You know the type. You may even be one of them. They are the fortunate few who can sleep through anything. Bad weather. An early-morning rooster crowing. Things that go bump. You name it. It’s no problem for them. They seem to “miss out” on all the little things that keep other people up at night. Or, at the very least – the things that wake others up at night.

Have You Ever Wondered Why They Sleep Through Everything?

Seriously, if you could bottle this stuff up and sell it, you’d be rich. According to the August 10, 2010 edition of Current Biology, there may be a scientific explanation for the reason some people sleep despite symphonies of sound going off in the next room or outside the window.

Brainwaves are to blame according to the article, which explains, “We found that individuals who generated more sleep spindles during a quiet night of sleep went on to exhibit higher tolerance for noise during a subsequent, noisy night of sleep. This result shows that the sleeping brain’s spontaneous activity heralds individual resilience to disruptive stimuli.”

The theory, according to 9News.com in Colorado, about brain spindles, has been around for quite some time. This research, however, is the first definitive proof that that theorists have been on the right track all along. The more spindles the brain produces in an average night, the more sounds the sleeper is able to block out. The downside however, is that researchers do not yet know why some people produce more spindles than others. Until this is known, it leaves some people tossing pillows – a little harder than necessary – at night in an attempt to wake blissfully sleeping partners.

The bottom line is that the sound indicators that wake other people up so easily are simply being filtered out by the brains of those who sleep through everything. Since the brains of these “heavy sleepers” aren’t even registering the sounds, they sleep through them.

What About Light Sleepers?

Do they just have bigger brains? Wouldn’t it be nice, for all the light sleepers out there, if that were the case? However, the fact that every noise on the planet seems to wake you up at night is a sign that your brain is continuing to process information and stimuli from the environment even when the rest of your body is sound asleep.

While there isn’t a method, yet, to boost the creation of brain spindles while sleeping, there are a few things you can do that will help create a buffer between you and the sounds keeping you awake at night – assuming you’re among the many light sleepers out there. These sounds to sleep to include things like:

• White noise machines
• Running fans or dehumidifiers at night
•  Investing in ear plugs
• Tunes to help you sleep
• Creating a bedtime routine or ritual that signals the brain to prepare for sleep

They may not look like big deals but they make a huge difference. Put these tips to work for you and see what a difference it makes for your ability to sleep through the night. You may even find yourself resenting your partner’s ability to sleep through drum parades marching outside his or her window a little less as you become better able to sleep through the night yourself.

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Most people never think about sleep cycles until they begin feeling the impact of not getting an adequate amount of sleep. In fact, there are some people who only know of REM sleep because they hear about it in movies, read about it in books, or watch shows on  television that mention it. However, they have little knowledge of what it means or how different sleep cycles impact their mental and physical health and well-being.

Understanding Sleep Cycles

There are essentially five stages, or cycles of sleep. They can be labeled as stages one to five, REM sleep and Non-REM sleep, or the following:

• Transition to Sleep
• Light Sleep
• First Stage of Deep Sleep
• Second Stage of Deep Sleep
• REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep

Each of these sleep phases serves a purpose. The transition period, typically lasts up to ten minutes. This is when your body makes the transition from wakefulness to sleep. Light sleep is when your eye movements stop, your blood pressure drops, and your muscles relax. You’re no longer awake at this point. The two stages of deep sleep are particularly important because the bulk of the work your body does to repair the damage of the day, recover spent energy, and boost immunity occurs here.

This period of sleep typically lasts 40 to 60 minutes, and waking from deep sleep is more difficult. REM sleep is the period of sleep in which you dream. Waking just after REM sleep leaves you with vivid memories of your dreams, sometimes referred to as lucid dreams.

Regulating Your Sleep Cycles

When your body doesn’t receive an adequate amount of sleep at night, everything suffers to some degree. Missing as little as one hour of sleep at night can slow reaction time, reduce cognitive functions, and lower overall immunity.

Additionally, it can lead to a short fuse when dealing with others, which renders you somewhat unpleasant to be around. The damage to your day is greatly exacerbated when your sleep is interrupted during one of the two deep sleep cycles where your body is doing the greatest amount of repair during sleep. One way to avoid interrupting this vital cycle of sleep is to use a sleep cycle alarm clock to help you wake during the lighter sleep phases when the interruption is less problematic.

Regulating your sleep cycles for a better night’s sleep can also help a great deal. Here are a few steps you can take to achieve that goal:

• Establish a bedtime ritual.
• Get regular exercise during the day.
• Create favorable sleeping conditions (clear the room of clutter, electronics that distract from sleep, set the best temperature for sleeping, sleep on a comfortable mattress).
• Go to bed at the same time each night.
• Avoid large snacks before going to bed (cut off alcohol and caffeine during the hours leading up to bedtime as well). Instead eat foods that help you sleep.

Small changes yield big results in the quality of sleep you get at night as well as the amount of sleep you get. Developing a better understanding of your sleep cycles is just one part of the process of getting more productive sleep.

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The exact science behind why people dream is still a mystery, but recent research using computer technology now brings us closer to understanding dreams.

Functional Magnetic Resonance Image (fMRI) scans can essentially “see” our dreams by revealing visual images our brains have while we are dreaming. What’s more, a computer is able to predict what you are dreaming about while asleep based upon your brainwave activity, according to a new study out of Japan.

Published in the journal Science, the Neural Decoding of Visual Imagery During Sleep report now gives more objective evidence of dreams.

“We know almost nothing about the function of dreaming,” said study co-author Masako Tamaki, a neuroscientist at Brown University. “Using this method, we might be able to know more about the function of dreaming.”

A key finding that of the research is that scientists believe that our brains use the same mental circuitry to interpret visual images whether we are awake or asleep.

Computers Can Now Predict Dreams Sleep Study Details

To arrive at their findings, Yukiyasu Kamitani, senior author of the study and of ATR Computational Laboratories in Japan, along with his colleagues from the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology and the Nara Institute of Science and Technology, invited three volunteers to agree to sleep inside a fMRI, or functional magnetic resonance imaging machine. Functional magnetic resonance imaging is a procedure used both in the research and clinical worlds to measure brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow.

The researchers examined the volunteers’ brain activities when viewing pictures of streets, cars, and other normal everyday scenes both while awake and in a light sleep. The volunteers were awakened from their sleep and were immediately asked what they say. Most volunteers reporting seeing everyday scenes, including a house or a street.

This process went on for 200 awakenings, after which, the researchers found that their computer technology process was roughly 60 percent accurate in predicting what the sleeping volunteers had just seen before waking up. These findings suggest that the brain circuitry works similarly whether awake or asleep.

The hope is that the findings of this fresh study will aid technology in not only helping derive a better understanding of what goes on when people have nightmares, but also aid in treating psychiatric patients who experience hallucinations with their disorder.

As a related story, read how Guided Imagery for Sleep helps people improve their quantity and quality of sleep.

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Lack of sleep can do more than make you grumpier than Oscar the Grouch. It can have an impact on your immune system, according to a study conducted by the Surrey Sleep Research Centre. Researchers found that poor sleep quality for just one week could impact hundreds of genes related to metabolism, response to stress, and our immune system, which helps to protect us from illness and disease.

“It is an old wives’ tale that if you don’t sleep well, you will get sick, and there is some experimental data that shows this is true,” says Diwakar Balachandran, MD, who is the director of the Sleep Center at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Keep in mind that our immune system, by design, is set up to protect us from a variety of ailments, including colds and the flu. But when it’s not functioning as it should, then its ability to “do its job” protecting us is lessened.

Lack of Sleep and the Common Cold

Other studies have revealed that for people who get inadequate sleep, either in quantity or quality, have a greater likelihood of getting sick after exposed to a virus, including the common cold, the Mayo Clinic points out.

Lack of Sleep and Recovering from Illness

Lack of sleep and the immune system doesn’t just impact whether or not we come down with an illness. It also impacts how fast we get well after being sick.

Take this example: when we get an infection, our body naturally fights this with a fever. “One of the things that happens when we sleep is that we can get a better fever response,” says doctor Balachandran. “This is why fevers tend to rise at night. But if we are not sleeping, our fever reaction is not primed, so we may not be waging war on infection as best we can,” he explains.

Lack of Sleep and Other Medical Conditions

When you have inflammation or an infection, your body needs cytokines to fight off these invaders. However, the production of cytokines are disrupted — and may even decrease — when sleep deprived. This in turn decreases your ability to ward off certain diseases; in other words, it ups the risk of developing diabetes, obesity, heart, and other cardiovascular conditions.

Preventing Illness with Sleep: What You Can Do

If you are not getting enough sleep — or enough quality sleep, the first question to ask yourself is why? Do you have a sleep disorder? Is your bedroom environment not conducive to sleep? Is your mattress lumpy, saggy, and about five years past its prime? It may be a simple fix, such as lowering the thermostat to the best temperature for sleep or investing in a new mattress. On the other hand, if you have insomnia, sleep apnea, or another underlying health condition, a visit to your physician or sleep specialist may be in order.

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For many people, spring is a welcome sight after a cold and dreary winter. For allergy sufferers though, the sight of blooming flowers, budding trees, and green grass is greeted with less of a warm-and-fuzzy welcome. The sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, coughing, congestion, sinus pressure, itchy and watery eyes, and even difficulty sleeping are all signs that it’s allergies are in full bloom.

Allergy Statistics

Take one look at allergy statistics, and if you have them, you know that you are far from being alone.

What are Spring Allergies?

Spring allergies, also called hay fever or allergic rhinitis, occur when trees start budding and flowers and other plants start pollinating. Pollen is a very fine dust-like powder released by plants to help them germinate.

Your allergies, then, is simply your body having a heightened sensitivity to a foreign substance. This heightened sensitivity causes your body’s defense (i.e. immune) system to kick into full gear and defend itself — making you miserable in the process.

Getting a Better Night’s Sleep with Spring Allergies

So, what can you do to help get a better night’s sleep if you have spring allergies (short of locking yourself indoors for six weeks or more)?

Take more showers. When you come indoors from being outside, if at all possible, immediately take off your clothes and have a shower. This includes washing your hair as the tiny pollen particles get trapped in your hair. At the very least, take a shower before you crawl into those pollen-free covers at bedtime.

Clear your sinuses. To alleviate congestion that impacts a good night’s sleep as well as to release trapped pollen in your nasal passage, consider doing a sinus rinse. “Neti pots” flush your sinuses with water, saline, or a salt water solution which can give you relief from pollen allergy symptoms. The water flushes out the pollen in the mucus, while the salt helps to dry out your nasal passages.

Bathe your pet. If you have an outdoor pet, he is no doubt bringing in pollen in his beautiful coat. While time-consuming, if you’re especially affected by spring allergies, you may want to consider a weekly bath for your pet, if not a nightly one.

Keep windows and doors closed. This is especially important when the pollen count is high. Your local news agencies are a good source of pollen counts, or visit pollen.com to check for today’s pollen count in your area.

Purchase an air purifier. Use an air purifier in your bedroom and keep your bedroom door closed. This will at least provide you with one room — the room in which you sleep — to be essentially pollen free and a safe haven.

Sleep on a 100% natural latex mattress. If you are prone to allergies, it’s a good idea to sleep on a mattress that is made out of organic latex that is hypoallergenic.

Treat yourself. Natural remedies are best, like these from Woman’s Day. However, if your allergies are particularly problematic, then you may need to see your doctor or an allergy specialist to see if some over-the-counter or prescription medications to ease your spring allergy sleeping discomforts.

Whether your spring allergies are mild or severe, these natural remedies can help you not to have to “learn to live with” your allergies.

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Recurring dreams can be as frightening as a night terror when you don’t understand what they mean. It might even feel like you’re the only person who experiences them, whether they are dreams that feel real (lucid dreams) or premonition dreams. That really isn’t the case though. Most people will experience them at various stages of life. The key is to discover what your recurring dream might be trying to tell you.

Are Recurring Dreams Warnings?

While everyone has different dreams on any given night, there are a few consistent themes in recurring dreams that happen from one person to the next. According to Dr. Oz, “There are 5 dreams that are so common among us all that they get reported to me on a daily basis.”

But, can these common recurring dream symbols and themes have real life lessons for the dreamers?

According to Dr. Oz, that seems to be the case. For instance, recurring dreams about a cheating spouse doesn’t necessarily mean your partner is cheating. It often indicates that there is a fifth wheel in your relationship such as work or other non-romantic interests, and that now is a good time to invest in a little extra romantic attention.

Common dreams about being back at school often indicates that you’ve reached a point in your career where you feel unprepared and that now might be the time to invest a little time outside of work towards preparing to meet the demands of your job and/or industry.

Dreams about teeth falling out, on the other hand, may mean you’ve said something that may have been better left unsaid. Whether it was a spilled secret, something spiteful and petty, or words you didn’t really mean that hurt someone you cared about, the lesson here is clear: watch your words.

The fourth common dream may be one of the most common. It’s the dream of being chased. The lesson this dream teaches is that you can’t keep running forever – no matter how hard you’re working to avoid the situation.

Finally, dreams of dirty toilets, overflowing toilets, or other plumbing disasters are good indications that you’re holding your emotions tightly in check and it’s time to let go. Stop bottling up your emotions, and you should find a new kind of freedom.

Getting Rid of Recurring Dreams

Most people find that once the issue is addressed, the dream abates. At least, this is the case until problems arise again. Then, you may find yourself struggling through a new recurring dream, or experiencing the same one over and over again.

The best thing you can do to avoid recurring dreams altogether is really get attuned to your emotional center so that you can avoid them before they become problems. The next best thing is to recognize the dream for what it is while you’re having it, and try to take control of where the dream takes you next. Ultimately, after all, they are just dreams.

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You brush your teeth for the full two minutes before bed. You insert some plastic tape within your teeth at least once per day. You swish mouthwash until it makes your mouth burn. In other words, you do everything right in the oral hygiene department. So, why is it when you wake up that you have such offensive morning breath?

The Truth About Morning Breath

Morning breath, called halitosis by your doctor, is caused by bacteria in your mouth, that simply love all things wet and warm. Overnight, when your mouth is inactive, there is less oxygen circulating in your mouth. As a result, the bacteria multiplies and becomes the perfect environment for a stinky aroma.

According to Wexner Medical Center, a decrease in saliva, which happens to many people when they sleep, makes it more difficult for your mouth to cleanse itself. As the saliva production slows down at night, so does the diluting of bacteria and transfer to your gut. The result is a stench that even your dog finds offensive.

Another thing you might not be aware of is that bad breath can be of a number of types, says NYC Cosmetic Dentist, Thomas P. Connelly, D.D.S., including:

• mouth breath
• tonsil breath
• lung breath
• stomach breath
• sinus breath
• exhaustion breath

Tips for Sweet-Smelling Morning Breath

It really is no surprise that store shelves are jam-packed with mints, gum, fresh-mint toothpastes, and powerful mouthwashes designed to fight halitosis. But aside from popping a Tic Tac in your mouth as soon as your alarm clock goes off, what are some things you can do to lesson the wrath of morning stench?

1) Practice perfect oral hygiene. The first defense against halitosis is listen to the sound advice of your dentist. Brush your teeth at least two times a day and floss daily. Don’t go to bed without brushing your teeth — ever. Make it one of your bedtime rituals. Food left in your mouth while you sleep is a breeding ground for bacteria. In addition, don’t forget to brush your tongue, or if your tongue is severely coated, use a tongue scraper, advises the Mayo Clinic. Lastly, change your toothbrush regularly — at least every three months, says the American Dental Association.

2) Watch your culinary choices. We all know that foods like garlic and onions lead to bad breath, but these types of foods are actually absorbed into your bloodstream, says celebrity nutritionist Joy Bauer. The result: their odor is expelled in the air you exhale. Until these types of foods are completely eliminated by your body, they have the potential to be emitted in your breath. Sugary foods can also contribute to bad breath.

3) Get a dental checkup. If you have periodontal disease, it may be the reason for your not-so-sweet-smelling morning breath. In fact, one of the classic symptoms of periodontal disease is foul odor. Extensive plaque buildup can also be a source of halitosis, so be sure to have your teeth cleaned regularly.

4) Ditch tobacco. Whether you smoke cigarettes or chew tobacco, or puff a cigar, tobacco products can cause bad breath.

The good news about halitosis is that it is not only a treatable condition, but preventable as well. Here’s another piece of good news: most people are overly paranoid about their breath and believe it smells worse than it actually does. On the other hand, there are those that aren’t even aware of their stinky breath. Which category do you fall into?

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Beauty sleep is so much more than just a myth. At least that’s the case according to a recent study conducted by the Karolinska Institute of Sweden’s John Axelsson. The findings of the study, which appeared in the British medical journal, BMJ,  involved 23 participants aged 18 to 31 who agreed to be photographed twice. Once after getting eight hours of sleep and the other after being allowed only five hours of sleep followed by 31 hours of being deprived of sleep. These photos were then shown to 65 untrained observers to rate the healthiness, overall fatigue, and attractiveness of the test subjects based on the two photographs. The results showed that people look more attractive, healthier, and well-rested after a solid eight hours of sleep.

The Good

The good is what sleep does for the body. According to the Huffington Post, this study in the BMJ is the first of its kind to explore the positive impact of sleep on beauty despite many other studies conducted exploring how too little sleep negatively impacts health and beauty. However, it’s important to remember that you can have too much of a good thing. According to New York City dermatologist, Doris Day, “There are studies that show getting too much sleep is as detrimental to your skin as not getting enough,” Getting too much sleep actually causes cells to begin breaking down.

The Bad

What exactly happens when you don’t get enough sleep? Short-term sleep deprivation is bad for the body. There’s no way around it. The common impact it has on the body is that it lowers immunity, leaves you feeling irritable, stressed out, and unprepared for the day. The study mentioned above and in this ABC News segment reminds us of the impact of just one instance of sleep deprivation. The truth is that we all need to get a good night’s sleep every night for the sake of our health and our beauty.

The Ugly

The ugly truth about beauty sleep is that chronic sleep deprivation has some very nasty impacts on health and beauty. Countless studies have linked it to health condition and beauty conditions alike including Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, depression, faster tumor growth, weakened immune systems, higher stress rates, and to diabetes. Today’s bodies need a little more than 40 winks to get them through the night. Eight hours of sleep, for many people, feels like a luxury with the busy lives you lead today. However, failing to get the right amount of sleep can place your health and beauty at greater potential risk than you realize.

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Flame retardant chemicals, known as PBDE, found in some common household items, such as carpeting, baby strollers, and certain types of mattresses, may be linked to cognitive problems in children, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

“Because PBDEs exist in the home and office environment as they are contained in old furniture, carpet pads, foams and electronics, the study raises further concern about their toxicity in developing children,” said lead author and assistant professor Aimin Chen, MD, PhD.

What are PBDEs?

The flame retardant chemicals are called polybrominated diphenyl ethers and are used by manufacturers in plastics, automobiles, textiles, and insulation as a flame retardant. Because they are not bound to the product they are used in, they can seep out into these products, warns the EPA.

PBDE Study Details

Dr. Chen and his colleagues analyzed blood samples of 309 pregnant women with respect to PBDE levels, and continued to follow their children for a period of five years. On an annual basis, until the children were five years of age, the researchers conducted both intelligence and behavior tests.

PBDE Study Results

The findings of the study are concerning. Higher levels of PBDEs in the mothers’ blood were associated with lower scores of intelligence and hyperactivity in their children. Specifically, a ten-times increase in the moms’ PBDE level was associated with about a four point IQ shortfall in their five-year-old children.

“We found maternal exposure to PBDEs, a group of brominated flame retardants mostly withdrawn from the U.S. market in 2004, was associated with deficits in child cognition at age 5 years and hyperactivity at ages 2-5 years,” Dr. Chen said.

PBDE Study Impact

While PBDEs are not used by manufacturers as a flame retardant in the U.S. currently (they were withdrawn from the U.S. in 2004), they are still found in many consumer goods purchased several years ago. Because PBDEs do not break down easily or quickly, they are not very biodegradable, so they can transfer to a developing fetus. Scientists think that PBDEs in humans can be embedded in our body lipids and tissues when inhaled, making it possible to transfer to unborn children.

Although Chen’s findings are considered preliminary since no cause-and-effect was proven and the findings haven’t yet been published in a peer-review journal, there are two other large studies in the U.S. that found links between flame retardants prenatal exposure and reduced IQ and development deficiencies that makes Chen’s findings more unsettling.

It is important to note that PlushBeds natural latex mattresses do NOT contain PBDEs. In fact, our natural latex mattresses use wool as a natural fire barrier, and our Plushfoam mattresses contain no PBDEs.

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Hip pain is a common complaint, especially for older people. “A total of 14.3% of participants aged 60 years and older reported significant hip pain on most days over the past 6 weeks,” according to a John Hopkins School of Medicine survey. Women, at least according to this survey, have more frequent hip pain than men.

Hip Pain Causes

Treatment for hip pain is dependent upon the cause — for which there are many. Hip pain can be associated with problems with the hip joint itself or problems with the tendons, muscles, or ligaments surrounding your hip joint. In other cases, hip pain can be sort of a referred pain, resulting from conditions from other areas of your body, such as your knees or lower back.

The most likely sources of hip pain include:

• Arthritis
• Bursitis
• Tendinitis
• Injury
• Hip Fracture
• Pinched Nerve
• Tendon, ligament or muscle strain
• Cancer

Can a Mattress Help with Hip Pain?

Sleeping with hip pain can be problematic, especially when the pain is not mild. While treating the underlying source of the pain is paramount, there are several tips that can help you get the sleep you need even when plagued with hip pain.

The hardest thing for most people in terms of sleeping with hip pain is getting into a comfortable position. This can be a particular thorn for people who like to sleep on their sides. For those who like to sleep on their side and also have hip pain, the best mattress for side sleepers is generally a medium firm to firm mattress.

Some people who have hip pain also have sciatic nerve pain that runs from their hip down into their legs. These individuals need to learn how to sleep with sciatica, and a natural latex mattress, that offers contouring support and pressure point reduction meets this need nicely.

If you have hip pain on only one side, the National Institutes of Health suggests that you sleep on your non-painful side. You should also try to sleep with a pillow between your legs.

All-in-all, the best mattress for hip pain is a high-quality mattress that offers both comfort and support to your painful hip areas. Hip pain doesn’t have to keep you up at night. The right mattress and strategic use of pillows can make all the difference in the world.

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