Blog
Trouble Sleeping
Are you having trouble sleeping and if so one of the things to
consider is improving your bedroom.
To maximise your night’s sleep you need to have the right setting.
Many of us are unaware that our surroundings can and will affect the
way we sleep.
Here are some useful tips to help you turn your bedroom in to a
tranquil, relaxing environment.
1. De Clutter your room. A tidy room means a tidy mind.
2. Room temperature is very important. It shouldn’t be too hot or
too cold. Ideal temperature is 16-18 degrees(60-65f)
3. Avoid using bright or stimulating colours when decorating.
Softer colours will make you feel calm.
4. Keeping your room dark and cool will help improve your night’s
sleep. Black out blinds will prevent any natural daylight form
disrupting your sleep.
5. Say no to technology in the bedroom. Blue light is one of the
biggest sleep disruptors. Keep mobile phones, tablets, laptops
and other such devices out of the bedroom.
6. Your bedroom should be for sleep and sleep only. Avoid
treating it like an extension of your office.
7. Plants are a great idea for improving the air within your
bedroom. Such plants like the English Ivy or the Mother in laws
tongue are easy to keep with huge benefits.
8. We believe the foundation to a great night’s sleep is the correct
mattress and pillow. How old is yours and is it offering enough
support and comfort?
Mention this blog and receive 10% off your order. T/C apply
Because Sleep Matters
What’s living in your mattress
Forget about Vampires and Zombies this Halloween. What’s more scary is what’s living in your mattress. It’s a horror movie every night called the Invasion of Dust mites. Here are some very very scary facts indeed.
1. Dust mite’s measure 0.333mm long and have 8 legs.
2. We shed about 3kg of Skin each year. As a dust mite is a skin eater this is breakfast lunch and Dinner for them.
3. They thrive better in dark, warm places filled with food.
(Like your mattress and pillow)
4. A female dust mite will live for roughly 6 six but over this period she will lay over 50 eggs.
5. A dust mite produces at least 1000 allergen waste particulars
6. Long term exposure can trigger asthma attacks.
7. Dust mites are not an insect but part of the spider family.
8. There are at least 10,000 of these living in the average mattress.
9. Each dust mite produces up to 50 faecal droppings a day.
10. Your mattress will double in weight from day one to year 10 because of Dust mites, their faecal and your dead skin and perspiration.
This Horror movie can have a happy ending. Hoover your mattress regularly getting rid of any allergen particles, invest in a good quality mattress and pillow Procter reducing the effects. Why not call to The Sleep Shop today and view are range of well-priced products.
Bed Bugs
If you thought Dust mites where bad you haven’t seen anything yet. Bed Bugs are a parasitic insect and like Count Dracula they feed exclusively on your blood and like him they are mainly active at night when you are at your most vulnerable. Have you ever woken with red itchy bites or have notice little blood stains on your sheets. Here are some horrible and scary facts about what could be in your mattress tonight.
1. An adult bed bug can grow to 4.5mm long
2. Their life span varies depending on how much blood is available.
3. A female bed bug will lay between 1 and 5 eggs a day and up to 500 over its lifetime.
4. Both male and female must feed every 14 days or so.
5. Newly hatch bed bugs can live several months without food in ideal conditions.
6. Bed bug bites can cause itchy red welts tan can easily become affected as a result of scratching
7. A recent study by scientists at Vancouver’s St Pauls Hospital discovered the super viruses MRSA in several bed bugs. All it takes is an open cut or wound to spread Mrsa.
8. Bed bugs are smart and know when you are asleep by the carbon dioxide you emit.
9. They can be resistant to the cold but not too hot temperatures.
10. In New York sniffer dogs are being to detect is there is an infestation in homes.
How often should you change your pillow?
Replacing your pillow isn’t just about maintaining good hygiene. Along with your mattress, your pillow plays an important role in maintaining proper spinal alignment while you sleep.
Like a mattress, people put little or no value on a pillow in creating a great night’s sleep. Your head needs a bed too.
By regularly replacing your pillows, you get to keep on enjoying a restful night’s sleep and reduce the risk of neck pain.
Why is it so important to replace your pillow?
Every night as you sleep, your body sheds skin, hair, and body oil that your pillow absorbs. The buildup of these materials can cause your pillow to smell, although washing it regularly will prevent that.
Over time these conditions will naturally attract dust mites to grow in your pillow. These tiny creatures add extra weight to your pillow and impair its ability to stay supportive long-term. Dust mites are not dangerous, but for people with allergies, dust mites can worsen their symptoms to the extent that they interfere with their sleep.
Even if you address the dust mite problem with regular washing, your pillow can’t last forever.
It’s believed that for every inch difference in the loft of your pillow, you are putting 20 pounds of pressure on your neck. People come in all different shapes and size and we all sleep in different positions. A properly fitted pillow works together with your mattress to significantly improve and maintain posture alignment and sleep comfort.
Signs you should replace your pillow
You’ll know it’s time to replace your pillow if you notice any of the following:
- There are noticeable lumps in the foam or filler materials
- There are noticeable, permanent stains from body sweat and oil
- You wake up with aches and pains, particularly in your neck or shoulders
- You wake up tired (due to the above aches and pains interrupting your sleep)
- You wake up with headaches or are developing tension headaches
- You wake up sneezing from the dust mites
- You constantly have to re fluff your pillow to get comfortable (feather pillows only)
- If you fold your pillow in half, it stays that way instead of expanding back out (feather pillows only)
Other factors that can affect the longevity of your pillow include health conditions like allergies, or if you’ve recently changed sleeping positions.
For example, if you’ve switched from sleeping on your side to your back, you’ll need a new pillow with a different height. Different sleeping positions require different heights to keep the spine, neck, and head aligned.
So how often should you change your pillow?
Ideally a less expensive pillow should be changed roughly every 6 months while better constructed pillows offering optimum support have a lifespan of 18-24 months.
So before going shopping, the first step is to identify which position you sleep most in.
Stomach Sleepers,
Stomach sleepers should try sleeping without a pillow or depending on the individual a very thin pillow. Sleeping on your stomach is not recommended as it puts significant stress on the lower back.
Side Sleepers,
Measure the gap from the ear to the end of your shoulder and depending on your size and weight this will determine the thickness and firmness you require.
For better spine alignment you can also try placing a pillow between your knees
Back Sleepers,
If you find yourself sleeping on your back, you should consider a thinner pillow. This will ensure your neck is not being tilted too far forward.
If you need a new pillow why not get in touch today for our Buy One Get One Half Price deal while also receiving FREE rapid delivery anywhere in Ireland!
Click here to shop pillows - https://thesleepshop.ie/collections/pillows
Because Sleep Matters
Drowsy Driving
In America there is a Drowsy Driving Awareness Week. This runs from the 4th -11th of November. Again like everything then else they are so more advanced than the rest of the world in their thinking. With the amount of accidents on Irish roads increasing due to Sleepy drivers which the RSA believing at least 1-5 are due to Drowsy driving, something must be done. The Government needs to follow suit and help raise public awareness.
Lack of sleep has serious consequences in many areas of our lives, from home to work to your overall health and on our roads it doesn’t just affect the driver it also can cause injury or even death to innocent people.
Driving while sleepy is as dangerous as driving with alcohol but gets little no mention in media.
Here are some warning sounds.
- Opening the window hoping the fresh air will waken you.
- Turning on the radio and hoping the noise will keep you awake.
- Trying to keep your eyes open or trying to prevent your head from nodding.
- If you start having troubling focusing.
- Driving past your exit or crossing over lanes
- These may seem obvious but are often over looked.
Here are some tips to reduce risk.
- Make sure to get plenty of sleep.
- If heading off on a long journey perhaps have a travel companion to chat with or share the driving.
- Driving by yourself on a long journey.. Make sure to take proper breaks perhaps every 2 hours or so.
- As the RSA promotes if feeling drowsy pull over have a cup of coffee and set your watch for 15 minutes and nap.
Studies have shown driving while drowsy leads to slower reaction times, impaired judgement and decline alertness and attention. Be a responsible driver and don’t drive while drowsy
Clocks go Back
Don’t forget to put your clock back this Sunday and enjoy the extra hour under the duvet. So who’s idea was this and when did it start and what are the benefits to you? This is the start of brighter mornings and darker evenings.
Here are 10 very interesting facts about Sleep the positives and negatives.
1. The idea of putting the clock back was first put forward by an English Builder called William Willetts in 1907.He tirelessly promoted the idea of the Daylight Saving Time and made several attempts to have it passed by Parliament and even with the help of a young Winston Churchill failed.
2. It wasn’t until May of 1916 at the start of World War 1 that the bill was passed by the British Parliament but only after the Germans adapted the idea first. Many other countries followed.
3. A 2013 study carried out by the Surrey Sleep Centre and the BBC showed a link between the extra hour sleep that helps protect against illness such as cancer, diabetes and stress.
4. According to Dr. Matthew Walker, Director of the Centre of Sleep at Berkeley says extra sleep can help improve memory and increase Learning.” Just 60-90 minutes of additional Sleep boost learning capacity of the brain”
5. A report carried out by the Journal of Sleep found that an extra hour of sleep helped in improve blood pressure levels among people with hypertension and or pre-hypertension.
6. Another study carried out in America in 2010 found the C-reactive protein which is associated with heart attack risk, was higher in people who got six or fewer hours sleep a night.
7. Stanford University’s research proved that college football players who got at least 10 hours a night over a 7-8 week period improved their average sprint time and had less daily fatigue and more stamina.
8. The journal of Paediatrics found that children aged between 7 and 8 years old who sleep less than 8 hours a night were more likely to be hyperactive, inattentive and also impulsive.
9. Drowsy Driving according to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration causes over 100,000 car crashes in America each year. This information is retrieved for Police reports.
10. The Road Safety Association in Ireland believe
Wear & Tear – The Fight Back
Has your doctor noted that you have “wear and tear”?
- Injuries to the joints from whiplash or sports. While these cannot be undone, having them addressed and managed in a timely manner will minimize the negative effect.
- Obesity causes an increased load to the joints. Managing this with proper diet and exercise is extremely important for the longevity of your joints.
- Repetitive motion from often performed daily activities will put strain on the joints. These commonly performed tasks should be undone by corrective exercises and stretches to ensure premature joint degeneration is avoided.
- Excessively stiff joints. Your joints are designed to move smooth and freely through a full range of motion. Having a chiropractor assess and work with you to optimize joint mobility will ensure gentle aging.