The Snoozery...as recommended by The Telegraph

We're supremely confident that our range of lovely sleep inducing products will be very well-received by the restless sleeper in your life...

...And it appears that the nice folk at The Telegraph agree, as we've been featured in their Last Minute Gifts for Christmas guide.

We're guaranteeing delivery by Christmas, if you order before midnight on Thursday 19th December - that's tomorrow BTW. So why not hurry on over to The Snoozery and have a browse around?

(Having resisted the urge to write the unacceptable "Give the gift of Sleep this Christmas", I now feel that it's somehow OK...although I know it's not, so sorry about that.)

Should you use the Snooze button?

This video from youtube by the people at ASAPscience looks at this thorny issue for snoozers everywhere - to snooze or not to snooze??!

Cure for jet lag?

Drugs that rapidly tweak the body clock in order to avoid jet lag and the pains of shift work have moved a step closer after research in Japan.

Scientists at Kyoto University have found the clock's 'reset button' inside the brain, according to an article on BBCNews.

Whilst we prefer natural sleep remedies here at The Snoozery, we're going to keep a close eye on how this develops. Click on the link to read more on the BBC website.

Sleep tight.

Pyjamas are SEXY

According to a recent survey conducted by memory foam mattress company Ergoflex and brought to the British public's attention in an article in the Daily Mail, men find women sleeping in pyjamas sexier than any other bed time apparel.

37% of men polled said that they liked their partners to wear a full set of PJs to bed, 32% said they preferred Lingerie, 27% opt for a Neglige or Nightie, 22% like to see their other half borrowing something of theirs, whilst 16% said they thought nothing at all was the best option.  

Each to their own of course, but why not check out some of our beautiful Pyjamas by Bonsoir?

Sleep tight.

Bad singing or bad snoring?

Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea can result from weak muscles in the soft palate and upper throat – but a recent trial in the UK has found that singing exercises, which strengthen certain throat muscles, can help to alleviate the symptoms!

    

The results showed that daily singing exercises reduced the severity, frequency and loudness of snoring, and improved sleep quality. Of course these exercises would have to be accompanied by lifestyle changes like losing weight to give the most effective results. But this is good news for snorers – opening up a “whole new avenue” of possible treatments that don’t involve surgery.

Its up to you now to decide what’s worse the snoring or the singing! Check out our Earplugs here at The Snoozery to help you out either way!

Get back to nature's rhythms!

A small study attempting to quantify the effect of exposure to light on our internal body clocks, suggests that a week camping in the great outdoors relying only on the sun and campfires for light, may align our body clock to nature’s rhythms. They found that as well as artificial light keeping us awake at night; a lack of daylight isn’t helping either!

Past studies show that in an “artificially lit lifestyle”, melatonin levels don’t drop off until about two hours after we wake up; meaning that our biological night is still in effect even though we are awake. This study found that when camping, participants turned in and rose earlier than they did when at home- so their biological night kicked in earlier and their melatonin levels began to drop off almost an hour before they woke up, rather than two hours after.

It is still unclear if this makes a difference to how we feel, but it appears that exposure to artificial light at night and a lack of sun during the day could well be contributing to restless nights and morning grogginess. The experiment does need to be repeated with larger groups of people, and in different settings. But for now, it can’t hurt to reduce your exposure to artificial light at night and get outside more during the day!

Exploding Head Syndrome

Out of the various sleep disorders that afflict people, Exploding Head Syndrome (EHS) has to sound the most dramatic.

Nocturnal Eating Syndrome (NES), Somnambulism (sleepwalking), Sexsomnia (like sleepwalking but altogether more intimate) all side like a bit of a breeze in comparison to Exploding Head Syndrome.

Fortunately the name is more ominous than the reality - people survive EHS - although those that suffer from the phenomenon report it as a very frightening experience...especially if they are unaware that the syndrome exists.

EHS usually occurs at night when first falling asleep or when falling asleep after having woken during the night. The main symptoms are an extremely loud noise or sense of explosion within the head, sometimes accompanied by flashes of light. The experience is never painful but unsurprisingly can be deeply unsettling bringing on symptoms associated with anxiety such as palpitations.

The onset of the syndrome may occur at many different ages, although it most commonly starts in middle to late age. The frequency of attacks is also variable, often with numerous episodes in succession followed by longer periods on remission, although some may experience mild attacks quite infrequently.

EHS is thought to be brought on by extreme stress and fatigue but what actually causes the sensations associate with the condition is still unknown. Given this lack of understanding, it is perhaps unsurprising that there is no known treatment for the condition.

EHS is yet another example of how far we still have to go when it comes to understanding what goes on when we're asleep.

On that note, sleep tight!

Boxes for Beds?

Here at The Snoozery we like to keep an eye out for interesting sleep themed stories from around the world: Here is the latest one that caught our attention…

In Finland all expectant mothers are given the gift of a maternity package from the government - containing bodysuits, a sleeping bag, outdoor gear, bathing products, nappies, bedding and a small mattress. With the mattress in the bottom, the box becomes the baby's first bed!

This tradition dates back to the 1930s and is designed to give all children, regardless of their background, an equal start in life. As well as being a lovely idea, some say that it has helped Finland to achieve one of the world's lowest infant mortality rates.

Encouraging good parenting has always been part of the maternity box policy. For example when it was recommended that babies no longer sleep in the same bed as their parents - turning the box into a bed by including the mattress - encouraged parents to start letting their babies sleep separately from them.

There was a recent report saying that Finnish mums are the happiest in the world, we think that this little box might just have something to do with that!

Students Need Their Sleep!

Exam season is upon us so now more than ever it is essential to stress the importance of sleep- particularly to any friends or family we know powering through their revision!

According to researchers carrying out international education tests, sleep deprivation seems to be significantly contributing to pupils’ low achievements at school. The study found sleep deprivation to be such a serious disruption that lessons were actually having to be taught at lower levels of advancement to accommodate for sleep-starved pupils. Derk-Jan Dijk, director of the Sleep Research Centre at the University of Surrey explains that "sleepiness is a problem at all stages that are relevant to learning, memory and academic performance."

Chad Minnich from the TIMSS and PIRLS International Study Center thinks we underestimate the impact of sleep; "If you are unable to concentrate, to attend mentally, you are unable to achieve at your optimal level”. Data from the Center shows that internationally, on average, children who get more sleep gain higher achievements in Maths, Science and Reading. Dr. Fitzpatrick goes further to claim that lack of sleep is going to leave pupils more emotionally volatile, potentially more disruptive as well as physically struggling to learn!

Trying to study without sleep is going to be tough as your brain will be running on empty. Make sure you exercise, try to implement a bedtime routine, keep your bedroom quiet, dark and cool, relax your mind first with a bath and a good book and don’t play on your computer whilst in bed because the light from the screen will confuse your brain and make it harder to fall asleep.

If you or someone you know is struggling to get to sleep during this stressful time– check out some of our products here at The Snoozery, like our relaxing Sleep Balms and Pillow Sprays by This Works full of soothing essential oils to help relax the mind before sleep and try to follow some of the tips and tricks on this blog!

Lack Of Sleep Even Makes Our Genes Less Active

At The Snoozery we like to keep up-to-date with the latest sleep research…

According to a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, lack of sleep over prolonged periods of time can lead to serious health problems like diabetes, obesity and heart disease.

Genes produce a constant supply of proteins which our body uses to repair and replace damaged tissue, but a recent experiment has revealed that after just a week of sleep deprivation some of these stop working. If your body can’t replenish damaged cells and tissues then it’s likely to lead to lasting ill health.

A week of normal sleep is said to be enough to restore the affected genes to their normal pattern, but this study was only a week of sleep restriction and participants were only restricted to five and a half or six hours a night and as Professor Colin Smith explains "Many people have that amount of sleep for weeks, months and maybe even years so we have no idea how much worse it might be.”

The National Sleep Foundation 2012 Bedroom Poll revealed that 41 percent of people surveyed had restless nights at least a few nights every week. So we'd rather try to tackle this sleeplessness now than wait around to see how much worse the effects of prolonged sleep deprivation might really be! Keep an eye on our blog for useful tips and advice to help you on your way!