Wenatex Blog | Healthy Sleep for a Better Life

I thought I knew a thing or two about dreams, but today I took this little quiz and I learned some things I didn’t know before. I got 7 out of 8 which still isn’t bad, but I challenge you to take the quiz and see if you can beat me!

Take the quiz at http://teens.webmd.com/rm-quiz-crazy-dreams?ecd=wnl_slw_080212&ctr=wnl-slw-080212_ld-stry

If you wish to learn about dreams and sleep, you should register to attend a Wenatex ‘Healthy Sleep for a Better Life’ seminar. The seminar is free to attend and held in venues at convenient locations all around Australia.

It is called the “silly season” for a reason. People are flat out celebrating Christmas parties, so they are staying up later, drinking and eating more, spending more time socialising. Christmas shopping needs to be done.  People are running around busy shops, looking for parks, thinking about what to buy. People stress about money, racking up big credit card bills.

 

How do these factors and changes in habit change people’s ability to sleep?

 

Stress, diet, and alcohol are some of the major factors that decrease the quality and quantity of sleep.  It doesn’t take long before Christmas catch-ups and hectic shopping in the summer heat take their toll. 

 

Tips:

 

Stress and Shopping – Avoid unnecessary stress by shopping early so you have time to budget properly, avoid the crowds and have time to find what you’re looking for. You also might consider doing some of your gift shopping online.

 

Diet - Ladies might be tempted to cut carbs to curb the effect of indulging in too much party eating and drinking. To get a good night’s sleep, don’t cut carbs altogether but rather, eat a combination of carbs and small amounts of proteins that contain the amino acid tryptophan. 

 

Alcohol - Drinking alcohol makes you sleepy but it will affect the type of sleep you get.  You will wake up more, dream less in the initial hours of sleep then dream more later on.  So you will wake up feeling vague and irritable.  One glass of wine is okay but rethink that second or third!

 

Temperature - Body temperature is one of the mechanisms for the body to produce the feelings of being awake or tired.  We feel sleepy when our body temperature falls. Make sure your bedroom is cool and comfortable to allow your body temperature to fall rapidly which will help you fall asleep quickly.

If you wish to find out more about how to get a good night’s sleep, come along to a free healthy sleep seminar. Wenatex conducts these seminars all over Australia and New Zealand. To register your interest, fill in the form at http://www.wenatex.com.au/seminars_registration.asp.

How do you stay sane and get a good night’s sleep at this time of the year? Please share your thoughts.

 

It seems that sleeping babies have a certain type of learning ability that is not apparent in sleeping adults. Recent research from the University of Florida has revealed that “newborns act as “data sponges”, absorbing info from their surrounding world non-stop.”

How did researchers test the babies to come up with this finding? They played a tune then blew gentle puffs of air on babies’ eyelids. After a few minutes the majority of the babies anticipated the puff and began squeezing their eyes shut.

It is both fantastic that researchers could think of such an ingenious way of testing newborn babies… and I can’t help but say it, sooooo cute!

You can find the article at http://www.geo.tv/5-20-2010/65259.htm. Do you find this topic as fascinating as I did? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Dolphins are amazing creatures!

New research has revealed that dolphins are able to put half of their brains to sleep while the other half remains conscious. This means they can rest while continuously returning to the surface for air and stay alert to predators. 

Wouldn’t you love to learn this skill? Mums, can you imagine being able to get some rest while getting up to feed your hungry baby?

Anyway, I found this article fascinating and I hope you do too. Please let me know what you think.

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/hscout/2009/05/06/hscout626519.html

 

If you are a “night owl” like me, you will definitely be interested in this story. 

New scientific research has revealed (what I have always known… he he!) that late risers i.e. “night owls” actually have more mental stamina than those who awaken at the crack of dawn i.e. “early birds”.

Check out the article at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090423.wsleep0423/BNStory/Science/home

So are you an early bird or a night owl? Have you adjusted your life or work to take into account your sleeping patterns? Let us know what you think of this story and how it affects you.

“There are two types of people in this world, good and bad. The good sleep better, but the bad seem to enjoy the waking hours much more.”

Visit a Wenatex Sleep Seminar to learn more about Healthy Sleep… No jokes!

http://www.wenatex.com.au/seminars_registration.asp