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Stop Dreaming About Quality
Sleep and Do Something!
An old Chinese proverb states,
"Only when one cannot sleep does one know how long the night is."
Anyone who's ever experienced an occasional bout with insomnia—and that's
most of us—can relate to this all too well.
In fact, surveys have shown that between 40 and 60 percent of the general
population has trouble sleeping. Daily stress and worries, pressures from job
and family, body aches and pains caused by uncomfortable beds or pillows, and
a host of other issues can keep a person from getting enough quality sleep.
Sleep is critical to good health and functioning, so lack of it is a serious
matter. "Sleep is one of the most important functions of the brain,"
says Frederick R. Carrick, DC, PhD, president of the American Chiropractic
Association's Council on Neurology. Through it, our bodies recharge and renew
for the next day's challenges.
As wellness experts, doctors of chiropractic can provide patients with a
different approach to their sleeping problems-without the use of sleeping
pills, which leave many people in a mental haze the next morning. To start,
here are a few helpful tips they would recommend for the sleepless in Seattle
(or any city, for that matter):
 | Exercise regularly.
Exercising in the morning is best, but if you must exercise in the
evening, do so at least two or three hours before bedtime. Any later, and
your increased heart rate can interfere with your sleep.
| Limit your intake of
caffeinated beverages such as coffee, colas and tea-try to avoid them
altogether late in the day and near bedtime. In addition, for each cup of
caffeinated beverages you drink each day, drink an equal amount of water.
| If you have trouble sleeping
and then get thirsty, drink tap water at room temperature (cold water may
disturb the digestive system).
| Eat an early dinner. Eating
after 6 p.m. may interfere with sleep as your body works to digest the
food you've eaten.
| Go to bed at the same time
each night and get up at the same time each morning. The routine will help
your body know when it is time to rest.
| Keep your bedroom at a cool,
comfortable temperature and try to make it as dark as possible when you're
ready for bed. |
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Creating a comfortable place to
sleep by choosing the correct mattress and pillow is also essential to getting
the quality sleep that your body needs to function at its best.
A mattress, for instance, should support the body's weight evenly and allow
the spine to stay in its natural alignment. Choosing the right one is a
personal matter. "There are a wide variety of comfort preferences. It's
very subjective," says Brian Darcy, operations manager for Springwall,
the manufacturer of premium-quality Chiropractic® sleep sets that ACA has
endorsed for the past 38 years. Give your mattress a good trial run before you
buy it. Darcy recommends lying down on a mattress for a minimum of three to
five minutes to get a good feel. Sitting on it simply won't do.
Useful mattress facts...
| A mattress should provide
uniform support from head to toe. If there are gaps between your body and
your mattress (such as at the waist), you're not getting the full support
that you need.
| If you do have back pain and
your mattress is too soft, you might want to firm up the support of your
mattress by placing a board underneath it. But do this just until the pain
goes away; such firmness is not good for "routine" sleeping.
| Every few months, turn your
mattress clockwise, or upside down, so that body indentations are kept to
a minimum. It's also good to rotate the mattress frame every so often to
reduce wear and tear.
| If you're waking up
uncomfortable, it may be time for a new mattress. There is no standard
life span for a mattress; it all depends on the kind of usage it gets.
| Be aware that changes in
your life can signal the need for a new mattress. For example, if you've
lost or gained a lot of weight, if a medical condition has changed the way
you sleep, or even if you have changed partners, it could mean that it's
time to find a new mattress that will accommodate those changes and help
you sleep more soundly.
| If you're not in the market
for a new mattress, and your current mattress is too firm, you can soften
it up by putting a 1- to 2-inch-thick padding on top of it - usually
available at mattress and bedding stores. |
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Next, pillow talk...
After investing in a quality mattress, don't forget to choose an equally
supportive pillow, advises Peter Mckay, DC, who is in private practice in San
Diego and also works as a consultant for Innovative Choices, the maker of the
Therapeutica Pillow-another ACA-endorsed product. "People will spend
thousands of dollars on a mattress and then skimp on a pillow that doesn't
support their head and neck properly," he observes. A good pillow will
keep the cervical (neck) section of the spine aligned with the thoracic and
lumbar (chest and lower back) sections. "[The sections] move together and
should be supported together."
| When choosing a pillow, be
selective. When lying on your side, your head and neck should remain level
with your mid and lower spine. When lying on your back, your head and neck
should remain level with your upper back and spine. In other words, your
pillow should not be so thick that it causes your head and neck to be
propped up or angled sharply away from your body.
| Be wary of pillows that are
made out of mushy foam materials. The weight of your head can displace
this kind of foam, leaving little support. Choose firmer foam and
materials that press back and support the head.
| If you find yourself
sleeping on your side with one hand propped under your pillow, that's a
clue that you're not getting the support you need from that pillow.
| There is no such thing as a
universal fit when it comes to pillows. Find one that is consistent with
the shape and size of your body |
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Courtesy of the ACA Website
For More Information Contact:
Abington Family Chiropractic Center
1355 Old York Road
Tel: 215-886-4828
FAX: 215-886-2574
Internet:
afcc@abingtonchiro.com
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