We Need to Stop Glorifying Sleep Deprivation Right Now

In today’s modern times, a lot of people choose to ditch sleep so they can do other things. We tend to glorify sleeplessness as if it is a testament to how hard working we are. It makes it appear that we are willing to sacrifice a bodily function so we can be more productive, which, of course, isn’t always the case. What we need to do is to stop glorifying sleep deprivation right now. It’s not good and it could hurt you.

The Elitism of Sleep Deprivation

The common idea among many is that if you don’t sleep, you do more. Being too busy for sleep is typically lauded in corporate environments because, for some, it showcases just how industrious you can be. If you don’t sleep, it should mean that you’re working on something else. And working on so many things tend to make some people feel so important and valuable.

For many, it’s their competitiveness that drives them to forsaking sleep. By thinking that if they work more, they’re automatically better than everyone else, sleep is just an easy casualty in reaching their goals. This, in turn, makes them respect others who are like-minded, spreading the idea that if you want to keep up with your top performing colleagues, you better be ready to miss out on some zzz’s.

The Problem with Not Sleeping

While being productive and being able to accomplish a lot of things in a day are all great, sacrificing sleep for it will have its own repercussions. First off, sleep deprivation will eventually get to you. As Ariana Huffington, founder and Editor-In-Chief of The Huffington Post, recounts her ordeal with sleep deprivation, it made her ask whether her collapse due to exhaustion is what success is all about.

Honestly, we don’t have to detail why not sleeping enough is bad for you. We’ve talked about it countless of times in this blog, so all you need to do is click on our sleep deprivation tag and you’ll see just how awful not getting enough zzz’s will do to your body. This makes it even more awful that so much people are praising those who don’t like to get ample shuteye, thinking that the less they succumb to this bodily need, the more wiser, more productive, or better person they are.

The Case of Short Sleepers

This doesn’t mean, however, that you should sleep long hours as there are people who doesn’t need as much hours in bed as others tend to do. Commonly referred to as natural “short sleepers,” these folks are genetically wired to need less sleep. Sadly, not everyone who thinks they’re one of these folks are actually short sleepers. Out of 100 people who claim they don’t need as much sleep as others do, only 5 are actual short sleepers.

How do you know if you’re one of these rare breed of short sleepers? Experts note that some of their characteristics include:

1. They only sleep for about 4-6 hours at night and don’t take naps or rely on coffee to stay awake during the day.
2. They’re usually nocturnal, dozing off after midnight and waking up before sunrise.
3. Always upbeat and optimistic.
4. Have fast metabolisms, which is in complete contrast to those who are sleep deprived who are most likely to become obese.
5. Their unusual sleep patterns go back to their early years. Some are even reported to stop napping as early as the age of two.
6. Could have hypomania.
7. The need for less sleep also typically runs in the family, so if a parent doesn’t need to sleep a lot, their child has a likelihood to require less zzz’s as well.
8. Some short sleepers have a gene variation that could be the culprit for their need for less sleep.

Bottom Line: It’s Bad for You

Just, please, get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation is bad for you, as well as glorifying it, as it propagates the idea that sleep is a dispensable activity. Just go to sleep. There are more benefits to sleeping than missing out on it, so please just get some shuteye. Sure, you can argue that staying awake lets you do more, but we can counter that with two questions: do you really need to do all of it on your own? Can’t you just do everything you need to do with better time management?

As yourself these questions and you might just realize that you can get some zzz’s and still get ahead in your field.

Is Your Teenager Extra Surly? They Might be Sleep Deprived

Teenagers are moody, that’s a well established fact. However, their mood swings could be worsening because of sleep deprivation. According to recent studies, little to no sleep in teenagers is “associated with emotional dysregulation during adolescence,” causing them to be more surly than the normal.

Some may argue that hormones are the primary cause of teenagers’ moodiness, but according to some experts, “lack of sleep has a causal association with anger, sadness, fatigue and other emotions” as well. This could make them even more grouchy and a bit unbearable.

As the National Sleep Foundation recommends teens to get 8 to 10 hours of sleep nightly, their homeworks, social life, parental leniency, and other activities could be preventing them to do so. Experts recommend a later school time for teens, but as this isn’t easily achievable, parents should try imposing an earlier bed time instead.

Promoting better sleep in teenagers is essential, not only for their emotional health and their parents’ sanity, but for their growth and academic performance as well. Extending their zzz’s even with just an hour every night will help improve their metacognitive skills and reduce daytime sleepiness, tension, fatigue, and anger.

So the next time your teenager acts up, make sure to pay closer attention to their sleeping habit. Sleep deprivation have serious effects on people, especially on growing kids, so doing something about it right away is important.

 

10 Reasons Why Sleep is the Best Thing Ever

Here at Salem Beds, it’s a fact that we love sleep in so many ways. Sadly, though, not everyone shares our enthusiasm when it comes to these little slices of heaven. So, to convince you that sleep is awesome, here are ten things that prove that sleep is definitely the best thing ever.

1. Rest.

Sleeping is the best time to give your body a break. During this time, you might be lying down and doing nothing, but your whole body is busying itself in priming you for the next day. Your muscles rest, heal, and recuperate, hormones are released for various functions, and your immune system powers up while you catch some zzz’s so it might seem like you’re not really doing anything while you’re sleeping, your body is working hard to make you feel rested and refreshed by the morning.

2. Snuggles.

Having the person you love next to you in bed can bring relaxation and calmness that’s great for sleep, making dozing off a lot easier. Also, the fact that you can cuddle all night makes sleep even better.

3. It literally gives you some peace of mind.

When you sleep, you get to free yourself from a number of worries. Sure, your brain is still technically processing the information and memories you’ve made the whole day, but for the time being, you’re unaware of the things that bothers you. If you have lots of cares in the moment, a nice nap can definitely give you some clarity and might even help you solve the problem more easily once you wake up.

4. Less stress.

Sleep and stress have a very complicated relationship. If you’re stressed, it can be a challenge to fall asleep easily, but sleep is a great way to lessen your stress and not getting enough sleep can also be stressful. So, what are you supposed to do? Work on improving your sleep hygiene. Try your hand in creating a better bedtime routine so sleep will come easier.

As ample sleep helps clear your mind, make you more alert, and less cranky, it’s definitely a great way to get rid of stress.

5. Stronger memory.

During sleep, your brain processes all the information that you’ve received during the day, allowing you to store them as memories. So, the better sleep you get, the more memories you can remember.

6. It can help you lose weight.

Did you know that sleep can also help you lose weight? Yep! We talked about how catching some zzz’s can help you shed some pounds here.

7. Sleep is actually good for you.

So, even if you’re not really in on the lifestyle thing, at least if you sleep well, you’re still doing something good for your body.

8. Comfy sleepwear.

Whatever your sleep outfit may be, it’s still the most comfortable in all of the clothes you have in your closet. And who doesn’t love wearing comfy clothes?

9. Keep you safe.

Being alert is one of the top things sleep can give you after a night of some zzz’s. This will make you suitable to drive or operate heavy machineries. As drowsy driving is one of the reasons for traffic accidents, keeping yourself and everyone around you safe is a great responsibility that you should never neglect. Sleeping doesn’t even ask so much of you to be able to do such a good deed, so why not catch some zzz’s to ensure less tragedies while on the road?

10. Quiet time.

Everyone needs some quiet time every once in a while, and sleep provides just that. You don’t even have to be alone to get this kind of quiet time, as sleeping with a loved one is also great.

Still not convinced that sleep is the best thing ever? Stay tuned for more posts this week as we’ll be sharing more reasons to love catching some zzz’s all week long.

The Dreamiest Illustrated Bedrooms

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We’re not only in awe of beautiful photographs of actual bedrooms, we totally adore dreamy illustrated bedrooms as well. Get inspired with us today with these lovely artworks that will want to make you long for your bed as well.

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7 Common Bed Issues That Can Be Preventing Your Good Night’s Sleep

We’ve said it a few times before: it could be your bed that’s causing your sleepless nights. As it is the surface that supports your body when you’re tired and in need of recuperation from the day’s hard work, it definitely has a great impact on how you catch some zzz’s.

This is why it shouldn’t be surprising to know that your mattress can also be the very reason to keep you up all night. There are so many ways how a mattress can affect your ability to catch some shuteye, and some of these are the following:

You could be allergic to your mattress.

Your mattress is composed of a lot of different materials that can be reacting to  your system. It is also a hot spot for insects like dust mites that love moist and warm areas. Both of these reasons can cause allergies that will leave you sneezing and coughing all through the night, leaving you sleep deprived.

To deal with this problem, you can always look for dust mite-proof beddings to prevent their infestation on your mattress and pillows. Cleaning your mattress thoroughly as often as possible is also helpful, as it can minimize the presence of these teeny critters on your bed.

Your bed’s firmness might not suit your needs and comfort preferences.

Being comfortable in your bed is highly important in getting a good night’s sleep. Your mattress should be able to support your body’s contours properly, so you won’t wake up aching and feeling sore in the morning. Getting comfy in your bed will also help you relax easier, allowing you to drift off to sleep faster.

If this is the very thing that’s causing your sleepless nights, you can always replace your mattress or look for a mattress topper that will provide the firmness you’re looking for.

Your bed could be brimming with junk.

Ok, technically, this is not your mattress’ fault, but yours because it’s most likely you (or the other person you share your bedroom with) who pile on stuff on your bed. These “junk” can be a wide array of things – pillows, clothes, books, plushies, blankets, or anything else that you think is okay to be put on your bed and were too lazy to put away after. Sleeping on a crowded bed can easily disrupt your sleep, so make sure to clean it before you doze off.

Your mattress’ old age.

Mattresses need to be replaced every seven years because of the following:

• You spend up to 9 hours in bed every day, so it’s safe to say that your bed can get worn out after clocking in thousands of hours supporting your body weight. This can take a toll on your mattress’ construction. Foam will lose some of its bounciness over the years and springs will eventually lose its tension. These will make your bed a lot less comfortable as it ages.
• Hygiene also becomes an issue when it comes to old mattresses. As we lose up to half a pint of bodily fluids during the night and shed a pound of dead skin all throughout the year, your mattress can also get quite pretty gross over the years. Even if you use multiple layers of beddings to protect the mattress, with the tropical heat and the natural ways our bodies work, there’s still a high chance that your mattress won’t be squeaky clean by year 7.

Bed bugs and other things that bite.

In a lot of cases, bed bugs and other tiny critters that bite residing in mattresses can also cause a person’s sleeplessness. These bugs can really disrupt your sleep and even cause health problems, so dealing with them is highly necessary.

It can be quite tricky to get rid of, so make sure to get the right information in how to deal with a bed bug infestation.

Your bed can be too small for you.

Personal space is essential in making us feel comfortable. It is also true even when we sleep, especially if you share your bed with someone else. Sleeping in a bed that’s too small for two people will leave you competing for room and getting disturbed in your sleep more easily. Having your feed dangle on the ends of the bed can also cause discomfort and leave you sleepless as well.

For folks who share a bed, we suggest to go for a queen size (60″x75″) Salem Bed mattress and bigger. If you don’t mind constantly touching and squeezing close to your bedmate, you might also be okay with a full size (54″x75″) mattress, but we don’t really recommend it. If you’re taller than the average, going for an irregular sized mattress that measures 80″ in length is a good way to ensure that you actually fit within the bounds of your bed.

It might be making weird creaking noises at night.

There are lots of reasons why spring beds creak, one of this is old age. The problem with a creaking bed is that you can always hear it loudly, especially when you’re lying down in it. This can easily disturb your sleep.

If this is the root cause of your sleep problem, you can either ask the manufacturer to check your unit and have it replaced.

 

All of these mattress issues are easily resolved either by replacing or cleaning your mattress. So, if you think one of these things are stopping you from getting a good night’s sleep, maybe it’s time to do something about it.