Adjustable Bed Center

Adjustable beds are starting to gain mainstream popularity as many people begin to realize that quality sleep is important in keeping them healthy and mentally active. Since almost a third of people?s lives are spent lying on bed, it is only natural for one to crave for the best possible comfort that a bed can provide, especially after a long and hard day?s work. Besides, a good bed will give the support needed by the body in order to make each night’s sleep rejuvenating and restful. Studies have shown that people need deep sleep to re-charge the body and mind for the activities and stressful work for the next day.

Some people say that flat beds cause various problems, which include tension in the back, neck, head and other parts of the body. Flat beds have also been known to cause breathing problems and even stress. However, these complications do not happen in adjustable beds. For one, such beds can be adjusted to fit your needs. If you are having breathing difficulties when lying down, you can raise the upper portion of the adjustable bed so you do not have any obstruction when breathing. In fact, even your snoring may be minimized with a bed that you can easily adjust to your sleeping specifications. This is also good for people who are suffering from asthma attacks. By raising the head of the bed, even for just a few inches, you will allow someone with asthma to breathe a little better. Read more »

The promotion of regular sleep is known as sleep hygiene. The following is a list of sleep hygiene tips which can be used to improve sleep. Also included is a list of special relevance to adolescents, who may experience sleep difficulties due to circadian rhythm changes occurring during the teenage years and into young adulthood.

Adults:
* Go to bed at the same time each night and rise at the same time each morning.

* Make sure your bedroom is a quiet, dark, and relaxing environment, which is neither too hot or too cold.

* Make sure your bed is comfortable and use it only for sleeping and not for other activities, such as reading, watching TV, or listening to music. Remove all TVs, computers, and other “gadgets” from the bedroom.

* Physical activity may help promote sleep, but not within a few hours of bedtime.

* Avoid large meals before bedtime.

Adolescents/Young Adults:
* Avoid caffeinated drinks after lunch.

* Avoid bright light in the evening.

* Avoid arousing activities around bedtime (e.g., heavy study, text messaging, getting into prolonged conversations).

* Expose yourself to bright light upon awakening in the morning.

* While sleeping in on weekends is permissible, it should not be more than 2–3 hours past your usual wake time, to avoid disrupting your circadian rhythm governing sleepiness and wakefulness.

* Avoid pulling an “all-nighter” to study.

Adapted From: Taheri S. The link between short sleep duration and obesity: We should recommend more sleep to present obesity. Arch Dis Child 2006;91:881–884.

While we often consider sleep to be a “passive” activity, sufficient sleep is increasingly being recognized as an essential aspect of health promotion and chronic disease prevention in the public health community.

Insufficient sleep is associated with a number of chronic diseases and conditions—such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression—which threaten our nation’s health. Notably, insufficient sleep is associated with the onset of these diseases and also poses important implications for their management and outcome. Moreover, insufficient sleep is responsible for motor vehicle and machinery-related accidents, causing substantial injury and disability each year. In short, drowsy driving can be as dangerous—and preventable—as driving while intoxicated.

Notably, more than one-quarter of the U.S. population report occasionally not getting enough sleep, while nearly 10% experience chronic insomnia. However, new methods for assessing and treating sleep disorders bring hope to the millions suffering from insufficient sleep. Fundamental to the success of all of these efforts is the recognition that sufficient sleep is not a luxury—it is a necessity—and should be thought of as a “vital sign” of good health. Read more »