Sleep disruptions happen. All of us - men and women - experience them. When you do experience them, other problems can occur, like stress and lack of productivity.
Help is here! Our range of articles and resources covers an assortment of prevalent sleep-related challenges that many adults encounter, including the sleep disruptions of their children. Please take some time to peruse this section - you'll find expert guidance behind every 'click'.
Some of us change where we live or what we drive more often than we update our mattress or pillows, even though your bed plays a major role in the quality of your sleep and lifestyle. Physical discomfort can make falling asleep more difficult and leads to a restless sleep.
Does your mattress provide the support you need? Do you wake with your back aching? Is there enough room for you and your sleep partner? Do you sleep better, or worse, when you sleep away from home? These are the questions you should consider carefully when looking at updating your mattress.
Most mattresses in Australia are made of innersprings. However, specialty bedding can be made with a foam or air core. Try out our Bed Selector to choose a mattress that is most comfortable for you.
If you can fall asleep easily on your sofa or chair, and it is difficult to fall asleep in your own bed, you may be associating your bed with everything but sleep. Do you use your bed for work? Read your iPad while propped against the pillows? Watch television there? These are all ways to tell your body to be alert in bed, rather than to go to sleep.
Learn to use your bed only for sleep and follow a regular wake-up schedule. You can restrict your time in bed, initially, to the number of hours you actually sleep. As you begin to sleep regularly during these hours, increase your time in bed by 15-30 minutes per night until you're getting an adequate amount of sleep each.
Does it often take you more than 30 minutes to fall asleep at night? Do you wake up frequently during the night or too early in the morning, and have a hard time going back to sleep? Do you feel groggy and lethargic when you wake in the morning? Do you feel drowsy during the day, particularly during monotonous situations?
You may have a 'sleep debt' if you answered "yes" to any of these questions.
Sleep debt can affect you in ways you don't even realise, and you aren't alone
According to research conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, a majority of adults experience sleep problems. However, few recognize the importance of adequate rest. In addition, most are unaware that effective methods of preventing and managing sleep problems now exist.
Being at risk for poor sleep is much more common than you may think. Virtually everyone suffers at least an occasional night of poor sleep. However, certain individuals may be particularly vulnerable. These include students, shift workers, travelers and persons suffering from acute stress, depression or chronic pain. People working long hours or multiple jobs may also find their sleep less refreshing.
Sleep needs vary. In general, most healthy adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a night. However, some individuals are able to function without sleepiness or drowsiness after as little as 6 hours of sleep. Others can't perform at their peak unless they have slept 10 hours. And, contrary to common myth, the need for sleep doesn't decline with age (although the ability to get it all at one time may be reduced).
If you have trouble staying alert during boring or monotonous situations when fatigue is often "unmasked," you probably aren't getting enough good-quality sleep. Other signs are a tendency to be unreasonably irritable with co-workers, family or friends, and difficulty concentrating or remembering facts.
While many individuals will try an over-the-counter medicine to help them sleep, these should be taken with caution. Your physician or pharmacist can help inform you about the different types of medications available and which would be most effective for you. If your sleep problems persist for longer than a week and are bothersome, or if sleepiness interferes with the way you feel or function during the day, consult a doctor.
Adequate sleep is as essential to health and peak performance as exercise and good nutrition.
Sealy of Australia is wholly Australian
owned, with a deep commitment to
manufacturing products locally.
When you purchase a Sealy
Posturepedic, you are choosing
Australia's most trusted bedding
brand.
The Sealy Research and Development Centre tests every component to stringent quality standards. Sealy's R&D Centre is NATA accredited to comply with Australian Standards.
