Ten Handy Tips to Help You Sleep Better from #TheSnoozery

If you're struggling to head off to the land of nod every night, and would like to sleep better, here's ten quick tips for a better night's kip.....from #TheSnoozery

1. Buzz off

Avoid the stuff that gives you a buzz in the late afternoon and evening. Say no to caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol if you can. A cup of coffee in the afternoon can delay you dropping off, and more than a glass or two of beer or wine will make your sleep more restless. It’s not just tea and coffee you have to look out for but chocolate, medicines and some soft drinks too.

2. Work it out

If you exercise you need to give your body a chance to unwind after a workout. Ideally aim to finish up at least three hours before you go to bed.

3. Stay cool and comfortable

Keep your bedroom at a comfortable temperature. Most people sleep better in a cool room so keep an eye on the thermostat and open a window but watch out for letting in unwanted noise. Wear loose natural fabrics like cotton for maximum comfort and a good bed and pillow is worth the investment.

4. Eat light at night

Don't eat too much too close to bedtime. If you need a snack before turning in, choose a high-carbohydrate food such as a bowl of cereal.

5. Get into good habits

When evening comes, if you find yourself falling asleep on the sofa take yourself off to bed. That late film may seem attractive but you’ll regret a lousy night’s sleep.

6. Over to the dark side

Sleep comes easiest and best in a dark environment where there’s less stimulus. Take steps to block out unwanted light and noise that can wake you from a light sleep. Consider investing in a pair of blackout blinds, a good curtain lining or a quality sleep mask to keep the light pollution out.

7. Stick to a routine

Establish a regular bedtime routine for yourself. This may be easier said than done with young kids or a snoring spouse. Wind down an hour or so before bed, put aside any work you've brought home from the office and forget the e-mails. Soak in a relaxing hot bath with lavender oil or bubble bath, make a cup of herbal tea or warm milk, and snuggle down with a good book before you turn out the light.

8. Don't force it

If you can't go to sleep after 30 minutes, don't stay awake in bed tossing and turning. Get up, go into another room, and listen to calming music or read until you feel sleepy. You can't force yourself to fall asleep if you aren't ready.

9. Just bedtime stuff

If you are in the habit of watching TV in bed at night, stop. Use your bed only for sleep and sex. You should associate your bed only with bedtime activities. Try to clear your mind - don't use bedtime to solve your daily problems.

10. Capture your cares away

If your thoughts are racing, keeping you awake, have a notepad by your bed to capture them until the morning. Could also come in handy for remembering your more interesting dreams!

Nine Tips for How to Sleep Better on Flights from #TheSnoozery

With the holiday season looming, in this article we suggest nine practical tips to help you sleep better on flights.

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.

5. 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.

How to Choose a Sleep Mask - Two Main Factors to Consider

Our experience suggests that there are two main factors to consider when buying a sleep mask – comfort and effective light blocking.

Most people’s knowledge of sleep masks comes from their experience on flights where the airline freebie is deployed to try to get some kip against the odds on a long haul. This is unfortunate because the tendency is to believe that all sleep masks are as ineffective and uncomfortable as these freebies. That is not the case.

Sleep masks can be an effective way to block out unwanted light in the quest for a great night's sleep. So if your curtains let in light, if your partner likes to read at bedtime, or if you are off on holiday they can be helpful.

So here’s a few things to think about when choosing a sleep mask, if you fancy an upgrade from the freebie.

Comfort – the factors that determine how comfortable a sleep mask is to wear are how soft the material is and how well it is able to conform to the shape of your face. Everybody’s face is a different shape, so you need a mask that can flex to fit. The sleep mask should also be light-weight.

Some people prefer silk masks because they are naturally very smooth against the skin.

The other factor that determines comfort is whether the mask is shaped. Flat masks tend to press on the eyeballs, which can be uncomfortable and disruptive.

Lastly you should think about the strap – it should be nice and wide so that it does not cut into the ears or head and it should be easily adjustable.

Airline freebies are nearly all “flat” masks with very thin straps that cannot be adjusted. They are just about better then nothing, but only just.

Light Blocking – The other main factor is the ability of the mask to block out light. Most modern masks are made of good opaque materials. The place where the light is most likely to come in is around the edges of the mask around the nose. Hence masks that have soft portion around the nose area that can conform around the shape of the nose will have most chance of blocking out the light.

Other things to think about are the colour or design – sleep masks don’t have to be black to still block the light out. The other factors are durability and price.

Ten Amazing Tips to Improve Your Sleep

Really like these ten amazing tips to help you sleep. Food for thought.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTYyy8tHhCk

The world's most relaxing music : http://goo.gl/z8sgYr

#TheSnoozery: Netflix sleep tracker innovation pauses film when you nod off

At one of the Netflix hack sessions they came up with a solution to the age old problem of nodding off in front of the film. It pauses the film at the point you drifted off so you can resume viewing once you wake. Could come in handy if they ever decide to launch. It is designed to work with a FitBit Flex device that can monitor your sleep. Here's the link to the story : netflix sleep tracker

New Study: Jetlag and Shiftwork affect your genes

In a new study scientists have shown that sleep pattern disruption such as that you would experience with jet lag or with changing shift work patterns has an adverse effect on the way your genes express themselves.

The study was conducted at the University of Surrey and published in the The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Simon Archer one of the authors of the study commented .....

"If you desynchronise sleep from your body clock with jet lag or shift work, so many processes are affected, in terms of the timing of when things happen," said Archer. "It explains why you feel so bad when you're jetlagged or doing shift work.

"Sleeping at the wrong time is bad for you. We know it has a massive effect on the temporal organisation of gene expression and that must link up with negative outcomes."

A Guardian article on this study can be found here www.theguardian.com/science/study

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!