photo credit: Coletivo Mambembe

Happy pillows

If you are one of the millions of people across the globe who cannot consistently get a good night’s rest, then you are probably in search of effective solutions to your dilemma.  In our quest for restful, peaceful slumber, we’ll go to just about any lengths- from changing dietary habits to going to sleep specialists to taking medication and herbal treatments.  But, one of the possible solutions we overlook is one of the simplest – your pillow.

Did you know that your pillow has a great deal to do with how well you sleep at night? It’s true – your pillow can make or break a good night’s sleep, just as a mattress can.  This is why finding the best pillow for your bed is essential. Here are three things to know about finding the right pillow.

Your Pillow Supports Your Neck And Head

One of the reasons why a pillow is vitally important is because it cradles and supports your neck and head. Why is this important? Well, there are two reasons.  The first is that many sleep problems are caused by improper breathing.  If you can’t seem to fall asleep, it may be because of airflow problems caused by a pillow that doesn’t adequately support your head.

The second reason is simply because being uncomfortable prevents people from sleeping – especially if your head and neck are being affected. Plus, having an inadequate pillow just causes you soreness and tightness throughout the night and the next day.  You want to have a pillow that supports your neck and head properly and sufficiently.

The Fill Matters

The fill – the stuff that is inside the pillow – really does matter when it comes to comfort and support.  These days, pillows come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and fills. You can get a traditional down pillow, which tend to be very soft, or you can get a synthetic pillow filled with polyester or latex material that offers more support. Plus, synthetic pillows are often allergen-free, which means they will not cause sniffling and sneezing that sometimes comes with pillows made with down.

Choosing the fill goes hand in hand with another important factor: positioning.

photo credit: Tambako the Jaguar

Feathers?

Your Pillow Should Match How You Sleep

People generally sleep in three different postures: on their back, on their stomach, and on their side.  Some even sleep with all three postures at one point or the other during the night.  To maximize your comfort level (and thereby increase the chance that you will get a good night’s sleep), you should match your sleep profile with your pillow.

If you are a back sleeper, you will need a pillow that has medium firmness and isn’t too high (or too low, either).  This is so that your head is adequately supported.

If you are a stomach sleeper, you will need a soft pillow that is low to the mattress.  A thin down pillow is perfect.

If you are a side sleeper, then a firm pillow made from synthetic material that also fills out the space between your head and shoulders is perfect.

If you have had a great pillow for a while, but always have to fluff it up or otherwise rearrange it, it’s probably time for a new one.

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Today I found a real gem. It is this articles on medicine net. At first glance the article seems long but it is interesting and has a lot of information. I recommend you find a time and read it. I specially like the 13 tips given on page 2 of the article, maybe one of them is your best sleep aid! Maybe a combination of some of them is your best sleep aid. I attached a few quotes from the article, as a teaser, so you do find the time to read it.

“… Sleep was long considered just a uniform block of time when you are not awake. Thanks to sleep studies done over the past several decades, it is now known that sleep has distinctive stages that cycle throughout the night. Your brain stays active throughout sleep, but different things happen during each stage. For instance, certain stages of sleep are indeed for us to feel well rested and energetic the next day, and other stages help us learn or make memories…”

“… In brief, a number of vital tasks carried out during sleep help maintain good health and enable people to function at their best. On the other hand, not getting enough sleep can be dangerous-for example, you are more likely to be in a car crash if you drive when you are drowsy…”

“… Health: Sleep is also important for good health. Studies show that not getting enough sleep or getting poor quality sleep on a regular basis increases the risk of having high blood pressure, heart disease, and other medical conditions… ”

“…Hormones released during sleep also affect how the body uses energy. Studies find that the less people sleep, the more likely they are to be overweight or obese, to develop diabetes, and to prefer eating foods that are high in calories and carbohydrates…”

Here is the link again, just click here to read the article. Do not forget to return here and leave a comment telling us if you liked it and what part of it was informative for you.

Technorati Tags: best sleep aid, cures for insomnia, insomnia herbal, relax, relaxation, sleeping remedies

If you do not know it by now, sleeping is a widely researched topic. Its importance keeps both the academic and heath system interest high and the research funding keeps flowing in. One key result of this research is a well developed classification system for sleeping disorders. I think it is both interesting to know the basics of it and could be beneficiary when looking for the best sleep aid. Below is a brief intro to this classification system, with some references. Since I am not a researcher or and MD, this by no means intends to be a scientific review, merely a summary that can give you a general idea.

Sleeping disorders are classified by the “International Classification of Sleep Disorders” (ICSD). The ICSD is a resource created by a group of sleep research organization from around the world. One interesting way of classifying sleep disorder is:

• Dyssomnias
• Parasomnias
• Sleep Disorders Associated with Other Disorders

photo credit: BoVa…

Further reading:

Technorati Tags: best sleep aid, cures for insomnia, insomnia herbal, sleeping remedies