3 reasons what you sleep on and how you sleep matter

3 reasons what you sleep on and how you sleep matter

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Sleep is an interesting thing. Most people know sleep is important yet are quick to go without it when the can't-miss-it activity or work assignment comes along.

We spend a large portion of our lives catching some shut-eye, but how can we ensure that time is actually effective for our health, our quality of life? Here are three ways our sleep makes a difference, and some ideas to get better rest.

Health issues

Numerous studies have shown insufficient sleep can lead to an increased risk of developing a number of health conditions, including obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as Harvard Medical School's sleep site says. It is even believed that prolonged periods of insufficient sleep can lead to a shortened lifespan.

Too many of us are tossing and turning, which causes pressure on different parts of the spine and neck, which can cause us to sleep restlessly; in turn, that can contribute to developing sleep-related health issues, even if we sleep the recommended six to eight hours per night, depending on age.

In examining the quality of your sleep, consider this quote from the Harvard Medical School website: "Most experts have concluded that getting enough high-quality sleep may be as important to health and well-being as nutrition and exercise."

Happiness

Granted, going without much sleep from time to time is probably fine; however, making a habit of it can prove costly. In fact, the difference between getting five hours and seven hours of sleep per night is enough to significantly impact one's quality of life in terms of overall health and happiness. We are quick to forget just how precious those hours can be once we start to feel tired.

Restorative cell and tissue processes

While sleeping well is no guarantee of good health, it certainly contributes. Harvard's website says quality sleep can help regulate stress responses, regulate metabolism and appetite, and help ensure that the necessary restorative cell and tissue processes will take place — and these things only happen when we are fast asleep.

3 reasons what you sleep on and how you sleep matter

The average person tosses and turns up to 40 times per night, which in turn throws off sleep cycles, which means that those healing processes won't take place very effectively. This means finding a bed that is both comfortable and supportive is crucial.

How can I best improve my sleep?

A major reason 70 million Americans are waking up with sleep-related issues is that many don't really know how to sleep, or what to sleep on.

One simple way to improve sleep is to look to what you're sleeping on. Is your bed too firm or too soft? Have you tried different beds to see what works best for you? Finding a bed where you can sleep uninterrupted throughout the night can work wonders.

There are many bed options, such as memory foam, steel springs, air and waterbeds. Intellibed has been active in sleep research and has developed beds that offer both comfort and support while many other types of beds end up sacrificing one for the other. It recognizes that it's essential to get quality, uninterrupted sleep and has developed mattresses that ensure this will happen, as seen in the following video.

Remember that in the end, how you are sleeping matters — and what you are sleeping on can greatly increase the quality of that sleep.

Visit Intellibed.com for more research findings on quality sleep.

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