Memory Foam

The definition of a sleep disorder is any condition that causes an ongoing loss of sleep, causes poor quality sleep or is a defect in the sleep-wake system.  Some sleep disorders can be characterized by odd behaviours such as sleepwalking.

We need to realize that all poor sleep is not necessarily caused by sleep disorders.  If you believe you may be suffering from chronic sleep deprivation and want to determine the disorder, a doctor should be consulted.

You can do some small steps which may help yourself determine if you should pursue medical help.  Start by logging your sleep patterns for at least two weeks, and up to four weeks.

Here are some behaviours to consider recording.  Do you:

• snore
• wake up several times during the night
• become restless/anxious
• have nightmares
• wake up tired
• wake up with a headache

Your doctor will greatly appreciate as much detail as you can provide in your basic sleep diary.

It may seem tedious work but our goal is to give you back a healthy body and mind!  Don’t deny your body what it requires - SLEEP! Sometimes the answers may be simple, other times the answers may take time to discover, but I think you will enjoy knowing and having a good night’s rest.  It’s worth the work!

Sleep…what does that word conjure up in your mind?  Comfy bed, rest, energized, beautiful dreams, waking up refreshed…if these are your thoughts, you may be one of the lucky ones.  For 40 million Americans the word sleep means waking up feeling lousy, tossing and turning, pacing, frustration, etc.  There are more than 80 recognized defined sleep disorders which all too frequently go unrecognized, undiagnosed and untreated.

One of the results of this is the huge cost to both individuals and society.  Automobile accidents, often fatal, caused by sleepiness account for more than 100,000 incidents each year.  Poor judgment and decisions made by sleep-deprived employees result in on-the-job accidents.  Job performance suffers when memory and concentration produce negative results on required tasks.  On the relational side, work and personal friendships suffer when personalities turn ugly because of being sleep-deprived.

We’ve included some interesting notes on insomnia: 

• more women than men suffer from insomnia
• older adults (60+) suffer more from insomnia
• third most frequent health complaint
• increased risk of mortality
• faster nighttime heartbeat than people who sleep well
• people with insomnia are more likely to develop depression
• people with insomnia are more likely to develop alcohol and drug or nicotine dependence
• people with insomnia are more likely to have fast nighttime brain waves than normal sleepers, possibly indicating more mental activity during the night

If you or any member of your family, close friend, co-worker or whoever, have sleep problems, the first step is to identify the problem and then seek treatment as soon as you can.  No matter how you look at it, if sleep deprivation is left untreated, it could cost you your life.

No more aching back!

How many nights of sleep have you lost due to tossing and turning, trying to get comfortable?

How much have you spent on chiropractor bills because of a sore back?

How many days have you lost at work because of back ache?

Would you like to see the pain, stiffness and perhaps spasms go away?

The first place you should consider looking to end this pain is in your bedroom!  We spend 1/3 of our lives sleeping and since our backs rest and recover during that time, we need to make sure they indeed are able to rest.

One of the benefits of purchasing a memory foam pillow is that it is specifically designed to align your body, no matter what your favourite position is.  Keeping your spine in line with your head and neck is the key!

Don’t skimp on your pillows, they are one of life’s products that invests in your health.  Just maybe spending more money on your pillows, will allow you to earn more money as you arrive fresh and ready for what the day may bring at your place of employment!

We have all become more aware of the importance of making every attempt to do our part to reduce, reuse, and recycle.  One area of saving our earth has concentrated on light energy.  We’ve begun to change over our light bulbs to energy efficient ones and try to turn off all lights when we are leaving a room.  We’re also learning that while we save the earth, we may also solve some sleeping problems!

Light is basically energy, and if, while we are in a deep sleep, we are exposed to it abruptly, it can immediately affect our heart rates, breathing and serotonin levels.  Consider that even long-term  light sources while we sleep can have severe damage on our health and mental outlook.  There may be cause to consider the light sources around us at night.  Do I have the glow of a streetlight through my bedroom window?  Is there a nightlight left on throughout the evening?  Is the moonlight another threat?  Do my neighbours have a porch or garage light near my bedroom?  These subtle light sources could be affecting your sleep pattern.

When you invest in a memory foam pillow to give you the perfect night’s rest, don’t let an intruding source of light stop the sweet dreams from happening!

Ouch!  That could be your head or neck talking to you when you wake up in the morning!  If you listen carefully, all you may have to do is change to a memory foam pillow and all your body parts will be happy!

Using a wrong pillow may place you in a position that is unsuitable and unhealthy for your head and neck.  You may have difficulty falling asleep or not be able to sleep for long periods of time due to discomfort resulting from the wrong pillow.

You can say goodbye to a sore neck and shoulders!  A memory foam pillow is designed to support your head and neck appropriately as it readily molds itself to your specific shape.  By evenly distributing your weight over the surface of the pillow, this allows for improved blood circulation to all your cells.  The various welcoming shapes and pressure relieving material ensures optimum pressure relief and can even eliminate snoring problems!

…..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!

Everyone’s been there before. Those late nights tossing and turning. Looking at the alarm clock and wondering “how can I still be awake at this hour?” Everyone needs a certain amount of sleep, usually between 6 and 10 hours, to properly function during the day. Without sleep symptoms like irritability, fatigue and depression can take over your life.

Experts say that people who struggle to sleep should make sure their bedroom is a place that encourages sleep. That’s means avoiding eating, doing homework and watching television in bed. Also, give yourself a distressing ritual before you go to bed. Don’t watch scary movies or listen to loud music before going to bed. If you have trouble sleeping try a more peaceful activity like writing in your journal instead.