How Often Should You Replace Pillows?

When you think about your bed, pillows may not seem as important as a mattress. However, they have a very important role to play.

Using the right pillow will ensure your head and neck are supported throughout the night, guaranteeing a good night’s sleep and no neck pain or stiffness when you wake up.

Given enough time, though, every pillow, no matter how great it is, will stop giving you that much-needed support. And that will mean it is time to find a replacement.

 

Why Should You Replace Your Pillow?

Supporting a heavy head every night for an extended period of time eventually wears out the pillow. However, this is not the only reason to replace your pillow regularly. Your body is constantly shedding dead skin cells, hair and body oil.

When you lie down on the pillow, it absorbs everything you release, which then build up over time. This will cause your pillow to smell. You can remedy this by washing your pillow regularly.

However, even if you do, the micro-ecosystem of a pillow naturally attracts dust mites. They will inevitably grow in the pillow, multiply and add extra weight to it, making it lose its ability to stay supportive. Luckily, dust mites are not dangerous to the human body.

However, can you imagine billions of tiny creatures living in your pillow and feeding on your dead skin every night? Plus, if you have allergies, dust mites can make them flare up and worsen the symptoms, especially at night.

 

Signs You Should Replace Your Pillow..

There are several signs you need to look out for if bad nights sleep are causing you to miss out on your beauty sleep that will let you know it is time to get rid of that pillow:

• If you notice lumps in the filler materials or the foam in the pillow
• If you notice permanent stains on the pillow from body oil and sweat
• If you wake up in pain, with your body aching especially at the neck or shoulder regions
• If you wake up fatigued due to constant aches and pains interrupting your sleep patterns
• If you wake up with headaches or if you develop tension headaches in the course of your day
• If you have a feather pillow, constantly having to re fluff it to get comfortable is a sign that it needs replacing
• If you have allergic reactions or you wake up sneezing due to dust mites. People with allergies generally need to replace their pillows more often than people who do not have allergies.
• If you have a feather pillow, try folding it in half. If it stays that way and does not unfold immediately you let go, it is time to replace it.
• Sometimes your doctor can recommend changing your pillows.
• Changing your sleeping position also requires a pillow with new specifications. For example, if you change from sleeping on your side to your back, you need a pillow with a different height to keep your head, neck and spine aligned.

 

So When Should You Replace Your Pillow?

The big question has always been this:

how long can a new pillow last?

The actual answer depends on a variety of factors, such as the overall quality and materials used. However, to be on the safe side, always get a new pillow every one or two years.

Here is a list of average lifespans of different types of pillows, from most durable to least durable:

Type Of Pillow	Life Span
Latex Pillows	3-4 Years
Buckwheat	3 Years
Feather	18-36 Months
Memory Foam	18-36 Months
Down	2 Years
Synthetic Down	18-24 Months
Polyester	6-24 Months

How To Maintain Your Pillow?

1.  Check the label of your pillow and determine whether it is machine washable. Down and synthetic down pillows are usually machine washable. Other types usually need to be dry cleaned or spot cleaned.
2. Wash your pillow once or twice every six months if it is washing machine washable. Use the hot water setting and mild liquid detergent. Put two pillows at the same time into the machine with detergent, and a second rinse cycle without the detergent.
3. Dry your pillow on a low heat setting or air only setting. Thoroughly dry it and make sure you have no moist clumps which may encourage mould growth.
4. As a rule of thumb fluff your pillow daily if it is a feather pillow or if it has shredded material filling. This will help it maintain its shape.

 

What About Pillow Covers?

Pillow covers are an essential component of pillows. You should always use your pillows with pillow covers and a pillowcase.

Pillowcases should be changed regular. If you can get a pillow protector with a zipper, enclose your pillow in it then slip on the pillowcase.

This will help prevent your dead skin, hair and oils from seeping into the pillow.

A protective case can double the lifespan of your pillows.

Be sure to change your pillowcases and wash them every 3 to 4 weeks.

source https://www.tshirtbed.eu/how-often-should-you-replace-pillows/

Stages of Sleep and Sleep Cycles

The typical sleep pattern has four stages: 1, 2, 3, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. These stages are usually cyclical and start with 1 then proceed through to REM before starting all over again.

A complete sleep cycle is typically 90-110 minutes with the stages about 5-15 minutes long each. The first sleep cycles typically have short REM sleeps and long deep sleep as the night progresses. Later in the night REM periods become longer as deep sleep shortens.

 

The Different Stages of Sleep?

There are four distinct sleep stages: REM sleep, and Non REM sleep that is divided into three – (Stages 1, 2, 3). Persons typically have short periods of wakefulness that may be intermittent or even occur before the different stages of sleep or happen when one is shifting sleeping positions.

Wake is the period when muscle tone and brain wave activity are at the most active.

Stage 1

NREM sleep happens in this stage which also happens to the lightest of all sleep stages. It is characterized by slow eye movement and is typically the stage where sleep can be easily disrupted by arousals and awakenings as one is normally just drowsy.

Brain activity slows down from wakefulness as the body relaxes from the reducing muscle tone. In rare cases, persons may experience abrupt muscle spasms, hypnic jerks and may even get a feeling of falling as they drift in and out of the stage.

Stage 2

Stage 2 of sleep is considered by experts as the first stage of NREM sleep. Arousals and awakenings are rare in Stage 1 with slow-moving eye rolls ceasing. The slowdown of waves continues with sleep spindles (intermittent bursts of rapid activity) intermingles with K complexes (sleep structures).

Both K complexes and sleep spindles are believed to work to protect the brain from involuntary awakening once the person sleeps. The heart rate slows down and the body temperature gradually goes down.

Stage 3

Deep NREM sleep happens in stage 3. The third stage combines slow and delta waves and is usually the most restorative sleep stage. Arousals and awakenings are rare in the stage and it may be difficult to awaken many people in this stage.

Parasomnias (night terrors, somniloquy, sleep talking, and sleepwalking happen during the deepest phase of stage 3.

REM Sleep

REM sleep alternatively referred to as rapid eye movement is known for the most part as the dreaming stage. Eye movements are side to side rapid and the brain waves get even more active as compared to stage 2 and 3. Arousals and awakenings are more frequent in REM. It is at this stage where being woken up leaves one feeling over sleepy and groggy.

During this stage a person can hold an intelligible conversation, they are responsive to external stimuli, and have their eyes open.

It is a transition between sleep and wakefulness. Most people will claim they were not asleep if they are awakened in this stage. Most of the light sleep happens in this stage that is also characterized by slow waves on the EEG, synaptic pruning, and memory consolidation.

The brain waves are similar to when one is awake and most dreams especially the most vivid will happen in the stage. The body is typically still during this stage.

luxury bedding for better sleep pattern

What Is a Sleep Cycle?

A sleep cycle refers to how one progresses through the different stages of NREM sleep through to REM sleep before it goes back to start in NREM. The normal person goes through a sleep cycle once every 90 – 120 minutes, which produces an average of four to five cycles a night.

However, no one goes from deep sleep to REM sleep but rather they proceed from non-REM sleep then to light sleep before ending up in deep sleep. They will then go from deep sleep to light sleep and finish off with REM before going back to light sleep.

Most people will typically have a sleep cycle that is characterized by short

Stage 1 phase where they experience slow rolling eye movements in a drowsy state combined with their bodies relaxing. While awakenings and arousals are common in this stage, it is still a critical stage as it sets the stage for the body to get into stage 2 – the first stage of the important NREM sleep.

Stage 2 is typically longer than stage 1 and for many people, it averages 40 – 60% of all the time spent sleeping.

Stage 3 in the sleep cycle is the next stage in the sleep cycle. It is a short sleep stage lasting an average of 5 – 15% of all time spent sleeping, though it is the most restorative. For adolescents and children, the stage usually takes a lot more of total sleep time.

REM can kick in at any time during the cycle though it will start at about 90 minutes after one starts sleeping. It is a short stage that forms the first REM of the sleep cycle. After REM the process goes right back to the beginning to go through stage 1, 2, and 3 combined with a return to REM, which progressively gets longer as one spends more time asleep.
For how long does the sleep cycle last? The first sleep cycle averages 90 minutes. Following that it rises to an average of 100 – 120 minutes. These combined cycles will typically take one through four or five cycles every night.

 

What Is Deep Sleep?

Stage 3 of NREM sleep is where deep sleep occurs. During this stage, the person experiences delta waves so called because they are brain waves with very large amplitude and slow speeds. While it is not that long it is the stage where the person will not be easily affected by external stimuli, which makes it the most restorative.

It can be difficult getting someone in deep sleep to wake up. After a person is deprived of sleep for a significant period of time, they tend to spend a lot of time in stage 3. Parasomnias such as bedwetting, night terrors, sleep talking and sleepwalking may occur. (Muscle activity makes people kick or talk in their sleep).

Deep sleep being the most restorative tends to reduce the drive for sleep. As such, one can still fall asleep during the night, even if they take a short nap in the afternoon. Nonetheless, taking a longer sleep in the day can make it difficult to fall into deep sleep since it reduces the sleep drive.

Human growth hormone which releases stress and restores the muscles and the entire body is usually produced during deep sleep. It also does restore the immune system. Nonetheless, there is much less information on deep sleep as compared to REM sleep. One unconfirmed effect of deep sleep is that it allows the brain to refresh so that it can take in new knowledge the following day.

 

When Does REM Sleep Occur?

A person’s sleep time is an average of 6 – 8 hours which sleep experts typically divide into two halves. For most people, the first half combines stage 2 and 3 and sporadic remission into short REM periods and stage 1 sleep. Over the course of the night stage 3 lasts less, stages 1 and 2 are relatively the same while REM become longer.

A person will typically have 3 – 5 REM periods during their sleep time with the longest of those coming right before they wake up for the day.

If they are woken before they get out of the REM period, they can get onto sleep inertia where they will feel heightened sleepiness that could be anything from several hours or just a few minutes.

People typically have shallow, irregular, and rapid breathing, temporary limb paralysis, and jerky eye movements in the REM period. The person will also experience higher brain wave activity similar to when they are awake.

Moreover, they will also experience an increase in blood pressure, heart rate, lose the ability to regulate body temperature and for males, they may get an erection.

 

In What Stage of Sleep Do Dreams Occur?

REM is an active sleep state where you are likely to have the most intense dreams. The rapid eye movements that happen during the stage are seen as rapid and sharp movements. Brain waves in REM sleep are mixed frequency and low amplitude waves that are higher than those common in stage 2 and 3.

A person will typically have an average of 4 -6 dreams every night. According to a French research study, everyone dreams even though some do not remember their dreams. However, a person will often remember their dreams if you happen to wake them up while they are in the REM sleep stage.

REM sleep is the stage where muscle paralysis occurs. The muscle paralysis also known as muscle atonia is a mechanism that prevents one from acting out their dreams. Persons with sleep apnea usually suffer the most during this stage as they lose muscle tone, particularly in the airways.

According to scientists, the sleep paralysis protects one from injury as they will not move limbs and body when acting out their dreams.

Respirations tend to become shallow and irregular, and heart rate and body temperatures become irregular during REM sleep

 

Brain Waves During Non-REM and REM Sleep

REM sleep was only discovered in 1953 when we finally had the machines that could effectively monitor brain wave activity. This just goes to show how young the field of sleep research is. Before the discovery, most scientists were of the opinion that a sleeping person did not have any brain activity.

Since 1953 scientists have debunked the idea that a lack of REM sleep could result in insanity though there is evidence that relieves symptoms of clinical depression. Recent research has linked memory and learning to REM sleep.

Brain Waves During the Sleep Cycle
Stage Frequency (Hz) Amplitude (micro Volts) Waveform type
Awake 15-50

source https://www.tshirtbed.eu/stages-of-sleep-and-sleep-cycles/

Guide For Choosing the Best Bed Sheets for Great Night’s Sleep

A good night’s sleep is incredibly essential for your overall health and one of the ways to achieve this is sliding into a good and comfortable set of fitted bed sheets at the end of a long day.

If you’ve ever spent a night in a luxury hotel bed, then you know exactly how it feels. It’s one of the greatest pleasures in life.

We spend almost a third of our lives between our sheets, and so luxury bed linen can be really rewarding.

But let’s face it, choosing the best sheets can be an overwhelming and difficult task. Fortunately, we’ve made the processes a lot easier for you, and this is how to go about it.

Deciding on the type of fabric for your bed linen can be difficult customers are spoilt for choice when it comes to bed sheet materials.

What Are The Most Popular Bedding Fabrics:

 

·Silk

If you live in a cold climate region, then silk sheets might be an excellent option as it traps and contains a good amount of warmth. Soothing and luxurious, silk is gentle and comfortable on the skin. The only downside with silk luxury bedding though is that, you’ll either need to purchase a dry cleaner or prepare yourself for a dry cleaning service to keep sheets always functional and in good quality.

 

·Linen

First off, linen offers a light massaging effect. Also, it is stronger than cotton fabric. This material is more ideal for hotter climates than the cooler ones, as it has high heat conductivity and permeability properties. Unfortunately though, bed linen is prone to wrinkles.

 

·Cotton and polyester

Polyester is often blended with cotton fibers to make a more affordable fabric, which is both breathable and sweat resistant. You can get nice looking bed sheets of any color and design; however, they don’t feel as great on the skin.

 

·Egyptian cotton

Egyptian is the basically the gold standard when it comes luxury bedding fabrics. Unlike the normal cotton varieties, the authentic Egyptian cotton is a lot softer. However, the bed sheets come at a price, as they tend to have higher thread counts.

 

·Pima cotton

Just as with Egyptian cotton, Pima cotton also offers exceptional quality. They are both classified as extra-long staple cotton, producing a luxuriously and incredibly stronger soft fabric that’s resistant to tearing, fraying, wrinkling, pilling, and fading. Weave method

 

·Muslin and/ or percale

Percale is finer than muslin, and these bed linens can easily be differentiated using thread count. Percale has a thread count ranging from 180 to 300. Muslin, on the other hand, ranges from 140 to 180

 

·TShirt Bed Jersey Linen

Our TShirt Bedding is made from 100% cotton and woven instead of knitted, which gives it a real feel of 800 thread count. It helps you remain cool in the summer and warm in the winter months , as well as remaning crease free so no more ironing your bedding

You could also opt for the sateen, flannel, Oxford, or jersey knit. Sateen is silkier, flannel is the warmest, jersey knit is stretchy, and Oxford is heavier. Don’t ignore the thread counts! We’ve mentioned thread counts a couple of times, but what exactly does the term mean?

Well, simply put, it is the number of threads that are woven together in order to create one square inch of fabric. This one of the easy way to measure sheet quality, as higher thread counts indicate higher quality. More threads also mean bed linen that’s softer on your skin.

 

Extra Shopping Tips for Luxury Bed Sets

To help you make an informed purchasing decision, here are a few other tips you’ll need to consider.

 

·How often will you need to iron your bed sheets?

If you don’t like ironing your cotton sheet, then TShirt Bed sheet sets are for you.

 

·Always go for a variety of colors and designs

Thanks to the advancement of technology, getting great designs and colors of bed linen has become incredibly a lot easier.

With a variety of colors, you can easily add a great aesthetic appeal that completely transforms your bed and room. Decorative cushions and throw pillows can also add magic to the transformation.

However, don’t go overboard with this.

The idea is just to make your room peaceful for a great night’s sleep. If you want to transform your bed styling and colors but don’t have enough money for new bed linen, chucking a throw over the bottom of your bed can be an excellent and cheaper option. Fitted Sheets and duvet covers with a neutral color deliver the best results.

 

·100% Cotton woven bed sheets are the best!

If you want a naturally breathable fabric, the best choice is to look for bed sheets made from 100 percent cotton that are knitted and not woven, just like our TShirt Bedding.

There are a few other possible favourite sheets out there such as parachute linen sheets, sateen sheet set, brooklinen luxe core sheet set, supima cotton, sateen weave and casper sheets which are all worth a final mention.

Obviously though we are a little biased towards our own soft silky smooth, softness to the touch TShirt linen bedding to improve your sleep health and make your deep pocket sprung bed feel so much more luxurious.

There you have it!

source https://www.tshirtbed.eu/best-bed-sheets/

Your Ultimate Guide to the Best Sleep Ever

Sleeping should be the easiest, most natural thing in the world for us. Yet, more than 100 Million people in the U.S. alone suffer from poor sleeping cycles, meaning they struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep and suffer with long-term sleeping disorders.

Recent studies show that both sleep quality and quantity have declined over the past few decades. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 33% of American adults do not get the recommended 7 hours of sleep compared to 10% just 70 years ago.

Sleep is necessary for our bodies to function properly. Think about what an occasional night without sleep makes you feel the next day. Most people feel grumpy, irritable, rundown, and exhausted.

Adequate sleep is a necessary human function that affects our immune system, brain function, ability to lose weight, cardiovascular health, and productivity.

How do you get the best nights sleep ever?

· Cultivate soothing pre-sleep routine
Cultivating a pre-bed routine is the best way to wind slow down your body and prime it for sleep. With the routine, you will establish a clear association between certain habits and sleep – this lets your brain and muscles know that it’s time to decompress.

Think about the things you do before you turn in for the night. If you’re doing overly stimulating things, you might have more trouble falling asleep. Instead, find a relaxing activity and set at least 30 minutes aside before bed. This may include; reading, listening to relaxing music and deep breathing exercises or even knitting. Follow with other usual pre-bed activities such as washing your face/bathing, nightwear and brushing your teeth.

·Progressive muscle relaxation
This is a simple exercise which involves tightening and relaxing one muscle group at a time. Lie on your bed to increase your chances of falling asleep. Start with your feet and work your way towards your neck- tensing and releasing each muscle. You should be able to feel your muscles relax and become loose. By the time you get to your neck, your body and mind will be relaxed enough to fall into your best nights sleep ever.

·Block out distractions
Decluttering your mind is an absolute prerequisite for sleep. Mental chatter such as worries over money and time make it hard for you to fall asleep. Engage your mind in repetitive mental exercises such as counting down from 100, alphabetizing and reciting your favorite quotes or lyrics. This will quiet your mind and help you sleep faster.

· Practice Journaling
Write down your thoughts, feelings, and worries before sleep. According to a study conducted by Journal of Experimental Psychology, writing in a journal 15 minutes before bed helps you to worry less at bedtime and achieve better sleep. In addition, writing down your sleep quality such as dreams and length of sleep and how well you rested also helps the quality of sleep you get. A sleep diary will help you recognize patterns in your sleep that need improving. How can I sleep better at night naturally?

·Find the underlying cause
There are many reasons that could be wrecking your sleep including; high-stress levels, relationship stress, illness, pain, over-reliance on technology, depression and more. Finding out what might be causing your sleep problems is the first step to a better nights sleep.

·Stick to a sleep schedule
Your body has a regulatory system called the circadian rhythm. It’s like an internal clock which helps your body feel energized and drowsy around the same times every day. Having the same sleeping habits such as a set bedtime ritual,where bedtime and wake up time is the same helps regulates your internal clock and stay asleep for the night.

·Relaxation techniques take steps to manage stress
The right amount of stress helps us to do our best, keep alert and be energetic. However, too much stress during the day can cause sleepless nights. Stress, anxiety, and depression which are the most common causes of insomnia.
For you to have better sleep at night, it is important to learn how to sort out worries, anxiety, and concerns. Practicing mindfulness, meditation, light yoga and pirate stretches can help you reduce stress before bed and sleep better.

·Pro-sleep foods
There are many foods that contain naturally occurring substances which relax your muscles and encourage sleeping better. Consider adding having some of the following foods and drinks before bed; almonds, whole grain crackers, salmon, bananas, cherries and, passionflower tea, and low-fat warm milk. It is also important to watch what you eat before we sleep. Avoid spicy foods, fried foods, sugary cereal, hot sauce, coffee and soda before bed as they make it a lot harder for you to fall asleep.

·Exercise
Recent studies show that physical activity improves the sleep of people with chronic insomnia and sleep apnea. Regular exercise reduces stress levels and improves anxiety disorder- common causes of sleep problems.

Exercising in the afternoon is particularly helpful. Exercise increases your body temperature and the temperature drop after exercising will help you fall asleep at night. Studies have also shown that exercise increases the time you spend in deep sleep.

It is important to note that vigorous exercises before bed and overtraining can lead to sleep difficulties. You can perform moderate aerobic exercises before you go to sleep. Mind-body exercises such as stretching and yoga contribute to more restful sleep by helping you to relax.

What are the best conditions to improve your sleeping?

·Organized, clutter-free bedroom
Having a clean, sleep hygiene, organized bedroom waiting for you makes bedtime more enticing. Get rid of all clutter in your bedroom. Clutter around where you sleep will make you stressed. A clean space also allows you to breathe more easily.
Consider rearranging the furniture and clear dirty laundry off the floor. This will create more space to put your mind at ease. While you’re at it, wash your pillows, bed sheets and clean your mattress. Do this in spring to get rid of allergens and dust mites. The result will be less sneezing, itching, and congestion and therefore, less trouble sleeping.

·Dark and quiet room
Our bodies are affected by both light and dark environments. On the one hand daylight, hours naturally power our brain signaling to us when it’s time to wake and on the other hand dark environments signal it’s time to rest.

· Create a good bedroom environment
However, modern living exposes to unnatural light sources such as bulbs, smartphones, e-readers, televisions and more. This causes our brain to repress the production of melatonin- sleep hormone and makes it harder for us to fall asleep. It is therefore important to avoid harsh lights before bedtime.

Noise is also another big distraction. Your sleep environment should be dark and quiet. Try installing low-wattage incandescent lamps or a dimmer switch in your bedroom. Get rid of any devices and technology (including T.V.) that may be keeping you awake and clear any sound or disruptions before bed.

·Optimum room temperature
Hot and cold rooms can seriously affect how you sleep- you are more likely to wake during the night if your bedroom uncomfortably hot or cold. Your body cools down when getting into sleep mode and sleeping in a cool environment will your body maintain the low temperature. The ideal sleeping temperature for adults should be 16-18C (60-65F) while young children and elderly people may require a slightly warmer environment.

How can I get deep sleep at night?
The deep sleep stage is when your body and brain waves slow down. It is an important part of the sleep cycle is the restorative sleep state where muscles receive more blood supply, body tissues are repaired and energy levels are recharged. It’s important for maintaining, repairing, and rejuvenating your body and brain. Since deep sleep is elusive, here are some ways you can achieve the deep sleep stage;

·Use Pink noise
Pink noise is a natural-sounding mix of high and low-frequency sounds. A recent study showed that pink noise significantly increased deep sleep and enhances the brain activity associated with deep sleep. Other studies have shown that pink noise also improves sleep quality and induces more stable sleep.

·Adjust your sleep position
Fetal position (side sleeping) is the best sleeping position. It allows the spine to straighten out, lowers your heart rate, increases blood flow and reduces constipation. In addition, side sleeping takes pressure off your lower back and helps you achieve the deep stage in your sleep.

·Take a warm bath before bed
A warm bath raises your body temperature and the subsequent cooling down tricks your body into thinking you have gone from daytime into night-time relaxing you for the best nights sleep. Sleep cycle follows cooling phase of your body’s temperature cycle and getting a hot bath will help you get into the deep sleep stage faster. The biggest benefits of a really good nights sleep

·Strengthens immune system
Sleep is one of the best ways to strengthen your immune system and fight off disease. Your body needs sleep to regenerate infection-fighting cells and antibodies. This is why people who don’t get enough/quality sleep are more prone to get sick after being exposed to bacteria and viruses such as the common cold virus. Furthermore, lack of sleep is associated with diabetes, heart disease, poor immune systems, and poor mental health.

·Restores energy
A good night’s sleep will restore energy and replenishes your body. The deep sleep stage dramatically recharges our energy levels in the brain regions that are normally active during waking hours. In addition, sleep decreases your energy metabolism and conserves it for when you need it the most needed.

·Enhances brain function and improves memory
Sleep triggers different changes which strengthen connections between nerve cells and the brain. Your brain consolidates learned experiences and transforms weak, short term memories time into more permanent fixtures.

·Reduces Stress
A good night’s sleep is important for lowering anxiety and stress levels in the body. Sleeping is the best way to recharge and remove your day’s stress. However, too much stress can also affect the quality of sleep you get at night.

·Promotes skin health and youthful appearance
Quality sleep and healthy sleeping is important for skin health. Poor sleep can lead to increased inflammation hurting your skin’s quality or causing skin conditions such as acne or psoriasis.

Your body’s hydration also rebalances while you are sleeping. This enables your skin to recover any lost moisture while excess water is removed. Poor water balance due to lack of sleep can lead to dry, flaky skin, and under-eye circles and more visible wrinkles.
Simply having a bedtime routine and adding a daily melatonin supplement can help with sleep deprivation and help restore the disrupted sleep you are suffering from.

On top of this a luxury bed linen like our Jersey Knit TShirt bedding can also help as luxury sleep aids.

source https://www.tshirtbed.eu/your-ultimate-guide-to-the-best-sleep-ever/

20 Interesting Things You Didn’t Know About Sleep

20 Sleep Facts About Sleeping You Probably Didn’t Know.

Sleep is one of those things that all 7.5 billion of us have in common. We all need sleep just like food or water to survive. We spend about a third of our lives asleep, yet we know so little about what goes on when we are asleep.

The following are 20 things you didn’t know about sleep:

1. Delaying sleep.

Humans are the only mammals that delay sleep willingly. Most people have a time that they normally sleep depending on their age or jobs. Other animals sleep whenever they feel like. Some, such as bears, will even sleep for months at a time.

1. Dysania.

Do you find it hard to get out of your bed in the morning? Well, it might not be laziness; you could be suffering from dysania. Dysania may be a sign of depression, nutritional deficiency, or other problems.

1. Sexsomnia.

There have been plenty of reported cases of ‘sleep sex’, or sexsomnia, where they get it on while asleep. While there is no clear explanation of why this happens, some experts have pointed out that there is a higher chance of it happening if you went to sleep feeling horny or if you dream about sex and the body acts it out.

1. Sleep is just as important as exercise and diet.

While trying to live a healthier life, most people put a lot of focus on putting in more work at the gym and eating right. Many people don’t know that getting enough quality sleep is just as important as sleep deprivation is known to cause depression, heart disease, and diabetes.

1. You have dreams even when you don’t remember them.

On average, a person has four to six dreams every night, but most people can’t remember 99% of them. If you want to improve your dream memory, keep a dream journal next to the bed and jot down anything you can remember immediately after waking up.

1. You can lose weight just by sleeping.

Sleeping helps regulate hormones that control your appetite. Sleep deprivation decreases the production of ghrelin, a hormone that makes you feel satiated. It also increases the hunger hormone leptin.

1. Some people dream entirely in black and white.

According to studies, most people used to dream in black and white but after coloured TVs were invented, most people now dream in colour. However, some people, especially the older generation, still dream in black and white.

1. The world record for the longest period of time without sleeping is 11 days.

In 1964, a California student named Randy Gardener set thus record after going 11 straight days without sleeping. If you are tempted to try to beat that record, think twice. Just like Randy, you will experience extreme sleep deprivation or even die from staying awake for such a long time. Some scientists actually believe that sleep deprivation can kill a person faster than food deprivation.

 

 

1. It is not uncommon for the deaf to use sign language while sleeping.

Most people talk in their sleep. Deaf people have something to say too, but since they can’t speak like normal people, they use the words they are used to; sign language. There are many cases where people have reported their deaf children or partners using sign language while asleep.

1. Parasomnia.

This is a sleeping disorder characterized by unusual behaviour of a person’s nervous system while they’re asleep. Some people have even committed serious crimes as a result of parasomnia, including sleep driving or even murder.

1. Falling asleep at night should take about 10-15 minutes.

If it takes you less than 5 minutes to sleep, chances are you are sleep deprived or extremely exhausted. If it takes more than 20 minutes, you may be suffering from stress, depression, or other causes of insomnia.

1. Sleep deprivation takes only 16 hours to show.

Symptoms of sleep deprivation can be seen when you’ve not had any sleep for 16 hours. It lowers your body performance as if your blood alcohol level was 0.05% (the legal limit is O.08%)

1. Sleeping at work.

In Japan, sleeping on the job is less of a problem than most other parts of the world. Companies in Japan accept it as a sign that the employee is exhausted from working too hard. If you want to get a promotion in Japan, always be asleep when your boss comes to see you.

1. Sleep and exercise.

Regular, scheduled exercise is known to improve sleeping patterns and overall sleep quality. However, exercise sporadically or just before bed can keep you up.

1. Do dolphins and whales sleep?

Dolphins and whales need to come up to the surface for air from time to time. As such, their brains have adapted in such a way that they only fall half asleep. Each side of their brains takes turns to stay awake so that they can come up to breathe.

1. Sea otters.

Otters literally use the sea water as their mattress while sleeping. If two sea otters are sleeping together, they hold hands so that they don’t drift from each other.

1. Health benefits of Sleeping styles.

Sleeping on your front has been proven to aid digestion. For this to happen, you should place your hands above the pillow such that you’re in a freefall position. Sleeping while laying on your left side apparently helps reduce heartburn.

1. Sleeping patterns in the 17th century.

Back in the 17th century, it was normal for people to get up in the middle of the night. People used to sleep in two segments divided by a short time for reading, intimacy, praying, or socializing.

1. You may jolt yourself awake.

It is normal to feel like you are falling physically while falling asleep. This feeling may trigger your muscles to jolt yourself awake. This is referred to as a hypnic jerk and it may be as a result of anxiety or taking caffeine before bed.

1. The moon and sleep.

According to research, most people sleep better when there is a new moon and worse when there is a full moon. There is no clear explanation as to why this is the case.

 

source https://www.tshirtbed.eu/20-interesting-things-you-didnt-know-about-sleep/

How To Fall Asleep With Insomnia – The Ultimate Guide

The inability to fall asleep faster or stay asleep naturally can be both distressing and disorienting. Yet at some point in your life, insomnia simply happens. For some people, it can be short-lived, yet for others; it can be a prolonged and life-threatening issue.

Insomnia is a common sleep problem that results in trouble falling asleep that mainly affects adults that have difficulty falling or staying asleep throughout the night even though the person has the opportunity to sleep. Insomnia usually results in mood disturbances, difficulty concentrating, low energy, fatigue and decreased performance at school or at work.

People with a bad bedtime routine often feel, that their sleep quality is not as satisfying once compared to that of other people.
There are two types of insomnia; acute insomnia and chronic insomnia.

Acute/transient insomnia – Brief disruption of sleep patterns due to life events such as the night before a big interview or exam, or receiving stressful or bad news.

Chronic insomnia – Sleep disruption that lasts at least three months and that happens at least three nights every week.

The Causes of Insomnia may be caused by psychological or physical factors. Chronic insomnia is in many instances caused by underlying medical conditions while acute insomnia is typically a result of recent occurrences or events.

 

The following can be the cause of insomnia:

1. Circadian Rhythm Disruption – Extreme cold or heat (the body’s temperature), jet lag, environmental noise, job shift changes, high altitudes.
2. Hormones – Estrogen shifts during menstruation.
3. Psychological Problems – psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, depression.
4. Medical Conditions – stroke, chronic pain, tumors, chronic fatigue syndrome, high blood pressure, heart disease, nervous systems, brain lesions, congestive heart failure, arthritis, angina, hyperthyroidism, acid-reflux, Alzheimer’s disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Parkinson’s, sleep apnea, asthma.
5. Some types of prescription drugs such as antidepressants and stimulants.
6. High levels of stress about life. Issues such as work, school, health, and even family or finances can be keeping your thoughts elevated, making you unable to fall asleep. Again, life transitions including death of loved ones or loss of job can bring about insomnia.
7. Environmental factors such as loud noise, extreme light, bad sleep positions and severe temperatures, whether hot or cold, could make it difficult to get to sleep.
8. Other factors – pregnancy, sleeping next to a snoring partner, an overactive mind, parasites, medications, medications, media, and technology in the bedroom.

 

Symptoms of Insomnia

There are several symptoms that could be an indication of sleep disorders though the condition itself could also be an indicator of other underlying medical conditions. The following are the most common symptoms of insomnia:

1. Difficulty falling asleep at night
2. Worrying about being able to sleep
3. Waking up in the night
4. Gastrointestinal disturbances
5. Waking up earlier than desired
6. Difficulty socializing
7. Feeling tired even after a night of sleep
8. Tension headaches
9. Daytime sleepiness or fatigue
10. Uncoordinated movements and actions
11. Anxiety, depression, and irritability
12. Poor focus and concentration

People who have insomnia may also report not being fully refreshed and may not feel fully awake.
They could also feel sleepy and tired throughout their day.

 

How To Get To Sleep With Insomnia – Sleeping Tips

A number of critical sleep aids steps can be applied to ensure quality of your paradoxical intention sleep, and bring an end to sleep difficulties. One of the best ways to prevent and stop insomnia is adopting good habits. These habits include :

• Having a consistent bedtime and wake up time every day including on weekends.
• Coming up with a consistent bedtime ritual which may be something like listening to soft music, reading or taking a warm bath.
• Have regular activity that requires some exertions – Engage in some exercise such as running or swimming which promote a better night’s sleep.
• Make your bedroom as comfortable as possible for your nighttime sleep and use the bed only for sleep and sex, and not for reading your Kindle or working.
• Avoid alcohol and limit caffeine and if you must use them, ensure you do not have any for at least 5 hours before bedtime.
• Avoid or limit any naps during the day particularly during the late afternoon.
• Check with your doctor that your medications are not at fault and remove any that may result in insomnia.
• Stick to regular sleep and waking times; these should include your weekends and holidays. Such consistency sets your biological clock and makes your body to naturally adjust. Eventually, you are able to get back to a sleep routine that is regular.
• Check that your bedroom is uncluttered, cool, quiet and free from noise. It helps your mind to remain calm and ready for an interrupted sleep.10. An over the counter natural sleep aid can stop the poor sleep and help replace with quality sleep.
• Try breathing techniques such as inhale deeply hold your breath for 10 seconds then exhale completely and repeat the process.

 

What happens after 24 hours of sleep deprivation?

Sleep is important as it keeps your whole-body system in regeneration mode while you rest.

There are several people who may miss a night of sleep due to having to take care of a sick child, study for a test, or work overnight to beat a deadline.

Even though staying up for 24 hours without sleep will be an unpleasant experience, you will likely not experience any significant negative experience on your health.

Nonetheless, missing sleep might still have some side effects. Several studies have shown that not sleeping for up to 24 hours is comparable to having .10 percent alcohol in the blood. This is well above the legal limit for one allowed to drive in most states in the US.

Other effects of sleep deprivation over 24 hours include: drowsiness, increased risk of accidents, irritability, tremors, impaired decision making, increased muscle tension, impaired judgment, reduced hand-eye coordination, altered perception, impaired hearing and vision, and memory deficits. Most of these symptoms will disappear once you get some sleep.

 

What to do when you can’t fall asleep – Tips To Beat Insomnia

Learning how to sleep better with sleep hygiene helps in improving the quality of your life. If you realize that you are unable to sleep and struggle when hitting the sack, this is what you can do to remedy the situation and stop you feeling tired.

Insomnia usually involves either problems staying asleep at night, falling asleep when you want to, or waking up too early in the middle of the night. The following are some of the things you can do to break these patterns:

1. Set a wind-down time of about 30 minutes before you head to the bed – during this time you should establish a routine such as dimming the lights, some breathing exercises such as deep breathing or reading a physical book (not kindles).
2. Shutdown all electronics including tablets, phones, and laptops as the blue light from these devices can mess with the Circadian rhythm in the brain making it difficult to fall asleep.
3. Have a set time when you go to bed and wake up every day. Even when you have a hard time falling asleep and feel unrested in the morning, you need to have a fixed schedule that you follow religiously even during the weekends. This helps to adjust the circadian rhythm and makes it easier to fall asleep.
4. Sleeping pills from your doctor can be another option, especially if your sleep issues are becoming severe.
5. Use mind and body relaxation techniques such as meditation, music, and reading to help you descend quickly into healthy sleep.
6. Avoid eating and drinking a few hours before you go to bed, don’t eat carbs and start forcing yourself in to this as a routine, this is because your digestive system is put into active mode which then keeps you up for longer.
7. Choosing a luxury bedding that is soft, smooth and feels luxurious on your skin such as TShirt bedding 100% woven cotton can help you drift away that little bit easier.
8. Do not force sleep – If you get into bed and find yourself unable to sleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed and find a relaxing activity such as listening to soothing music or reading a book. This helps to reinforce the bed as a place for sleeping rather than wakefulness, which makes it easier for your brain to associate it with sleep.
9. Muscle relaxation techniques such as a hot bath can help with improving sleep quality and your sleep cycles so you fall asleep quickly.

 

Can you die from Insomnia?

Death from insomnia is associated with rare genetic conditions and abnormalities that over time results in a progressive illness that could cause one to die of sleep deprivations.

The most common illness that can cause death by sleep deprivation is Fatal Familial Insomnia, a genetic illness in which a person loses the capacity for deep sleep, lapses into dreamy sleep from quiet wakefulness and has difficulty staying or falling asleep.

It is a relentless progressive illness whose symptoms include rapid breathing, rapid heart rate, excessive salivation, tremors and eventually coma and death. Persons who develop the illness will typically die from between 8-72 months after they report the first symptoms.

Other than that, insomnia or difficulty falling asleep can only negatively affect the day to day functioning and quality of life of a person. Notably, death could occur as a result of accidents due to lack of proper judgment; especially when operating machinery or traffic accidents.

 

What is the longest anyone has ever stayed awake?

The longest anyone has ever stayed awake was 264.4 hours or roughly 11 days 25 minutes. The feat was achieved in 1964 by high school student Randy Gardner of San Diego California. The previous record has been held by Honolulu resident and disc jockey Tom Rounds, who had set the record by staying awake for 260 hours.

 

What happens to the brain when you don’t sleep?

According to a recent research study in the Journal of Nature Medicine, sleep deprivation makes it hard for brain cells to communicate effectively.

This is the reason you might feel sluggish the morning after a restless night as the brain cells are tired and can’t send messages fast enough. This could result in short term mental lapses that could affect visual perception and memory.

In the study, it was found that neurons fired weaker, responded more slowly, and their transmissions lacked the usual rapid reaction times when the participants were deprived of sleep.

This could explain why you would find it so hard to concentrate or think after having a sleepless night. According to the study, sleep deprivation affected most the regions of the brain that typically exhibited a lot of brain activity when a person is asleep.

These are regions normally associated with perception and memory. As such, these regions would have mental lapses when a person is subjected to sleep deprivation even as other areas of the brain would be completely fine.

The effects of sleep deprivation were compared to those of persons who have had too much to drink and have less control over perception and concentration.

 

How long can you go without sleep before hallucinating?

You can go up to 72 hours without sleep, after which you will start experiencing significant deficits in perception, motivation, and concentrations. It is at about the 72-hour mark that you will start experiencing hallucinations that usually are related to the environment in which you are in.

For instance, if you are on guard duty, you may be convinced that there is someone with a rifle in the nearby forest waiting to sneak up on you when there is nothing there but shadows and branches.

Hallucinations are a dangerous side effect of insomnia. Some of the observed forms of hallucinations include:

• Imagined sounds such as hearing voices.
• Seeing things creepy that are not there.
• Sensing of unfounded smells.
• Feeling as if someone is touching you which are not true.

 

Conclusion

every person has their own unique causes and experiences of insomnia. Sleep being a key ingredient of overall good health; it is important to take necessary measures to prevent suffering from insomnia.

From your environment to food intake and medications, it helps to be acutely aware of what could be causing your lack of sleep and make quick remedies. When mentally counting sheep is not helping with your quality of sleep and upsetting your nights rest you need to make the changes.

You can also check out more information from sleep experts at the national sleep foundation website.

source https://www.tshirtbed.eu/how-to-fall-asleep/

Is TShirt Bedding Really Non-Iron

So we get this question ALL the time….and I know its really hard to believe folks but YES, it seriously is!

In a nutshell, T-shirt fabric is knitted and not woven like regular bed linen which means it has WAY more movement and ‘give’ than normal bed linen.

What this means in real life is that creases don’t hold like they usually do.

Which means that you NEVER have to iron your sheets again (hallelujah!) but also that your bed ALWAYS looks perfect….even after a night sleep. This was a really huge positive for me. Nothing, and I mean nothing kills me more than going through the mission of changing my bed linen today only to wake up to crinkly, slept-in looking bedding 12 hours later! And as my hubby insists on high quality bedding only, the crease-factor is even worse. So in our household, T-Shirt bedding is kind of a miracle….100% cotton AND 100% non-iron. Oh, and 100% approved by fussy husband to boot!

But as they say, the proof is in the pudding. So I did a little experiment to prove how amazing this bedding really is….

Two pillowcases, one from The T-Shirt Bed Co. (not ironed) and another Egyptian cotton. (ironed)

Scrunch them into a ball,pop them into a nifty little bag and wait 2 hours. Tick Tock.

And BOOM….crinkles GALORE on the regular linen and not a crease on the T-Shirt pillowcase!

Can we just examine this up close and personal…..

And Ahhh, my OCD can now calm down to a slow panic….not a crease in sight.

Thank you universe!

For bed perfection made effortless, check out the full collection by clicking on the link below…XOX

Tell Me More

Botanical T-Shirt heaven!

#dream

You can shop The-T-Shirt Bed Co. here….

https://tshirtbed.eu/

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source https://www.tshirtbed.eu/is-tshirt-bedding-really-non-iron/