materials Comparison Chart, and Healthier Sleep Quality.

Factor #2: Light - Much of our sleep patterns, feeling sleepy at night and awake during the day, are regulated by light and darkness. Light -- strong light, like bright outdoor light (which is brighter than indoor light even on cloudy days), is the most powerful regulator of our biological clock. Our bodies have a special mechanism that adjusts our sleepiness to the hours of darkness. A part of the brain called the hypothalamus is connected to the back of the eyes, and, according to the amount of light it perceives, it releases different hormones: melatonin, which sends us to sleep at night, or cortisol, which wakes us up in the morning.

For all this all to work as it should, you should be keeping your bedroom as absolutely dark while you're sleeping as it can be. Even though outside light can change with the seasons, etc., stages of the moon, etc., it's important to have sufficient curtains or blinds to truly keep the light out, and keep the room really dark. And wherever darkness isn't possible, the alternative of using a sleeping mask (comfortable and loosely fitting) is always available.

Also, make sure to you expose yourself to enough bright light during the day. Find time for sunlight, or purchase a natural light lamp (not the same as a sunlamp) to supplement your daytime exposure to natural light.

Factor # 3: Sound - A dripping faucet, a clock ticking, a computer's printer printing, nearby footsteps, a creaking floor or noisy bed-spring, a door closing, a neighbor's blaring music, noisy vehicles outside, an ice machine at a hotel, or a snoring sleeping partner -- these are examples of sound that rob us of sleep.

If sounds are regularly disturbing to your sleep, your first objective is to consciously identify them. Many people come to find that the big culprits are frequently just one or two key factors. For example, a snoring sleeping partner!

Once identified, the next step is the solution. Of course, some are resolved more readily than others; for example, a leaky faucet. Finding good solutions to help alleviate a snoring problem is another good example where solutions are achievable when focused on. But remember, problems like these don't just solve themselves. Be proactive!

When these disturbances involve other people, it's appropriate to have a talk with them and work out solutions together in a friendly and helpful spirit. Helping or supporting your sleeping partner to reduce or eliminate his or her snoring problem is a perfect example of this, and is a win-win solution. Disturbances by family members or neighbors can usually be reduced this way.

In cities or noisy neighborhoods, retrofitting windows with double paned glass is a frequently implemented solution -- this is what quality hotels do.

When unwanted sounds can't be eliminated, try earplugs or "white noise" -- for example as provided by a steady fan -- to help. Many people opt to go to sleep to the sound of soothing CD music, with a timed setting to go turn off at a certain time.

Factor # 4: Touch - Beyond the factors of touch relating to your sleep surface, there are other "touch factors" as well. First and foremost are the impacts that a sleeping partner can have on your sleep. Movements and motion transfer, inadvertent kicks and touching, and so forth, will disturb your sleep. Oftentimes, a larger and better bed is a great solution! Other times, separate beds may be an answer. A variation of this idea is the popular "split king" bed, giving couples the best of both worlds, so to speak.

In addition, consider your bed linens. Do they have a luxurious and comfortable feel for you?

They do serve functions of comfort, breath-ability and coolness and a feeling of freshness and luxury, all together. You may want to upgrade them, and treat yourself to a little splurge of luxury that will improve your feeling of comfort and sleep satisfaction.

When traveling, do you recall how nice it is to snuggle into a freshly-made bed at the hotel? Clean, fresh sheets and a freshly-made bed can work wonders on the sense of touch when it comes to sleep.

Factor # 5: Temperature and Humidity - We generally sleep best when we are comfortably warm (but not too warm) in bed, while the air in the room is cool. Temperatures above 75 degrees Fahrenheit and below 54 degrees can disrupt your sleep. However, even sleep researchers do not agree on the ideal temperature for sleep. The point at which sleep is interrupted due to temperature or climate conditions varies from person to person. It's also affected by bed clothes and bedding materials.

It is recommended to keep your room slightly cool -- but achieving the ideal temperature isn't always that simple. When two sleeping partners disagree, they may decide to each make some compromises for the other: Turning the thermostat down at night in cold weather saves on fuel bills and sets the stage for sleep. Blankets or comforters can create warmth without feeling too heavy or confining. Or, the heat-seeking partner might dress in warmer bedclothes while the warmer partner might opt not to wear much in the way of sleep clothes or bed covering.

In summer, a room that's too hot or humid can surely be disruptive to sleep. Hot and humid sleeping environments lead to more wake time and lighter sleep.

Helpful hint: Regardless of season or temperature, it's usually best to have the air in the room circulating. The slight, subtle circulation of air in a bedroom generally helps evaporate moisture and provides a more comfortable feeling. This can be accomplished by a low-running fan or central cooling system, or simply a slightly opened window or bedroom door. And it helps keep the air fresher, not stuffy.

Environments with high humidity often feel uncomfortable warmth and stuffy, and can leave a damp, clammy or sweaty feeling. Again, air circulation helps. Air conditioners, by their very technology, help remove humidity from the air, although they do use energy when they run.

Factor # 6: The Sense of Smell - As a part of your bedtime routine, you may want to incorporate soothing scents. Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses fragrant plant materials, known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of altering a person's mood, cognitive function or health.

Among most medical professionals, the concensus is that while some aromas have demonstrated effects on mood and relaxation, and may have related benefits for individuals, there is currently insufficient scientific evidence to support claims. However, many people find it soothing, relaxing, and helpful for their sleeping. The main function of aromatherapy is to produce an odor which induces a pleasant effect on the body.

Human senses such as olfaction, the sense of smell, work on the subconscious as well as physical levels. Various smells can stimulate the brain and evoke feelings which are then associated with that smell. Aromatherapy is commonly used by those seeking natural ways to alleviate stress and achieve more restful sleep. While there aren't research studies that investigate which smell may encourage better sleep, many people enjoy aromatherapy.

What scents might be best for you? You'll have many choices! Lavender is regarded as having soporific (sleep-inducing) qualities. Other possibilities include roman chamomile, sweet marjoram, sandalwood, clary sage and jasmine. Each is variously described as calming, soothing, relaxing and warming by those promoting the products. They're available at health stores and locations that supply bath and body products. You might like aromatherapy, and doing your own research should be fun!

Other Related Page Links:

Knowledge Base; NightCare's Unique Benefits; NightCare Proven Results