The Positive Effects of Daylight Saving Time

via http://www.goddiscussion.com

It’s natural for most people to focus on the negative implications of Daylight Saving Time (DST), especially for those people who are already sleep deprived. Losing another hour of sleep can greatly impact our health and job performance. But with the negative does come the positive, and for some, it may outweigh any negatives. We did an article last year  How the Extra Hour of Sleep from the End of Daylight Savings Affects You. The Monday following DST leads to higher car accidents, heart attacks and may cause the formation of a sleep disorder. But no one sheds light (pun intended) on the positive aspect of DST, so let us tell you about it.

Why You Should Make Your Bed

One of the easiest habits to break is making your bed. This habit however, is one of the easiest to start, and the effects from such a simple chore can have a resounding positive effect on the rest of your day. This isn’t to say that making your bed has been scientifically proven to help you sleep better or cure your sleep disorder, but there is a mutual understanding amongst those who do make their bed that it does help. It is common to not feel the need to make your bed simply because you will mess the sheets up later when you go to sleep. You may feel that it is a waste of a precious few minutes that you could spend sleeping! But for those of you who do not make your bed, you are missing out on better sleep and a much more active day!

Causes of Nightmares and How to Alleviate Them

A bad dream is a nightmare. Whether you can remember it or not, everyone dreams while sleeping. It is more common to remember a nightmare or bad dream than a normal dream because a nightmare may startle you awake. Dreams are made up of emotions, thoughts and images and occur during the last stage of sleep, REM (Rapid Eye Movement). The REM stage tends to become longer as the night progresses, and many people seem to experience nightmares closer to morning. Although there is no cure-all for nightmares and bad dreams, we do have a better understanding as to what causes them and how we can alleviate them.

Picking the Right Bed Sheets for Winter

When it comes to staying warm this winter, don’t overlook the role your bed sheets play while you sleep. Different fabrics can offer more or less warmth when you need it the most. Remember, while you sleep your body temperature drops, so you will need to stay cool enough to fall asleep comfortably yet warm enough to not wake up freezing in the middle of the night. Depending on what your preference is, different fabrics may be more appealing to you than someone else. Let’s see what the different fabrics offer:

Cleaning Your Bed for Better Winter Health

Winter is quickly approaching, the temperature is dropping and the days are getting shorter. Many of you may have already encountered the flu this season, even if you had taken the proper precautions. We all know to button up our jackets, wear a hat, a scarf, gloves and warm clothes when leaving the house. We also know that not properly dressing before going outside can lead to you getting sick. What you may not know is that your mattress and pillows may be contributing to you becoming sick or prolonging your sickness.

Your Pet May Be Causing You Sleepless Nights

Our pets are always happy to see us. Whether you are coming home from work, school or you just ran to the mailbox, they always meet you with a smile and an upbeat mood. They can become your best friend and help you get through tough times when you may feel all alone. But what about those long sleepless nights you seem to have? Fact is, even though your pet loves you, they may unknowingly be contributing to your restless nights.

Do you let your pet sleep in the bed with you? According to a study, 56% of dog owners said their dog sleeps in the bed with them, and 62% of cat owners said their cat slept in their bed. Whether your pet is sleeping on the floor or in your bed, you may face some sort of sleep disturbance. Let’s discuss some possible issues of sleeping with pets.

The Best and Worst Nights for Sleep

Ask yourself this question: which night of the week do you find yourself getting the best and worst sleep? Depending on lifestyle, schedule, profession and age, the answer to which is the best and worst night to sleep may vary from person to person.

A study of 3500 adults commissioned by Travelodge, a hotel chain, found that nearly 60% of workers reported that Sunday night was when they slept the worst. Of that 60%, more than a quarter claim to have called out sick Monday morning due to their lack of quality sleep.

Can’t Sleep? Your Mattress May be the Cause

Sleeplessness affects many people worldwide. With approximately 30-50% of the population suffering from insomnia, the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep throughout the night, it is important to figure out the causes of sleep deprivation. Many causes of sleeplessness include stress, anxiety, and emotional or physical discomfort, but have you ever stopped to think that your mattress may be the cause?

Restless Leg Syndrome

Unlike some other common sleep disorders, RLS or Restless Leg Syndrome is a neurological disorder that affects a person during an unlikely time, while resting. RLS is characterized by an unpleasant feeling, sometimes throbbing pain, a pulling or tugging sensation, all which seem to be uncontrollable. To further look into how RLS affects people, it is a disorder where a person has an uncontrollable urge to move their legs. Instances when RLS can occur are most commonly found to be at night, while lying still in bed and getting ready to sleep. This disorder can pose health concerns not only for the person who is suffering with RLS, but also for anyone who shares a bed with them.

We all know sleep is essential to a productive day and better health, but what happens when quality sleep is out of your control? It can be hard to cope with fatigue and exhaustion, especially if you are not the person suffering from RLS. This disorder may sound humorous, but it is not at all funny.

Understanding the Causes and Symptoms of Insomnia

Insomnia can be quite tricky to get a handle on, as it can affect anyone at any time. Insomnia is classified as the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep throughout the night.  Many people may experience this trouble sleeping and attribute it to a rough day at work, or to the anxiety of an upcoming vacation. Most of the time, people ignore the tell-tale signs of insomnia, and it will progressively get worse and even wreak havoc at home and work. Having trouble sleeping can greatly affect your concentration, memory and focus.

Insomnia is also known to accompany health concerns and other sleep disorders that may interrupt your sleep. Insomnia is not the reason you cannot sleep, insomnia is what we call your inability to sleep.

A great way to start minimizing the effect insomnia has on your life is first understanding what can cause insomnia. Once you understand what causes insomnia, you can take preventative measure to help safe guard your sleep by reducing these causes. If you are overly stressed, you can try stress relieving activities such as meditation, aromatherapy or exercising. If a medication you are taking is known to disrupt sleep,  it may be time to consult your doctor about an alternative that will not disrupt sleep.