What The World Series and Jet Lag Have In Common

Well I can share with you that last night after enjoying one of the most exciting baseball games ever, and along side a few of my fellow friends we paid a price. That cost came in the form of less sleep. Personally I felt as though I just walked off the airplane from a long trip. It was game 6 of the World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers and what is arguably one of the greatest series games ever played and it ended after midnight. I had been posting and tweeting on Facebook and Twitter sharing the ups and downs of the game with all who were willing. It was in the 11th inning  and David Freese took a 3-2 pitch and drove it to deep center field to break the 9-9 tie game with one of the most exciting happenings in baseball a walk off home run. It was crazy an my online celebration continued well after the game we were all to excited to go to sleep.  The next morning the walls were buzzing on my social networks. Everyone was chatting about their lack of sleep. Some  joked about taking role call while others said they felt like the lack of sleep resembled jet lag, a feeling that our beloved Cardinals share all too often I’m sure and especially during this years World Series.

This got me to thinking about today’s blog having to do with a recent new study that was released that seem to explain the feeling jet lag we  all experience when we travel.  Have you ever traveled from west to east? Well the jet lag  we experience and the Differences we feel when traveling seems to be the responsibility  within our brains. This feeling is actually a big disruption of our circadian clocks.  Forget the alarm clock that wakes you in the morning, this is a clock  in your body that sets itself and is believed to be the primary reason we experience jet lag. It often affects people more so when they’re flight takes them west to east, as apposed to the opposite direction and seems to have been solidified in a recent new animal study. Our circadian clock makes necessary regular adjustments to stay in sync light cycles of day and night. The circadian clock does this by advancing or delaying its time clock in reaction to light. These corrections usually happen with no notice. When this routine is interrupted by rapid light and dark changes in the light-dark cycle, in particular when we travel or take a long flight. Previous studies show delaying or advancing the brains clock occurs in altered pathways in an area of the human brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus.

This newest study has indicated that the molecular mechanisms within these brain pathways are considerably different. Science has known for years that within humans and other living organisms, advances are harder to achieve than delays. One of the best examples of this, compare the jet lag experienced in a trip coming from Europe back to the USA, Associate professor of biology Horacio de la Iglesia, from the University of Washington, said in a university news release. “One of the reasons may be that these two forms of resetting the clock involve different molecular mechanisms at the clock level,” he suggested. According to the researchers scientific findings from studies that included hamsters looks to help in efforts and help develop possible remedies related to jet lag, according to the researchers. The study was published online recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Photo Getting dirty By Herkie http://www.flickr.com/photos/dherholz/4568730107/

Are countless thoughts keeping you awake at bedtime? John Pertzborn All the time. Angie Mock, Some back ground noise can actually be the key to relaxation That’s what Dr. Ojile says, he is from the Clayton Sleep Institute. You were just talking to Angie about some issues she’s having? All laughing Angie say’s she has plenty of them trust her as she says she busted out a few yawns just moments ago. She asks Dr. Ojile to talk about it a little.

Dr. Ojile: It’s tough to change shifts like your doing but one of the issues that’s come up is that there is a resort in Europe that’s now providing each of their guests with background music to sleep. We’re starting to see this trend around the country and in some of the areas around the world and in resorts and it applies to peoples homes as well. Some folks, and this is a strategy more than a scientific issue they need a little bit of white noise or what we call background noise to ease themselves into sleep.  You were playing some of that as we started the interview, sometimes its rainforest, sometimes it’s trickling water, they’re different sounds that are very benign, they’re not disruptive and they’re not loud.

John Pertzborn, is that the same thing, I know people that can’t fall asleep unless they have the radio or the television set on?

Dr. Ojile, It is a similar tactic but this is a healthy approach. With those other issues the brain tends to get focused on what’s on the TV, So for instance if what you need to go to sleep is a certain late night show, you cycle through sleep periodically about every 90 minutes during the night. When you get up during one of those 90 minute periods, that show is not going to be on any longer so your brain has gotten tuned into that versus the repetitive calming sound. So this is a little better strategy and again its not as much scientific as just part of your total sleep health and behavior picture but it’s very easy to perform if you need it.

John Pertzborn, It looks like the buzzer on The Price Is Right.

Dr. Ojile, That’s exactly right; it’s a very simple device. These are very inexpensive and they are very simplistic. You can adjust it to what ever you like from rain to ocean to waterfalls.

Angie Mock. This is basically to drown out not necessarily sirens or anything that’s going on in the background but just to kind of help give a relaxing…

Dr Ojile, that’s a very good point some of it is for relaxing but there can be a few minor back ground sounds. It’s certainly not going to drown out thunder or an ambulance. So that’s really what it’s for. It’s to give you this gentleness to go to sleep. It can work in some patients. I think this is a very interesting trend you’re going to see this as you go to more and more hotels. There is several hotels in the country that will give you a package when you check in which is actually a CD of music that you can put in your room and listen to on your clock radio, DVD player, CD Player etc. Some will have the music where you can just turn it on your remote control. Your going to see more of this as the resort industry tries to accommodate the needs of their residents who are our patients and see that there is a value there.

John Pertzborn, So in other words , invest in this technology you will make a million?

Dr Ojile, (Laughing) I can’t say that.

John Pertzborn, It’s a great idea though

Angie Mock, Absolutely, Why we have you here do you have any other tips for people having trouble getting to bed at night and sleep?

Dr Ojile, I think key thing is to look at this as something secondary to do. The standard things for getting to bed are still the key issues. Regularizing your bed time, regularizing your wake time, and winding down an hour our two before you go to sleep and trying not to change shifts to often.

John Pertzborn, Without looking at the internet and things that stimulate you and eating gassy foods.
Dr. Ojile Technology is the biggest issue for sure for our society today.

Video Transcript of Bedroom Colors for Better Sleep

When it comes to your bedroom there’s no right or wrong color pallet. What you really need to determine first is the look and the style that works for you. I tend to find that the most commonly asked for look is more tranquil because it helps you to sleep and it’s more conducive to relaxing. That’s my personal preference. So I recently redid my bedroom so I’m bringing you in so you can see the tranquil color pallet that I chose.

From a design standpoint there are so many different colors you can use to achieve a tranquil look it’s not all about ivory. Here are some colors that I thing can work very well. You can do a soft butter cream you can even do a white. White is just very classic and very calming. There are some nice soft sages, a sky blue, even a mountain blue, or a dark chocolate brown, it just depends on how you use it so you want to combine it well with the wall tone. If you’re going to do the butter cream it’s nice to do another butter cream color on the wall, and then maybe contrast with some pops of white. Look how sweet that is.

With the sages you could bring in a light sage or a darker green wall and then pop again with white or even this ivory like the ivory tones I have in my room. You can then also then take some of these sky blues the powder blues and periwinkles and bring those with a white and that’s just absolutely beautiful and I think that’s tranquil. Another color that’s very current right now are the lavenders you can that with white or with the ivories or even with a soft beige wall that work really well. Something that I really like to do is bring in a really dark chocolate wall and combine that with a white it makes the white pop you can really even get some really pretty white draperies and make that work.

There are some big no no’s when it comes to tranquility in your bedroom. It doesn’t mean you can’t have these colors it’s just colors that aren’t very restful. I don’t often recommend black it just doesn’t feel restful to me. Bright yellows that’s to loud and to jarring. Reds are another one it’s just not as calming. I’m not even a big fan of navy blue if you want a calming look. So just stick with more of the softer tones.

My personal favorite color tones for a tranquil bedroom are more the ivory and beiges. You’ll notice I have it all over my bedroom to include the walls, even the bench at the foot of the bed, my duvet cover, the blanket, the sheets and the fabric on the headboard. The way I make it work I change the textures up. So the bench it velvet my duvet is just a sheet fabric same with the blanket its similar fabric but has a different texture then the sheets and then a velvet again up at the headboard. The way that I make it work and really pop is I just add a little bit of color and a little bit of texture with grounded chocolate brown and it makes the ivory really stand out and sparkle a little bit more. Further to add a little more contrast I have a darker wood tone because that is a nice contrast between the light fabric and the dark wood and the lighter walls. Then to wrap that wood tone around the room I have it in the nightstand and I also brought that same tone up into the lamp and then again into the armoire where I have the TV because. It’s really important if you really want a tranquil feel to not have a TV just right out there in the middle of the bedroom. You want to disguise it.

A few other things to consider when you are putting together a tranquil master bedroom is get rid of all of the kid paraphernalia. Remember this is a place for you to rest and not have anything to think about. Also get rid of the exercise equipment and a desk is an absolute no in your master bedroom.
I don’t feel pressure to fill up every space like you’ll notice a lot of my walls are blank because you don’t need to have a lot when you’re trying to get a tranquil environment just a couple throws and some candles just don’t over design keep it simple.

by sunshinecity

If you could do 1 thing to change your health for the better, that would not cost you a dime, and didn’t require an expensive diet or exercise regiment would you consider it?

As you get ready for summer we must wade through the springtime both literally and figuratively, and along with spring comes great fluctuations in temperature that make everyday dressing tough. Cool temperatures in the morning compel us to leave home wearing a jacket to return home in warmer temps only to forget it.

We can barely prepare for what to wear each morning for drastic changes in weather on a spring day so is there anything we can do to prepare for the springtime cold and flu season?  Springtime is a prime time of year to come down with the common cold and your sleep could be the key to cold prevention and better health for you and your family. According to a recent WebMD article and leading physicians William Ellert, M.D and Diwakar Balachandran, MD getting a good night of sleep or the lack of it affects your immune system in significant ways.

Sleep loss not only plays a role in whether we come down with a cold or the flu but

it also influences how we fight illnesses by means of fevers when we do ultimately come down with such ill health.

Sleep and Immunity: Understanding the Link

Not getting an adequate amount of sleep has been associated to a whole host of mental & physical health problems, as well as those that initiate from an impaired immune system. Our body has a natural weapon called the immune system which is quite complex it is intended to protect us from ailments, colds, and even the flu, but when it is not performing up to snuff, it fails to do its job correctly.

What Are the Consequences Of Less Sleep?

• A weakening of the body’s immune system.
• Sick days
• Less Energy
• Decrease your body’s ability to take action against bacterial infections or colds
• How Sleep helps

Sleep controls the release of a hormone that stimulates cells that boost the immune system and just like a well maintained vehicle which performs better and is less likely to break down a well-tuned immune system is critical in our body’s defense against the cold virus. People often ask how much sleep is needed to help steer clear of the common cold?  A minimum of seven hours of sleep is the easiest way and studies show that people who don’t are three times more likely to catch a cold when they fall short of that minimum. So make your bedtime more healthful and your life more energetic and productive and get some sleep your health may depend on it.

Problems that often come from sharing Blankets and Sheets:

• Not conducive for a good night of sleep
• The blanket thief
• Waking up cold
• Insufficient amount of covers for both sleepers
• Unfavorable sleeping conditions
• Cannot wrap up in blanket

Cute Pocket Photo by xadrian
Looking no further than my own bedroom was the inspiration for this article. Interestingly at the beginning of our marriage the first thing Kathy and I had to do was acknowledge that there was a real problem with our sleeping situation. I am in love with my wife and she is in love with me but neither of us is in love with the idea of waking up more tired than when we went to sleep.

Both of us had never shared covers with another till our marriage.

One of the biggest problem that I found was waking up cold in the middle of the night only to notice that I had been robbed by a blanket thief and to make it worse I could positively identify this common cover crook out of a lineup. I positively ID her as my wife. OK the truth be told I am the very restless one I don’t think I have a sleep disorder, but I do find it hard to unwind and my mind is always preoccupied with thoughts of the day. The fact is this was usually the cause of the tossing and turning that led to the eventual blanket stealing.

I love my wife, I love sharing our space, and we wanted to keep it this way. We did not enjoy sharing “my” covers. Our answer to the problem was to use separate blankets and sheets. Both of us could go back to doing what we did best. Be a blanket hog. We are both able bundled up and coverd up. Whirl and roll the blankets and sheets into a cover frenzy back in warmth and comfort without disturbing the other.

Agreeing to sleep with separate blankets allows…

each of you to not only keep warm but also sleep undisturbed from the tug of war that is blanket and sheet sharing. It is not exactly the traditional way to make a bed before bedtime but there is nothing hard about it. We grab our blankets and throw them on the bed and we’re good to go. We simply store our king bed spread out of the way till morning when at that time if we so choose we can make our bed and hide our secret to better co sleeping.

There is a Relationship Between Weight Gain and Sleep…

…so we need to make this part of our everyday lives. Studies say that people who sleep less affects the hormones that cause them to eat suppress appetites are affected and altered. The hormones that cause you to eat go up and the ones that suppress ones appetite tends to go down. This is exciting because a person can make sleep part of their total plan to lose weight or keeping weight down getting enough sleep should be part of that plan.  Sleep alone will not make you lose weight but if you couple that with a good diet and good exercise the affects will be amplified in addition over the years it’s clear that people that don’t sleep enough have much higher rates of obesity. As far as who’s at risk there has been a real focus on younger people so when it comes to our children and young adults we need to start bringing sleep into their lifestyle management with them and discussing the value of them getting enough sleep and practicing good sleep habits because they tend to not want to listen us as parents about their grades but if we tell them they may not look quite as good in the mirror then they seem to give us a little more attention. Making this awareness part of their daily lives, the schools and were hopeful that even reaching out to athletic trainers the gyms. For example professional athletes the Olympians and so forth they understand the value of sleep and the full incorporate that into their training programs. There isn’t any reason why those of us that are merely fitness exercisers shouldn’t have the same benefit of that since in a sense that has been road tested by the professional athletes.

We couldn’t agree more Dr. Ojile – thanks for the great advice. We would only add that 7-8 hours of sleep is the recommended amount of sleep to get per night.

Does my mattress and box spring affect how I sleeps?

I always seem to wake up feeling very tired and unrested. My mattress is getting older but still looks good. Is it possible my mattress could be affecting my sleep?

Answer:
Yes the mattress can be a contributing factor to feeling tired however it is not the only one. This is especially true of older mattresses, this is because as a mattress ages the same coil springs that once gave good support begin to fatigue and rob you of full body support that we all need. In addition the top padding that makes the bed comfy loses its fluff and feel making the bed less comfortable.

It is true that your mattress can either support good sleep or rob you of it. Whether your mattress is a sleep friend or a foe depends on the age, support, and comfort of your bed. These things can definitely be determining factors as to how refreshed you may feel when you wake up. The truth is if you spend the night tossing and turning you will likely wake up stiff, sore, or unrested and lacking needed energy. These are commonly the signs that your old mattress may no longer be doing its job.

A salesman or doctor cannot determine this for you. One thing you may want to do is keep a sleep journal. When you wake log your habits. Simply journal what you did before going to bed, what you remember about your night, and of course how you feel when you wake including the number of hours you slept. There is no one particular mattress that works for one person or person’s ailments. Mattress feel is subjective. What may be soft to one person may actually be firm to another. Our bodies appreciate comfort and good support, and a mattress that offers both will go a long way to achieving better sleep.

I work a lot and find that I just don’t have time to get the eight hours they say I need a night. What can I do to sleep better with the limited time I get?
Answer.
In my humble opinion I think there is nothing more important than a good night of sleep. I truly think that people underestimate its importance  and how the lack of if can really affect us. I would go so far to say that it needs to be a health priority in this country not just something we do when we have a little extra time available. I am very surprised to see the hundreds and thousands of dollars humans spend on fad diets attempting to eat healthier. Why many of these same people are getting up 2 hours early so they have enought time to eat, get ready for work, and to go to the gym and exercise. Sleep affects every aspect of our day-to-day lives.

Now I’ll share with you what many doctors have to say on the matter. If you don’t have the time to snooze, be sure to make the most out of the sleep you are able to get. Their claim is to exercise on a regular basis. They say that people who do exercise even a few times a week typically sleep get a better than people who don’t. Additionally avoiding caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol which might not always sound fun to some should especially consider avoiding them late in the day. The reason being these are stimulants that can interfere with quality sleep.

Creating a peaceful and restful sleep environment is crucial to better health and the restorative benefits of sleep.  Keys are being uninterrupted in a dark room, and having a supportive mattress that offers desired comfort. Keeping the bedroom cool and quiet works well for me and after researching and talking to qualified individuals is highly recommended. For me personally running a family business often leads to stress which makes it quite hard for me to fall a sleep. A great way to relax the mind is to make a list of all the things you need to do. I find this as a way to give my self permission to relax and fall a sleep which gives me the needed energy to deal with tomorrow’s issues.
The little things we do can make a big difference in our daily lives.

As a chiropractor, part of my job is to help patients make healthier choices that improve their quality of life. The topic of sleep, sleep position, pillows, and mattress types are often discussed in my office.

Our bodies make repairs and heal while sleeping, so it’s important to get 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.

Sleep position is important as well. No matter how comfortable it may seem, never sleep on your stomach! Sleep on your back, or sleep on your side, but stomach-sleeping is terrible for the spine, and can contribute to the development of spinal degeneration, including arthritis and disc herniation.

If you’re waking up with back or neck pain, you’re likely a stomach sleeper, or using multiple pillows. When sleeping on your back or side, make sure to use just one pillow. Stacking pillows flexes the head improperly, putting strain on spinal muscles and joints.

As for pillows, I do not encourage the use of feather/down pillows. They’re incredibly unsupportive, and can induce chronic neck pain. My personal preference is a latex pillow. They’re affordable, supportive, and can last for years without much wear.

We spend about 1/3 of our lives sleeping. That’s an average of 25 years or more in bed, so buying the right mattress is very important. Don’t buy a water bed – these are perhaps the worst beds ever designed (second only to a bed of nails). I also do not recommend purchasing beds with a “pillow top.” These seem comfortable at first, but after a few weeks, the top begins to break down, and an imprint of your body appears where you sleep.

I do not have a favorite brand of mattress for recommendation. Patients ask me this question all the time, but it’s really about personal preference. Generally speaking, your mattress should be supportive and slightly firm. A bed that is very bouncy/springy will dip, and in time, can cause you to wake up in pain.

No matter what type of mattress you use, it should always be flat. Common sense, right? Not so much. Dips and valleys are a recipe for chronic pain, and you’d be surprised how easily they develop over time. All the chiropractic care in the world can’t undo what a bad mattress does to you during the night.

If you’re on a budget, I recommend buying a fairly basic, entry level bed with foundation. Then cover it with a quality 3″ memory foam mattress topper that has 4-lb density or higher. When it comes to memory foam, the density is more important than the thickness (4″ topper with 3-lb density will not last as long as a 3″ topper with 4-lb density).

Following these tips can help improve the quality of your sleep. If your pillow, sleep position, and mattress are all acceptable, but you’re still waking up in pain, or not sleeping well, it’s time to meet with a chiropractor.

Just like a good chiropractor can’t fix the effects of a bad bed, a good bed can’t fix the effects of spinal misalignment. If you’d like to learn more about chiropractic care, you can visit my clinic website at www.bigideaclinic.com, or call 314-749-9006.

Warm wishes,
Dr. Adam Tanase

The opinions expressed here are those of the guest blogger and does not necessarily reflect the views of StLBeds.com.

 
How can we all sleep in a cleaner mattress ?

 
Start by purchasing a quality breathable mattress pad or mattress protector and placing it on the mattress surface. Top that off with a nice set of sheets and your ready for bed.  Remember to at least once a week wash your sheets and mattress pad. These can be replaced for much less than a new mattress if they wear out due to frequent washings. An often overlooked mattress cleaning tip is to vacuum your mattress regularly with the upholstery attachment. Take your time with slow overlapping swaths and be thorough. You should vacuum your mattress at least once a month. Allergy and asthma suffers may want to vacuum your mattresses more frequently. Be sure you are using a quality vacuum with a hepa filter and then replace your bedding immediately.

 
A smart investment would be to have your mattress professionally cleaned and sanitized one time a year or more so if you do not frequently care for your mattress or have allergy related concerns. There are companies that will clean mattresses across the country and here in the St. Louis area as well.  So if your New Years Goal was to make a healthier you, why not start with a cleaner mattress or get rid of that old one and buy a new mattress set. Talk to a bedroom store if you have more questions.