Memory Foam

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.

Not long ago, we explored possible external factors that could have been keeping you from getting the refreshing night’s sleep you deserve. If none of those suggestions did the trick, your problem might be a matter of routine and physiology. Many health professionals recommend curtailing the use of caffeine by early afternoon so that it’s completely out of the system at night.

It’s also essential to get some exercise each day. Not only is a cardiovascular workout great for your physique, but it also prepares your body for a rejuvenating rest. Turn your bed into a designated sleep area – don’t use it to do homework or your taxes. Rather than propping yourself up on a therapeutic memory foam pillow, use it strictly to fall asleep.

No matter what a person claims, he or she still operates better on a full night’s sleep. Without our valuable rest, we are more liable to be cranky and irritable, to miss small details during the course of the working day, and to take naps – which throw off our routines even more. If you’re experiencing sleep problems, try investigating your external environment for clues as to the reason why.

Your neighbors might be blaring loud music at all hours of the night, in which case you’ll want to invest in some earplugs. Sensitivity to light can also stave off sleep; try some darker, thicker curtain to block out that flashing sign across the street. Finally and most importantly, make sure that your comforter and pillows are especially soft and conducive to sleep. Sometimes the answer is simpler than you could have imagined.