1.    Postpone brainstorming. Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night with an idea or thought that you feel the need to analyze? Save it for the following day. If you wake up feeling anxious about a project or work, write it down on a piece of paper or in a journal instead of staying up worrying about it. Remind yourself that thinking about a problem or an idea will be more effective when it’s handled in the morning and push it out of your head!

2.    Don’t psyche yourself out. Trying to force yourself to fall back asleep after having woken up is not the answer. Putting pressure on your body and mind will only make matters worse, as it can trigger stress and anxiety. Stress and anxiety will encourage your body to remain awake. Instead, try remaining in bed in a relaxed position, focusing on feelings and sensations in your body.

3.    Use relaxation techniques. In order to fall back asleep, your body and mind must be at ease. Different relaxation techniques can help speed this process along. Try visualization or deep-breathing for starters. If those don’t work, progressive muscle relaxation might do the trick. Read our previous blog to find out more information on the different relaxation techniques.

4.    Do a non-stimulating activity. Sometimes the best thing to do when you can’t sleep is to get out of bed! If you have been awake for at least 15 minutes, it’s time to get up and do some sort of activity. Make sure that you keep your environment quiet and dimly lit. Stay away from any screens, such as computers, TVs, and cell phones, as they will stimulate the brain. Reading a book, having a light snack, or writing are all suggested activities to help you fall asleep.

5.    Don’t look at the time. Waking up in the night is stressful enough, so you don’t need to look at the clock to see what time it is. Looking at your alarm clock or cell phone in the middle of the night will trigger stress and anxiety. You may begin to worry about the little amount of time that you have left before you have to wake up for the day, making it even more difficult to fall back asleep. You might keep checking the clock to see how much time has passed since you’ve been up. In order to avoid stress, do not look at the time!

If you have any techniques that you use to fall back asleep, please feel free to share them with us in the comments below!

1.    Visualization. Sometimes all you need to help yourself fall asleep is your imagination. Visualization is a technique used to bring you into a state of peace and serenity. First, get yourself comfortable and close your eyes. Imagine that you are in a place that is calming to you, for example, on a beach. Try to form mental images of your relaxing spot. After you have your place of peace in mind, try to get all of your senses involved. If you’re on a beach, imagine the smell of the ocean, the warmth of the sun or the sound of the waves crashing. Concentrate on this place and how it makes you feel until you are completely relaxed. Then get some shut eye!

2.    Progressive Muscle Relaxation. This technique literally relaxes your body from your head to your toes! Starting with your feet, you’re going to tense up all of the muscles in your body and then relax them. Tense the muscle group in your feet for 5 seconds, and then relax them for 30 seconds. Continue doing this with each muscle group until you reach your head! As you slowly begin to focus on the tensing and relief of each muscle group, you will feel more and more relaxed.

3.    Yoga. This form of exercise is wonderful for fighting away stress and insomnia. Yoga is also useful to ward off aches and pains that will keep you tossing and turning all night long. Yoga helps teach people how to relax on command, meaning that this is the perfect nighttime exercise for those who suffer from stress or other sleep disorders. For the best results, put on your pajamas and do your favorite yoga moves right before you go to bed. If you have never tried yoga before, check out this slideshow of positions you can do.

For more information on how stress affects sleep, please check out one of our older blogs here. If you have any relaxation techniques that work for you, feel free to share them in the comments!

1. Density. As the size of the mattress increases, so should the amount of memory foam that it’s made of. Many 8” foam mattresses consist of 2-3 inches of memory foam. Anything larger than an 8” mattress should consist of 3-4 inches of memory foam. When there’s a higher density of memory foam within the mattress, they will be less likely to sag and lose shape over time. The Sleep Options 11” Memory Foam Mattress on Sleepys.com is made up of 3 inches of 5-pound memory foam, while our 13” mattress contains 4 inches of 4-pound memory foam.

2.    Firm Base. Many things may cause a mattress to lose shape over time, such as the use of electric blankets or a heavier person sleeping in the bed. One thing you can do to counteract any sagging along the way is to purchase a strong foundation for the mattress. If you are using an old mattress foundation, make sure it does not have any dips in it, as the mattress will conform to those ridges. Try purchasing a new one that will offer a more stable and even support system for your mattress.

3.    Warranty. When going to purchase a memory foam mattress, make sure that there is at least a 10-year warranty that comes along with the product. Many mattress brands will offer a minimum of a 10-year warranty, which suggests that they are confident your bed will support you for at least ten years. All Sleep Options mattresses come with a 10-year non-prorated and a 10-year prorated warranty!

 4. Mattress Cover. The knitting around the mattress plays a big role when you’re considering how long your mattress will last. Make sure that the knitting covers the entire surface of your mattress.  A Sleep Options mattress does not only come with an incredibly protective cover, but the knitting is also breathable, moisture-absorbent and naturally anti-bacterial with a soft, luxurious feel.

If you have been sleeping on your mattress for a long time and are looking to purchase a new one, make sure you check out the Sleep Options selection at Sleepy’s! If you need to keep your mattress just a little bit longer, check out our blog on how to make it last longer!

Symptoms: Hypersomnia causes people to experience prolonged periods of sleep, in which they have difficulty waking up from and feel disoriented when doing so. People with hypersomnia may sleep up to 12 hours per night but still need to take frequent naps during the day. These naps can occur at any point: during work, while they’re enjoying a meal or during a normal conversation. While napping is a reaction to excessive daytime sleepiness, they usually provide no relief from the symptoms.

Other symptoms can include anxiety, hallucinations, slow speech and thinking, decreased energy, loss of appetite, trouble with memory, restlessness and increased irritability.

These symptoms may have a profound impact on their family, social and occupational relationships, as a person may have difficulty functioning in these settings. The symptoms usually appear in young adolescence or early adulthood and can be categorized in two different ways: primary hypersomnia and recurrent hypersomnia.

Primary hypersomnia is when a person displays symptoms steadily for months or even years. Someone who suffers from recurrent hypersomnia may experience symptoms many times throughout the year mixed with normal sleep cycles.

Causes: Hypersomnia may be caused by an array of conditions and disorders. Brain damage, celiac disease, fibromyalgia, and depression have all been linked to hypersomnia. Additionally, sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder can play a role in hypersomnia. Sleep deprivation, being overweight, certain medications, head injuries, drug or alcohol abuse and genetics are more causes associated with the sleep disorder as well.

If you are constantly feeling drowsy during the day, it is important that you speak to your doctor. If you are diagnosed with hypersomnia, your doctor will be able to prescribe medications or other treatments that will best counteract the causes of your excessive daytime sleepiness. If you or anyone you know has dealt with hypersomnia, please feel free to share your experience in the comments.

Alarm clock: One key approach to waking up without an alarm clock is by training your mind to know it needs to be awake at a certain time. An alarm clock wakes you up because it is a loud noise that startles and disrupts your sleep. If you do not use the snooze button, and you wake yourself up at the same time every day using an alarm clock, within a week or 2 you should be able to avoid the alarm altogether. Most of us will have an alarm set as a backup in case for some reason we do not wake up on time. If you wake up naturally, you just simply turn off the alarm so it does not go off. You can use the alarm to help set your sleep cycle to know when it needs to wake up every day.

Natural cues: By using your senses you can effectively get rid of your alarm clock and wake up feeling more rested.

·       Light- Open your blinds or pull your curtains open because daylight will surely wake you up. Our circadian rhythm associates light with morning, so getting a nice blast of morning sunlight will surely start your day off properly. If the sunlight does not make it into your bedroom, try using a lamp or a light set on a timer. Although the sunlight will ease you awake as the sun rises, using a lamp will activate sensors and hormones in the brain, signaling it is time to wake up. You will not need a loud noise to wake you.

·       Sound- Does a train pass by your house every morning around the time you wake up? How about your roommate flushing the toilet every morning? Are there sounds that you hear every morning that you can use as a sign it is time to wake up? Take note of what noises wake you up and when. Then use those sounds as a cue that it is time to rise.

·       Temp- Whether you are too cold or too hot, your body will wake you up when it is uncomfortable. Put your heater on a timer that is set to turn on 1 hour before your wake up time. This should raise the temperature enough to wake you from your slumber in a peaceful and non-traumatic way.

·       Smells- Do you have coffee every morning to shake off the groggy feeling caused by your alarm? Put your coffee maker on a timer so that the smell can act as a cue that is it morning time and time to get your java fix. These cues aren’t as effective, so they should be used with conjunction with other natural cues.

We recommend you have an alarm clock set as a backup just in case you ever do over sleep. Waking up without an alarm clock can be very refreshing and start your day out better then you could ever imagine. Please feel free to leave a comment with your advice on how to wake up without using an alarm clock!

Accomplishment- Ever heard the saying “it’s the little things in life?” Well making your bed may very well be one of those “little things.” Wake up 5 minutes early and make your bed. You may not immediately feel the sensation of accomplishment, but later in the day you may sit back and feel relieved. Some of you may sit down following your bed-making, and immediately feel better about yourself and your day.

Peace of mind- After you have made your bed, don’t you feel like a weight has been lifted? Every time you walk into your bedroom and your bed is not made, doesn’t it just look unorganized and out of order? Everything could be spotless, yet your messy bed throws everything off. The bed is a large area, and when it’s messy, it can have a negative effect on how you perceive the room. By making your bed, you can be assured your room will not look messy. Even a messy room with a bed that has been made looks fairly presentable (even if it really isn’t).

Morning stress release- Sounds like an oxymoron right? Having to complete a task in the morning could never be a stress release, but you may be surprised. Making your bed allows your mind to focus on a task as well as use muscles that have been motionless for hours. This movement will allow your body to shake loose any “stress” built up during your sleep, and when you get to fluffing the pillows, you can release any pent up aggression out on them. Your pillows will accept your punishment, and comfort your head later that night!

Better sleep- Start making your bed when you wake up and see if your sleep improves. Having a clean and tidy bed and bedroom can help the mind and body relax when it comes time for sleep. You will not have to worry or stress about cleaning your room. Also, having your sheets tucked in will give you a more secure and comfortable sensation while in bed. You won’t have to waste time straightening out your sheets just to get in them. It will also help to keep you warm as the tucked in sheets will not let cold air to sneak in. You can slip into your bed and easily drift off to sleep. A bed that is made is more inviting and conducive to sleep.

You may be under the illusion that your sleep can’t possibly get any better, but it can. If you haven’t started making your bed in the morning, it may be time to start! If you don’t notice any difference in your sleep, at least you can say you have picked up a good habit! Either way you look at it, making your bed will have a positive impact on your life! Start today and tell us how it’s helped you in the comments!

Out of over 100 types of arthritis, these are the most commons forms:

Osteoarthritis- The cartilage within your joint that acts as a shock absorber begins to lose its elasticity and stiffens up. It gradually wears down and damages the tendons and ligaments by stretching them, causing pain and soreness. Very severe OA is when the bones begin to rub against each other causing severe and sometimes debilitating pain.

Rheumatoid arthritis- Inflammation in your joints can cause pain and deformation if not treated. The synovial membrane in your joint is attacked, resulting in pain and swelling. Although this is more common in women, it can also affect men and children.

Infectious arthritis- Caused by an infection in the joint, this type of arthritis affects the synovial fluid and tissue of the affected joint. Bacteria, fungi or a virus may spread through the bloodstream from infected tissue nearby. The most susceptible people are those who may already have some form of arthritis, and they develop an infection.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis- JRA can vary, but basically means a child 16 or younger is affected by arthritis.

Having limited mobility caused by pain can have profound psychological effects on a person. Depression and insomnia are common in people who suffer from arthritis, yet lack of sleep is an underdiagnosed complaint. The stress induced by the pain can take a toll on both physical health and mental health, so getting the proper amount and quality of sleep is vital to managing the pain. When talking about arthritis, pain management is a catch 22; sleep helps increase blood flow, suppresses inflammation and allows the body to fight infections, but those same reasons are typically why a person cannot sleep. So how do you manage the pain?

Physical activity- It may sound odd, but increasing your physical activity and exercise may decrease your pain. Don’t overdo it when it comes to exercising, but gentle movements will help keep your muscles strong and in a healthy state. Exercise and physical activity can build muscle to provide protection to your joints. The less protection your joints have, the more pain you can expect as well as risk of further injury. Additionally, being active will help increase blood flow, which can decrease inflammation and ease pain. The less pain you have, the better sleep you will be able to achieve.

Avoid pain medications- Some pain medications can cause you to develop a sleep disorder. Although you may think the pain is being managed, you could be damaging the joints more. Pain is our body’s way of telling us not to do something. If you mask the pain, you could severely damage the joints, causing severe pain when the pain medication wears off. This increased pain combined with some of the side effects, can lead to many sleepless nights.

Manage your weight- Being overweight will place more strain on your joints. By managing your weight, you can alleviate excess stress put on your body and reduce possible symptoms or causes of your arthritis. Losing some weight may also improve your sleep quality and can reduce your chances of developing a sleep disorder such as sleep apnea. By getting quality sleep you can also help manage your weight, as sleep is a great natural way to lose weight.

Stretch- When you stretch, you are increasing blood flow as well as strengthening your muscles. Flexibility will help increase mobility, so stretching at least 3 times per week can help ease pain. Stretching also helps your body release built up stress from your day’s activity, so stretch before bed also. The increase in blood flow and the release of stress will make your night’s sleep more enjoyable and improve its quality.

These are just some tips on how to alleviate pain caused by arthritis as well as ways to improve your sleep quality. Arthritis can be a hassle to deal with, so minimizing the pain and increasing your sleep quality will help you overcome this debilitating condition. If you know of other ways to help reduce pain while increasing sleep quality, please feel free to post it as a comment! We would love to hear from you!

Anxiety and stress. The most common reason a person may have a bad dream or a nightmare is caused by stress or anxiety. Are you running behind on a deadline or is a family member having surgery? Anything that may produce added or increased stress levels can cause you to have a bad dream. If you notice that you have bad dreams around the time you have increased stress or anxiety, try some stress management techniques. Aromatherapy and stretching close to bedtime can help alleviate any stress pent up within your body so you can be fully relaxed and at peace while you sleep.

Spicy food. Not only can eating close to bedtime disrupt sleep, spicy foods can also disrupt your sleep and cause bad dreams. We know that eating a large meal or snack before bed will cause your body to work overtime while digesting your food. This can awaken you during the night or force you to only obtain a light sleep. Spicy food may also increase your body temperature, which may cause you to wake up. Additionally, an increase in metabolism and brain activity may prompt a bad dream or nightmare. Reduce your food intake before bed, try making dinner your last meal and try to avoid large amounts of spicy foods close to bedtime. This will let your body wind down and not have to continue working to break down your meal when it should be sleeping.

Drugs and alcohol. Both drugs and alcohol have the ability to alter your state of mind. Even prescription drugs can cause a person to experience nightmares while taking their medication. Drugs and alcohol have the ability to affect your central nervous system, which may lead to irregular thoughts or emotions while you are sleeping. Nightmares caused by drugs or alcohol may begin to disappear as the toxins within the body are slowly cleared from it. If you notice bad dreams or nightmares becoming more frequent after starting a medication, alert your physician. You may also want to decrease alcohol consumption as it may be the cause for your bad dreams.

Traumatic experience. If you suffer from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) you are mostly likely suffering from chronic nightmares. These bad dreams are caused by extreme stress after a traumatizing experience. This can be caused by an accident, military service, a death in the family or many other reasons. People who experience nightmares after such an experience may have the hardest time combating them, especially due to the cause. It is suggested you contact your physician about cognitive-behavioral therapy and other methods to dealing with PTSD.

Having a bad dream or nightmare can cause you to lose sleep, not just on one night, but also for nights to come. Lack of sleep can also cause increased stress, so making sure you are able to get the best quality sleep is important to fending off any nightmares to come. If you need more help sleeping, visit our sleep tips here. If you or someone you know has managed to decrease or rid nightmares from their sleep, feel free to tell us in a comment!

Delayed sleep phase syndrome is a circadian rhythm sleep disorder, which causes setbacks in the timing of one’s sleep. DSPS also impacts the time of peak alertness and daily rhythms relative to the general population. Despite the normal need for sleep, a person’s 24-hour day is much delayed. Waking up for daily activities, such as school and work, can be very difficult for those who suffer from DSPS. When a person has to wake up early but cannot fall asleep at a “normal” time, their productivity, alertness, and mood is affected for the remainder of the day. When a person with DSPS does not have to wake up early in the morning, they will usually find that they sleep until the afternoon, have a peaceful sleep, wake up spontaneously and do not suffer from daytime sleepiness.

The sleep disorder usually develops sometime in childhood or early adolescence. It is commonly found in college students and young adults because of the schedules that they try to maintain. A frequent late-night schedule is enough to shift a person’s circadian rhythm to falling asleep at 4 am. For example, when a student is constantly staying up late to study, they’re body learns that they must be alert during the wee hours of the night. Although some may face DSPS during young adulthood, it can be a lifetime disorder for others.

Delayed sleep-phase syndrome is responsible for 7-10% of patient complaints of chronic insomnia. Unfortunately, many doctors may misdiagnose DSPS or treat it improperly. Therefore, it is important to recognize the following symptoms of delayed sleep phase syndrome:

• Having the ability to sleep through the morning and sometimes the afternoon.
• Chronic difficulty falling asleep at a desired hour to meet their daily schedule.
• Inability to fall asleep before 2 AM – 6 AM, but typically falls asleep at the same time every night with ease.
• Ability to sleep well and regularly on their own sleep schedule during weekends and vacations.

The symptoms mentioned above must be present for at least one month before a diagnosis of DSPS is made. There are many treatments that have helped people with DSPS to get their circadian rhythm back in line. Bright light therapy and melatonin have been found to aid DSPS, but it is always best to speak to your doctor before figuring out which would be best for you.

Please feel free to leave your comments and suggestions below!

An adjustable base is great for anyone who enjoys a quality night’s sleep, but can also help those who may have back pains, health complications or an underlying sleep disorder. The ability to change the angle on your mattress can provide better breathing, alleviate pain and pressure points and make your time spent in bed more comfortable. Whether you are restricted to being in bed due to health complications, enjoy reading in bed or have trouble getting comfortable, being able to adjust the incline of your mattress will make your bedroom experience more pleasurable.

The benefits of an adjustable bed go far beyond being able to sit up and watch TV in bed (which we don’t suggest you do). Our foam mattresses contour to the shape of your body, cradling you to provide the ultimate support and comfort while you sleep. Add the bonus of being able to tilt your posture until it is perfect for your sleep needs at no additional cost is our gift to you!

Some of the health benefits of an adjustable bed include but are not limited to:

• Increased blood circulation
• Reduced pain caused by arthritis or other degenerative ailments with increased blood flow
• Reduced back pain
• Reduced leg or feet swelling
• Alleviated breathing difficulties
• Reduced acid reflux

So how can you get your hands on this great deal before it’s gone? Head over to a Sleepy’s store near you or purchase a Sleep Options mattress online from Sleepy’s.com and start sleeping better!

We would like to wish everyone a safe and restful holiday season!