Posts from the ‘How to Get Better Sleep’ Category

Temperature Regulation, Sleep and Outlast® Technology

Heat regulation is one of the most overlooked aspects of sleep and comfort. Many people complaining of insomnia simply need to adjust the thermostat and their type of bedding. This adjustment can make the minor change in comfort needed to help coax you to sleep. Researchers say that those suffering from chronic insomnia tend to have higher body temperatures. ¹

Most sleep researchers believe that an environment conducive to sleep includes a comfortable mattress and pillow, clean surroundings and a cool, comfortable place to sleep. When combining these factors with the body’s natural tendency to cool down, restful sleep is easily managed.

Humans sleep best in their “thermal comfort zone”, a temperature range that prevents the body from exerting energy on shivering or sweating. ² The thermal comfort zone is thought to be between 54 degrees 75 degrees Fahrenheit. ³ When the body’s core temperature of 98.6 degrees fluctuates just 6 degrees up or down, the body is subject to fever or shivering. ⁴

This temperature range may seem pretty extreme, but its application is for all different people. For instance, you and your bed partner may differ on what you feel the most comfortable temperature is, which will make compensating for each person’s optimal comfort more difficult. Weight amongst other factors can affect the temperature that best suits an individual’s sleeping state.

Many aspects can affect room and body temperature including air conditioning and heating, mattress type, sleep clothing and choice in bedding. The correct combination of these aspects will help give you the most restful sleep possible.

Your body is prompted to enter REM sleep once your body reaches its lowest temperature. Body temperature must drop 0.5 degrees Celsius to enter REM sleep. ⁴ This needed drop in temperature is why some find it more difficult to fall asleep in warm summer months.

It is suggested that turning the heat down at bedtime in the winter and turning the air conditioning up slightly in summer months will help induce sleep. The correct mattress can completely change your level of comfort at night. Consider purchasing a mattress with cooling gel or heat regulation technology. Also, sleeping in pajamas that do not lock heat in and are not too thick can help with temperature regulation as well as comfort. Another way to regulate temperature during the night is through the correct bedding. Sleeping with extremely thick blankets and sheets that do not breathe can cause you to overheat at night.

Outlast® Technologies

Outlast® material was originally created to prevent astronauts from overheating in space in temperatures up to 700 degrees Fahrenheit. ¹ Hopefully you will not encounter such temperatures in your bed. The technology behind Outlast® was awarded with the “Certified Space Technology” seal of approval in 1991 from the Space Foundation. It has been improving upon temperature regulating technology for more than 20 years.

The microfibers imbedded into mattress covers, sheets, blanks and pillow cases will assist in regulating body temperature. This is done by taking in body heat, storing it and then releasing it when your body cools down. This process keeps the body at the optimal temperature for restful, undisturbed sleep.

Sleeping in temperatures that are too hot will cause fragmented and restless sleep. When teamed with other sleep disorders, a hot sleep environment can be detrimental to getting a good night’s sleep.

Through the use of Outlast® bedding and other environmental adjustments, it is very easy to achieve a restful night’s sleep.

Bibliography:

1. The New York Times—The Claim: Cold Temperatures Improve Sleep; http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/04/health/04real.html

2. Carskadon, Mary A. Encyclopedia of Sleep and Dreaming. New York: Macmillan Pub., 1993.

3. National Sleep Foundation—The Sleep Environment; http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/how-sleep-works/the-sleep-environment

4. Outlast® Technologies—Basic Training; http://quiz.Outlast®.com/en/welcome-to-basic-training/themen/bedding/?tn=6&tp=i&ts=2&qa=00000

Wake Up Refreshed: Six Tips to Help Start the Day

Around 20 percent of Americans report regularly getting less than six hours of sleep a night. ¹ This sleep deprivation results in groggy and irritable workmates, friends and family members who seem to have a chronic “case of the Monday’s”. Most people simply try to stay awake have their morning cup of coffee… followed by their afternoon cup of coffee. Simple adjustments to schedule and lifestyle can leave you refreshed and ready to take on the day.

1. Your Relationship with the Alarm Clock

It is best to set your alarm clock for the latest moment possible to wake up. Slapping the snooze button every five minutes to get a little more sleep will result in fragmented sleep that will make you more tired when finally rolling out of bed. ² Also, consider getting a less “alarming” alarm. Some companies offer alarm clocks that gradually get louder or have gentle nature sounds such as babbling brooks or waterfalls to help you gradually come out of sleep. As soon as you hear the alarm, swing your legs over the side of the bed and take some deep breaths. ²

2. Exercise

Exercising as soon as you wake up can give your mind and body the burst of energy it needs to start the day. Even a brisk walk can wake you up more than dragging your feet to the coffee maker. Simply walking around the house or out to get the paper can give your body the kick-start it needs. Be sure not to sacrifice needed sleep time in order to exercise. ²

3. Start with a Splash

I like to start the day by washing my face with cool water. The water will shock the face cells into action and cause you to even look more awake. Taking a hot shower can also wake the body up and help you to get your day started.

4. See the Daylight

Keeping the house dark to let yourself “adjust” only makes the mind more tired and convinced that it is still night time. By opening curtains and blinds and allowing natural daylight in, you will slow the brain’s production of melatonin and begin the mind’s wake up process. This is more difficult in the winter as the sun rises later and can contribute to seasonal affective disorder or winter depression. ³ Light and darkness help to regulate the sleep-wake cycle and doing this on a regular basis can make waking up easier.

5. Watch Your Medications

Some sleep or cold medications can cause drowsiness for up to eight hours. If taking such a medication, be sure to allow yourself to sleep the full amount of time the effects will be present. Trying to fight drowsiness brought on by medication will be very difficult.

6. Get Enough Sleep

The most simple, yet hardest way to improve mood and ability to wake up is by simply getting enough restful sleep. If continuously waking up under-rested, fix the problem by going to sleep earlier. This can be done by regulating your biological clock or circadian rhythm. ³ Using natural sleep aids or other psychological methods to fall asleep quicker can help regulate the biological clock quicker.

The best way to acclimate the body and mind with waking up earlier is to keep the same sleep schedule on weekends. Simple lifestyle adjustments can help the body and mind to wake up and take on the day. While waking up refreshed is important, ensuring you have had the proper rest period is what matters most. Without the adequate amount of sleep, no amount of caffeine, exercise or lifestyle changes will truly stop the effects of sleep deprivation.

Bibliography:

1. WebMD—Toll of Sleep Loss in America http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/toll-of-sleep-loss-in-america

2. WebMD—Trouble Waking Up; http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/trouble-waking-up

3. USA Today—Can you become a morning person? Yes, but it’s not easy; http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/story/health/story/2011-11-21/Can-you-become-a-morning-person-Yes-but-its-not-easy/51338980/1

Fall Asleep Quicker

The term “counting sheep” is a term referring to the action shepherds over a hundred years ago would perform of counting their sheep at the beginning and end of the day to ensure they had them all. The only connection to sleep I can see this having is that the activity was so monotonous that the shepherds would have to count the sheep in twenties and keep pebbles in their pockets to keep track of the number they had counted. This phrase has been passed down through generations as a remedy to insomnia and is almost always associated with sleep.

While most people today have retired the traditional psychological methods to go to sleep and turned to sleeping pills, there are still contemporary and natural methods that have been proven to help individuals get to sleep.

The biggest mistake people tend to make when attempting to fall asleep is trying too hard. Relaxation is the key to getting to sleep and having a restful sleep period.

Establish a Bedtime Routine

This is perhaps the easiest and most important aspect that can aid in difficulty falling asleep. Most children are encouraged to sleep through the nightly routine established by their parents. Replicate this activity by reading an enjoyable book with only a reading lamp on each night before bed. ¹

Counting Beads

If you aren’t an animal person, counting beads on a strand might work as an interesting alternative to counting sheep. The idea behind counting beads is the same as that of counting sheep. Repetitive stimuli such as this have been shown to be soothing and inspire boredom. The exercise also tires the brain by causing you to use your right brain to see the image and your left brain to count. ²

Yoga

Yoga’s whole purpose is to relax and exercise the entire body and mind. Therefore, light Yoga stretching is ideal for trying to fall asleep. Simple Yoga breathing exercises regularly before bed and very simple poses that relieve stress can lull one into sleep. Various yoga poses can relax the body and mind and don’t even require a mat or getting out of bed. ¹

Rocking

There is something entirely soothing about sitting in a rocking chair or lounging on a hammock. So soothing, in fact, that light rocking has been proven to help individuals fall asleep. In the same way that a baby is rocked to sleep by his or her parents, adults also appreciate and benefit from the rocking sensation. ²

Temperature Changes

Mark Twain was known to have practiced taking a hot bath and then lying on the cool bathroom floor to help fight his insomnia. Air and body temperatures have a great effect on individuals’ sleep cycle, especially REM sleep. This need for temperature regulation is typical and can be mocked by a cooling or gel infused mattress. Many people experience difficulty sleeping due to a mattress that is too hot or too cold. This is also why you may turn your pillow to the cold side for needed relief from body heat buildup in the mattress and pillow. ²

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

This is simply done by tensing and relaxing muscles. Beginning with the toes, squeeze your muscle tightly for 5-10 seconds and releasing to relax for 15-20 seconds. Work your way up your body’s muscle groups and end with the eyes to sooth muscles and tire your mind. ¹

Mental Imagery

This is a very popular method for relaxation and sleep. Simply imagine yourself in a relaxing situation or place such as lying on a beach, watching a waterfall or even simply listening to music. When you exercise all of your senses to fully imagine the situation the body and mind will become serene. ¹

Bibliography:

1. Maas, Dr. James B., Megan L. Wherry, David J Axelrod, Barbara R. Hogan, and Jennifer A. Blumin. Power Sleep: The Revolutionary Program That Prepares Your Mind for Peak Performance. New York : Villard, 1998.

2. Carskadon, Mary A. Encyclopedia of Sleep and Dreaming. New York: Macmillan Pub., 1993. Page 149

How To Tell If You Are Getting Enough Sleep

Everyone has heard that the ideal amount of sleep is 8 hours every night. The truth is everyone is different. Some people function just fine on as little as 4-5 hours of sleep. On the other hand, there are just as many people out there who sleep 9-10 hours every night. So knowing how much sleep you need as an individual is the most important factor in determining if you are or aren’t getting enough sleep.

How much sleep are you getting now?
The first step is to determine exactly how much sleep you are currently getting. Most people tend to think, “I lay down to go to sleep at this time and I wake up at this time, so I got this amount of sleep.” It’s not that simple, as there’s the time it takes you to fall asleep and it also does not count the number of times you wake up or amount of time you were awake before going back to sleep. Once you factor that time in, the 8 hours you thought you got may be more like 6 or 7 hours.

Is it enough sleep for you?
There’s a short test you can take that will determine if you are getting less than your ideal amount of sleep. Ask yourself the following questions; Do I need an alarm clock to wake up at the right time? Do I have trouble getting out of bed every morning? Do I get tired quickly when driving? Do I have trouble remembering things or concentrating? Do I fall asleep as soon as I lay down to go to bed? If you answer yes to any of these questions, then you are not getting enough sleep.

Determine if you are getting enough sleep.
On average most people need to get another hour to an hour and a half more sleep than they are currently getting. You can determine this by going to bed around a time you normally can fall asleep that is close to 8 hours before you need to be up. Stick to going to bed around this time and take note of when you wake up. You may wake up early for a few days because you are used to the shorter sleeping schedule, but if you aren’t getting enough sleep, you will begin to sleep longer. Once you start sleeping longer start going to bed 30 minutes earlier for a week, then 15 minutes earlier the next week. Keep adding 15 minutes a week until you are able to wake up when you need to and have energy through the whole day. You can also make sure you have the correct amount of sleep each night by going to bed 15-30 minutes late one night, and see if you feel drowsy the next day, if you do, you know you are getting the right amount of sleep.¹

In conclusion
If you are one of the lucky few that are consistently getting the proper sleep they need to make it through the day alert, focused, and in the proper mood, congratulations. Share your suggestions, methods, or tips for how you get the right amount of sleep in the comments.

1. Maas, Dr. James B., Megan L. Wherry, David J Axelrod, Barbara R. Hogan, and Jennifer A. Blumin. Power Sleep: The Revolutionary Program That Prepares Your Mind for Peak Performance. New York : Villard, 1998.

How To Alleviate Chronic Pain So You Can Sleep

Are you popping Advil and Tylenol P.M. like Pez candy before bedtime just to get a good night’s rest? Well, if the answer is yes, you may be someone who suffers from an inability to sleep due to chronic pain.  The condition is far more common than you might think: nearly half of America’s population suffers from some sort of chronic pain, ranging from athletes with common sports injuries to cancer patients fighting to survive.  Of those, between 50-90% say they lose sleep at night because of their discomfort, and a recent online poll conducted by a major news media revealed that some 46% of the pain sufferers polled have lost sleep due to pain in the last two weeks¹ alone.  In this article, we’ll explore ways to alleviate nighttime chronic pain so you can enjoy more restful sleep.

Chronic pain and lack of sleep are often co-occurring conditions that create a disturbing cycle difficult for anyone to recover from. The formula for conquering this problem may seem obvious: more sleep equals less pain, but this is unfortunately easier said than done. In order to reach a solution, it’s important to first evaluate your bedtime habits.  You’ll essentially have to re-think the way you sleep, and one of the first things you’ll need to consider is the type of mattress you’re sleeping on.

The mattress you choose significantly affects the amount of pressure created throughout your body.  For example, spring-coil mattresses consist of tough metal springs that wear out over time and lack the ability to give you adequate support where you need it most.  Force is applied to your entire body by these springs, and they push harder against it where your weight is heaviest [ie; on your shoulder and hip if you’re a side-sleeper].  Considering that these mattresses dominate 80% of the market, it’s no wonder that the number of chronic pain sufferers with difficulty sleeping is so high.  A tremendously superior alternative to spring-coil [and unreliable, high maintenance beds such as the waterbed and air mattress]: visco-elastic memory foam mattresses.  Memory foam alleviates uncomfortable pressure points because it easily conforms to the natural shape of your body no matter how you sleep, and the visco-elastic material is designed to serve as a shock-absorber.  Pain is further relieved because memory foam will effectively improve blood circulation throughout your body.

Your evening habits may need to be re-adjusted as well to help you conquer nighttime chronic pain problems.  Consider the following:

• Watching television in the bedroom, which creates bothersome light and noise that can keep you awake long past bedtime;
• Using your computer before bed, as it involves staring at the monitor’s light which will cause bio-chemicals to be released in your brain that can ward off sleep; and
• Consuming alcohol, food, nicotine, and certain medications prior to bedtime, which can either keep you up or cause sleep disturbances in the night.

One final remedy to consider when trying to mange sleep loss acquired from chronic pain are therapeutic methods for the mind.  Engaging your brain in quiet activities such as reading, stretching, or meditating can help you fall asleep more quickly.  Furthermore, developing a repetitive nightly routine [such as brushing your teeth, washing your face, and then going on to the bedroom] can help you drift into rest more easily because it will train your brain to follow this routine with sleep.  These relaxing activities and consistent routines are effective ways to unwind both mind and body before bedtime.  I welcome you to take these ideas into the bedroom with you tonight and try them out, remembering that better sleep management creates better pain management, and thereby better health on the whole.

1. Griffin, R. Morgan. When Aches & Pain Disrupt Sleep. http://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/guide/arthritis-aches-keeping-you-up. Reviewed January 1. 2007. Retrieved on June 9, 2009. Gilles Lavigne, DDS, MSc, FRCD, professor in dentistry, physiology and psychiatry, University of Montreal.

Helpful Tips to Stop Snoring

Are you sick of being labeled a lumberjack in the morning? Is “sawing logs” during the night causing you grief? Well, if you’re like me and have a problem with snoring, read on for some tips to help you out.

To make the most of your efforts to stop snoring, it’s helpful to understand what exactly causes you to snore.  Simply put, snoring is a result of the narrowing of your air passages. When the air passage is constricted, the soft, floppy tissue in your throat vibrates and creates the snoring sound.  The narrowing of the air passage can be accredited to several different reasons, but the two that are most frequently associated with snoring are poor sleep posture and abnormalities of the soft tissues in your throat.

Abnormalities, you say?  Well, yes — but don’t worry.  I promise you’re not weird or anything, and you’re certainly not alone. Chances are that if you’re a middle aged man, these irregularities will apply to you. Men naturally have narrower air passages than women, and that explains why it’s mostly men who are condemned to the couch at night. Another reason for such irregularities can be attributed to heredity: if your mom or dad snored, chances are they passed it along to you.  Other factors that can cause your throat to relax more and create that unpleasant snoring sound include smoking, a history of asthma or allergies, alcohol, certain medications, and just being middle aged.

Now that we’ve pinpointed some of the reasons you snore, let’s take a look at what you can do to stop the problem. The first step is to make some small changes to your bedtime routine, and the following are a few tips to help keep the sawmill quiet when you get between the covers:

• Sleep on your side — If you snore while laying on your back, turn on your side. If you can’t seem to help lying on your back, try the tennis ball trick: simply sew a tennis ball on the back of your sleep shirt. The ball will create an uncomfortable feeling when you start to roll onto your back that will help keep you on your side.
• Elevate your head — Elevating your head will help you breathe easier. To do this, you could either sleep on a thicker, firmer pillow, or even try raising the head of your entire bed some four to five inches, and thereby sleep without a pillow. If you have an adjustable bed, experiment with keeping it raised while you sleep.
• Avoid eating before bedtime — This is recommended because certain foods and beverages can increase mucus in your air passages.  Specifically, you should avoid high-fat, milky products [or even soy milk products, for that matter].
• Avoid alcohol and certain medications before bedtime — These items can increase relaxation of both the throat muscles and the tongue, which will narrow your air passages and restrict breathing.
• Lose weight — One of the most effective ways to end snoring is by simply losing weight, even a little bit. The reason: your throat contains fatty tissues too, and the fewer you have, the more open your air passage becomes.
• Clear your nasal passages — That “stuffed-up” sensation means that inhalation is being blocked.  Such a blockage of the air passages though the nose will create a one-way vacuum through your mouth and consequently increase snoring.  Be sure to blow your nose and apply a nasal strip before you go to sleep.
• Stop smoking — This is probably the most obvious tip to end snoring because just about everyone knows that smoking is one of the unhealthiest things you can do. If you cannot give up smoking, however, try to not smoke at least before you go to bed, as it will increase relaxation of the throat muscles and significantly restrict your breathing.

If your snoring persists in spite of taking these steps, you may need to seek professional medical help.  Observation by a either a dentist or an ear, nose, and throat specialist may reveal specific problems that are beyond your own control, and in these instances, you may be prescribed the use of particular devices such as a CPAP [Continuous Positive Airway Pressure] machine, or a mouthpiece which will keep your air passages open throughout the night. Some extreme cases may even require surgery.

Whether you’re a mild snorer or someone at risk of having a chronic snoring disorder that requires medical attention, one thing is certain: you need to monitor the problem and get some help if your own efforts to control it don’t work.  Snoring, believe it or not, can be both an indicator and a cause of serious health risks that can take a toll on your body.  A lack of air through those passages at night will create pressure on your heart, which is often linked to high-blood pressure.  Just a simple case of snoring is often not the problem, and sleep apnea may instead be the proper diagnosis.  This disorder occurs when the air passage is so constricted during the night that breathing completely stops, and the sufferer will often wake up for a second to gasp for the next breath– thus interrupting their REM cycle.  When REM sleep is interrupted, a fatigued feeling is prevalent throughout the next day.  In the worst cases, the sleeper may not wake up at all, and the problem can be fatal.

My best advice for all you lumberjacks out there: try to get some relief from the tips I’ve listed, but above all, don’t ignore the problem.  It could be more serious than you think.