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Written by Claire Perry
, Thursday, 30 April 2009
Back advice and sleep website www.backadvice.info offers top tips to give you sweet dreams
A recent study found that as many as 30% of the adult population are affected by sleep problems, with the over 65s recognised as particularly badly disrupted*. In fact, according to a study conducted by the University of Leeds, roughly half of the UK’s mature population complain of insomnia*.
Along with the physical changes that occur with age, changes to sleep patterns are part of the normal ageing process. But it’s especially important to ensure that we get sufficient sleep as we age, because sleep is known to improve concentration and memory formation, as well as allowing the body to repair any cell damage that has occurred during the day, and refreshing the immune system which helps to prevent disease. Experts have also suggested that a lack of sleep might affect the way the brain works, leading to poor judgement**.
To help Britons get their recommended seven or eight hours sleep every night, the specialist back advice and sleep website, www.backadvice.info is offering practical advice and top tips to help you drift soundly off as soon as your head hits the pillow this evening!
Top tips for sound sleeping…
• Reading light – despite everything you’ve been told about reading before bedtime, try to avoid reading and watching TV in bed just before you turn off the light as it can confuse the brain, awakening your senses and leaving you feeling restless. Instead, leading sleep expert, Dr Neil Stanley, of Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital, advises that the key to a good night’s sleep lies in winding down effectively before bedtime***, so if you love a good book, try reading elsewhere in the hours before you head off to bed
• Stick to a routine – try to go to bed, and – as far as possible – wake up at the same time every day. The routine will help to give your body a guide as to what is normal and what is not
• Keep on moving – make sure you get some exercise such as walking every day, but try to avoid vigorous exercise within three hours of bedtime. Exercising shortly before you turn in for the night has been found to interrupt your sleep-wake cycle and rob you of the restorative deep sleep that your body is craving. Try ensuring that you reserve some time for exercise between the morning and late afternoon, giving yourself plenty of time to unwind before hitting the hay
• Sunny side up – exposure to natural light stimulates the body’s production of melatonin, a hormone that helps to regulate the sleep cycle, so try to spend a little time outside when possible. When it comes to bedtime, make sure you create a contrast between day and night in the room you sleep in. Light triggers the production of chemicals which signal to your body that it should be awake, so ensuring that your bedroom is dark at night will help you to fall asleep faster and for longer
• Drink up – try to avoid drinking caffeinated drinks such as tea and coffee in the evening and possibly during the afternoon if necessary, as these drinks are stimulants and could prevent you from sleeping at night. Try to avoid late night tipples too – drinking alcohol late at night could lead to premature waking. Give your body at least one hour to digest each drink before heading to bed
• Don’t smoke – and if you do smoke, don’t just before bedtime! Not only is nicotine a stimulant, but a craving cigarettes early in the morning may force an early rise
• Sleep easy – ensure that you assess whether your present mattress and pillow provide the necessary support for a good night’s sleep, and remember that you should change your mattress every 10 years – after all, you do spend at least a third of your life sleeping! TEMPUR Mattresses, for example, offer the body full support, keeping the spine aligned in the anatomically correct position, and relieving pressure from tired muscles and joints
For more information about getting a good night’s sleep, visit www.backadvice.info. For more information about TEMPUR products, visit www.tempur.co.uk.
FREE sleep guide
To help those experiencing sleep problems, TEMPUR, the manufacturer of pressure relieving pillows and mattresses, has teamed-up with respected sleep expert, Dr Chris Idzikowski – Director of the Edinburgh Sleep Centre to create ‘The Good Sleep Guide’, an easy-to-follow leaflet to help you get the perfect night’s sleep.
‘The Good Sleep Guide’ is full of simple tips and tricks to help you get the perfect night’s rest. With ways to develop the right bedtime routine including which foods will trigger sleep and which you should avoid, to creating the ideal sleeping environment.
For FREE copies of ‘The Good Sleep Guide’ for you, your friends or family, or for more information about TEMPUR products, contact TEMPUR on 08000 111081 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
ENDS
Issued by: Pegasus Public Relations
On behalf of: TEMPUR UK Ltd
Press enquires: Stephanie Matson / Terri Foster (01903 821550)
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it / This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
References
* http://www.leeds.ac.uk/lsmp/healthadvice/Sleep/Sleep.html
** http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7972646.stm
*** http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleeping.htm
**** http://www.medicalcentre.cz/eng/novinky.php?i=87
About www.backadvice.info
www.backadvice.info is home to a host of practical advice to help individuals manage back pain on a day-to-day basis, whether at home, work or play. The site offers a wealth of information on the causes of back pain, as well as conventional and alternative treatments, preventative measures and exercises to help ease the pain. Osteopath Geoffrey Montague-Smith is available to provide professional guidance and answer any tricky questions you have about your own back pain.
Visit the site at www.backadvice.info. For more information about TEMPUR products, visit www.tempur.co.uk.
About TEMPUR
TEMPUR® Mattresses are made from unique TEMPUR Material, a proprietary, open celled, temperature sensitive material that conforms to and supports the individual user by evenly distributing body weight. The basis for the TEMPUR pressure relieving material was originally developed by NASA to protect astronauts against G Forces during lift off and re-entry to the earth's atmosphere. Today TEMPUR is the only producer of mattresses and pillows worldwide to be endorsed by NASA and certified by the Space Foundation.
On conventional mattresses the body needs to adjust during the night. This is due to unrelieved pressure, which restricts blood flow and results in the build up of pressure, causing pain and forcing the body to reposition. TEMPUR Mattresses, on the other hand, mould to the exact shape and position of the body giving the neck, back, shoulders and feet the comfort and support they need. Pressure is evenly distributed thus reducing pressure points and practically eliminating the need for tossing and turning.
TEMPUR Products are recommended by over 30,000 medical professionals worldwide, and their beneficial properties are supported by clinical research. A trial at the Institution for Clinical & Physiological Research at the Lillhagen Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden tested 23,000 patients over an eight year period of home and clinical use of the TEMPUR Mattress and Pillow. Patients suffered less pain, experienced enhanced deep sleep, and an 83% reduction in tossing and turning when using TEMPUR Products.
A whole host of celebrities are now claiming they have found the perfect sleeping partner – their TEMPUR Mattress including George Michael, Jane Seymour, Paris Hilton, The England Rugby Team, Paul McCartney, David Blaine, The Osbournes, Kyran Bracken, Claire Sweeney, Charlie Dimmock, Susan Hampshire and Noel Gallagher.
TEMPUR Mattress prices start from £675, and TEMPUR Pillows are priced from £74.95. For more information about TEMPUR Products, call 08000 111081 or visit www.tempur.co.uk.
A recent study found that as many as 30% of the adult population are affected by sleep problems, with the over 65s recognised as particularly badly disrupted*. In fact, according to a study conducted by the University of Leeds, roughly half of the UK’s mature population complain of insomnia*.
Along with the physical changes that occur with age, changes to sleep patterns are part of the normal ageing process. But it’s especially important to ensure that we get sufficient sleep as we age, because sleep is known to improve concentration and memory formation, as well as allowing the body to repair any cell damage that has occurred during the day, and refreshing the immune system which helps to prevent disease. Experts have also suggested that a lack of sleep might affect the way the brain works, leading to poor judgement**.
To help Britons get their recommended seven or eight hours sleep every night, the specialist back advice and sleep website, www.backadvice.info is offering practical advice and top tips to help you drift soundly off as soon as your head hits the pillow this evening!
Top tips for sound sleeping…
• Reading light – despite everything you’ve been told about reading before bedtime, try to avoid reading and watching TV in bed just before you turn off the light as it can confuse the brain, awakening your senses and leaving you feeling restless. Instead, leading sleep expert, Dr Neil Stanley, of Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital, advises that the key to a good night’s sleep lies in winding down effectively before bedtime***, so if you love a good book, try reading elsewhere in the hours before you head off to bed
• Stick to a routine – try to go to bed, and – as far as possible – wake up at the same time every day. The routine will help to give your body a guide as to what is normal and what is not
• Keep on moving – make sure you get some exercise such as walking every day, but try to avoid vigorous exercise within three hours of bedtime. Exercising shortly before you turn in for the night has been found to interrupt your sleep-wake cycle and rob you of the restorative deep sleep that your body is craving. Try ensuring that you reserve some time for exercise between the morning and late afternoon, giving yourself plenty of time to unwind before hitting the hay
• Sunny side up – exposure to natural light stimulates the body’s production of melatonin, a hormone that helps to regulate the sleep cycle, so try to spend a little time outside when possible. When it comes to bedtime, make sure you create a contrast between day and night in the room you sleep in. Light triggers the production of chemicals which signal to your body that it should be awake, so ensuring that your bedroom is dark at night will help you to fall asleep faster and for longer
• Drink up – try to avoid drinking caffeinated drinks such as tea and coffee in the evening and possibly during the afternoon if necessary, as these drinks are stimulants and could prevent you from sleeping at night. Try to avoid late night tipples too – drinking alcohol late at night could lead to premature waking. Give your body at least one hour to digest each drink before heading to bed
• Don’t smoke – and if you do smoke, don’t just before bedtime! Not only is nicotine a stimulant, but a craving cigarettes early in the morning may force an early rise
• Sleep easy – ensure that you assess whether your present mattress and pillow provide the necessary support for a good night’s sleep, and remember that you should change your mattress every 10 years – after all, you do spend at least a third of your life sleeping! TEMPUR Mattresses, for example, offer the body full support, keeping the spine aligned in the anatomically correct position, and relieving pressure from tired muscles and joints
For more information about getting a good night’s sleep, visit www.backadvice.info. For more information about TEMPUR products, visit www.tempur.co.uk.
FREE sleep guide
To help those experiencing sleep problems, TEMPUR, the manufacturer of pressure relieving pillows and mattresses, has teamed-up with respected sleep expert, Dr Chris Idzikowski – Director of the Edinburgh Sleep Centre to create ‘The Good Sleep Guide’, an easy-to-follow leaflet to help you get the perfect night’s sleep.
‘The Good Sleep Guide’ is full of simple tips and tricks to help you get the perfect night’s rest. With ways to develop the right bedtime routine including which foods will trigger sleep and which you should avoid, to creating the ideal sleeping environment.
For FREE copies of ‘The Good Sleep Guide’ for you, your friends or family, or for more information about TEMPUR products, contact TEMPUR on 08000 111081 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
ENDS
Issued by: Pegasus Public Relations
On behalf of: TEMPUR UK Ltd
Press enquires: Stephanie Matson / Terri Foster (01903 821550)
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it / This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
References
* http://www.leeds.ac.uk/lsmp/healthadvice/Sleep/Sleep.html
** http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7972646.stm
*** http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleeping.htm
**** http://www.medicalcentre.cz/eng/novinky.php?i=87
About www.backadvice.info
www.backadvice.info is home to a host of practical advice to help individuals manage back pain on a day-to-day basis, whether at home, work or play. The site offers a wealth of information on the causes of back pain, as well as conventional and alternative treatments, preventative measures and exercises to help ease the pain. Osteopath Geoffrey Montague-Smith is available to provide professional guidance and answer any tricky questions you have about your own back pain.
Visit the site at www.backadvice.info. For more information about TEMPUR products, visit www.tempur.co.uk.
About TEMPUR
TEMPUR® Mattresses are made from unique TEMPUR Material, a proprietary, open celled, temperature sensitive material that conforms to and supports the individual user by evenly distributing body weight. The basis for the TEMPUR pressure relieving material was originally developed by NASA to protect astronauts against G Forces during lift off and re-entry to the earth's atmosphere. Today TEMPUR is the only producer of mattresses and pillows worldwide to be endorsed by NASA and certified by the Space Foundation.
On conventional mattresses the body needs to adjust during the night. This is due to unrelieved pressure, which restricts blood flow and results in the build up of pressure, causing pain and forcing the body to reposition. TEMPUR Mattresses, on the other hand, mould to the exact shape and position of the body giving the neck, back, shoulders and feet the comfort and support they need. Pressure is evenly distributed thus reducing pressure points and practically eliminating the need for tossing and turning.
TEMPUR Products are recommended by over 30,000 medical professionals worldwide, and their beneficial properties are supported by clinical research. A trial at the Institution for Clinical & Physiological Research at the Lillhagen Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden tested 23,000 patients over an eight year period of home and clinical use of the TEMPUR Mattress and Pillow. Patients suffered less pain, experienced enhanced deep sleep, and an 83% reduction in tossing and turning when using TEMPUR Products.
A whole host of celebrities are now claiming they have found the perfect sleeping partner – their TEMPUR Mattress including George Michael, Jane Seymour, Paris Hilton, The England Rugby Team, Paul McCartney, David Blaine, The Osbournes, Kyran Bracken, Claire Sweeney, Charlie Dimmock, Susan Hampshire and Noel Gallagher.
TEMPUR Mattress prices start from £675, and TEMPUR Pillows are priced from £74.95. For more information about TEMPUR Products, call 08000 111081 or visit www.tempur.co.uk.
