Tag: Sleep

Understanding the sleep graphs on your fitness tracker

Posted on by Donna

As a lover of sleep, one of my favourite features of my fitness tracker is the sleep tracker app. In this blog post, we explain how to read the sleep cycle calculator.

Understand your sleep cycle

There are four stages of sleep: Stage 1, 2, 3 and 4 (REM- Rapid Eye Movement). There’s a five to 15 minutes interval between each stage of sleep, and a sleep cycle spans between 90 to 110 minutes. Stage 1, 2 and 3 are called the Non-Rapid Eye Movement Stages (NREM).

A sleep cycle is the transition between the Non Rapid Eye Movement to the Rapid Eye Movement phase of sleep. There are about four to five sleep cycles per sleep time and each cycle lasts for about 90-120 minutes, which are usually clearly separated on your sleep tracker app.

Stage 1 is the “transitional phase” of sleep, basically when you’re feeling drowsy. Eye movement at this stage of sleep is slowed down and your muscles become more relaxed. However, you can be easily awoken in this stage. This is also when your muscles will jerk, sometimes waking you up again.

Stage 2 is the defining phase of the NREM stage of sleep and about 50% of the time spent sleeping is in this stage. Your body temperature cools down and your heart rate slows. Your brain activity slows down with occasional burst of activity, or waves, called “sleep spindles”.

Stage 3 is characterised by Delta/Slow Waves. Deep sleep begins here and the body is less responsive to the surrounding environment. This stage of sleep only makes up about 20% of your time sleeping. The following are experienced in this stage of sleep:

  • Muscle and tissue repair
  • Growth and development
  • Immune system boost
  • Parasomnias (sleep walking, sleep talking)

REM (REM- Rapid Eye Movement) stage is characterised by increased brain activity. If Stage 3 is about rest and regeneration, stage 4 is all about energizing your body. Awakening and arousal is common place at this stage of sleep. Also, this is the phase where dreaming occurs. The following are experienced in this stage of sleep:

  • Increased heart rate
  • Increased blood pressure
  • Faster breathing
  • Consolidation and processing of information by the brain

The benefits of good sleep

Good sleep helps to improve your health, with increased mental and physical performance. Fitness trackers and/or a sleep tracker app can establish the connection between sleep, weight gain/loss, blood pressure as well as heart rate from the data generated.

If you analyse your sleep pattern and it’s clear that you’re not getting a solid night’s sleep, it might be time to start thinking about your sleep routine and your sleep environment. When was the last time you replaced your mattress? Ideally, you should replace your mattress every 10 years.

Other aspects to consider are the amount of light in your bedroom, how much time is spent on screens before bedtime, and how warm or cold you are during the night.

Sleep is essential to your exercise and weight loss routine

Posted on by Donna

Have you heard about Louis? He is a fitness geek. He goes for a jog every morning and hits the gym in the evening. He follows a strict diet too. Still, whenever he checks his weight on the scale, he discovers that he just can’t shake those extra kilos.

Do you face a similar problem? Even when you follow your fitness regime daily, do you end up with minimal results? Or worse, does following a fitness program completely drain you of energy?

If yes, then it could be that you’re ignoring the most underrated fact of staying in good shape – Sleep

Impact of poor sleep on your weight loss routine

“The poorer the quality of your sleep, the bigger the size of your pants.” – Rujuta Diwekar, a leading nutritionist & exercise science expert

Sleeping means recovery. When you sleep, you are recovering from the mental and physical stresses of the day.

If you don’t get adequate sleep, you wake up half-exhausted as if you haven’t slept at all. This can be owed to a number of things, including unhealthy sleep hygiene and the fact that it’s time to replace your mattress. (Did you know mattresses should be replaced every eight to 10 years?)

When you wake up tired, you have strong cravings for tea or coffee first thing in the morning, which is unhealthy because caffeine contains dehydrating properties. These cravings continue throughout the day and you end up seeking out more caffeinated beverages, sweets, chocolates and other carbs.

Sleep deprivation decreases your willpower, making it more difficult to deny fast food.

Reverse effects of poor sleep on exercise

As you know, when you exercise, your muscles break down and they require recovery time. If you don’t sleep, your muscles don’t get the opportunity to recover from the strain.

In the study of ACSM, 12 athletes went without a proper night’s rest. The next day, participants found that while they could engage in mental activities like music, reading, watching movies, etc., they didn’t have enough energy to effectively participate in physical activities.

Yes, nutritional supplements and foods high in protein will help you recover, but nothing can substitute a proper sleep.

Additionally, exercising when your body is tired can lead to unnecessary injuries which ultimately derail your fitness and weight loss plans!

Consistent deep-sleep gives you a fresh start for every day

An active mind and body helps you make healthy diet choices and keeps you energized and motivated to embrace your exercise programme. The Sealy suggestion? Every time you take on a new eating plan or exercise regime, be sure to include at least seven to eight of sleep as a mandatory part of that plan. Healthy diet, exercise and sleep go hand in hand.

Do you sleep with your pooch on your bed?

Posted on by Donna

Most people feel that sleeping with their pets can be a cause of disruption. After all, who wants to be woken up by a howling dog in the middle of the night…or a dog that wants to go out for a walk at 6:00 in the morning?

But, did you know that sleeping with your dog is, on the contrary, good for your sleep? 

In this blog post, we will go through a few benefits of sharing your bed with your pooch and hope that we can change your mind about letting your dog in the bed. 

Let’s get started. 

Mayo Clinic conducted a studyto observe the effect of dogs on human sleep and whether or not their physical presence made things any different for us. And, the results were surprising. 

Contrary to popular belief, sleeping with your furry friend helps maintain good sleep efficacy. You might get a good night’s sleep if you share your comfy Sealy bed with your dog! 

There are other benefits of letting your furry friend sleep on your bed. Let’s take a look at them.

1.     Dogs de-stress you

Sharing a bed with your furry friend can help you de-stress after you’ve had a long, hard day. Studies have suggested that sleeping with your dog can help reduce the levels of cortisol in your body—it’s the hormone your body produces when you’re stressed out. High levels of cortisol puts you at risk for heart diseases such as coronary heart disease. So, it’s best to keep the cortisol in your body to a minimum. 

2.     Dogs are cuddly and comfortable to be around

Don’t have anyone to cuddle? At least you’ve got your pooch! 

When you’re stressed, feeling lonely, or looking for comfort, knowing that there’s an animal who loves you unconditionally lying beside you provides you all the support you need. 

3.     Dogs help keep you calm 

Dogs help you keep you calm during stressful times. Studies have suggested that sleeping with your dog can boost the level of oxytocinin your body. This is also known as the “love hormone”, and your body releases it when you’re happy. 

4.     Dogs help fight depression

Dogs are emotionally intelligent beings and they know when you’re feeling sad. They’re excellent at consoling and comforting their loved ones and help them go through tough times. 

Your dog is always there for you—even if you don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, your dog will help show it to you!

Summing Things Up! 

Letting your dog sleep with you is something that you should consider. 

Trust us; you won’t regret it one bit. 

Initially, sharing your bed with an animal might feel like you’re kissing goodbye to a good night’s sleep but, you’re actually doing yourself and your health a favor. Sharing the bed with your dog has its benefits, after all. 

Do you have any questions? Let us know in the comments! 

Sealy fans have their say about sleep in our first online poll

Posted on by Sealy

Earlier this month we conducted our own Sealy Sleep Poll to find out more about the sleeping habits of our very own South African Sealy sleepers.

What did we find out?

Here’s how you responded to our Sealy Sleep Poll:

Do you sleep on the left or right hand side of the bed?

  • The majority of South Africans reported getting out on the left hand side of the bed.
  • 25% of respondents were loyal to their side – unwilling to switch sides with a partner.
  • 75% admitted that the choice was a practical one- such as wanting to be nearer the bathroom door or further away from a noisy window.

Are you a morning bird or a night owl… or some kind of exhausted pigeon?

  • 43% of you admitted to being night owls
  • 37% were proud early birds…
  • and 20% put themselves in the category of exhausted pigeon. Interestingly, almost all of these were young mothers caught up in feeding and caring for their little ones late at night and early in the morning.

Do you prefer waking up or falling asleep?

  • There were very few Sealy fans who preferred waking up to falling asleep.
  • 94% of respondents love falling asleep!

Do you prefer reading or watching TV before bedtime?

  • Sealy fans clearly practice clean sleeping as the majority read before bed – a habit that does not interfere with sleep onset or sleep quality.
  • Only 21% of respondents watch TV before bed.

Do you wake up tired or energized?

  • Two out of three respondents are waking up feeling exhausted and groggy.
  • One passionate respondent revealed that they wake up energized and ‘ready to go,go,go thanks to their Sealy mattress’

However, whenever and wherever you prefer to fall asleep, you have more chance of a good night sleep on a supportive mattress.

View our range of Sealy mattresses and find your perfect fit.

Could magnesium restore your sleep?

Posted on by Sealy

There is a strong link between insomnia and magnesium deficiency especially in women. Magnesium is one of the 24 essential vitamins and minerals and its super powers have for many years been under-rated.

Magnesium is a mood stabilizer, bone builder, muscle relaxer and most importantly sleep promoter.

  1. Magnesium helps people to sleep more deeply with fewer wakings. Those who take magnesium report that they sleep more soundly.
  1. It supports the restorative process of sleep by joining forces with a sleep-promoting neuro-transmitter known as GABA.
  1. Magnesium reduces the symptoms of Restless-Leg Syndrome which often interfere with sleep quality.
  1. It also helps to relieve muscle pains in adults and growing pains in children.
  1. Magnesium relieves the symptoms of anxiety which can be linked to difficulty with sleep onset. 

Could adding some magnesium to your life improve your sleep?

If you are deficient (which many stressed people are) then the answer is yes.

Foods rich in magnesium include:

  • Chocolate
  • Coffee
  • Dark leafy greens
  • Seeds and nuts
  • Squash, broccoli and other vegetables
  • Legumes
  • Dairy products
  • Meat

However, to be sure you are getting enough, you may want to add a magnesium supplement to your daily routine.

Discover the new la différence range by Sealy…

Could lack of sleep make you less socially attractive?

Posted on by Sealy

In a study published on 14 August 2018, researchers Eti Ben Simon and Matthew P Walker unveiled four interesting connections between sleep and loneliness.

In our last blog we examined the first two connections that their research unveiled between sleep and feelings of loneliness.

In this blog we look at the last two connections their research made between sleep and social isolation.

Firstly, a sleep-deprived, lonely person becomes less likely to allow people to come into contact with them as they choose to increase their social distance.

The study showed that when people are sleep-deprived, lonely people are more inclined to keep a greater physical distance from others, compared to when they are fully rested. The energy needed to interact is just too great- they do not want people in their space and definitely do not want to be touched. This increases their feeling of loneliness and social isolation.

Secondly, well-rested people are less likely to want to get close or interact with a sleep-deprived person.

The researchers commented that sleep-deprived people may give off a lonely vibe and are also judged by others to be lonelier and less socially “attractive” when compared with pictures of their fully rested selves. So not only are the sleep-deprived people avoiding society, but society is more likely to avoid them too. This sets up a vicious cycle of social isolation.

This small study may have unveiled a link between the rise of sleep deprivation and the rise of social isolation and loneliness in our modern society. Sleep boosts our mood, our appearance and our social attractiveness and sleep loss impacts more than ourselves- it impacts all those around us.

Get to bed if you want to get out into the world- bright and bushy tailed.

Discover our range of sleep accessories to help you sleep even better on your Sealy.

Lack of sleep will make you feel lonelier

Posted on by Sealy

In a study published on 14 August 2018, researchers Eti Ben Simon and Matthew P Walker unveiled four interesting connections between sleep and loneliness. In this blog we examine the first two connections that their research unveiled.

Firstly, it appears that a lack of sleep makes people feel lonelier than they would if they had more sleep.

The study asked 140 people aged 18 – 24 years old to track their sleep and feelings over a few days. The researchers found that people who reported poor sleep from one night to the next also reported an increase in feelings of loneliness the next day, whilst those who got better sleep reported less loneliness. After one night of good sleep, the feelings of loneliness returned to normal.

Secondly, the people who interacted with the sleep-deprived person left the interaction feeling lonelier themselves.

The participants felt rejected by those displaying loneliness and it made them feel lonely too.

The researchers noted that there may be a “viral contagion of social isolation” linked to sleep loss. This means that loneliness is contagious and if somebody close to you is experiencing sleep loss as well as loneliness, then your mood will be impacted by it too.

Getting a good night’s sleep is good for you and those around you. Do it for your country- get to bed!

Get your perfect night’s sleep in your perfect Sealy. Discover the full range of Sealy beds on our website.

Gender differences and sleep

Posted on by Sealy

Women and men think differently. This fact is well-established. What is less well-known is that men and women have different sleep needs and react differently to sleep-deprivation.

Let’s look at some research regarding these statements.

  1. Women need more sleep than men the same age.

The theory behind this is that women use more areas of their brains during the day thanks to multi-tasking and interpreting complex socio-emotional information. A female brain is a busy brain and as such requires longer to repair and recover- an average of 20 minutes longer each night than a man according to the National Sleep Foundation.

  1. The female brain ages more slowly than the male brain.

Interestingly, it is thought that this added brain utilization and need for sleep is responsible for a women’s brain ageing slower than a man’s. ‘A typical 75-year-old woman has a comparable brain age to a 70-year-old man,’ Professor Horne a specialist in the area of Gynaecology and Reproductive Health from The University of Edinburgh.

  1. Sleep-deprived women perform worse than sleep-deprived men.

The female brain is more sensitive to sleep-deprivation. The female hormonal cycle is also thrown off by lack of sleep. The combination of both neurological and hormonal impairment due to lack of sleep means that a sleep-deprived woman will function worse than a man. In the short-term, women will show more difficulty with attention, working memory, long-term memory and decision-making.

In the long-term, women are more at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer than men reports Dr Edward Suarez.

Over the month of August we will be looking closer at the issue of women and sleep. Arianna Huffington has declared women’s sleep ‘the next feminist issue‘, arguing that a lack of sleep affects a woman’s judgment, creativity and ability to realise their full potential.

Discover our sleep accessories to perfect your good night!

Does your child need their own mattress?

Posted on by Sealy

Whether your child has started out sleeping in their own cot or co-sleeping in your bed, there will come a time when they need their very own ‘big girl’ or ‘big boy’ bed.

Many parents are tempted to buy the cheapest, throw-away mattress available as they predict that their kids will:

  1. Wet their bed
  2. Spill tea/juice/milk on their bed
  3. Jump on their bed
  4. Land up coming through to sleep in their parents’ bed anyway.

These parents are absolutely correct. However, there are a few more things to consider when purchasing your child’s first mattress.

  1. Children grow rapidly

Rapid growth means that children need more and more support the heavier they become. It can also mean growing pains that may be reduced when children have postural support from a high quality mattress.

  1. Sleep is neuro-protective

A good night equals a good day. A good mattress equals good sleep. Sleep enhances your child’s brain development and impacts their ability to learn and cope with everyday life. If you want your child to have the best, deepest sleep possible then you should provide them with the best mattress you can afford.

  1. Others will use your child’s mattress

Playing ‘musical beds’is common when you have one or more young children. In all likelihood, you and your partner will end up sleeping on your child’s mattress from time to time.  Not to mention the guests that may end up using your child’s room over the festive season.

  1. A single mattress may not be the one you want

If you are going to fall asleep with your child or put two children to sleep together then a little more space can mean a lot more sleep for everyone. Choosing a ¾ or double mattress may be a bit more costly but it can make the world of difference to your sleep quantity and quality.

Sealy offers a wide range of mattresses to suit your family’s needs. Have a look at www.sealy.co.za to find your Sealy.

Could light-emitting glasses help you reach peak performance?

Posted on by Sealy

The latest in sleep technology weighs only 75 grams and is fully transportable and rechargable. The Re-Timer glasses emit a blue-green light that is reported to fight fatigue.

The glasses were designed in Australia and have been introduced to the world by Sports Scientist, Dr Craig Duncan . The aim of the light therapy technology is to suppress the production of sleep-inducing melatonin — the hormone that gets us ready for sleep.

The benefits of the glasses sound rather fantastic-

  1. they allow you to control the time that you feel tired
  2. they assist you to fall asleep faster and promote peak performace when you wake up
  3. they allow you to align your body rhythm to whatever time zone you may find yourself working or playing in.

Indeed, they sound just like the a magic sleep wand! Do you feel tempted to give them a try?