Memory Foam

What an intricately made body we have!  It is amazing how everything is connected and if one  member is hurting, the body compensates for it.

A look at how our spine is designed shows a column of bones consisting of articulated vertebrae separated by inter-vertebral disks.  Holding these spinal bones together are muscles and tendons.  Our spinal column, of course, is what keeps us on our feet.  Good support and posture are important for a healthy spine. 

 Whether we sit, lie down or stand, gravity is exerting a force on our joints, ligaments and muscles.  This force needs to be distributed evenly so our structure is not under stress.

By using a back support pillow in the arch of the lower back, the ideal S-shaped curvature can be achieved preventing headaches and pains in the neck and upper back.  Use these pillows with a chair or while sitting in a car.

A back support pillow is recommended while in a lying position.  Once again these pillows can fill in the spaces under the head and neck.

Be kind and buy a present for your back, after all, who can support you better!

Everyone has had a bad night’s sleep and it isn’t easy.  One bad night ruins your next day and sometimes even throws off your sleep entirely for the rest of the month.  Your body runs on a circadian rhythm which usually goes on four hour cycles.  When that cycle is disrupted, it’s a hard process to get it back in check.  Waking up in the middle of the night is something that destroys the core sleep that the body needs to rejuvenate for the next day.  Imagine not getting a good nights rest for a month.  Fortunately for those who have sleep problems, NASA has developed a pillow technology that aids in the process of comfortable sleep.  The memory foam contour pillow helps with many sleep issues with one swift unconscious resolution and that problem stays fixed.  Try memory foam in your home to see if it will work for you.

Just because you do not suffer from neck pain when you sleep, does not preclude you from having a well designed pillow.

A wrong pillow could cause snoring, headaches, insomnia, numbness in the arms and hands and neck pain or stiffness.

Too little or no neck pillow places the neck under strain.  If we go the other way, with using too many pillows or too firm of a pillow, the neck may be pushed up and joints pinched together.  Strain is placed on the muscles and uneven pressure placed on joints causing inflammation.

Sleeping on your stomach places pressure on your internal organs, neck, jaw and lower back thus not really recommended!

Here is some selection criteria for selecting a memory foam neck pillow that will provide adequate support for you:

• Supports the head at the proper height whether sleeping in the side or back position.
• Prevents the head from rolling sideways when sleeping on the back.
• Keeps the head titled in the proper position while sleeping on the bad.
• Provides support for the neck and upper back when sleeping on the back.

Everyone can find a neck pillow that is right for them with the advancement of memory foam technology and the pillow!

Do you think home remedies are the solution to sleeping better without snoring?

Let’s take a look at some of those suggestions:

• A tennis ball?  Sewing a tennis ball into the back of the pajamas of the person who snores, so as to prevent them from laying on their back?  What if the person does not wear pajamas at bedtime?  We have a problem!
• Bricks under your bedposts?  The idea is to elevate the head of your bed.  The nasal airways will be prevented from becoming congested.  How will the bed-frame handle that one?
• Remove your pillow.  Sleep with no pillow so there is no chance of a kink developing in your neck.  There goes your comfort at night!

While some of these may sound humorous to try - why not purchase a Snore-No-More Pillow which will allow you to sleep on your back (not causing your body to “learn” a new way to sleep), elevate your head to clear the nasal passages (not ruining the bed-frame using bricks!) and enjoy the luxurious comfort of a pillow at night that does prevent kinks developing.

How can a person best choose the right memory foam neck pillow when the Internet is flooded with these pillows claiming to promote better sleep and relieve neck pain?

By choosing a pillow that is too high, too soft or too stiff, an individual may be contributing to a common health complaint - tense muscles which cause pain  and discomfort.  When proper alignment of the head and neck is not occurring naturally, the muscles of the neck and back often have to compensate.

The best neck pillows are those which align the cervical spine in a neutral position to support the lordosis (natural curvature) of the neck and to support the head and enable shoulder rotation.

For those who want to ensure a good night’s rest, choose a memory foam neck pillow with a scientific design.

We’ve all heard we need 8 hours of sleep but do you know why?  There are several mental and physical reasons to catch enough of those zzz’s!

The most effective way to avoid major aging conditions is to get proper rest, as lack of sleep is associated with mental decline and overeating which contribute to us losing our youthfulness!  There is also an increase in our growth hormone with proper rest which keeps us looking young!

Less than 6 hours of sleep a night increases , by 50%, a person’s risk of viral illness, as well as increases the risk of strokes and heart disease.  Two hormones in our body - leptin (signals brain to stop eating) and ghrelin (signals the body to continue eating) are known to be altered in their levels in our body when one is not receiving proper rest.  Leptin levels go lower and ghretin levels go higher and this combination increases our appetite and slows our bodies down to burn fewer calories.

One other area of concern is the effect sleeping problems have on insulin resistance and blood glucose levels.  The risk to heart attack, stroke and diabetes increases because the insulin (hormone allowing glucose into the body’s cells) is to be burned for energy but if people are insulin resistant, the insulin does not work efficiently.

Tips to Avoid Sleeping Problems:

1. Develop a bedtime ritual.  Perhaps it will be listening to music, bathing or reading but give yourself 15 minutes to prepare mentally and physically for bed.
2. Have a comfortable sleeping environment - quiet, dark and clean.
3. Avoid eating, exercising, caffeine, alcohol and smoking before bed.
4. Consider memory foam pillows to avoid sleeping problems.  They can assist in proper body alignment so that you sleep solidly until your 8 hours are over!