The New Way To Sleep

These tips will keep you on track:

Considering traditional memory foam?

Conventional memory foam, common in the bedding industry, has an open-cell foam structure that reacts to body heat and weight by “moulding” to your body. The foam reacts (softens) to body heat, and can't instantly re-adjust to changes in body position. On a memory foam bed, sleepers may notice a feeling like being moulded into the bed -- a somewhat confining feeling. Another complaint is that memory foam can sleep "uncomfortably warm or hot". Each of these tendencies can go unnoticed in a mattress store since it takes time for memory foam to absorb and respond to your body's heat.

Guidance: NightCare's material-of-choice is natural latex and natural latex-blends for our major core material. As you can see in our Materials Comparison Chart, NightCare's latex material with our patented design technology has major advantages versus traditional memory foam.

Wherever memory foam is used as a supplemental materials in our products, we use a vastly more advanced foam material formulation -- NightCare Pure(tm) Memory Material with our NightCare technology. With our technology, we eliminate those disadvantages of traditional memory foam, leapfrogging the original version in performance and comfort. Ours is formulated here in the U.S. to highest quality standards.

Chemicals and off-gassing: Traditional, conventional polyurethane foams and memory foams are made almost entirely from petrochemical and plastic materials, in contrast to latex foams which are almost completely natural materials. If yours is a more "natural lifestyle" minimizing the exposures to chemicals in your life, you may not want to spend 1/3 of your life sleeping on a sleep surface of polyurethane or traditional memory foam. This is a reason we prefer and use NightCare Natural Latex and our advanced NightCare Pure Memory Foam material, both incorporating NightCare technology.

A few tendencies of airbeds to be aware of: Certain airbeds may cause a “hammock” effect at certain settings -- similar to sagging. It can defeat the goals of low pressure and healthy alignment that you want for your perfect bed. In addition, sleepers generally don't sleep in the same position all throughout the night. Because "comfort settings" of a typical airbed are generally set once each night when you get into bed -- it doesn't automatically re-adjust its comfort setting every time you change positions during the night. As a result, sleepers with adjustable airbeds can find themselves with unsatisfactory comfort in the middle of the night, with different comfort than when they went to bed.

Asthma and allergy sufferers: If you’re asthmatic or suffer from allergies, consider avoiding polyester fabrics and fillers when choosing your perfect mattress and pillow. These materials can become breeding grounds for dust mites. The best choices from this standpoint include natural latex, followed by polyurethane foam and memory foam. These materials do not provide hospitable environments for dust mites, and are considered to be hypo-allergenic.

If you think the chemicals and off-gassing of polyurethane foams may aggravate your allergies, you may especially favor the natural latex of NightCare.

Guidance: Natural latex is the first material choice for most sleepers and asthma sufferers concerned about allergies and wanting the best in sleep comfort at the same time. Made from the natural milk sap of the rubber tree, it is anti-microbial and hypo-allergenic by nature, and at the very top of the comfort scale. NightCare provides beds and pillows both in premium natural latex premium, and advanced, “green-formula” polyurethanes.

A very small percentage of people may have sensitivity or allergy to latex. It is highly uncommon, but it does happen. Even then, most such allergies are the result of direct contact with latex, such as an individual wearing latex rubber gloves. While our latex is the finest latex foam available in the world and does not come in direct contact since it's encased inside the mattress, no one can guarantee that a product will be non-allergenic to everyone.

If you think you might be susceptible to allergies, discuss mattress and pillow materials with your allergist or doctor. Call our Customer Service number and we will be happy to send you a free, small foam sample of NightCare's material. You can tape a small piece to the skin of your forearm and leave it overnight to see if there is any skin reaction. First, though, ask your doctor if this is an appropriate test for you. The information we provide is not intended to substitute for medical advice. We do not accept product returns due to allergies or specific medical conditions.

Stay Observant, Curious and Diligent

In the traditional stores, does the sales person provide any information on those subjects? Do they gain your trust? In many cases, the answer is "No". NightCare fills these void in the marketplace with science-based solutions that most traditional bedding manufacturers can't duplicate.

In Conclusion:

• When shopping, stay in control of the conversation and don’t be timid about asking your questions.
• Explore the nooks and crannies of our website; you’ll be well informed.
• Seek out only the brand that best meets your sleep performance criteria.
• The "High-Performance" sleep category leader is NightCare

Tips for "Sleep Success" During Your Pregnancy Months

Some of these tips you're probably already doing (reminders), but many you probably aren't. All are important, though. Done together, they'll ensure you're getting the best sleep possible during your pregnancy months:

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 as much as possible -- Caffeine is a stimulant, and disrupts typical sleep patterns. This includes caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea and many sodas, as well as chocolate. (Restrict intakes, if you have any, to the morning or early afternoon.)

Avoid smoking -- In addition to its known health hazards, nicotine is a stimulant that works against good sleep patterns.

Go to the bathroom immediately before bedtime. Sleep is always more comfortable and less disrupted when your tank is empty. Similarly, 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! It's a big help to have a night light, and therefore not have to turn on a big light when you get up.

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 well before going to bed.

Avoid alcohol (and especially within 4 hours of 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. Your doctor will most likely be recommending that you avoid it too.

Exercise, but avoid rigorous exercise right before bed -- Strenuous exercise within 2 hours before bedtime can decrease your ability to fall asleep. Instead, consider doing some of the following relaxation techniques. (And be sure to always discuss any new activities or fitness regimens with your doctor first.)

Relaxation techniques-- Examples including deep breathing, meditation, toe tensing, a gentle massage, soothing mental imagery, and also a nice warm bath. All can help prepare you for a great sleep. So, don't be shy about indulging and pampering yourself in ways that help you relax -- you deserve it! And perhaps you can get your spouse or partner to help and/or join in with you. The objective is to de-stress, relax and clear the mind. (Once again, discuss any new activity with your doctor first.)

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.

Leave talk of worries outside the bedroom door-- 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".

The stealer of life's quality

Sleep deprivation is a general lack of the necessary amount of sleep, caused when the opportunity to sleep is restricted. It is also a sleep disorder characterized by too little sleep.

Approximately 50 - 70 million Americans are reportedly affected by sleep deprivation or other sleep-related disorders. Sleep deprived individuals become tired, irritable, and less effective. It can seriously affect your health in the form of physical and mental impairments. It impairs your ability to think, handle stress, maintain a healthy immune system and manage emotions.

Without adequate rest, the brain's ability to function deteriorates. The brain works harder to counteract sleep deprivation's effects, but operates less effectively: Concentration levels drop, and memory becomes impaired. The brain's ability to problem-solve is greatly impaired. Decision-making capabilities are compromised, and the brain falls into rigid thought patterns with difficulty generating new problem-solving ideas. Insufficient rest can also cause people to have hallucinations.

Other typical effects include:

• depression
• heart disease
• hypertension
• irritability
• slower reaction times
• tremors
• weight challenges
• diabetes succeptability or aggravation
• succeptability to addiction
• reduced resistance and immunity to infection, illness and disease

THE GOOD NEWS is that sleep deprivation can be corrected if recognized and addressed properly. Causes of sleep deprivation are in these six broad areas:

1. Lifestyle and activity factors. Check out these opportunities to tweak your lifestyle and improve your sleep right now. (Improve Sleep Now section). Is your sleep deprivation self-inflicted?
2. Sleep disorders. Take our quick, revealing evaluation (Improve Sleep Now section). Sleep deprivation may be the result of a sleep disorder. Most sleep disorders are correctable if properly identified and treated with the help of a qualified doctor.
3. Health complications. Health conditions that are not sleep disorders can adversely affect your sleep. Here are some examples. Seek your doctor's help. Consult with him or her about how to work sleep improvement into your healthcare. Your sleep CAN be improved with your doctors' help; find resources in our Knowledge Base Stress, Anxiety, ADHD (Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder), Asthma, Bipolar disorder, Depression, Post-traumatic stress disorder
4. Your sleep surface, i.e., your bed and pillow As we hope you've learned here in our website, a typical bed and pillow contributes to, if not directly causes, sleep disappointments. Take our Sleep Surface Audit and see if an upgrade of your sleep surface (bed and pillow) makes sense for you. It's in our Improve Sleep Now section.
5. Medication side effects. If you're taking any of these medications, negative side effects may inadvertently be depriving you of sleep. Check your meds, and speak with your doctor about these.

Factors in your sleep environment can be depriving you of sleep. Improving your sleep environment will reward you with sleep. Opportunities in our Improve Sleep Now section.

Physical factors you may notice during your pregnancy. Some may affect how well you sleep

Heart rate increase: As more of your blood supply goes to the uterus, your heart will be working harder sending sufficient blood to the rest of your body.

Frequent urge to urinate: While you're pregnant, your kidneys will be working harder to filter your increased amount of blood (increasing to 30-50% more than before your pregnancy). Your body's blood filtering process results in more urine. At the same time, as your baby grows and the uterus increases its size, the pressure on your bladder increases. This means more bathroom visits, including at night which can interrupt your sleep.

Breathing: A natural change in your body's hormones during pregnancy may cause you to breathe in more deeply, and it may feel as though you're breathing harder to get air. In later stages of your pregnancy, breathing may also feel more difficult as your enlarging uterus takes up more space and puts pressure against your diaphragm below the lungs.

Backaches and leg cramps: During your pregnancy, you're carrying extra weight. It can cause strains and pains for your legs and back, both during the day and when you are sleeping. NightCare's Maternity Topper is designed to alleviate these strains and discomforts while you sleep.

Heartburn and constipation: You may occasionally experience heartburn and constipation during your pregnancy. Your digestive system is slowing down and food tends to remain in your stomach and intestines longer. In the later stages of pregnancy, pressure of the large uterus on the stomach or large intestine can cause these tendencies to increase.

Restless leg syndrome: About 15% of pregnant women experience restless leg syndrome (RLS), especially during the 3rd trimester. These symptoms usually subside and go away within a month after the baby's birth.

Hormone preparing body for childbirth: Relaxin is a hormone secreted by your body which prepares your body for childbirth, particularly at the final stages of pregnancy. It brings about a softening of connective tissues (cartilage and tendons) so that the bones at the front of the pelvis can separate making it easier for the baby to be born. The relaxin also affects tissues in other areas, loosening them and making them less stable and more succeptible to injury, particularly in the back. These changes may persist for several weeks after delivery.

Normal feelings of stress and anxiousness: These are normal feelings of expectant parenthood for both you and your partner, and they may tend to keep you awake more than usual. See our tips below for ways to relax, destress and improve your sleep.

Snoring

Snoring is the most common sleep problem. An estimated 30-50% of the U.S. population snores at some time or another. If you snore, you are not alone. (Or, on the other hand, perhaps you are alone ... if your sleeping partner has abandoned you to sleep in a quieter place!)

Snoring noise occurs because of a vibration of air as it passes over structures in the throat and mouth – typically the soft palate vibrates with the vocal chords. The narrower the airway becomes, the louder the snoring becomes.

Loud snoring can totally disrupt the sleep quality of both the snorer and his or her sleeping partner. It results in daytime sleepiness and other symptoms associated with poor sleep. It has wrecked many marriages.

Causes of snoring can include:

Sleeping with neck and head in poor position: Sleeping with the neck and head in bent or crooked position (poor pillow choice) aggravates snoring. If you sleep with your head raised by your pillow too much, this will happen. Like a bend or crink in a garden hose, it further restricts the flow of air in what is already a narrow airway passage. This is a key contributor or aggravator of snoring. This cause can be easily corrected, however, with the clinically tested and proven design of NightCare's "Thank You for Not Snoring" pillow. It's highly comfortable, has been proven highly effective, and was developed specifically for snorers.

Decreased muscle tone: Muscle tone decreases as we age, allowing the sides of the throat to close together and the tongue to fall backward into the airway.

Being overweight: Excessive weight often contributes to snoring, since excess fat in the neck area reduces the width of the air passage.

Congestion: Your nasal passage becomes inflamed as a response to a cold or allergies. It narrows the air passage and forces you to inhale harder to get the proper amount of air. Congestion can also occur when you breathe excessively dry air at night; the mucus in your nose and throat thickens, limiting airflow.

Anatomical abnormalities: Any physical abnormalities in your nasal passages, mouth or throat can also lead to snoring. An examination by a doctor can indicate if you have any.

There are numerous treatments for snoring that do not entail surgery:

Proper pillow: In all cases, you can sleep with a pillow with a design proven in clinical testing to eliminate or alleviate snoring by comfortably positioning the head and neck to open the airway more. It's the NightCare "Thank You for Not Snoring" Pillow. This is perhaps the easiest and most comfortable solution. Sleep with this comfortable pillow and alleviate your snoring!

Lifestyle changes: If you're significantly overweight, losing weight often eliminates snoring, since it reduces the amount of fatty tissue in the neck and throat. Quitting smoking, foregoing alcohol in the evening, and avoiding sleeping pills and muscle relaxants may also help.

Natural remedies for Congestion: A humidifier placed on your nightstand may help. Humidifiers tend to make a difference if you live in a hot, dry desert climate, or a cold climate (where the indoor air is artificially dry because the heating system produces "dry heat". Heavy air conditioner use also takes moisture from the air, so you may want to consider reducing your air conditioner's use at night.

Medications for Congestion: Snoring caused by congestion may be relieved by prescription nasal sprays prescribed by your doctor. Avoid over-the-counter spray decongestants; their effect diminishes after a few days, excessive use can damage the lining of the nose, and it's easy to become dependent on them.

Dental devices and other store products: There are more than forty dental devices currently on the market, which fall into two general categories: Mandibular (lower jaw) advancing devices or tongue-retaining devices. Dental devices, which are available from dentists, are often effective when worn every night. However, some people find them uncomfortable and discontinue use. Other store products include nasal strips or mechanical dilators. While these devices may help, they, too, can be uncomfortable, and snoring originating in the mouth and throat won't benefit from these.

Consequences of Snoring:

Snoring causes substantial loss of sleep for both the person snoring and his or her sleeping partner. Combined with tossing and turning, the snoring noise often keeps both people from sleeping soundly. It's been known to ruin many marital relations! Sleep deprivation has significant consequences: Excessive sleepiness, irritability, and lack of productivity during the day, as well negative repercussions to general health.

Heavy snoring is an indicator of the possibility of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) – where the airway completely closes, stopping breathing until the person wakes up. The health and sleep consequences of this are significant -- reasons to talk to your doctor about heavy snoring. Learn about sleep apnea, below.

Sleep Apnea

"Apnea" basically means "no breathing", and sleep apnea affects millions of men, women and children. It is a condition characterized by temporary breathing interruptions during sleep. The cessation of breathing during sleep, lasting at least 10 seconds, is also associated with a fall in blood oxygen or arousal from sleep. Symptoms include loud snoring and a gasping or snorting sound when the sleeping individual starts to breathe again. Oftentimes, the sleeper wakes up gasping for breath, but most people with sleep apnea don't actually realize that they have it. The episodes can occur hundreds of times each night. Quality of sleep is substantially disrupted, and results in daytime fatigue. The most common type, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), occurs when the tongue or other soft tissue blocks the airway.

Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: These are often first noticed a bed partner or parent:

• Frequent silences during sleep due to interruptions in breathing (apnea)
• Choking or gasping during sleep to get air into the lungs
• Loud snoring
• Sudden awakenings to restart breathing, or waking up in a sweat
• Daytime sleepiness and feeling unrefreshed by a night's sleep, including falling asleep at inappropriate times.
• People with sleep apnea sometimes wake up with headaches.

Causes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea:

• Being overweight or obese
• Large tonsils or adenoids
• Other distinctive physical causes (deviated septum, shape of head and neck, receding chin, enlarged tongue)
• Nasal congestion or blockage (from cold, sinusitis, allergies, smoking, etc.)
• Throat muscles and tongue relax more than normal during sleep (often aggravated by alcohol, sedatives or age).
• Sleeping with the neck and head in bent or crooked position (poor pillow choice). Like a bend in a garden hose, it restricts the flow of air in what is already a narrow airway passage. This is a common contributor or aggravator of sleep apnea.

Consequences of Obstructive Sleep Apnea:

• Sleep apnea has serious health consequences and can even be life-threatening. The main effects of sleep apnea are oxygen deprivation and sleep deprivation, as well as sleep interruptions for your sleeping partner. If you are a heavy snorer, or have any of its other symptoms, you should consult with your doctor right away about it.
• Oxygen deprivation -- Air and oxygen cannot get into the lungs properly, and your brain does not get enough oxygen. Serious problems can result, including high blood pressure, heart disease, sexual dysfunction, and memory and learning problems.
• Sleep deprivation -- Often, a person with sleep apnea will wake up feeling like they have not slept, or have difficulty staying awake during the day. Some domino effects of sleep deprivation include a weakening of the immune system, poor mental and emotional health, irritability, and an increased likelihood of motor vehicle accidents or workplace accidents. Other side effects such as excessive sweating and a frequent need to urinate can also disrupt sleep. Sleep deprivation hurts both the person with the sleep apnea as well as his or her sleeping partner whose sleep is also disrupted.

Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: These may relieve most, if not all, of the symptoms:

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP): CPAP is the most widely recommended treatment for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. CPAP entails wearing a mask-like device while you sleep. It provides pressurized air to prevent the airway from collapsing. Most CPAP units are the size of a tissue box and many come with a built-in humidifier for comfort. While CPAP works very well in preventing or curtailing sleep apnea symptoms, many people find the device uncomfortable and difficult to use or sleep with. The CPAP technology continues to advance and become more refined. Your doctor can recommend and show you the newest models. Different types of masks are available and can make compliance more comfortable. Be sure you receive sufficient coaching and guidance for using these devices. If you have questions about them, ask your doctor.

Proper pillow: As part of your doctor's recommended treatment, and under his or her direction, you will definitely want to be sleeping with the pillow with the clinically-proven design to help keep your airway by comfortably positioning the head and neck to open the airway more. This is the NightCare "Thank You for Not Snoring" Pillow. This is an easy and very comfortable way to augment your treatment – since you are probably already sleeping with a pillow, it should be the right one! While it can augment and help your sleep apnea treatment, by itself it will not eliminate moderate or severe apnea problems.

Dental appliances, oral devices, and lower jaw adjustment devices: Most dental devices are acrylic and fit inside the mouth, much like an athletic mouth guard or orthodontic appliance. They reposition the lower jaw. These devices open your airway by bringing your lower jaw or your tongue forward during sleep. While less cumbersome than CPAP and relatively simple to use, they are only effective for mild to moderate sleep apnea. They can have some uncomfortable side effects; however. It is very important to get them fitted by a dentist that specializes in sleep apnea, and to see the dentist on a regular basis for any dental problems that may occur.

Surgery as treatment: Surgery can increase the size of your airway. The surgeon may remove tonsils, adenoids, or excess tissue at the back of the throat or inside the nose. Or, the surgeon may reconstruct the jaw to enlarge the upper airway. However, all surgeries carry risks, and you will want to consider and weigh all your options with your doctor.

If you, or someone you know, has signs of sleep apnea, then definitely speak with your doctor. Sleep apnea is easily diagnosed and treated. Sufferers are often astounded by the quality of sleep that they have been missing, and by the difference that treatment makes in their lives.

Sleep Survey

The following questions are intended to help those seeking information about potential sleep disorders. These address some of the most common sleep disorders but not all clearly all of them (there are at least 70).

If you think you might have a sleep disorder, contact your physician regardless of the results of this questionnaire.

Which statements describe your typical experience? CHECK the questions that you think apply to you frequently or always. If a statement does not apply or is false, simply go on to the next statement. If you have some checked, talk to your doctor about them.

1. I frequently wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep.
2. Thoughts racing through my mind prevent me from sleeping.
3. I worry about things and have trouble relaxing.
4. I wake up earlier in the morning than I mean to.
5. I lie awake for at least half an hour before I can fall asleep.
6. I am sad and depressed; I'm sometimes afraid to fall asleep.
7. Although I sleep through the night, during the day I feel muscle tension, crawling sensations, or aching in my legs.
8. Except when exercising, I feel sleepy during the day.
9. My legs hurt at night and feel better when I move them.
10. I have been told that I kick at night.
11. Sometimes I can't keep my legs still at night. I feel that I have to move them.
12. When I wake up, my muscles are sore or achy.
13. I use antacids (Rolaids, Tums, Alka-Seltzer, etc.) frequently for stomach upset, and wake up at night with heartburn.
14. I am hoarse in the morning.
15. I have a chronic cough.
16. I wake up at night wheezing or coughing.
17. I often have sore throats.
18. I'm told that I snore loudly.
19. While I don't remember it when I wake up, I'm told that while I'm asleep I stop breathing or gasp for breath.
20. I have high blood pressure.
21. My friends or family say they've noticed changes in my personality, and more daytime sleepiness.
22. I am overweight.
23. I sweat a great deal during the night.
24. My heart seems to pound or beat irregularly during the night.
25. I get headaches in the morning.
26. I am have lost or am losing my sex drive.
27. No matter how hard I try to stay awake during the day, I often fall asleep -- even if I've had a full night's sleep.
28. When I have strong feelings like anger, fear, surprise, or other strong emotions, I get a weak feeling in my knees, jaw, or other muscles.
29. Sleepiness is a problem during work or at school.
30. While falling asleep or soon thereafter, I experience vivid, dreamlike scenes.
31. I sometimes fall asleep during physical effort.
32. I feel as if I need to do a full day's work during every hour in order to get anything done.
33. I feel drowsy while driving, even if I've had a full night's sleep.
34. I often feel paralyzed (not able to move) for brief periods while falling asleep or just after waking up.

About the Questions

The questions may help you recognize symptoms of certain sleep disorders. This is intended as a general source of educational information and doesn't contain medical advice or medical recommendations. It should not be relied upon or used for diagnosis or treatment. If you think you may have a sleep disorder, contact a qualified doctor, regardless of the results of this questionnaire. Getting an evaluation by a qualified doctor is the best way to determine if you have a sleep/wake disorder.

Questions 1 - 6 describe some of the symptoms experienced by people who have insomnia, the persistent inability to fall asleep or stay asleep.

Questions 7 - 12 describe some of the symptoms experienced by people who have nocturnal limb movement disorder, or restless legs syndrome, resulting in uncontrollable leg or arm movements, aching or crawling sensations in the legs, or sometimes arms, during sleep.

Questions 13 - 17 describe some of the symptoms experienced by people with gastroesophageal reflux, a disorder that results from stomach acid backing up into the throat during the night.

Questions 18 - 26 describe some of the symptoms experienced by people who have sleep apnea, a potentially life-threatening disorder. People with sleep apnea quit breathing repeatedly, often hundreds of times during their night's sleep.

Questions 27 - 34 describe some of the symptoms experienced by people with narcolepsy, a complex disorder with uncontrollable sleep attacks during normal waking hours as one of its symptoms.

During these months, achieve better and healthier sleep

Your pregnancy months are filled with learning and new ways of doing things . . . like pre-natal care, changes in your routines, nutrition, and how to get a good night's sleep!

MOST WOMEN face sleep challenges during pregnancy, especially in the 1st and 3rd trimesters. You may sleep more than usual during the 1st trimester of your pregnancy. Your body is working to protect and nurture the developing baby, and it's normal to feel tired at this stage. Your placenta (the organ that nourishes the fetus until birth) is forming, your body is making more blood, and your heart is pumping faster.

It's usually later in pregnancy, in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, that most women have trouble getting the deep, uninterrupted sleep they need and long for. And Dads, though much, much less affected than the Moms, may also be having interrupted or lesser quality sleep as well, as a sleeping partner. Nevertheless, it's a wondrous period.

Why Sleeping Can Be Difficult During Pregnancy, and What You Can Do

Increasing size of fetus, and your sleeping position: An obvious and primary factor for sleep problems during pregnancy is the increasing size of the fetus. It seems that a comfortable sleeping position just can't be found. If you generally prefer back or side sleeping, it may be difficult getting used to sleeping on your side, as doctors recommend.

NightCare has designed its special Maternity Mattress Topper to improve your sleep in your pregnancy months. It incorporates our sleep science and body-contouring technology, and has a patented Tummy Cradle. Our Maternity Topper is designed to comfortably cradle your tummy while you are sleeping in the doctor-recommended side-lying position. At the same time, it provides back and body support, The result is better and healthier sleeping comfort throughout all stages of your pregnancy. It fits easily on top of your current mattress, and is adjustable during each of your trimesters for your changing tummy size. It also provides Dad's side of the bed a wonderful, high-comfort mattress topper too!

After your baby's birth, this topper becomes a wonderful non-pregnancy mattress topper for superior sleep in years to come. Simply remove and put away the topper's Tummy Cradle insert, and continue using this topper on your mattress. Visit our NightCare Direct-to-You Online Store here at our website where you can learn more, and order the topper size that will fit on top of your current mattress.

"Lack of sleep disrupts every physiologic function in the body. We have nothing in our biology that allows us to adapt to this behavior." —Dr. Eve Van Couter, Professor of Medicine, Committee on Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition, University of Chicago

Good sleep is basic to good health. When sleep quality is low, the restorative abilities of sleep are diminished. When sleep quality is high, the body’s restorative functioning is more robust. Improving sleep has positive impacts in virtually all aspects of life.

Areas Benefiting from Better sleep:

Physical Health

1. Immune defenses (affecting the body’s resistance to infection and disease)
2. Healing and restorative ability of the body
3. Sleep disordered breathing (snoring; sleep apnea)
4. Weight challenges
5. Heart disease
6. Stroke
7. Type 2 diabetes
8. Hypertension; high blood pressure
9. Dicubitus ulcers / pressure ulcerations (bed sores)
10. Pains and suffering
11. Certain problems in pregnancy
12. Addiction tendancies, including alcoholism and smoking
13. Sexual disinterest and/or dysfunctions
14. Sleep-related neuroses and psychoses
15. Aging process

Performance and Well-being

1. Feeling of well-being, tranquility and harmony
2. Learning and memory
3. Mood
4. Stress levels
5. Situation awareness
6. Cognitive performance
7. Safety, reaction and response times
8. Motivation
9. Accuracy and speed of performance
10. Productivity
11. Endurance
12. Athletic capability
13. Attention span
14. Depression and pessimism
15. Self-confidence

Reaping the Benefits

The first and most obvious way to increase sleep's dividends (benefits) to you is by investing in your sleep quality -- actually enabling for you and your family the best sleep every night that you can get. And why not, you certainly earn it and deserve it, don't you? 

Therefore, when doing your shopping homework, we hope you keep in mind one of our recurring themes: "All beds and pillows are not created equal." If you're serious about wanting the best quality sleep, you'll want to make sure you're new bed and pillow can deliver it. By definition, most brands you have to choose from obviously won't and can't be "best".

So, in your search for your "perfect bed", we want you to be well informed. You'll want to see our website sections How Typical Beds and Pillows Can Hinder Sleep, How to Select your Perfect Bed and Pillow, NightCare's Unique Benefits, Healthier Sleep Quality, NightCare's Proven Performance, Materials Comparison Chart, NightCare's Online Store,  Online Advantages, and our extensive Knowledge Base. And if you have morning aches and pains with your current mattress and pillow, you'll want to see our our website's pages about Sleep and Pain.

If you're serious about wanting great sleep, you'll want to discover NightCare.

We've come a long way since the '60's

Last weekend, I happened to stop by Trader Joe's and Whole Foods to pick up a few items. Looking for the foods on my list, it occurred to me how different the grocery shopping is today compared to, say, back in the 1960's before nutrition, health and fitness came big time-into the American health consciousness.

In the '60's, I was in my teens. What I remember is that the standard bread was white, there was no nutrition labeling on food products, and people generally weren't focused on nutrition, the need for regular exercise, or their personal health in general like they are today.

Whole Foods wasn't even a company prior to 1980, nor was Trader Joe's the company we recognize and appreciate today. The standard Nutrition Label on all food products today was enacted as the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act and became effective on May 8, 1994 -- not all that long ago. And in the same time frame, the interest in personal fitness was taking off too.

Your 3 Essentials

Those two trends -- Nutrition and Fitness -- are two of the three health essentials. Your Sleep Quality is the third. It's your body's "maintainer and driver" of individual health. Often, though, it's the most neglected. Yet, to achieve your peak health potential, each is indispensable: Quality Nutrition; Regular Exercise and Fitness; and Quality Sleep.

How are you doing with each three "essential"?

I'm guessing that nutrition and fitness have found respectable places in your health consciousness and daily routine. How about your sleep? Are you achieving high quality sleep, consistently . . . not just your average run-of-the-mill sleep that leaves you feeling unsatisfied in the morning and tired in the day?  (We say "achieving" because high quality sleep can be easily "achieved" when it's a priority -- like your nutrition and fitness.)

Browse our website and check out our sections for improving sleep now, you'll see them in the Related Page Links below.  You'll also find in our website an easy audit for assessing the quality of your sleep surface -- your current mattress and pillow.

OK, so maybe nutrition and fitness were first. Now it's sleep's turn -- your third essential for peak health.

Quote of the Day:

"Lack of sleep disrupts every physiologic function in the body. We have nothing in our biology that allows us to adapt to this behavior."
Dr. Eve Van Couter, Professor of Medicine, Committee on Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition, University of Chicago

Related Page Links:

Sleep and Health; How Typical Beds and Pillows Can Hinder 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 Pain