---

“I am an advisor at the Aveda store in Roseville. We use plant derived ingredients to make health/earth concious beauty products. I love your magazine and would love to display it in our store for guests to take. Thank you.”

---

Fighting Insomnia

By Carole Butcher

For some lucky people, sleep comes as soon as their head hits the pillow. For most of us, it's much harder. According to National Sleep Foundation polls, more and more Americans are getting less than eight hours of sleep per night every year. Chronic sleep deprivation has effects from mild to disastrous.

1. Several studies, including one published in the journal SLEEP in 2005, indicate that sleeping less than 8 hours a night leads to obesity.
2. A Harvard study found that the less people sleep, the more likely they are to suffer from a major illness.
3. People who sleep less than 5 hours a night are 60% more likely to get high blood pressure, a Columbia study found. According to a British study, they are also twice as likely to get heart disease.
4. People who sleep less than 6 hours a night increase by 50% their chance of getting a virus.
5. A Princeton study found lack of sleep leads the body to slow down production of brain cells.

• Don't just buy a bed because it says it's good for your back. A bed that's supportive and comfortable is key. But it is important to remember that people's requirement for support will differ depending on their weight and build.
• The term 'orthopedic' generally just means an extra firm bed; it is not based on any medical or other common standard.
• Firmness is not determined by price. Comfort, luxury and durability and added features such as adjustability come with higher price tags.
• There is no single right bed to ease a back problem and each different back problem also may require a different solution. The best approach is to research the options carefully, take time to try them out and choose what you personally find supportive and comfortable, regardless of labels or price tags.
• Narrow your choice down to two or three and then spend plenty of time lying on these in your normal sleeping positions. Five or 10 minutes should be the minimum for each bed.
• Look for a supportive rather than a hard bed. Do not assume that orthopedic or firmer beds are the best option. Often a medium firm bed with proper cushioning is better.
• A bigger bed will benefit both the back pain sufferer and their partners - with less partner disturbance. Purchasing two twin long beds (which equals a king size bed) is a good option if firmness preferences differ widely or where a future requirement for two separate beds is identified.
• Think about the height of the bed: can you get in and out of it with relative ease? An adjustable bed might be an option if this is an area of concern - it also offers variable sleeping positions.
• Many mattresses need to be turned regularly to ensure even wear and tear. If this is likely to prove difficult (and good quality mattresses are heavy!) then look for a mattress which does not need regular turning - there are many options of all types of construction now on the market.
• Pay attention to choosing the correct pillow. It must support the neck in alignment with the rest of the spine. Too many pillows thrust the head forward or sideways (depending on your sleeping position); too few allow the head to tip backwards: both create a crick in the neck.
• Try and adopt a sleeping position which creates less physical stress on the back (e.g. lying on your side is better than lying on your front with your neck twisted to one side!).

1. www.mahalo.com/
2. ABC News: Sweet Dreams: The Science of Sleep (2007)
3. The Washington Post: Scientists Finding Out What Losing Sleep Does to a Body (2005)
4. BBC News: Bad sleeping 'doubles heart risk' (2005)
5. BBC News: No sleep means no new brain cells (2007)
6. www.sleepcouncil.com/BedAdvice