Christmas turkey makes you sleepy: True or false?

Post the traditional Christmas roast turkey, many a knowledgeable uncle up and down the land can be heard asserting that it's due to the Tryptophan-rich turkey that Grandad has nodded off...

According to Uncle Bob, it's the Tryptophan in turkey that makes us all feel sleepy.

Here at The Snoozery, we've dug a little deeper into this "fascinating" piece of avuncular trivia and can reveal that Uncle Bob hasn't got it quite right. 

Yes, there is Tryptophan - an essential amino acid - in turkey, but no more so than in most other protein-rich foods such as eggs, cheese, yoghurt, meat, poultry as well as many plant proteins. 

It's the combination of the Tryptophan-rich protein and carbohydrates that make us feel sleepy after Christmas Dinner. 

So - in basic terms - it works like this:

• The Tryptophan (stored and just consumed) combines with carbohydrates to produce Serotonin
• When Serotonin levels are high, you're in a better mood, have a higher pain tolerance, and sleep better
• The Serotonin is then further metabolised into Melatonin
• Melatonin is the hormone that helps to control your sleep and wake cycles
• The increase in Melatonin then affects your sleep-wake cycle (or circadian rhythm) by chemically causing drowsiness and lowering the body temperature
• You feel sleepy. 

The red wine can also make us feel drowsy. 

Sleep tight and Happy Christmas! 

The Snoozery Is Spreading That Christmas Spirit!

Thank you to everyone who came to see us at Late Night Shopping in Marlow last Thursday!

What a great turn out despite the miserable weather! We had lots of fun spreading some Christmas Cheer and the word about our fabulous products! 

Chatting to you all is such an important part of our mission to help people sleep better – and if we’ve helped just a few of you to get that peaceful night’s sleep you deserve over Christmas – then it’s been a success! 

And the prizes for the Best Christmassy Sellers of the night go to...(drumroll please)...Our Luxurious Snoozery's Own Lullaby Cream! And Our Deep Sleep Pillow Spray by This Works!

For those of you who missed out or need to buy in those last few Christmas presents Click Here to check out our products for yourself! 

Goodnight Britain

Fascinating program on BBC One last night - Goodnight Britain - exploring the sleep problems of 5 volunteers, each of whom suffer from a different sleep condition.

Comic at times (Sheila's Victoria Sponge making at 3am) to tragic at others (Gwen hasn't had a good night's sleep for 30 years), it's a real eye-opener (sorry) into the problematic world of sleep.

Having made the diagnoses last night, in Episode 2 - on at 9pm tonight - the sleep experts Dr Kirstie Anderson and Dr Jason Ellis will create a set of treatment plans to help the volunteers sleep better.

Will make for highly interesting viewing...if you missed it, you can catch up on the BBC iPlayer.

Sleep tight.

How to Beat Insomnia & Sleep Easier

The Guardian recently published a good article on how to sleep easier it quotes tips from Professor Colin Espie of the University of Glasgow Sleep Centre as follows :

1. Recognise that "sleep is not a lifestyle choice, it is a biological inevitability. It is very, very powerful, and we need to get it working for us: a person not sleeping well has first and foremost to allow sleep to do its work. Sleep is a process of letting go."

2. Sleep's achilles heel, however, "is our world. Most sleep problems are psychological obstacles that we put in sleep's way. Like all things we should do automatically, when we deliberately try to do them we screw up. Adopt a relaxed, confident approach to sleep, not a neurotic, panic-stricken one. Recognise there's a right and a wrong kind of effort. Your role model is the 'careless sleeper'."

3. Go to sleep only when you feel sleepy and, if anything, shorten the time you try to sleep: "A lot of people put good sleep beyond the achievable simply because they are so worried about not sleeping. Their sleep becomes frayed, even more broken. If I try to read a book in bed, it's never very successful because I go to bed when I'm ready to sleep. It's counter-intuitive, but a shorter sleep often means a better quality of sleep."

4. Put the day to bed long before putting yourself to bed. "A racing mind – what happened today, what's on tomorrow, what will the future hold? – is a huge obstacle to sleep. So take time before bed: go through the day, think about tomorrow, put things in their boxes, make a list. Set your mind at rest."

5. Learn to value relaxation, and if necessary learn specific relaxation techniques. Above all, "Don't try too hard." But, of course, for some that is easier said than done.

Great article and some nice tips. For the full article click here

St Mungo's - helping people to sleep better

I recently came across this London- based homeless charity that I thought is doing a highly worthwhile job and wanted to let more people know about it.

At St Mungo's they say "Our mission is to house, support and care for vulnerable and excluded people who either have been, or are at risk of, sleeping rough and homelessness"

From their 2011/12 review they helped provide housing support to 4500 people and their street outreach team helped 430 people off the streets and into accommodation.

Given our core belief here at The Snoozery that everyone deserves a great night's sleep we think they are doing a great job.

If you want to find out more you can click here.

Hurray we're famous!

When the clocks go back on Sunday the London Evening Standard suggests using The Snoozery's Dreamweaver Sleep Masks to ensure you make the most of that extra hour!

We certainly will be!

A great night's sleep guaranteed

I recently had need to spend a night at a Premier Inn in Salisbury. A pleasant enough stay.

Hats off to them for their good night guarantee. Another initiative recognising the real thing people want from a hotel - a great night's sleep. Also had the option to choose a pillow and the "Ssshh quiet zone" in operation.

So it's a "good work trooper" from the Snoozery team!

Six things to look for in a sleep mask

1. Good fit
You need to ensure that the sleep mask fits your face well so that it is comfortable and also so that it does not let any light in around the sides.
2. Comfort
If you are going to drift carefree into the land of nod you need to be sure that nothing is going to disturb you and that includes your sleep mask. So look for soft materials and good design.
3. Wide strap
You need a good wide strap so that it does not dig into your head and cause you to wake. We've all tried those airline masks with the floss like straps. Avoid those and go for one where the strap is wide enough to spread the load on your head and keep you comfy.
4. Adjustable
Everyone has a different shape of head. That's what makes us an interesting species. So you need to find a sleep mask that can be adjusted to fit your shape. Velcro adjusters work effectively.
5. Eye cavities
These are the holes that allow your eyes to move around freely inside the mask. So you can roll your eyes to your heart's content and no one will be any the wiser.
6.Light blocking
Might sound obvious but they also need to cut out the light. So they need to be made from opaque materials, and fit well around the edges. The area where light leakage is most likely to occur is around the nose. Many designs include a flap of material around the nose that serves to block this out.

And finally...there's also a curious perception that sleep masks need to be black in colour to work effectively. That's not actually true as it all comes down to how well the material they're made from blocks light and the fit. So pink can work just as well as black!

All the sleep masks we stock at The Snoozery meet these criteria. If you are interested check them out here.Click here.

Top tip if you're struggling to get to sleep...

Lie as close as you can to the edge of the bed and you'll soon drop off...

(Sorry).

A lack of sleep makes you fat

Well sort of. 

Actually, a poor sleep routine can seriously undermine a healthy diet, which leads to eating the wrong foods at the wrong times which in turn leads to putting on weight, making it difficult to lose weight or  keeping weight off. 

Or put another way, when we're tired, we're more likely to snack on bad stuff that makes us fat, so a way to avoid snacking on bad stuff that makes us fat is to make sure that we're not tired. Which won't be the case if we don't get the sleep our bodies need. 

Simples. 

Also, if you eat healthily then you're more likely to sleep well, as a healthy diet already contains the goodies that can contribute to good sleep...magnesium, potassium, calcium, Vitamins B & D.

So if you eat well, you're more likely to sleep well and if you sleep well, you're less likely to eat badly. 

And you'll be less likely to get, stay or go back to being fat. 

I think that's what's known as a virtuous circle.  

Social animals need more sleep

All animals sleep.

In fact nearly all organisms experience a "circadian rhythm" dictated by the 24-hour cycle of night and day.

But interestingly, creatures that live in large social groups - for example, humans, dogs and baboons - seem to need more sleep than most.

The theory goes that we need to take time out from the tribe as a form of social isolation in order for our brains to carry out the vital unconscious task of working out our place in the social pecking order.

So while we just go gooey over a pile of sleeping puppies, it might well be that they're busy working out who's going to be at the front of the queue at milk-bar opening time.

Man's Best Friends Don't Let the Bugs Bite

So how on earth can you tell if the place you are sleeping has bed bugs?

Bed bugs are elusive and usually nocturnal, which can make them hard to spot. They often lodge unnoticed in dark crevices, and eggs can be nestled in fabric seams. Aside from bite symptoms, signs include fecal spots, blood smears on sheets, and molts.

Bed bugs can be detected by their characteristic smell of rotting raspberries. Bed bug detection dogs are trained to pinpoint infestations, based upon tests conducted under controlled conditions, researchers have shown accuracies of 97.5%. The success rates in these tests may not reflect real-world conditions but it's pretty impressive nonetheless.

Our four legged friends can often detect in a matter of minutes where a pest controller might need an hour. In the United States, about 100 dogs were being used to find bed bugs as of mid-2009.

Nine Tips for a Peaceful Flight

I have done a lot of flying with my job. That's involved a lot of trying to sleep on flights. It’s not easy to get your head down for a decent kip. You can’t legislate for being seated next to a noisy child (unless of course it’s your own) but you can take precautions for other factors that are in your control.

So here’s what I’ve learned so far…

1. Get a Good Seat

      Ideally you want a seat away from the predictable sources of noise such as the loos, the galley and the bar (if they have one). Having an aisle seat is marginally better as you don’t have to disturb other people to go to the loo. Snooze zones can be helpful. Remember that bulkhead seats are often given to potentially noisy families.

2. The Flatter the Better

      Plane seats come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The main factor I have found that determines how well you sleep is whether the seat goes flat or not. So Virgin Upper class and BA Business for example both have good flat seats.

3. Dress Comfy

      Wear something warm and loose with a bit of give. The sharp Paul Smith suit can travel in the hold. Though personally I would think twice before boarding in trackie bottoms.

4.  Stay off the Sauce

      Some folks swear by a night cap to help them drift off and I think in moderation it probably helps to relax. But too much of the old falling down water and you’ll be dehydrated and uncomfortable. Watch out.

5. Cut Out the Stimulus

      A good pair of earplugs and a sleep mask are vital. Freebie earplugs on flights are generally okay but the sleep mask is usually poor at cutting out the light, so consider investing in a decent one before you go.

6.  Do not Disturb

      Be clear about whether you wish to be woken for meals or not. Eating before departure in the airport cuts out this potential disturbance.

7. Avoid the Lag

      Jet-lag is a miserable condition. Avoid the effects by getting into the destination time zone as early as you can. I always reset my watch as soon as we take off.

8. Medication

      If all else fails sleeping pills can help – but beware the grogginess factor and try them out beforehand to check what kind of effect they have on you. It's not a good idea to be landing in a strange place feeling groggy.

9. Kids and Babies

      Some young children just don’t like flying and I’ve been on flights where they will not stop crying. After eight hours of that anyone’s saintly patience is going to be tested. Spare a thought for the parents. Getting angry with them or their kids won’t solve anything.

Lucid Dreaming

The difference between a normal dream and a lucid dream is that in the latter, you're aware that you are dreaming.

Flying is one of the most regular dreams of lucid dreamers.

It is almost universally accepted that lucid dreaming occurs, and many people report the moment of clarity in their dream when they realise that in reality they cannot fly or actually be part of the bizarre plot and non-narrative structure of their dreams.

But there is considerable debate around the proponents of lucid dreaming's central hypothesis: that you can control your dreams, consciously deciding to "visit" specific places or undertake specific activities.

But for those that believe in our ability control our lucid dreams, the potential practical implications of dream control are enormous, varying from training one's brain to overcome fears or phobias, relieving post-traumatic stress syndrome through to controlling nightmares.

If it all sounds a bit bizarre, prepare to be more confused by watching the movie Inception, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

In fact, watch it twice - you might understand it second time round.

Here The Snoozery, we're intrigued by anything that can help you sleep better, and that could possibly mean controlling dreams. In the meantime, we're going to keep our eyes on a product due to launch in the US shortly called Remee which promises to enhance lucid dreaming.

Check out their website for more details, or better still watch their video on funding platform Kickstarter where the founders managed to raise over $500k whilst trying to raise just $35k.

Sleep tight.

Snoring - what's it all about?

Snoring is categorised as a coarse noise made by vibrations of the soft palate and other tissue in the mouth, nose & throat. For the purposes of getting a good night's sleep snoring can be very bad news for your partner. 

There are many different kinds of snoring or snorer depending on where the vibrations come from - the nose, throat or soft palate, or some combination. Sleep apnoea is a more serious condition where the blockage can cause oxygen deprivation.

Snoring is caused by turbulence inside the airway whilst breathing in. The turbulence is caused by a partial blockage that may be located anywhere from the tip of the nose to the vocal chords. The restriction is more likely to occur during sleep because our muscle tone is reduced  and there may be insufficient muscle tone to prevent the airway tissue vibrating. During waking hours muscle tone keeps the airway in good shape; that's why we don't tend to snore when awake.

The fact that there are many different types of snore means that to manage the condition requires a tailored solution. It is more about managing the condition rather than curing it though.

This website here is very informative british snoring and sleep apnoea association It offers some solutions and a way to tell what kind of snorer you are.

Alternatively it may just be a matter of investing in some good earplugs for your partner. Here's the new range from The Snoozery. Handy Bags of Earplugs

How to sleep well at a hotel II - watch out it's the snore police!

Further to my last post about getting a good night's sleep at a hotel I came across this piece about the Crowne Plaza introducing Sleep Monitors to detect loud snorers in their quiet zones.

crown plaza snore-monitors

Apparently if you are snoring too loud in the quiet zone then you get a knock on the door from the snore police (aka the snore monitors).

Now whilst snoring is a big nuisance for those that want a great night's sleep. Ask my wife - I snore like a drain. I can't help feeling if I'd paid good money for a hotel room and got woken up because I was snoring I may not be best pleased.

However good PR for Crowne Plaza and well done for having a go and putting a good night's sleep on the agenda.

Isn't the real issue about the architecture and design of hotels to control unwanted noise pollution from wherever it comes?

SLEEPING PILLS - THERE IS ANOTHER WAY...

It is estimated that c.10 million prescriptions for sleeping pills are issued every year in England alone.

That's a heck of a lot of pills.

But then again, as many as one in four people in the UK are thought to suffer from insomnia at some point in their lives.

Sleeping pills typically hail from 2 "families" - the Benzodiazepine family (Temazepam being the most well known) and the newer (and allegedly less addictive) Z-drugs family (with variants such as Zolpidem and Zopiclone).

The various side-effects and downsides of sleeping pills are well documented (and pretty scary once you get into the detail), so before you even consider heading down to your GP and asking for a prescription, why not consider doing the following:

• Make sure your bedroom is cool without being cold - read more here
• Cut out your weekend lie-in - sounds stupid, but it could really help - read more here
• Keep a pad and pen by your bed to put to rest those pesky thoughts that are keeping you awake - read more here
• Stay off the booze - read more here - and caffeine - read more here
• Take some exercise - read more here
• Make your sleeping environment as isolated and secure as possible - read more here
• Do everything you can to block out noise - read more here
• Have a hot bath about an hour before bed - read more here

Sleep tight.

How to sleep well at a hotel

As someone who frequently travels around the world and stays at a lot of business hotels there are a few ways to ensure you get a good night’s sleep at a hotel. Here’s what I have found…

Keep the noise down…

Before the trip checkout the hotel in terms of its location and proximity to noise sources such as roads, railways, airports, bars and clubs. Take a look at a good cross section of reviews on Tripadvisor – I tend to look at a reasonable spread of reviews to get a decent picture.

A good example of this would be a hotel I have stayed at a few times in Los Angeles. A lovely hotel in many ways with great food and helpful staff. However the hotel is a an experience of two halves – rooms on the front of the hotel look out onto a noisy road, rooms on the back look out over the Hollywood hills. There is also an LA stlyle open air bar (with DJ) at one end of the hotel. Great if you want to hang out, but lousy if you want a good night’s sleep.

Use your knowledge to request a room on the quiet side as early as possible.

When you get to the room check out the potential noise sources – the main culprits in my experience are – lifts, ice machines, dripping taps, refrigerators and air conditioning. It’s much easier to change rooms at this moment before you are settled in so make a quick decision about whether you accept the room at this point. It’s not always possible to change, especially if the hotel is full, but if you don’t ask you don’t get.

Once in the room you need to manage your environment carefully. The trickiest choice is about air conditioning in hotter climates. These units can be really noisy. These days I will keep it on until I go to bed and turn it off at that moment.

The other things to watch out for are in room refrigerators that can be noisy. As someone who generally does not use the mini-bar I tend to turn them off at the wall as soon as I arrive.

What you cannot legislate for is noisy neighbours, some folks like to party hard and if you find yourself next door to them that’s generally bad luck. If it keeps up then complain firmly but politely and asked to be moved.  If there is a planned party at the hotel that affects the noise levels at your room a good hotel will advise you of the fact when you are booking.

Lights out…

Electronic devices in the room tend to have stand-by functions that can cause a lot of light interference, again switch them off at the wall. Also avoid the temptation to get sucked into late night telly or films.

Curtains and blinds vary dramatically in terms of their effectiveness. Not much you can do about this except come prepared with a good sleep mask.

Creature comforts….

Beds in hotels differ widely in terms of their quality and comfort. The Westin chain in the US make a feature of their “Heavenly Bed” which in my experience lives up to its name. Some even offer pillow menus. Seek out those hotels that see this as important.

I know some folks who insist on taking their own pillows wherever they go. This is a bit impractical for airline business travel but if you are in the car and have plenty of space it’s an option.

Sleep tight, don’t let the bugs bite

More unusually the hotels in New York have in the last couple of years been known to harbour bed bugs. I also know of someone who had that experience recently in Singapore at a good hotel. So that’s a whole new dimension to watch out for and in hotter climes the mosquito remains a menace at night without a net.

Happy sleeping!