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Welcome to
Therapura™
suppliers of high-grade therapeutic mattresses, overlays and pillows |
adviceline: 01489 580 686
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about
sleep...
Disturbed sleep, or the lack of refreshing sleep, can have an enormous
impact on our everyday sense of well-being and our general health.
There are various causes of sleep disturbance, particularly an
uncomfortable mattress. Generally discomfort is caused by excessive
pressure to the bony areas of the body, i.e. shoulders, hips, knees, and
ankles. As the pressure builds up, blood flow is restricted, muscles can
become traumatised, causing the need to turn in sleep. Often, this can
result in up to 100 movements during one night – normally termed as
‘tossing and turning’.
Once the pressure is redistributed, the number of movements will normally
reduce to 15 movements. This is when the support of the mattress is vital,
as muscles will attempt to protect any unsupported area, causing a muscle
stiffness on waking.
Therefore. a visco-elastic mattress has to be able to redistribute
pressure, whilst maintaining maximum support, whatever the weight, shape,
etc of the individual.
Sleep
'tips’
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Try
to avoid caffeine. Remember that tea and many soft drinks, such as
cola as well as coffee, have caffeine. Sugar and chocolate also can
keep
a person from sleeping.
-
Alcohol
also has an effect on the melatonin hormone that governs the sleep
cycle, therefor alcohol should be avoided after 7pm
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Avoid
heavy meals with meats, such as beef or pork, thick sauces, or rich
desserts just before bedtime.
-
Some
kinds of medicines also can cause trouble sleeping; discuss this
with your doctor.
-
You
may wake up at night be-cause you need to use the bathroom. If you
drink less after dinner, you may not have to go to the bathroom in the
middle of the night.
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If
you have too much rest during the day, it may be hard for you to fall
asleep at night. You should have some exercise, preferably in the late
afternoon or early evening.
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People
often have trouble sleeping at night if they take naps during the day.
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Keep
the bedroom at a comfortable temperature.
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Keep
the bedroom quiet.
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Use
the bedroom only for sleeping and not for other activities. E.g.
work
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No
sleeping during the day. No naps after 3 pm.
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No
late morning sleeping.
While sleeping, you move through six phases:
• Awake. It's normal to be awake for short periods during the
night. Expect three to 10 brief arousals, though you probably won't
remember each one. It's likely part of your body's defence mechanisms to
keep you aware of what's going on around you.
• Stage one. During stage one, you sleep lightly and drift in
and out of sleep. During this stage you're easily wakened. Your muscles
begin to slow down and your eyes move very slowly.
• Stage two. In stage two, your muscles relax. Your brain waves
slow down, though occasionally you have bursts of brain activity. You
spend about half of your sleep in this stage.
• Stages three and four. Deep sleep sets in. Your brain waves
become large and slow. Your breathing becomes rhythmic, and your muscles
remain relaxed. At this point your body begins releasing reparative
hormones. Stages one through four are referred to as non-rapid eye
movement (NREM).
• Rapid eye movement (REM). During REM sleep your muscles stop
moving completely. Your breathing and heart rate become rapid and
irregular, your blood pressure is more variable, and your eyes move
rapidly in bursts of activity. Your brain waves show a pattern similar
to wakefulness. Scientists believe this indicates that your brain is
using this time to sort and organize your memories. Dreaming takes place
during this stage. If you're awakened during REM sleep, you may recall
vivid dreams.
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