And so to Bed
When did you last invest in a new bed? If it was more than ten years ago, you need to be
thinking of renewing. At one time, there was
the idea that a hard bed was good for the back, despite the fact that many people found
the reality rather uncomfortable. Now,
the thinking goes that moderate is best, not too hard, not too soft.
Experts say that you should try before
you buy, and recommend that you remove
coat and shoes, wear comfortable clothes and relax for as much as ten minutes. You have to
be very single-minded to try a bed in a showroom for anything longer than a minute or two,
but at least sample lots of beds before you choose.
 One tip from the Sleep Council (an organisation
supported by bed manufacturers and suppliers) : lie
on your back and slide the flat of your hand into the hollow of your back. If your hand slides in easily or there's a
gap, the bed is too firm and you will feel pressure on hips and shoulders. If it is really hard to slide your hand in
and you feel you are sinking into the mattress, the bed is probably too soft for you.
There are many varieties of beds,
including zip-together versions for two people who want to share but have different ideas
of comfort. Don't go for a bed under 5 ft in width even if that is what you
are used to. The wider the bed, the less you
are likely to be disturbed by your partner.
And when did you last turn your
mattress? Should be every month to ensure
even wear say the experts, so now you know. Again,
forget those labelled 'orthopaedic' or 'extra hard' unless you really like that sort of
thing. And never put a new mattress on an old
bed or vice versa. A pillow should
support the neck but not tilt it too high, so one flattish one is enough unless you are
addicted to a steep slope.
The Sleep Council offers free booklets
on choosing beds and some special information for 'silver sleepers' - their name for
the over 60s age group. See their website www.sleepcouncil.org.uk
or telephone them on 01756 791089.
Making up on lost sleep
Is it a good idea to get a sleep later in the day if you had to get up early
or suffered a sleepless night? A midday nap
can make it harder to get to sleep at night, and the ideal thing is to retire early the
following evening to make up on the lost sleep. But
the body tends to slow down after lunch, which is how the siesta got started, and catching
up occasionally at this time can prevent an exhausted evening. A 15-minute nap is more refreshing than a longer,
deeper sleep that can leave you feel slow and dozy. A
10-minute relaxation, sitting or lying down with eyes closed, is just as good.
The big snore
 About
20% of middle-aged people snore. A small
percentage of them, about 2-4%, will be suffering from a potentially dangerous
condition called sleep/apnoea. The main
symptoms are loud snoring followed at intervals by a deep, snorting breath and an alarming
(to any listener) moment of breath-holding silence before the pattern is repeated. This
semi awakens the sleeper who may be regularly deprived of deep, refreshing sleep leaving
him or her (statistically more often him) vulnerable to drowsiness when driving during the
day. The uneven breathing also increases
chance of developing blood pressure or having a stroke.
Losing weight, removing tonsils, remodelling the palate or wearing a special
breathing mask may deal with the problem. Mild
and occasional snorers will benefit from sleeping on their sides, with a cork sewn into a
pocket in the back of their pyjamas to encourage them.
You can also view the previous articles in the series
A Good Night's Sleep
1
A Good Night's Sleep
2 |
