Sleep and Health
The subject of sleep is a fascinating (and sometimes frustrating) study that has intrigued mankind for eons. We by no means pretend to present "the answers" -- but we would like to share some pertinent insights with you which have been developed over the years. In the hope that some of it will be useful to you in the one endeavor which we all share: Getting a good night's sleep!
And we all know that a good night's sleep is the foundation for feeling and looking our best when tomorrow rolls around.
Why Can't You Sleep
There are dozens of reasons why
people can't sleep.
The subject of sleep is a fascinating (and sometimes frustrating) study that has intrigued mankind for eons. We by no means pretend to present "the answers" – but we would like to share some pertinent insights with you which have been developed over the years. In the hope that some of it will be useful to you in the one endeavor which we all share: Getting a good night's sleep!
And we all know that a good night's sleep is the foundation for feeling and looking our best when tomorrow rolls around.
Why Can't You Sleep
There are literally dozens of reasons why people can't sleep. But if you look at the major ones, here's what we find:
Medical & Physical Reasons:
like back or neck pain, swelling or poor circulation of the legs -- or "restless leg," hiatal hernia, acid reflux or GERD, asthma, arthritis or rheumatism pain, muscular over-exertion, sleep apnea, stress, tension or fatigue.
Any or all of these ailments – and others – can keep you from sound sleep.
Many of those problems are alleviated by sleeping in a bed where the upper and lower sections of the bed can be adjusted to EXACTLY the most pain-free and comfortable position. And if you add massage, that may also help make sleep come more easily.
Insomnia:
Most people use the term "insomnia" to describe a sleeping problem characterized simply as the inability to fall asleep. It's estimated that on any given night, one out of three adults will NOT get a good night's sleep -- with insomnia being one of the culprits.
There are three types of insomnia:
- Transient – is most common. Typically when you can't sleep on the eve of a big event like a wedding or job interview.
- Short-term – may last for several weeks and often develops at a stressful time like a serious family illness or loss of a job.
- Long-term or chronic – can last months or years. Sometimes begins in childhood. A vicious cycle – the more you worry and try to sleep, the more you can't.
Most insomnia can be treated and cured. Discuss it with your doctor or a sleep specialist.
Mattress Problems:
People are often unaware that an old or poor quality mattress can be causing them a poor night's sleep. A mattress that sags is your enemy.
Without the support and comfort of a good quality mattress, you won't know a good night's sleep. An Adjustable Bed like Sleep Comfort with a quality mattress is even better because it moves your body into precisely the right position for maximum comfort. And it's infinitely adjustable to hundreds of positions.
Contrary to popular belief, a FIRM mattress may NOT be best for your back. While doctors have traditionally recommended hard beds for chronic low back pain sufferers, a new study finds people who slept on a MEDIUM firm mattress were twice as likely to improve as those who slept on a FIRM mattress.
Environment:
The physical atmosphere of where you sleep has a large bearing on how well you sleep. This is the place to use some common sense. TEMPERATURE of your bedroom should be in the 60s. A warm bedroom can make you restless. QUIET is important to good sleep. If it's not possible to escape noise, try earplugs or have a constant sound (like a fan or air conditioning) in the room. LIGHT can keep you awake. If you can't sleep in total darkness, use a night light for the soft glow of reassurance in your bedroom.
You and Your Recliner
Falling asleep in your recliner can lead to
another bad night's sleep.
Lots of folks love to sit and read, watch TV or nap in a recliner. Raising their knees takes the pressure off the lower spine. (That's one reason they love their recliner so much!)
At night they fall asleep in the recliner. Then have to get up again later and retire to a flat bed - and another bad night's sleep. So, why not combine your favorite recliner and flat bed into one?
A Sleep Comfort Adjustable Bed is many times more comfortable than a recliner – and you can enjoy it 24 hours a day. Including the bonus feature of a pulsating "dual wave" therapeutic massage that's built into all our adjustable beds. You'll love it.
Common Health Problems
Upper or Lower Back Pain
A flat bed cannot fit your body properly.
The cost to Americans for treatment is now estimated at $26 billion a year. Recent studies confirm that over 70% of adults suffer back pain at some time in their lives.
Yet experts continue to ask what – if anything – is doing any good for back pain. And they estimate that in 85% of these cases, it is not even possible to say for certain why a person's back hurts.
Certain problems – like a herniated or ruptured disk causing pain – can be relieved by surgery. But most back pain is treated non-surgically.
An interesting finding here is that most of the time, back pain goes away with or without medical treatment. Nearly everyone improves. But "getting better" does not necessarily mean "pain free."
Elevating the legs or upper body while you sleep is known to help relieve pain in the upper or lower back. Discuss this with your doctor, and if he or she recommends an adjustable bed – Sleep Comfort is a brand you should seriously consider.
Hiatal Hernia
Hiatal Hernia can be congenital or develop later in life. A part of the stomach slides above the diaphragm which may allow stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus.
Common symptoms are heartburn or trouble swallowing. Surgery may be required, but elevating the head of your bed to keep your esophagus higher than your stomach may offer relief. See your doctor about this condition.
- Gastric Acid Reflux
- Swelling of the Legs
- Breathing Difficulties
- GERD
- Arthritis
- Rheumatism
- Neuralgia
- Poor Circulation
- Tension or Stress
- Phlebitis
- Muscular Aches and Pains
- Varicose Veins
A Sleep Comfort Adjustable Bed -- with its built-in therapeutic massage system -- can give you to a good night's sleep in spite of having any of the problems you see listed above. You WILL sleep better in our Adjustable Bed -- that's a 100% money-back guarantee from Sleep Comfort.
A flat bed cannot fit your body properly to accommodate the inherent "S-shape" of your spine. And a flat bed cannot elevate your upper and lower body into the hundreds of positions at your fingertips for that one perfect adjustable position that spells C-O-M-F-O-R-T and even N-O P-A-I-N.
Click on Customer Comments to see what actual Sleep Comfort users say.
Dreaming of a Good Night's Sleep?
Your health depends on a good night's sleep.
With more than two out of three getting less sleep than their bodies need, millions of Americans are suffering from a serious loss of sleep.
Sleep deprivation can cause a whole litany of physical and mental problems. It can cause difficulty with cognitive ability, alertness, irritability, concentration and other psychological factors that affect our quality of life. And increase the risk of accidents.
Too little sleep can also affect thyroid function, insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism -- all potential health risks.
In the last 50 years, Americans have reduced their average sleep time by 20% -- and added a month to their average annual work-commute time over the past 25 years.
Research shows that we need different amounts of sleep throughout our life span. Infants require 11 to 12 hours per night while children and adults need 8 or 9 hours a night. Adolescent teens should get at least 7 1/2 hours of sleep per night -- and the risk for their sleeping less is substantially greater than for other age groups when it comes to learning, mood, attitude and attention factors.
Teens generally do not get enough sleep -- and may be paying a higher price for it than they know. Parents need to be especially aware of this problem.
Growing older also takes its toll on sleep -- not because the elderly need less -- but because sleep and health problems are much more common among the elderly. But strategies can be learned to maximize a person's ability to fall asleep -- and get more sleep as a result.
Individuals need to realize whether or not they are sleeping well. Some psychological distractions could be the culprit, but if there are physical reasons, a doctor may be able to help determine what they are and how to treat them.
An adjustable bed may help many different ailments -- from lower back pain to gastric acid reflux -- by allowing elevated sleeping positions for comfort and relief. The massage feature on some adjustable beds can also help in alleviating some physical problems -- like back aches, stress tension and muscular fatigue.
How many hours an individual sleeps is not nearly as important as how good you feel -- and how well you perform the next day.
Studies recently have shown that a 15 to 20 minute nap during the day can improve alertness, sharpen memory and reduce symptoms of fatigue for many people. There is a drug that can increase alertness for people who suffer from daytime sleepiness. But in the end -- drugs and napping are not substitutes for a good full night's sleep.
How an Adjustable Bed Lets You Sleep Better
An adjustable bed lets you sleep better.
The Better Sleep Council says, "Sleep is essential to our total well-being. It helps us feel healthier, think sharper and enjoy life more fully." And the kind of bed you sleep in can make all the difference in the world.
The best position for comfortable sleep is lying on your back with your knees slightly elevated – because your spine is curved and the weight of your body applies pressure on your lower back unless you raise your knees.
By elevating your knees, you release the pressure that surrounds your lower spine and increase the circulation to your legs. For people who sleep on flat beds, doctors often recommend raising the knees with pillows to release pressure from the lower spine. But who can keep pillows in place all night?
Sleeping on your stomach is the worst position – often resulting in a stiff or sore neck in the morning from rotating your head from one side to the other all night – trying to breathe with your face buried in the pillow.
Sleeping on your SIDE with your knees drawn up helps the spine pressure problem. But now with all your weight on one side of your body, pressure points (where you "dig" into the mattress) cut off circulation and cause you to toss and turn from one side to the other all night long. (Up to 60 times a night!)
What's the solution?
Here's the first big advantage of an Adjustable Bed over flat beds, water beds or air beds: Instead of adjusting your body all night long – adjust your bed with the touch of a button. An Adjustable Bed allows you to move into hundreds of relaxing and comfortable positions without creating pressure, stress or strain on your body.
Flat beds do not elevate and cause all the problems you've just read about. Water beds do not elevate and give the spine very little support. Air beds do not elevate – and they only adjust firmness which is NOT something you change every day. Only an Adjustable Bed gives you the unlimited elevations of both your upper and lower body – and Sleep Comfort also gives you a high quality reversible mattress. One side is firmer than the other – so you can have your cake – and eat it too! Elevation AND choice of mattress firmness. All in one great bed.
Nothing can replace the advantages of adjustability – and Sleep Comfort adds luxurious mattresses, a built-in bonus of dual massage, 90-Day In-Home Trial and a Lifetime Warranty. You can't go wrong with this combination.
Links to Other Sleep-Related Sites
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The American Sleep Medicine Foundation |
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National Sleep foundation |
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American Sleep Apnea Association |
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Sleep Research Society |
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Narcolepsy Network |
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The Sleep Better Council |
