The Problem with Alarm Clocks and How to Wake Without One

We all know how annoying an alarm clock can be. BEEP, BEEP, BEEP! Not only does this sound startle you, it can often times leave you feeling groggy. No matter which stage of sleep you’re in, the alarm clock’s job is to get your day started. The problem is, deep stages of sleep are the most restorative for you. Being woken up out of a deep stage of sleep can and will leave you feeling as though you barely slept at all! The best way to wake up is naturally and without the stress of being scared awake. It is possible to wake up without the use of an alarm clock, but it may take some time. Here are a few different ways to train yourself to wake up without an alarm clock.

Living with Arthritis: How to Reduce Pain and Better Your Sleep

Having to deal with pain every day and night can lead to profound lifestyle changes. Arthritis, which is a general term to describe over 100 medical conditions, generally affects the elderly and is the main cause for disability among people over 55 years old. The most common form of arthritis is Osteoarthritis (OA), but there are other forms of arthritis that can affect a person even at an early age. To better understand how to manage the pain and get better sleep, you need to understand what arthritis is. Arthritis is usually caused by something going wrong within your joint, leading to a specific type of arthritis. Whether it is a lack of fluid within your joint, wearing of the cartilage that stops 2 bones from rubbing together or damage to the tendons and ligaments, arthritis pain can cause depression and sleep disorders.

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

Holiday Deal: FREE Adjustable Base with a Sleep Options Mattress

The holiday season is here, and with that comes the added stress of last minute shopping. If you are still looking for the perfect gift, look no further! Sleepy’s is giving you an adjustable base with your purchase of a Sleep Options mattress… And it’s not just any adjustable base, but a Heads–Up Adjustable Power Base that retails for up to $1000! Not only will you get the comfort and support of a Sleep Options mattress, but you’ll have the added comfort and support of an adjustable bed! Why wait? Shop now!

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.

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.

Innerspring Mattress Vs. Memory Foam Mattress

Image via Wikipedia

The battle for mattress supremacy has been ongoing for decades, and there seems to be no end in sight. The conflict between memory foam mattresses and traditional innerspring mattresses can often make you lose sleep, pun intended. No matter what your need preference is in a mattress or what your reasoning is behind buying one or the other, they both have their ups and downs. To see which mattress may suit you the best, let’s take a moment and look at how these mattresses stack up to each other.

Comfort

When comparing a memory foam mattress and traditional spring mattress, one can obviously point out the differences. But when lying on the two mattresses of equal quality and value, it depends on the person to decide which is best for them.

What is Fatigue and How to Beat It

Two common phrases that often times gets confused are “I feel weak” or “I am fatigued.” Knowing and understanding the difference between weakness and fatigue are important in figuring out possible causes and reliefs from such symptoms. Weakness is a lack of physical strength in your muscles as well as the need to exert more effort to move your limbs. Possible causes may be over working, poor diet or exerting too much force. Fatigue is generally the feeling of being tired or exhausted, and having a lack of energy or motivation.

Understanding the Different Stages of Sleep

We all know that sleep is an important part of living a healthy life. What we may not fully understand is what goes on while we sleep. To help understand what goes on in the human brain during sleep, we must first understand the different sleep stages that are cycled through. The brain has 5 sleep stages it enters into throughout the night to help ensure you wake up rested and energized. Non-REM sleep and REM sleep are building blocks to our sleep cycle, and typically follow a predictable pattern, going from light sleep to deep sleep several times during the night. To help understand why 8 hours is recommended as the proper sleep duration per night, we need to first understand our sleep cycle.

Stage 1: