Sleep is a natural beautiful thing. Studies have shown us exactly how essential sleep is to maintain our peek physical, mental, and emotional performances. Unfortunately for many U.S. adults, getting a good night’s sleep every night seems to be an unachievable feat. There are many factors that can prevent us from falling asleep — with nearly half of U.S. adults saying they snore, a snoring spouse can be just the beginning of the list, There are anywhere from 50 to 70 million American adults that have a sleep disorder with insomnia being reported in short term cases for 30% of adults and chronic insomnia by 10% of adults. Understanding sleep better may be the beginning of how to achieve a better night’s sleep.
The Five Stages of Sleep
There is a lot that goes on in our brains throughout the night as studies suggest that sleep is necessary to maintain a sharp memory and quick reaction time. There are five stages of sleep we go through in a cycle that takes roughly 90 to 110 minutes to complete. The first stage is light sleep, Stage 1 sleep where one can be awakened easily. Stage 2 sleep is when eye movement stops and brain waves begin to slow. By the time one enters Stage 3 sleep they have extremely slow brain waves called delta waves that are interspersed with other, faster waves. Stage 3 and the subsequent Stage 4 sleep are referred to as deep sleep states with no eye movement or muscle activity — coincidentally, this is when many experience bedwetting, sleepwalking, or even night terrors. The final state of sleep is where the magic happens, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is when our minds sort through the days activities, ultimately leading to memory retention.
What Sleep Deprivation Does to Us
A lack of sleep pays a heavy toll on one’s mind and body alike. Our muscles need sleep to repair themselves, as this is when processes like digestion slow and cell growth and repair heighten. Too little sleep will make an individual unable to perform optimally in fields of focus, critical thinking, reaction, and athletics. Four out of every five Americans agree that a lack of sleep causes a massive impact by increasing the difficulty of concentrating and leading to an increase in stress. In fact, two out of five Americans reported unintentionally falling asleep during the day at least once in the past 30 days. What is really scary is the fact that 4.7% of adults in the U.S. have reported to nodding off or falling asleep at the wheel while driving at least once in the preceding month. Sleep is essential not only to you, but to those around you.
How to Get a Better Night’s Sleep
Nearly half of all who get a comfortable night sleep say that a comfortable mattress is the most important element. Investing in a newer model such as a pressure relieving mattress could help address the nature of your sleep problem. Other options for comfort include double sided mattresses. The benefit of the best double sided mattresses is a refreshed mattress that retains a longer life than others. By flipping a double sided mattress, one can have another flat surface with no body impressions to sleep on — flipping the mattress over simultaneously allows the other side to work itself out for a while, helping the materials naturally settle to allow users to flip it repeatedly. Experts say that double sided mattresses should be flipped around every six months for optimal comfort; by buying from the best double sided mattress manufacturers gives the owner a minimum 2 year increase in service life over a traditional mattress. For help in the matter find your local sleep store to find the best double sided mattresses to experience the best night’s sleep you can get. Alternative memory foam and adjustable mattresses may offer different advantages, but for those looking for constant comfort consider some of the best double sided mattresses offered by suppliers.
