Deep Sleep is an Important part of Healing of the Body

For those people who suffer from neck pain, getting into a comfortable position can be difficult. In the last blog post, we discussed ways to get a restful sleep when you are suffering from neck pain. For some people, lying down, actually increases the pain.

Why is getting good deep sleep at night so important?

A Harvard based report states 75% of us get less than 6 sleep hours at least a few nights per week, which over the short haul, is not a problem, but NOT so in the long haul! They go on to list “Six reasons not to scrimp on sleep:”

1. Learning and memory – “memory consolidation” occurs better after we sleep when learning new tasks (and tests scores reflect the difference);
2. Weight and metabolism – chronic sleep problems can cause weight gain by altering the way our body processes and stores carbohydrates and by altering the hormones that affect appetite;
3. Safety – increased fatigue = a greater tendency to fall asleep during the day, which can be catastrophic (car accidents, industrial accidents, etc.);
4. Mood – the lack of sleep can increase irritability, impatience, concentration loss and moodiness;
5. Cardiovascular health – serious sleep loss has been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, and irregular heartbeat; Heart health is a very important part of sound deep sleep.
6. Disease – alters immune function and may help fight cancer.

Source: Importance of Sleep : Six reasons not to scrimp on sleep
Picture Source: columbusinternetandwebmarketingblog.com

Additional Reading:

• When Lack of Sleep Can Be Deadly
  
• The Cost of Not Getting A Good Nights Sleep
  
• How to Get Restful SleepWhen you are suffering with neck pain
  
• Which Neck Pillow is Right for my needs
  
• How to put your baby to sleep in 20 Seconds! The miracle mothers have been praying for.
  

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief. Bookmark this on Delicious Stumble It!

I Cannot Fall Asleep at Night.....

If you are unable to fall asleep within 15-20 min of hitting the bed, you should get out of bed and do what you can to make yourself sleepy. Go read a book, do some activity (for example- crocheting) that won't over stimulate your mind. Staying in bed can make your over anxious, fustrated thereby prolonging your ability to fall asleep. There are actions that you can do to promote being able to fall asleep:

• Drinking a glass of warm milk can be helpful, because it contains tryptophan, an amino acid.
  
• Avoid having any caffeine in the 2nd half of the day
  
• Regular physical activity will help, but don't do it just before going to bed
  
• Do Relaxation techniques before going to bed
  
• Do some journal writing before going to bed. Sometimes we are unable to sleep because we cannot get certain things and ideas out of head. Write them down before going to bed, it can make a big difference and clear your head
  
• Avoid eating or drinking excessive water 2.5 hours before going to bed
  
• Avoid taking naps during the day
  

Some people can fall asleep so easily..for others it takes some time. It can fustrating especially because getting proper sleep at night determines how well we perform at our jobs, our alertness, our moods- so it is vitally important we do everything we can to get a good nights sleep.


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Proper Sleep equals better control of Blood Pressure and CardioVascular Health

According to Sheldon Sheps, M.D. of the Mayo Clinic A report published in the May 2006 medical journal Hypertension suggests that long-term sleep deprivation increases the risk of hypertension (high blood pressure). High Blood Pressure is defined at 140 mm Hg or greater (systolic pressure) and 90 mm Hg or greater diastolic pressure
In one study, 4810 group members (ranging in age from 32 to 86) slept less than 6 hours a night. It was found that this group had over 2x risk of high blood pressure. This association was not significant in participants older than 59 years.


Heart Disease. Another long term study looked at loss of sleep and Heart Disease. This study group included healthy female nurses. Almost 2% of those who said they slept less than five hours a night developed heart disease over a 10-year stretch This compared with 1.1% of those who reported sleeping seven to eight hours a night. Those sleeping more than nine hours a night were also at increased risk. This study also showed an increase in diabetes in this group involving nurses.

Dying prematurely. A six-year study of more than a million adult Americans showed that premature deaths were more common among those who reported averaging less than 4.5 hours or more than 8.5 hours of sleep a night.