Sleep Better with Dr. Maas.
As a retired Cornell University professor and a health and performance consultant, sleep expert Dr. James Maas has studied sleep for more than 40 years.
What does Your Sleep Position Say About You?
How you sleep says a lot about you. Now, we’re not talking about that quiz you took online the other day that told you if you sleep in the fetal position that you’re tough on the outside and sensitive at heart. While some studies analyze sleep positions and personality traits (like this one), others focus on how your sleep position affects your health.
Here’s what you need to know how you sleep and what it means for your body:
Fetal position: sleeping all curled up on your side may be super comfortable (after all, 40% of the population does it!), but it’s not ideal. Sleeping in the fetal position inhibits deep breathing and puts strain on your neck and back. However, sleeping in the fetal position is recommended people who snore and pregnant women. A Business Insider article also claims that sleeping in the fetal position – a position of “low power,” as they call it – may make you feel “less confidant” and “more vulnerable.”
On your back: sleeping on your back actually minimizes face wrinkles (because you don’t smash your face into the pillow), promotes deep breathing and aligns the spine and neck. Sleeping on your back allows your mattress to give you the support it meant to! Snorers beware, though; sleeping on your back is the worst position for you. Pregnant women should also avoid this position. Back sleeping is also linked to sleep apnea, so those with this condition should avoid this position, as well.
On your stomach: tummy-sleepers take heed! While Audrey Hepburn glamorized this style in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, snoozing on your stomach provides anything but beauty sleep. It actually flattens your spine and put pressure on your neck. Conversely, snorers may find solace in this position!
On your side: sleeping on your side is a great way to reduce snoring as well as back and neck pain. It’s also great for pregnant women. There are even added benefits depending on which side you choose According to some doctors, sleeping on your right side lowers heart rate and blood pressure Some studies show that sleeping on your left side reduces heartburn. Sleeping on your left side is also good for pregnant women because, according to the American Pregnancy Association, it increases “the amount of blood and nutrients that reach the placenta and your baby.”
There you have it! Hopefully you can find a position that’s both comfortable and good for you. Sweet dreams!
Sleep More for a Slimmer Waistline
In their now well-known 2008 study, Drs. Francesco P Cappuccio, Frances M. Taggart and Michelle A. Miller concluded that short sleepers (people who get less than five hours a night) are at an increased risk of obesity. That’s right, sleep less, weigh more.
The study showed two trends: that people of a healthy weight tended to sleep longer hours than those considered obese and that “a reduction of one hour of sleep per day would be associated with an… increase in BMI,” i.e., a you’ll gain weight if you lose sleep.
Fair enough, but why? What about our sleep habits relates to our weights?
Turns out, a whole lot.
The most obvious reasoning is that if you get less sleep at night, you’re more likely to be fatigued during the day and you won’t have the energy to exercise. But it’s not just fatigue that gets us. A 1999 University of Chicago study “found that building up a sleep debt over a matter of days can impair metabolism and disrupt hormone levels.”
In a 2005 Medscape article, Drs. Eva Van Cauter, et al. explained that “the regulation of leptin, a hormone released by the fat cells that signals satiety to the brain and thus suppresses appetite, is markedly dependent on sleep duration.” Bascially, the less you sleep, the less leptin you have in your system. If you don’t have enough leptin in your system, your body thinks its starving, even if you’ve been eating enough.
In a recent post, I talked about the circadian rhythm, which is the body’s natural 24-hour clock. In a 2011 study, Wenyu Huang, Kathryn Moynihan Ramsey and Joseph Bass concluded “that the circadian system is tightly coupled with processes controlling both sleep and metabolism,” and that “disruption of either the circadian clock or metabolism can lead to derangement of the other, thus predisposing to metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.”
In laymen’s terms: mess with your natural sleep cycle (i.e., get too little sleep) and you mess with your metabolism, too.
So, what is enough sleep? Different studies give different numbers, but in general adults need between seven and eight hours and children need between 10 and 12 hours a night. Whether you want to look good on the beach this summer or if you just want to take care of your health, get to sleeping! Your waistline will thank you.
A Happy, Healthy Life Starts with Sleep.
Would you like to frequently exercise, get into a good nightly routine and have more sex? All you have to do is sleep. Well, all you have to do is sleep well.
According to an article from the Washington Post, so-called “good sleepers” are more likely than others to lead healthy, fulfilling lives.
Of course, a myriad of factors play into whether or not you’re getting a restful sleep: clocking in enough hours of shut-eye, eating habits, noise levels, caffeine consumption and medication use are but a few variables in the sleep equation. Not surprisingly, one of the principal factors contributing to a good (or bad) night’s sleep is your mattress.
So, how do you know if your mattress is working for or against you? The most obvious sign is whether or not “you wake up with stiffness, numbness, aches and pains,” says the Better Sleep Council. The website outlines other signals that it’s time to end your relationship with your mattress:
- If you sleep better in another bed
- If your mattress is obviously worn out
- If you wake up sleepy after a full night’s sleep
- If your mattress is over seven years old
Does it look like you need a new mattress? Maybe? Probably? That’s where we come in.
Hibernate Bedding has something for everyone. Seriously.
Looking to sleep tight on a tight budget? We have Sealy Posturepedics starting at $499. Want the cushy comfort of memory foam? We have over a dozen styles to choose from. Into organic? We stock the best brands in the biz. If you’re looking for superior support, we stock a variety of latex mattresses. We also have traditional innersprings and hybrids. We also stock everything from comforters to bed frames, insuring a one stop shop for all your bed-related needs. Hibernate Bedding truly has something for everybody (and every body).
Check out the website and browse our inventory. Don’t know what type of mattress is right for you? Stop by the store! Our store manager _______, will be happy to help you find your perfect companion.
Bedroom Bliss
Spruce Up Your Bedroom for Spring
The bedroom, whether the master, guest or kids, should be a sanctuary where one can escape the days worries and sink into a relaxing state of comfort and tranquility. Hibernate Bedding, located at 165 Route 202 in Bernardsville, will help you create a stylish relaxing, cozy bedroom environment that incorporates that latest trends with classic elegance.
“We offer a wide selection of affordable mattresses, bedding, pillows, throws and accessories that will bring style and warmth to your bedroom, but also serve a purpose to enhance your overall sleep,” says owner Scott Paladini. “There is no one style fits all and we understand that, so we offer lots of options and work with our customers to help them make stylish and personalized choices.”
With a little effort and a few tips, anyone can turn a plain bedroom into a wonderful sanctuary for themselves. Here are four easy tips to help you spruce up your bedroom
Use Color & Pattern to Create Mood
Bring a bed into full bloom using a colorful combination of patterns. Make sure each pattern features the same primary hue to make mixing and matching a success. Select cool or neutral hues to create a room that exudes serenity and calm. Look to bright and warm colors to foster a sense of good cheer, energy, and coziness.
Make the Headboard a Focal Point
A headboard can really enhance the overall feel and is a great centerpiece of any bedroom. Your mattress alone without a headboard will feel unsupported and without style. Look to find a headboard that best suits your overall theme and personalized style. With many options to choose from, Hibernate Bedding, can help you find that great eye-popping headboard, whether upholstered, wood or metal.
Pillows, Pillows, Pillows
Make your bed stylish and comfortable by adding lots of pillows of different sizes, shapes and colors. Liven up the room with colorful throw pillows and don’t be afraid to mix and match patterns, shapes and floral styles. Also, think about choosing pillows that can blend style with purpose, such as custom down pillows from The Pillow Bar. These pillows will not only make your bed more comfortable and chic, but also help you sleep better too.
Add Art to the Walls
Do not leave big blank spots on the wall it will make the room feel empty. Fill a large wall with an oversized piece of art work or hang multiple, uniform-sized picture frames with simple artwork, side-by-side above your bed. Another option is to use wall decals to mix it up. Remember art can be both personal and stylish.
Sleep Well. Live Well.
Helping you get your best nights sleep.
Sleep is for wimps. I’ll sleep when I’m dead. These are common phrases that we hear from people all the time. Yet, the truth is, we spend more than 1/3 of our life sleeping and how we sleep effects everything we do in our lives including our memory, weight loss, our moods, and aging. The importance of sleep cannot be underrated and is as critical as diet and exercise in order to live a healthy and active lifestyle.
At Hibernate Bedding we focus on the individual customers’ needs and works closely with our clients to find the perfect bed that will best enhance their night sleep. With so many choices and so much noise in the market, it’s no wonder many people look at mattress shopping as a chore instead of a pleasurable experience. Hibernate Bedding changes that by offering a warm, comfortable, educational and affordable shopping experience focusing on the individual.
In order to get a better nights rest, there a few things that need to be examined. The mattress that a person sleeps on is the most critical component, but not the only. The pillow, the position a person sleeps (back, side, stomach), temperature and the overall room feel, are all factors that influence sleeping behaviors.
Memory Foam is the New Innerspring
If your mattress is over 10 years old, it is likely not providing the proper support and comfort it once did and it is time for a new one. There are many choices out there and while innerspring beds are still very popular, memory foam mattresses have taken over as the dominate choice in the marketplace. Hibernate Bedding carries TempurPedic memory foam beds which are two of the best-selling brands in the market as well as Beautyrest innerspring beds. The benefits memory foam beds provide are numerous including reduced motion transfer so your partner does not disturb you in your sleep, increased pressure relief as the bed conforms to your body better than an innerspring mattress and memory foam beds have a much longer lifespan than traditional innerspring.
The temperature you sleep at is important to getting a good night sleep and a range between 68-72 degrees tends to be optimal. TempurPedic make beds that provide an enhanced cool sleep, and if neither of these beds suits your needs, Dri-Tec makes a sleep cool mattress protector that can go on any mattress.
Another type of mattress in the market is latex; this natural product provides a conforming effect like memory foam, but a springier feel. These types of beds also use fewer chemicals and are more natural than memory foam. Hibernate Bedding sells, a 100% organic latex mattress made by OMI Mattress. This bed is the purest bed in the market and is hand-made in California.
Zero-Gravity in Adjustable Beds
Adjustable beds are the new rage and are no longer just for “old” people. Adjustable beds offer both health and lifestyle benefits and can be used on all memory foam mattresses and many innerspring mattresses as well. Adjustable beds provide hundreds of positions to suit the individual needs of each person. One of the biggest health benefits is that you can sleep in a “zero gravity” position which slightly lifts the head and feet. This position alleviates pressure off the back, allows better circulation and can help digestion. Besides the health benefits, an adjustable bed removes that need to prop up pillows to watch TV or read; with a push of a button, you are upright and supported.
The Pillow
Proper spinal alignment is critical to getting a good night sleep and 75% of that responsibility falls on the mattress, but the pillow accounts for close to 25% of spinal alignment. Using an improper pillow can cause neck and back pain, as well as poor sleep. When shopping at Hibernate Bedding, we make sure that you use the right pillow while trying out beds. There are different pillows for side, back and stomach sleepers. Hibernate Bedding is carrying a line of customizable down pillows from The Pillow Bar. Every pillow made by The Pillow Bar is filled with 100% Hungarian goose down and includes a custom embroidered 300 thread count cotton sateen protector and an aromatic French lavender sachet. The pillows were designed with consultations from a neurosurgeon and a chiropractor to ensure the product is perfectly paired for each consumers unique sleep preference and physical size.
The Overall Bedroom
Not only are the pillow and mattress important, the overall feel of your room creates an energy that can improve your night sleep. From the sheets to the scents in the room, your bedroom should provide a sense of relaxation. At Hibernate Bedding, we are not just a mattress store; we offer fine linens from Peacock Alley and Jonathan Adler, as well as candles and accessories. All of these elements combined help create a wonderful sleep experience and allow you to Hibernate in Style.
Luxury for Less
We know that mattress shopping has gotten a bad rap over the years: sleazy salesmen, false advertisements, hard to comparison shop. That is why at Hibernate Bedding we promise to make it better. We focus on our customers, only offer the highest quality product and will always match prices. At Hibernate Bedding you get Luxury for Less.
We are also a local operation that donates a percentage of sales to charity, has art work from local artists on the walls and is eager to promote the economic well-being of the area. We look forward to helping you get your best nights sleep so stop by and get a free consultation on your sleep.
