Archive for the ‘Marpac Sleepmate’ Category
Thursday, May 20th, 2010
A lack of sleep can obviously lead to some problems with day to day life. Tiredness, irrational behavior and a short temper are just a few examples of the less seriousness consequences of a lack of sleep. But what is it that causes mild insomnia, or just interrupted sleep patterns?
It’s usually a combination of several poor practices during your day to day routine that causes sleep problems. These practices are well documented. Drinking caffeinated drinks, such as coffee or tea, and alcohol, two hours or less before going bed can severely interrupt sleep. Obviously napping through the day disrupts your body clock but so does exercising in the evening – this stimulates your body and makes falling asleep difficult. Smoking and a low iron level are also common causes of poor sleep patterns.
Often over looked is the actual environment you are sleeping in. There are several things you can do to ensure that you have a comfortable, interrupted nights sleep. Firstly, hide your clock, particularly if it is illuminated. A bright time display can cause you to look at the clock in the night. This will then lead to stress about what time you are getting up, make you anxious and cause you problems in getting back tot sleep.
You should reduce the amount of time you spend you spend in your bedroom during the day too. For example, regularly doing paperwork in your bedroom is not advised. This will help your body become accustomed to the room and recognizing it is a place for intimacy or rest, rather than work and stress.
Creating a peaceful and restful environment in your bedroom is a necessity. To do this, keep your room well ventilated. Using a fan to do this also means it blocks out noise so that your bedroom remains peaceful. A “white noise” machine can also be used to keep out background noise. The lighting in your bedroom should not be fluorescent and should be dimly lit when entering the bedroom in the evening. Use a dimmer switch for this.
Finally, make sure your bed is large enough, comfortable and suits you and the positions you most regularly sleep in. It’s best to test different mattresses and ensure you are entirely comfortable with where you are sleeping. If you share a bed with someone, ensure it is wide enough – queen or king-size are essential, particularly if your bed mate is restless. Therapeutic pillows which are shaped are also useful. These, or additional pillows will help you sleep if you prefer to sleep on your side.
David Whelan
http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/getting-a-good-nights-sleep-370591.html
Technorati Tags: sleeping problems
Posted in Marpac Sleepmate | 7 Comments »
Wednesday, April 28th, 2010
If you look at recent history, people are starting to sleep less and less. Less than 100 years ago, people slept 9 hours a night on average; now they’re getting less than 7 hours. We have so many modern conveniences that are supposed to save us time, but really they just give us more to do. Before you accept not sleeping enough as an inevitable way of life, consider the harmful effects sleep deprivation could be having on your body.
Physical Effects
Most people are aware of the obvious short terms effects of sleep deprivation including exhaustion, fatigue, and a general lack of energy, but they’re less aware of some of the more serious physical consequences from not sleeping. Sleep not only recharges and repairs our brains, it also repairs our bodies. Here are some other problems that can arise from not sleeping enough:
* Inability to properly process glucose. This can lead to high blood sugar levels and other symptoms of type II diabetes. This also causes glucose to be stored as fat, which can lead to weight gain
* Increased symptoms of aging
* Core body temperature is lowered, which can impair proper functioning.
* Less consistent heart beat.
Mental Effects
All day long, no matter what you’re doing, your brain is working. It’s spending time inputting processing, and outputting information. Even if you don’t think you get much done during the day, your brain does a lot of work. That’s why it’s important that it has time to rest and recharge. Here are just a few of the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation.
* Less control over speech; exhibited through slurring, stuttering, speaking in monotone, and choosing repetitive words and cliches. Scientists assume this occurs because the speech center of the brain actually shuts down and another, less capable part, must take over.
* While short term memory may be improved, there is a decreased ability to access older memories and convert long term to short term memory. It is almost impossible to learn a new skill.
* Decreased creativity, especially when it comes to problem solving. Sleep deprived people tend to be slower and less accurate when solving problems.
* Hallucinations and even temporary insanity can occur from a lack of REM sleep.
* Decreased judgment abilities and reaction time. Sleep deprivation is comparable to alcohol intoxication when it comes to driving ability.
Emotional Effects
While we tend to focus on the physical and mental symptoms of sleep deprivation, there are also significant emotional symptoms as well. Emotional difficulties can take a severe toll on our personal relationships and safety. Some emotional problems associated with sleep deprivation are:
* Increased emotional stress and anxiety.
* A more pessimistic attitude.
* Extreme sadness and even depression.
* Extreme anger. Sleep deprivation has actually been indicated to be one of the major causes of road rage.
It’s important to remember that not everyone needs the same amount of sleep. You should try to get enough sleep to make yourself feel rested; this may mean getting more than 8 hours. If you’re getting a lot of sleep and not feeling rested, you may have a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea, and should see a doctor. While it may be difficult to fit a good night’s sleep into your schedule, it will not only make you feel better, it will also make you more efficient in the time you spend awake.
Jeff Wilson
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/the-effects-of-sleep-deprivation-91571.html
Posted in Marpac Sleepmate | 3 Comments »
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010
40 million people in the United States experience sleep problems each year, according to the FDA. The 2007 Sleep in America Poll determined that two-thirds of women surveyed experienced difficulty sleeping at least a few nights a week during the last month.
Stress is one of the major reasons for difficulty with sleep. Demanding days filled with too much to consider, economic strain, family difficulties, worries . . . it’s too easy to lie awake at night –- and consequently be worn out the following day. Note: if you are experiencing relentless sleep difficulties, be sure to discuss this with your doctor.
Deep Relaxation may be extremely useful for sleep problems, lowering your stress, allowing your body and mind to let go of being on “red alert”.
Parents of young children know that bedtime rituals help their children get to sleep, and sleep well throughout the night. Did you know it’s advantageous for adults too? Having a customary routine around bedtime where you prepare for restful sleep can greatly increase the odds that you will sleep well.
Relaxation is an enormously important part of preparing for good sleep. Deep Relaxation allows your body and mind to settle down from the day’s activities. It’s then a good deal easier to fall asleep, stay asleep, and sleep deeply.
Many people discover that listening to a relaxation CD at bedtime assists them to attain a pleasing night’s sleep. Peaceful words and calming music bring about for adults what a lullaby does for an infant! It’s a wonderful method to let go of the day’s concerns and float away into restful sleep.
Be sure not to exercise or eat a heavy meal within four hours of bedtime. Do research on any medicines you are consuming to make sure they are not interfering with your sleep.
Restorative yoga or meditation before bedtime can help your body relax, and calm your mind. If you have tense muscles, listening to a relaxation CD or doing progressive muscle relaxation can help you release tension.
Avoid caffeine (coffee, caffeinated soft drinks, chocolate) or other stimulants late in the day; alcohol and nicotine can also obstruct good sleep.
If you have involuntary leg movements during the night you may be suffering Restless Leg Syndrome. This may sometimes be the result of a folic acid deficiency, so you might try taking a dietary supplement containing folic acid. Gentle stretching of the legs (quadriceps, hamstrings, calves) may also help.
If your sleep problems continue, check with a sleep specialist. Often they will arrange for a sleep study, where you sleep a night at their office while connected to monitors to help with assessment. Sleep apnea (intermittent gaps in breath) is a widespread finding, and there are excellent treatments which work well for this.
Approach your sleep regimen with a plan. Dedicate time for experimentation and try various things. It may be helpful to maintain a sleep journal, where you make brief notes concerning the events of the day. Beneficial things to include in the journal are: your state of mind upon going to bed; when you ate or exercised; caffeine, nicotine and alcohol consumed; relaxation or meditation or other practices done before bedtime; and, finally, the quality of your sleep that night.
Sweet Dreams!
Sandi Anders, M.Div., R.Y.T.
http://www.articlesbase.com/sleep-articles/obtaining-a-good-nights-sleep-385974.html
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