Infographic: The importance of a good night’s sleep

“I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I’m awake, you know?”
― Ernest Hemingway

I like this quote.

I love sleep too and the same as Ernest Hemingway, sometimes I feel that everything is falling apart once I am up. But this isn’t really true is it?

Sleep gives us strength, it gives is the ability to battle through the day so we can actually “make it”. Sleep is an essential part of our daily circle and without it we simply cannot function properly.

So the simple solution to making our life better is getting more sleep, more good quality sleep. Apparently most adult humans need eight hours of sleep a night to be fully rested and functional. That’s a lot of hours spent sleeping… but as it is needed we should really make the most of it.

Oldrids & Downtown commissioned this great infographic to show the importance of a good night’s sleep. It illustrates the basic rules for a good night sleep, stages of sleep, effects of sleep deprivation and my favourite part: relaxation techniques for a better sleep.

Do you sleep peacefully through the night?

I personally struggle with sleep. I have problems falling to sleep, most likely because I can’t switch off. I can lie there for hours thinking about mundane stuff which will have to be done the next day or about any problems I have at the time, trying to find a solution to fix it. I wish my sleep was deeper so that every little squeak in the house wouldn’t wake me up. I wish my sleep was longer… once I finally get to sleep I have troubles with waking up… probably even more than with going to sleep. Waking up for me is the worst part of the day; most days I just want to pull the quilt over my head, hide in my cocoon and go back to sleep but I can’t…

So any tips on how to improve my sleep or the quality of it are very welcome.

Please share with me if you know something that could help me sleep better.

* This infographic has been designed on behalf of Oldrids & Downtown.

How to create a safe sleeping environment for your baby

The average new-born baby sleeps for 16-20 hours a day, however as those already with children know, it is usually staggered, and isn’t always at night either! With your baby sleeping so much, there are some things that you need to be aware of to make sure your baby is as safe as possible in order to ensure that everyone will get a peaceful night’s sleep.

Here are five of the most common questions asked by new parents, and what actions should be taken:

How can I make my baby’s room safe?

As a rule, there should be no smoking in the same room as your baby. Other things to look out for include:

– making sure the changing mat is secure if kept in the same room
– making sure all bookshelves and wardrobes are secure so they cannot be pulled down on top of them
– making sure other items are out of reach e.g. baby wipes and baby powder.

We can’t watch our babies every single minute of the day, so a baby monitor can provide additional reassurance when you’re not in the same room as your child. The D-Link EyeOn Baby Camera turns your smartphone or tablet into a monitor, giving you HD clarity and audio for 24/7 monitoring of your baby. The camera also sends instant push notifications to your phone so you know when your baby is stirring or making a noise too.

Where should my baby sleep?

When putting your baby down to sleep, it is important that the environment is right to give your baby the best sleep possible. Depending on the time of day, babies can sleep in cots, moses baskets, prams or in their parents beds providing they have not been smoking, drinking or taking drugs.

A moses basket is suitable for new-borns as the basket is small so will not be overwhelming, providing a cosy sleeping environment. However, it doesn’t take long for your new-born to outgrow a moses basket and need a cot.

Cots are the most common sleep solution and babies can stay in these for years, depending on the size. The mattress should be firm and there should be no more than two fingers width between the cot and mattress. The width between the cot bars should be between 45mm – 65mm wide.

An additional feature of the D-Link EyeOn is that it allows you to communicate with your little one from your smart phone. Either use the two-way audio exchange or play one of the classic lullabies when your baby is restless, no matter where they’re sleeping.

Which position is safest for my baby?

When putting your baby to sleep, it’s important to place them on their back. Statistics have shown that this reduces the chances of SIDS. Although statistics show that over the years the risk of this has been dropping, it is still seen as a risk and should therefore be avoided.

When laying your baby down to sleep, you should put your baby in a feet-to-foot position – ensuring your babies’ feet touch the end of the cot. This prevents them from wriggling down the mattress and underneath bedding.

To reduce the risk of suffocation, all additional bedding items should be removed when your baby is sleeping, including blankets, bumpers, pillows and toys. The only thing that should be in with your baby is the mattress and a fitted sheet, which should come up to their shoulders.

What temperature should my baby’s room be?

When removing additional blankets you may be concerned whether your baby is too hot or cold. The temperature of the baby’s room should be kept in between 16-20’C, and the cot itself should be kept out of draughts from open windows and away from radiators and direct sunlight. Babies should be warm but not hot to the touch or sweating.

Another feature of the EyeOn baby monitor is the temperature gauge, which can be customised and set so when the temperature becomes too high or too low in your baby’s room you can receive push notifications on your mobile or tablet.

You can check to see if your baby is the right temperature by feeling their stomach. If they are too warm you should remove some layers and too cold you can add another vest, footed sleepsuits or a baby sleeping bag.

How often should I check on my baby?

The intervals in which you check your baby is completely down to personal preference. Some parents feel they need to check regularly, whereas others are happy with checking only a few times.

The EyeOn baby monitor has audio functionality and a constant Wi-Fi connection, so can be kept on at all times when you are in other rooms. The camera also has a night-mode setting, meaning you don’t have to go in and potentially disturb your little darling. Instead you can get a peaceful night’s sleep, safe in the knowledge that your baby is sleeping safe and sound.

For more information on the EyeOn baby monitor please visit D-Link website.

*Post in collaboration with D-Link EyeOn Baby Monitor

Why snoring can put your health at risk

Snoring is a very common problem in the UK and it has been recognised as a social problem for many of years; the actual problems of which Snorers complain centre around disturbing others ‘sleep, poor sleep quality, lethargy and sore throat. Some of the predisposing factors are well-known and include obesity, alcohol and sleeping position. From a English suburban community 1,075 men and women were invited to provide information about their snoring in a ‘snore survey’ questionnaire carried out in 2004 by Sunderland Royal Hospital. From the results it was estimated that 43.75% of the middle aged (30 – 69 years) UK population snore and 41.5% of the UK adult population snore. In another survey by Tom Ford in Detroit, snorers were found to have significantly greater intima-media thickness, thought to be a precursor to atherosclerosis, thickening of the arteries, which can lead to brain haemorrhages, heart attacks and strokes.

It’s not laughing matter

American researchers have found that snoring can lead to a deterioration of your sleep quality leaving you exhausted the next day and increasing the risk of stroke. According to the American Heart Association the evidence is very strong for the relationship between sleep apnea and hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

A quarter of British couples say snoring is ruining their sex lives and it’s cited as the third most common reason for divorce after financial problems and adultery. With 38% of couples saying that their partner’s sleep disorder has caused problems in their relationship it’s many times the reason couples seek relationship counselling.

Understanding Snoring

To understand the problem it’s important to know what snoring actually is. Expert snoring advisor, Richard Tyrell of Snorewizard explains that snoring is the production of sound from the upper aerodigestive tract during sleep. ‘When we sleep, the airways in the head and neck relax and narrow. The resulting restriction in the size of the air passages affects our breathing rate and changes the air pressure, which results in vibrations of soft tissue. The nasal passages, soft palate, tongue, tonsils and uvula have all been found to play a part in creating the sound we call snoring. Evidence suggests that snoring will get worse over time if left untreated as it can cause irreparable damage blood vessels supplying the muscles in the throat.’

Risk factors

Obesity – Extra weight is a risk factor for snoring, although those of us at a healthy weight aren’t immune. Extra weight around the neck can exacerbate the narrowing of the air passages that occurs when we sleep.

Alcohol/tranquilisers – Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it causes the body’s systems to slow down and relax. It causes the muscles involved in snoring to relax more than usual when you sleep, further narrowing the airways and increasing the chances of snoring.

Age – We snore more as we get older. This is perhaps due to a decrease in muscle tone of the soft tissue involved in snoring. Middle-aged men have been found to be the biggest snorers. 60% of men and 40% of women over the age of 60 have been found to snore.

Smoking – Smoking has been found to be a major contributing factor when it comes to snoring, even amongst ex-smokers. Passive smoking could also be linked to snoring. Smoke irritates the lining of the nasal cavity and throat, which leads to swelling, catarrh and therefore, narrowed airways, much the same as when you have a cold.

Medication – Some medications like sedatives or anti-depressants which cause you to relax more than usual have been found to increase the likelihood of snoring.

Nasal or sinus problems – Some of these issues can cause your airways to narrow more than usual.

Eating a large meal or eating near bedtime – Both of these things can cause you to relax more than usual or, with a full stomach you can affect how open your airways are.

What can you do?

Exercise and weight loss are a good start point; sleeping on your side will take pressure off your throat and clearing your nasal passages before bed will minimise obstruction of your air passages. Always seek expert medical advice and try to find out more about some alternative devices available that can help you get a better night’s sleep.

Do you snore?

How do you cope with you snoring partner?

*Post brought to you by Snorewizard.