Memory Foam

We’ve talked about this before but I don’t think we can hear it often enough,  sleep is important to our health!  It can help ward off heart attacks, high blood pressure, obesity, stroke and mental impairment.  It can aid in the occurrence of injuries due to lack of mental alertness.  These injuries may be in the home, work place or, more dangerous yet, while driving where innocent people may be affected.  Receiving less than 6 hours of sleep a night affects coordination, reaction time and judgment, achieving the same effects as being drunk!

Play it safe and follow these recommendations for a better night’s sleep:

• Maintain regular sleep hours.
• Avoid naps during the day if you are prone to having difficulty sleeping at night.
• Moving to another bedroom or location when you aren’t able to sleep stops the mental block to a particular environment that seems to keep you awake.
• Avoid the added stimulus to your body encouraged by watching television in bed or listening to music.
• Exercise during the daytime but avoid it late in the evening.
• Keep your bedroom for sleep, not watching television or working on the computer, etc.
• Stretching is a good idea before going to bed as a form of relaxation.
• Keep a notepad and pen or pencil by your bed to write down concerns that come to your mind while trying to sleep.
• If you are eating a heavy meal, allow 2 or more hours before you retire to bed for the digestion to occur.
• Make sure you have a comfortable mattress and pillow that encourages proper body alignment. 

We need to “wake-up” to the fact of how important sleep is to our bodies.  Here are just a few of the side effects of little to no sleep:

•  alters chemical balance
• daytime sleepiness and fatigues
• increases accidents whether at home or work
• weakens our immune system leaving us vulnerable to diseases
• causes stress
• upsets our mental processes

Scientists are looking seriously at what happens to our bodies when we live on 5-7 hours of sleep a night.  We may think that achieving those number of hours of sleep in one night is plenty of sleep for us, but discoveries are showing some negative results.

The University of Chicago tested healthy young men who slept 4 hours for 6 consecutive nights.  These men showed the same results of someone who had diabetes after they were examined on the seventh day.  Processing blood sugar was reduced by 30%, a huge drop occurred in their insulin response and elevated levels of a stress hormone leading to hypertension and memory impairment occurred.  Six hours of sleep would have the same impact, just that it would take a longer period of time to show the effects.

People who constantly sleep shorter have a hard time keeping blood sugars stable, making them prone to insulin resistance and obesity.  Brain function is slowed in the areas of attention, complex planning, complex mental operations and judgment. 

How can we combat this sleep deprivation?  Unfortunately not by sleeping longer the next day but planning in advance and sleeping extra hours the day before instead of after the fact.  You can also try napping for 20-30 minutes in the early afternoon in a comfortable position.

If we want to be healthy, it is important to get the sleep we need.  How much is that?  Do an experiment on your next holiday.  See how long you sleep for the first few days or week.  The following week you’ll be sleeping the right hours naturally and that will be the correct amount of sleep you need.

Look into memory foam pillows to help provide a good night’s rest for a healthier you.

I am sure we have all heard the stories about our parents, or perhaps grandparents, making their own feather-filled pillows or down quilts!  Not only have we heard the stories but perhaps we have seen the evidence of what they have made because it is still in their homes!  While that generation had to work for everything they had and were very happy to be warm and snugly at night,  as time as progressed, we have learned the importance of buying suitable products for how we sleep.  With each new generation there are more testings and discoveries made which help to assist in a good night’s rest which ultimately is crucial to a healthy lifestyle.

Perhaps, you are like I once was, and shopped for the cheapest pillow you could find, after all it was just to be used to sleep on, no big deal, right?  Wrong!  Research has shown the importance of having our bodies aligned properly while we sleep and pillows contribute to that.  I take no pride in finding the cheapest deal on pillows anymore.  Your body will say thank you for many years to come if you take the time to choose a product that is right for you and your body. 

While there are many choices of materials in pillows, why not look into a memory foam pillow?

Do You: 

•  Feel groggy when you wake up?
• Have trouble focusing without coffee?
• Wait for the weekends to catch up on sleep?
• Drag yourself around?
• Suffer from headaches?
• Fall asleep at the movies?

If these describe you, take a look at these useful tips to become energized!

1. Exercise, Exercise!- Start out simple, a walk around the block, but increase the duration and intensity and make exercise a regular activity.
2. Say No to Caffeine! - Start by reducing, not totally eliminating ,the daily caffeine you intake.  Soon you’ll be wanting those caffeine-free drinks!
3. Make Sleep,Top Quality! - Consider how much sleep you require and then make those hours count by purchasing the best pillow for you to have a better sleep!
4. Identify Stress - Prioritize your tasks and do what is important.
5. Eat well - Follow a well-balanced diet.

What will you do with all that extra energy?

 Holidaying is wonderful for the break from routine we experience at home.  Vacations provide us with time to relax, swim in a pool or perhaps in the ocean depending upon where we may be fortunate enough to be vacationing.  Perhaps it is hiking or biking you enjoy or shopping and dining out.  All these experiences are good for our mental and physical state but what is your body saying to you when you lay down at night?  Chances are, our bodies notice that something is missing!  It may be that memory foam pillow that you left at home!  While remembering the swimsuit, sunscreen, shorts, visa card and everything else one must remember to pack for a getaway, why not throw in your memory foam pillow?  Your body will love you for thinking of it!  After all, keeping your body in the correct position while you sleep will allow for a better night’s sleep thus enabling you to be ready for that walk, hike, swim or shopping trip!

Guess what, hitting the snooze button is okay!  Have you heard someone say, “Oh, I feel fine on four to five hours of sleep.”  They may be kidding themselves!

Carlyle Smith, a psychology professor and director of the Trent University Sleep Research Laboratory, has studied sleep and memory for 35 years.  Smith firmly believes seven to eight hours of sleep is enough but says, “If you like nine, then take nine when possible.” 

From preventing road accidents, to removing the unsightly bags under the eyes, to reducing the risk of diabetes, sleep has a huge impact on health.  Smith notes that changes in brain activity happen when continual lack of proper sleep occurs.  The evidence of this is slurred speech, simple vocabulary used, tripping over things and the math side of your brain isn’t working!  Your brain requires sleep to help file memories and information away.

It’s a new year,  so let’s start fresh and make good on those health resolutions like getting better sleep!

…..98,99,100….

When counting sheep no longer works for you to receive a good night’s sleep consider trying these suggestions:

• Try to relax!  Sleep allows the body time to heal.
• Cooler is better!  Check the room temperature.
• Darken the room.  Close those blinds or curtains.
• Invest in comfortable and supportive pillows and a bed.  Memory Foam Pillows may be the answer.
• Be quiet!  Earplugs and an eye mask may reduce the noise.
• Stop eating!  The digestion process can take hours to finish and do avoid stimulates such as caffeine.
• Maintain a fixed sleep schedule.

Pretty soon the counting will end and you’ll hear ….zzzzzz as off to sleep you go!

Try these tips if you are having trouble sleeping:

• Have a regular bedtime routine
• Take time to relax or unwind before retiring
• Avoid caffeine or other stimulants in the evening
• Avoid alcohol or a diuretic in the evening
• Avoid smoking
• Have a comfortable bedroom.  Cool, dark and quiet with a proper mattress and pillows to sleep on.
• Exercise regularly
• Avoid watching television or reading in bed.

Are you having trouble sleeping?  If you

•  need an alarm clock to wake up to
• sleep longer and better on the weekend
• have trouble getting out of bed in the morning
• feel tired during the day
• have bags or dark circles under your eyes
• doze off while in a public place or driving
• have trouble concentrating
• have early morning headaches

You may not be getting enough sleep!  Find out how much sleep you need to stay healthy and alert.  This can range from 5-10 hours per night.  Make sure you are reaching your full potential!

What do you see in the mirror first thing in the morning - heavy sandbags under those eyes of yours?  You don’t have to hide behind sunglasses!  Consider some of these sources and solutions to that swollen, sleepy look.  For our general purpose we will look at two.

Sleep Habits - Sleeping on your stomach or lying flat can cause fluid to gather and pool in the tissue around your eyes.  By sleeping on your back and using a contoured pillow to elevate your head, this fluid retention may be eliminated.

Allergies - Are you reacting to the feathers or fiber pillow cores in your pillow?  Consider purchasing a 100% hypo-allergenic pillow foam to eliminate this one area of reaction.