Is the Economy Keeping You Awake at Night?
If so, you might be happy to know that you are not alone. A recent National Sleep Foundation poll has found that 1 in 4 Americans say that concerns and worries over personal finances, fear of job loss, and the economy is keeping them up at night. 
Instead of sleeping, we are spending more time tossing and turning and watching late night television shows.
We are also taking more drugs. 
Prescriptions for sleep medications has also grown, topping 56 million in 2008. Good news, I guess, for the pharmaceutical companies selling GABA-enhancing  ‘Z drugs’  (Ambien, Lunesta, Rozerem) …read more

I really hate shopping for pillows. There just seems to be so many of them, in so many different sizes, shapes, and weights. Not to mention different materials – feather, foam, and synthetic materials. And if that’s not complicated enough,  you can also get aromatherapy pillows full of scents that are ‘guaranteed’ to make you relax.
So when I was contacted by a PR person and asked if I wanted to review a couple of Tempur-pedic pillows, I was all for it. But I figured that they wouldn’t want to send them all the way out to New Zealand.  Surprisingly they …read more

In our frantically-paced society, it’s not uncommon for you or someone you know to withstand some sort of sleep deficit. In fact, 40 million Americans suffer yearly from chronic sleep disorders, and an additional 20 million complain of occasional sleeping problems. That’s a bit staggering. And the fact that those who function regularly on too-little sleep are more susceptible to car accidents, high blood pressure and possibly even heart disease or stroke does not make sleep deprivation any rosier.
So what’s a tired soul to do?
Pay to take a nap. In a pod.
That’s right, a new craze called nap pods are …read more

Image details: Man sleeping in bed served by picapp.com
I came across a fun article recently about sleep position and what it says about your personality. Check it out and then leave us a comment to let us know if you agree.
Back Sleeper: You’re a leader! Since this position reveals the most skin, it shows you’re comfortable leaving yourself open to vulnerability because you’re so confident. If this is you, you’re part of only 8% of the population who sleeps on their backs.
Side Sleeper: Since this is somewhere between your back and stomach, this position shows that you’re a friendly, …read more

Do you crave carbohydrates in a big way? Here’s your cure.
Image details: Dry spaghetti pasta served by picapp.com
Got a thing for carbs? First of all, welcome to the club. I am the Carbohydrates Anonymous Prez, nicetameetcha.
Second, there is hope for us yet.
If pastas, breads and potatoes make your heart sing, perhaps you’re not getting deep enough sleep at night.
Huh?
Yep, evidently, sound sleeping helps regulate the hormones in charge of carb cravings and the blood sugar spikes often associated with them. It’s important to remember even the smallest of noises can disrupt your rest, so try using earplugs or …read more

Image details: Thinkstock Single Image Set served by picapp.com
The lovely ladies at Alzheimer’s Notes inform us that today is National Siesta Day. Coincidentally, it’s also my birthday. Excuse me while I take that as a sign that I should be spending my Big Day snoozing.
Actually, that’s not such a bad idea. Along with the host of reasons the Siesta Awareness site gives us to nap, here’s another: Napping at least 3 days a week leaves you 37% less likely to keel over from heart disease than someone who never naps. This from a study of over 23,000 people! …read more

Sleeping or getting fat? Hmm, tough choice.
Image details: Portrait of a young woman sleeping fully dressed on a white bed served by picapp.com
Well, you don’t have to tell me twice to follow this advice:
Get more sleep!
So the deal here is that we can go about our business, scraping for anything remotely resembling rest, or we can make sleep a priority and lose weight. Boy, I’m just not sure on that one. Lemme think a sec…
Okay, yeah, I’ll play. I am officially on board with the findings that too-little sleep ends with a 40% increase in cortisol in the blood (cortisol …read more

Image details: Couple Sleeping served by picapp.com
Is sleep that elusive thing that is so close for you, yet so far away? Well listen up, people – literally.
Since a good night’s rest is essential for the purposes of problem-solving and gaining a fresh perspective, you really need to do whatever’s in your power to get that shut eye.
And according to the Journal of Advanced Nursing, simply listening to soft, serene music for about 45 minutes before slumber time may be an easy fix. In fact, people who did so were found to sleep deeper and longer. Not only that, they also …read more