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Learning to Sleep 'Properly' for 2020

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October 17th, 2019

Are you feeling:
  • Chronically-Fatigued
  • Burnt-out
  • Exhausted

and because of it are you…

  • Unproductive
  • Irritable
  • Depressed

Yes. It can be brutal, debilitating, paralyzing.

 

It can cost you your job, relationships, happiness.

Lack of quality sleep can be disastrous

Lack of sleep (more specifically, a lack of therapeutic/restorative sleep) is a modern world epidemic.

And there is plenty of cringe-worthy evidence revealing the wake of destruction it can leave behind.

Lack of sleep increases Heart Attack Risk

Consider this. There’s a study that shows that during Daylight Savings, after a LOSS OF JUST 1 HOUR OF SLEEP, acute heart attacks rise by 24%. Conversely in the fall, after one hour of sleep is regained, heart attacks are reduced by 21%.

(*Spoiler Alert*)

And think about how things start to break down when you’re tired. Think about how your productivity and your quality of life suffers when you’ve lacked sleep over a long period of time.

Now think about how complex and important “sleep processes” must be that you are required to be unconscious and immobilized throughout its duration.

Physical Healing During “Deep Sleep”

  • Production and restoration of white blood cells (your cancer fighters)
  • Repair and maintenance of organs, bones, muscles, etc. (so you don't deteriorate!)
  • Production/secretion of bio-chemicals (so your organs operate properly)

Mental/Emotional Healing During “Deep Sleep”

  • "Think, Feel, Learn"
  • Pruning & reinforcing synapses in emotional centers (& other parts of the brain)
  • Recognize data
  • Process newly learned info, organize and archive memories

Everything that happens during sleep is meant to keep every aspect of you functioning optimally.
It’s during sleep (more specifically deep sleep) when all forms of emotional and physical healing take place.

The problem is that often we never get to the deep stages of sleep where all the therapeutic benefits occur.
We get stuck in the preliminary stages because the accumulation of our anxiety, stress and unhealthy lifestyle block our entry into the “healing segments” of sleep.

We understand, sometimes life is so hectic that you can’t get to bed at a reasonable hour, or sometimes responsibilities keep you up at night. We’re not here to judge or to tell you how to run your life because life gets complicated…

But what we are saying is that when you do finally lie down, you have to ensure you’re going to make it to the “healing stages” of sleep.

OK I Agree. I'm Ready For 'Deep Sleep'. Now What?

Getting a proper sleep requires a 4-pronged approach. Here are our top 4 Sleep-Solutions (in order of importance) to guide you on your journey to a more restful slumber.
Our Top 4 Sleep Solutions:

#1 Sleep With a Weighted Blanket

Derived from Temple Grandin’s “Squeeze Box” (used to calm autistic and hypersensitive patients).

A blanket – made heavier – with the aid of small beads residing in numerous pockets within the blanket. The deep pressure created by the weight of the blanket has a calming effect. Science has confirmed the blanket’s therapeutic benefits in numerous studies.​

Rating: 5/5
5/5

Pros

  • Deep sleep immediately!
  • Stimulation of "feel good" hormones!
  • Very Low Cost compared to mattresses
  • Natural and doesn't require ingestion of chemicals

Cons

  • Can be warm in summer
  • Difficult to transport when going on vacation

Bottom Line

Start sleeping with a Weighted Blanket now! We’ve stressed the importance of deep sleep. Sleeping with a weighted blanket will get you quality sleep, thus improving your mental and physical health! It will become an important part of your other Sleep Solutions.

#2 Build a Sleep Routine

benefits of weighted blankets
Repetition of calming activities (in a routine-like fashion) before bed, signal to the body that it’s time to “wind down”. Pre-bedtime-rituals promote faster and deeper sleep.
Rating: 4.4/5
4.4/5

Pros

  • Breathing exercises have a calming effect that carry over to other aspects of life
  • Become more in-sync with circadian rhythms

Cons

  • Some don't have time, energy, or the personality to implement a new routine
  • Trial-and-error can take weeks or months for the mind/body to adapt

Bottom Line

Healthy sleep routines help reduce anxiety by facilitating relaxation. They save time by getting us to sleep faster. And most importantly, they create structure in our lives by helping to instill good habits (breathing and meditative techniques), while removing bad habits (TV, electronic devices).

#3 Optimize Your Sleep Environment

A personalized “bedroom setup” can help promote a more therapeutic sleep. Variables to consider include bedroom furniture (and their positioning), bedding, room color, lighting, room temperature, scents, & noise.
Rating: 4.2/5
4.2/5

Pros

  • Removal of distractions has a positive effect on concentration and mental clarity
  • The act of "decluttering" is therapeutic and can carry over to other aspects of life

Cons

  • Can take weeks/months to find the right combination of variables that work
  • Can be expensive to refurnish a bedroom

Bottom Line

Just like a good work environment improves productivity, a good sleep environment improves sleep quality. Always include a weighted blanket in your new sleep environment.

#4 Use a Sleep App

Sleep Trackers measure several aspects of your sleep including amount of asleep, quality of sleep, quality of sleep environment, and other sleep related metrics. Apps like Calm and Headspace have “sleep specific programs” that will help you build a sleep routine.
Rating: 4/5
4/5

Pros

  • Contributes to formation of good sleep habits and routine
  • Provides valuable insights into sleep depth during different times of the night

Cons

  • Electronics in the same room can interfere with sleep - some experts strongly oppose exposure to electronic devices within 1 hour of bedtime
  • Reinforces reliance/addiction to electronic devices

Bottom Line

Anything promoting good sleep habits gets our vote. But be careful with electronics in your sleep environment. Always be mindful of excessive “screen time”.

I Want a Weighted Blanket!

Not all weighted blankets are created equal. We tested 11 blankets available in the UK and narrowed it down to the 3 top weighted blankets based on effectiveness, quality and price.

**Important: There is a £17 discount voucher (“17BLANKET”) you must add after the cart page (On mobile it can be difficult to find. Click “order summary” after the cart page to find the voucher code field). We don’t know how long this code will be active but as of today it is still working.

The Koala Blanket is our Favourite

The goal of this UK based company, was to create a product that solved the issue of bead spillage, ripping, and uneven weight distribution – issues that other weighted blankets struggled with. After 18 months of development, they produced a product that overcame these struggles, that still provided an affordable price for their customers.

This blanket is made out of organic cotton and the cover is two sided. It has smaller pockets to keep the weighted beads in place. They also use extra strong thread and double stitching to ensure the blanket doesn’t break and spill its beads. This is a big complaint with other weighted blankets so it is nice to see this feature.
Shop for Your Koala Weighted Blanket!
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