5 Signs You May Need to Change Your Mattress

 

It is often painful to wake up to the realization that you need a new mattress, but investing in your sleep is definitely worth it. The Better Sleep Council states that we should replace our mattresses every 5-7 years, although many of us continue to keep our mattresses past this time. Studies have shown that a new mattress can result in a significant decrease in one’s stress levels and increase in sleep quality. Along with these benefits, people are also protected from the adverse health effects that come along with sleeping on an old mattress such as allergies, back pain, a weakened immune system and higher stress levels. If you spend so much time in your bed, why risk having one that does not support your health? Consider these 5 signs as an indicator that it is time to treat yourself to a new mattress:

 1) Waking with aches

Giving your body the tools it needs to get the best rest it can is essential to having a good night’s sleep. A mattress that is both comfortable and supportive is ideal for your body to relax and rejuvenate during sleep.  Due to the fact that mattresses deteriorate in comfort and support over time, it is beneficial to consider how your body feels in your bed. Note any pain or discomfort you may feel in bed or in the morning after as a possible sign that your mattress it at its time.

2) Lumps and sags

Taking a look at the physical appearance of your mattress can indicate if it is deteriorating. Signs of wear such as lumpiness, sagging, discoloration or unevenness indicate your mattress may not be ideal for your quality sleep. These warning signs play a role in impacting your quality of sleep and continue to intensify the more you climb into bed with them.

3) Comfier in another’s

Sleeping somewhere that is not your home may make it difficult to get the rest you need, but if you are finding you sleep better in this situation, consider if it was the bed that did it. Waking up feeling less sore than usual or more rejuvenated than at home could be due to the fact that your personal mattress is not supporting your sleep the way it should. You spend many of your nights on your own mattress, so why not make it the best for your body?

4) Restless rolling

Sleep is essential for processes both in the brain and in the body. Ideal sleep contributes to happiness, improved cognition and a body better prepared to tackle health issues. If you find yourself feeling like you did not have a restful sleep, this could be due to tossing and turning throughout the night. Although you may not notice your movements, restlessness indicates that an ideal sleep is not being accomplished and your health and happiness are at risk.   

5) Age matters

The National Sleep Foundation states that most mattresses have a lifespan of around 8 years; although some experts state a lower number if the sleeper is over 40 years old due to the need for a better sleep foundation. If your mattress is on the older side, be aware of the addition signs above to decide if it is time to replace it. Keep in mind the amazing benefits a new mattress will bring for your mental and physical health because investing in your sleep and yourself is always worth it.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/5-signs-you-may-need-to-change-your-mattress

Why the Sleep Divorce is a Bad Idea

It appears to be a growing trend that some couples are choosing to sleep in separate beds. According to a random survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation in 2015, 10 percent of married couples were sleeping in separate bedrooms, and the number seems to be on the rise.

As a matter of fact, homes are now more commonly being built with two master bedrooms to accommodate partners sleeping in separate rooms. The National Association of Home Builders estimates that soon over half of all upscale custom homes will be designed with two different owner suites.

But is it really a good idea for couples to sleep apart? There are actually several reasons why it’s not an ideal arrangement.

According to some psychologists, the time before going to sleep is often the most important time for couples to connect with one another, psychologically and physically. This time is critical for cuddling, talking and developing intimacy between partners which research shows helps people to feel relaxed and nurtured.

These moments encourage bonding, feelings of comfort, happiness, appreciation, and satisfaction. Additionally, studies show that when couples talk after sex, the rise in oxytocin makes it more likely that partners will share positive feelings associated with closeness, relationship satisfaction, and trust.

Females who sleep with their partner are more likely to have positive interactions with them the next day. However, for men, just getting a good night of sleep enhances the quality of their interactions with their partner the following day.  

By not sleeping in the same bed, couples are missing out on this valuable time together. Even couples who still share the same bed but who have mismatched sleep patterns are more likely to have marital conflict, poor communication, and a reduced amount of sex. Overall, it’s best for couples to sleep in the same bed and to go to bed at the same hour, so time can be spent together in bed.

Many marriages end due to a breakdown of intimacy after partners have drifted apart, and when one or both partners start to feel the loss of connection to their spouse. This is why it’s so important for couples to sleep in the same bed.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/why-the-sleep-divorce-is-a-bad-idea

5 Reasons You Should Make Your Bed Every Morning

Making your bed each day might already be a habit for you, or perhaps it will be after you read this article. If you think it doesn’t matter if you make your bed or that it’s a waste of time, think again…You’ll be surprised to learn how this one simple habit can affect your day and perhaps your entire life. Here are some great reasons why you should consider making your bed when you get up in the morning.

1. You’ll gain a sense of accomplishment each day. By choosing to tackle the small chore of making your bed first thing each morning, you’ll get immediate gratification after you’ve completed this initial task of the day. It’s true, getting small tasks done right like making your bed can actually encourage you to move onto addressing larger tasks. And it’s more likely you’ll carry this momentum of accomplishing things with you throughout the entire day. You’ll also feel more in control of your environment and gain a sense of pride by keeping things tidy.

2. You’ll sleep better. According to a study conducted by the National Sleep Foundation involving 1,500 participants, there is a connection between sleep quality and making the bed. People who made their beds each day or nearly every day slept better than those who didn’t. Although researchers aren’t sure why bed-makers sleep better, it may be related to establishing consistent habits, having mental self-discipline or simply enjoying a sense of accomplishment.

3. Being organized and reducing clutter lowers your stress level. Your bedroom and personal space become cluttered when bedding and pillows are thrown astray. When you make your bed, you create a tidier room and a more aesthetically pleasing environment to rest in. Decreasing clutter is proven to lower stress levels. And when you are less stressed, you’re more likely to get better sleep.

4. You might feel happier. According to a survey of 68,000 people conducted by Hunch.com, 62 percent of people who didn’t make their bed reported feeling unhappy, while 71 percent of people who made their bed considered themselves to be happy people. Interestingly enough, those who made their beds were also more likely to exercise regularly, enjoy their jobs, and own a home.

5. It helps you develop positive habits. The simple act of making your bed each day can actually initiate a chain reaction of practicing good habits. Making your bed is associated with an increase in productivity, better decision making power and positive habits such as sticking to a budget according to Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit. This author refers to the act of making the bed each day as a “keystone habit” since it profoundly impacts the development of other patterns of good behavior.

So now you know why making your bed is really quite an important task. There are more than a few good reasons to start making your bed each day or keep doing it if you already are. Pay attention to how this simple habit affects how you feel throughout the day and when you go to bed. With some practice, you might learn to enjoy making your bed knowing just what it can do for you!  

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/5-reasons-you-should-make-your-bed-every-morning

Proven Tips for the Perfect Power Nap

Are you a power napper? If not, you might want to consider trying out a power nap. Psychologist and author of Power Sleep, Dr. James B. Maas, was the first to coin the term “power nap.” These short bursts of sleep are typically taken after several hours of being awake and don’t include stages of deep sleep. They’re great for boosting mood, energy, creativity, and productivity and their benefits can last you all through the day.

If you tend to feel tired during the daytime and turn to boosts of caffeine to stay focused on what you’re doing, you might benefit from power naps. The ideal power nap should last 20 to 30 minutes and should be taken about eight hours after getting up in the morning to help to counter the natural dip in circadian rhythm that occurs after being awake for a period. For most people, this dip occurs between 2 and 4 p.m.

Here are a few tips on how to take the perfect power nap to help you rejuvenate as much as possible in a minimal amount of time.

Before your snooze, you’ll want to choose a comfortable, dark, quiet spot where you can take your power nap. If possible, adjust the temperature in the room to ensure you are not too hot or cold. And if needed, use earplugs, an eye mask or white noise to help you tune out background noise. With time and practice, you can adjust to taking power naps under less than optimal circumstances.

So you don’t feel anxious about when you should be getting up, set an alarm for about 20 minutes. You’ll want to get up after 20 to 30 minutes since sleeping any longer might leave you feeling groggy rather than refreshed as your sleep cycles change. The next best nap length is a 90-minute nap which allows you to sleep for one complete REM (rapid eye movement) cycle.

If you can’t fall asleep, don’t get frustrated. It may take time to get into the groove of effective power napping. Encourage yourself to relax by meditating, listening to music, or using brainwave entertainment audios intended for power napping. Rest assured, you will get better at power napping with some practice. If you are at least resting for a short period, your body will be benefiting anyways.

If you enjoy caffeine, try taking a caffeinated drink right before your power nap. Research shows that drinking caffeine before your nap boosts your energy better than drinking caffeine or a taking a nap alone. The caffeine takes about 20 minutes to kick in, so you’ll be feeling the effects of it just as you wake up.

It’s not uncommon to feel disoriented and a little unstable from waking up after a power nap. To counter these feelings, try splashing some cool water on your face, having a glass of water and taking in some fresh air.

Enjoy your power naps without feeling guilty. Sleeping for these short periods is a great way to help you improve both your mental and physical health.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/proven-tips-for-the-perfect-power-nap

Is Sleeping in on Weekends Good or Bad for You?

The term “social jetlag” is commonly used to describe the pattern many people follow of getting up early on weekdays and staying up late on the weekends to socialize and sleep in. For many of us it has become a habit to follow this pattern after a long, exhausting week filled with nights where we didn’t get enough sleep. But are we really doing our bodies and our health a favor or not by attempting to catch up on sleep over the weekend?

The truth is there are both advantages and disadvantages of sleeping in on the weekends. Past research tells us that sleeping in isn’t ideal since you can’t bank sleep or use it later for making up lost time.

Our bodies also like and work best following routine, it’s as simple as that. When we don’t follow a consistent sleep schedule due to skimping on sleep during the week and sleeping in on the weekends, we can become groggy and tired. This happens in part because our natural circadian rhythm is interfered with.

Even a single hour of “social jetlag” leads to poorer health and is associated with an 11 percent increase in the risk for heart disease according to researchers at the Sleep and Health Program at the University of Arizona.

Additionally, getting less than five or more than eight hours of sleep per night increases the risk of mortality. Knowing this, you might ask if there are any advantages of catching up on sleep on the weekends since missing out on it is so clearly bad.

Well, there might be. Although sticking to a consistent sleep schedule is most important for optimal health, recent research tells us that sleeping in occasionally might also be beneficial.

How Sleeping in Helps Counter Sleep Deprivation

Research published in the Journal of Sleep that assessed the sleeping habits of 43,000 people found that the average amount of sleep a person gets impacts his or her health. It’s better to catch up on missing sleep on the weekends than to not catch up at all since it reduces the average extent and severity of the effects of sleep deprivation,

Another study found that people who did not receive enough sleep on the weekdays but caught up on it over the weekend had a lower body mass index (BMI) than those who didn’t catch up. It’s believed that getting the extra sleep helped to protect against disruption to hormone and metabolic cycles that influence changes in BMI. Experts also think that getting more sleep increases the chances that you’ll practice healthy habits like getting adequate exercise and following a healthy diet.

Yet another study completed by the Division of Sleep and Chronobiology at the University of Pennsylvania found that getting an hour or two of extra sleep boosts brain power. Study participants who had extra sleep after a period of restricted sleep performed better on cognitive tests than those who never got a chance to catch up at all.

The bottom line is that it’s ideal to stay with a steady sleep schedule. But if you can’t, sleeping in on weekends is your next best bet to keeping your health in check. Experts recommend getting at least seven hours of sleep each night to maintain optimal health.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/is-sleeping-in-on-weekends-good-or-bad-for-you

Celebrity Sleep Tips You'll Want to Try

Celebrities definitely need their sleep to do what they do. But like anybody else, some celebs struggle with getting good sleep and look to experts for tips on how to sleep well and wake up feeling energized. Below are some tricks we learned from the stars on how they’re getting a good night’s sleep.

1. Elle Macpherson – Keep a Journal. This fashion supermodel and movie star knows she needs to clear her mind before getting a good night’s rest. Elle keeps a notepad right next to her bed so she can easily jot down any ideas that might keep her mind busy before she nods off to sleep. Sometimes she writes a to-do list and sometimes just random ideas she’ll allow her mind to revisit in the morning.

2. Lea Michele – Have a Relaxing Bath. A talented actress, model and author, Lea Michelle swears by using Epsom salts in a bath before bedtime. She puts them in the bath and soaks for a good 20 minutes before bedtime. The Scream Queens star also likes to complete her evening ritual with a relaxing cup of hot tea and lemon.  

3. Ellen DeGeneres - Meditate. Ellen enjoys practicing transcendental meditation to help prepare herself for sleep. She didn’t think she would benefit as much as she has from it, but now raves that it has completely changed her life. Ellen praises meditation for helping her learn how to sit still and for bringing her an incredibly peaceful feeling each night before bed.

4. Mariah Carey – Get Enough Sleep. Mariah let out her secret of getting fifteen hours of sleep each night to Interview Magazine. While most adults typically only need seven to nine hours of sleep each day, it’s important to listen to your body and ensure you’re getting the right amount of sleep for you. Mariah also enjoys having humidity in her room to help her sleep peacefully, and uses not one, not two, but twenty humidifiers!

5. Eminem - Avoid Blue Light. Eminem might have a tough guy persona, but he certainly prizes his sleep. He avoids keeping electronics near him when he sleeps to prevent exposure to blue light and even wraps tin foil around the blinds in his hotel room to block out any UV light that might be entering.

6. Kim Kardashian - Get a Good Mattress. This media mogul appreciates the value of good sleep and is known to have spent a million dollars on new beds and mattresses. Luckily for us, memory mattresses are affordable and can help you get a comfortable night of sleep.

If these tips are good enough for the celebrities to follow, they are certainly worth trying out to help you get the best sleep possible each night.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/celebrity-sleep-tips-youll-want-to-try

5 Simple Tips for Sleeping Better in a Tent

Love going camping, but can’t sleep well in a tent?

Many people enjoy heading out into nature for a getaway but are somewhat put off by the experience because they can’t get enough sleep. It does take some time to get used to sleeping in a different environment and under a tent, but it also takes proper planning and preparation to make sure you’re setting yourself up in the right way to be comfortable enough to sleep.

Below are some easy tips to help you sleep better in a tent.

1. Bring Appropriate Bedding. When tenting, you need to ensure you bring bedding that’s suitable for the outdoor environment. Choose bedding such as a self-inflating air mattress, airbed or stretcher that will protect you from the cold ground beneath. If you’re using a sleeping bag, make sure it’s the right size and made for the temperatures you are sleeping in. Also, if you have the extra room with you, it’s always a good idea to bring spare quilts and blankets for extra padding and warmth if needed. Finally, don’t forget a pillow. Consider inflatable travel pillows since they’re a convenient option because they don’t take up much space.  

2. Set Up in the Right Spot. Choose a spot with flat, smooth ground to pitch your tent since you don’t want to be lying on rocks or uneven ground. Also, don’t place your tent under trees, where branches and limbs could potentially fall on top of your tent creating a safety hazard. Another good reason not to set up under the trees is to avoid bird droppings falling from above. Consider how far you want to be from the bathroom if there is one. On one hand it might be convenient to be close to these facilities, yet annoying if you have to listen to other campers making bathroom trips throughout the night.

3. Manage Noise and Light. Bring a pair of earplugs, or better yet bring two pairs with you on your camping trip. They help block out distracting sounds such as loud snoring from your camping partner, birds and others passing by. Earplugs are cheap and invaluable when you need quiet to save your sanity. Bring an eye mask. They’re great for blocking out light when you need to sleep, small and easy to pack, and can really make a difference when you need to sleep but are bothered by light. If you use one, don’t forget to bring your mouthpiece to prevent your loud snoring from waking others around you. If your partner uses this device, make sure they bring theirs.

4. Dress for the Weather. Camping can get dirty, so bring enough clothes changes so you can at least go to bed feeling clean. Feeling grimy and dirty is not conducive to a good night’s sleep. Also, bring clothes that you’ll be warm enough in, but not so much that you’ll overheat. If you’re too hot or too cold, you aren’t going to sleep well.

5. Keep Your Tent and Your Belongings Dry. Possibly the most important camping tip - you need to stay dry. You won’t be comfortable or happy if you are sleeping in a wet, soggy tent. So don’t let it happen. Bring along waterproof tarps to use under your tent to prevent water from seeping through your tent seams, and over your tent as a protective canopy from rain.

Camping takes time to get used to since you are sleeping in a very different environment than at home, so don’t stress about it. Give yourself a chance to enjoy the experience and make sure you try out these helpful tips.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/5-simple-tips-for-sleeping-better-in-a-tent