After hearing the staggering facts on sleep deprivation, and its effects on one’s health and the health and well-being of those around them, such as:

Each year sleep-related accidents and mistakes cost U.S. businesses an estimated $56 billion a year, causes nearly 25,000 deaths and results in over 2.5 million disabling injuries [1]. I decided to focus on ways to increase sleep quality in a natural and healthy manner. 

Often times many people take the quick fix approach to solving sleep problems with potentially dangerous solutions like sleeping pills.  According to the Alliance for Natural Health, 60 million prescriptions for sleeping pills were filled in 2011, that’s compared with 47 million in 2006[2].  The number continually increases as the general population uses a quick fix strategy for sleep.  Unfortunately sleeping pills may make you go to sleep quicker BUT according to a study published in the British Medical Journal, if you take a prescription sleep aid, even as little as 18 pills throughout the year, you increase your risk of premature death by four times. And if that isn’t bad enough—you increase your risk of cancer by 35%[3].

With 70 million Americans (22% of population in U.S.) suffering from a sleep disorder and 42 million of those 70 million chronically suffering from a sleep disorder, it can be no surprise that sleeping pill consumption is on the rise[4]. 

But have no fear, there are many simple ways to increase your quality of sleep in a natural, and healthy way.  Instead of the obvious suggestions for increased quality of sleep, I have focused on all 5 of our senses (Taste, Hearing, Smell, Touch and Sight).  Each one of these senses can be used to encourage your body to relax and place your mind at ease, which provides a great base for a good night’s rest. 

A great night’s sleep is not only attributed to a single cause and effect.  Great sleep comes from a combination of elements.  Many, if not all of those elements are under your control.  If you engage each of your 5 senses to stimuli that promote sleep, you will find your quality of sleep may improve significantly.  Below I have listed each of the 5 senses and how to stimulate each sense prior to sleep to maximize quality. 

Part 1 - Taste

Food you eat prior to sleep can positively or negatively affect your sleep.  Keep reading to discover what foods can promote sleep, and what foods can deter sleep.

Foods You SHOULD NOT Eat

Before sleep we know not to eat high fatty foods because our body cannot burn off the calories prior to sleep, so our body will be working through the night to attempt to digest the fats and protein.  Besides food containing high fat and heavy protein, food containing sugar is never a good option prior to bedtime either, because the high sugar content promotes nightmares. According to an article on the Fox News Network, a recent study has shown that 7 out of 10 people who eat junk foods like candy bars before bed are more likely to have nightmares[5].  

High fat, heavy proteins and junk food with high sugar content should be eaten at least 2 hours prior to sleep.  During digestion of these foods an increased amount of blood flow to the digestive system occurs which can keep you awake.  If you allow for two hours of digestion prior to sleep the heaviest part of digestion can take place and some of the sleep enhancing effects can take place after the two hour period of time.

Foods You SHOULD Eat

Now that we have the foods that we SHOULD NOT eat prior to sleep out of the way, let’s get into what we CAN eat.

When I was a boy, I remember my mom would make me a nice glass of warm milk, if I could not go to sleep.  At the time I had no idea why this worked, but it worked like clockwork.  Warm milk provides a number of sleep inducing effects from the tryptophan amino acid that it contains and the effect is has on the melatonin in your brain.  Both tryptophan and melatonin create a sense of calm and relaxation.  I guess this is why they say, “momma knows best.”

Cottage cheese is a great snack to be eaten at least 2 hours prior to sleep because it contains light, slow-digesting casein proteins that will distribute the amino acids to the muscle tissues for hours to come.  Cottage Cheese contains the amino acid tryptophan, which will naturally induce sleep in the body and help you get a better night's rest

Oatmeal is another great nutritious snack prior to sleep because of its rich fiber carbohydrate profile which releases serotonin.  Serotonin is a “feel-good” serotonin, that decreases stress and calms the body.  Peanuts, and peanut butter is another snack that provides the release of serotonin via the rich source of niacin that peanuts provide.  Peanuts are rich in fat and protein so the serving size should be kept to a minimum. 

If your sweet tooth grabs you prior to sleep, put it to sleep with the only fruits that contain the sleep inducing hormone, melatonin.   Those great fruits are the grape and the cherry.  Add some grapes and cherries to cottage cheese and you might in fact have the best pre-sleep snack, known to man. 

In conclusion, the snacks/foods that contain low-fat, low-sugar, high melatonin and high serotonin are the foods we should be consuming prior to sleep.  The food we eat before sleep should remain a snack of some sorts and not a whole meal, as we now know that a large caloric intake prior to sleep will keep the body up digesting instead of inducing the body into a relaxed nature. 

Next week I will be focusing on the senses of smell and touch.  Come back next week to find out how something as small as a scent can provide the foundation of an environment conducive to sleep.

Whether or not we’d like to admit it, we are all guilty.  Between email, TV, cell phones, and various social media platforms, we leave ourselves very little time to sit down and let our brain relax.  Our accessibility to information, technology and social networks has increased our engagement with smart phones, smart TVs, tablets and other electronics.  Our ability to be connected and accessible to work, friends, family and other contacts at any time of the day has our mind on edge.  Often times cell phones are never turned off for sleep; instead they end up on our night stand, in our beds or under our pillow.  Our obsession of staying connected has reduced the quality of sleep we all need to live a healthy and productive life. 

The over exposure to electronics has started at such a young age it is not uncommon to see pre-teens with cell phones, and social media accounts.  Technology has forever changed the way we communicate but is it changing how we sleep as well? A nursing professor at Villanova University is concerned that for some teens, cell phones have taken over a whole new aspect of life. To these teens texting has become something more than second nature; it’s become an activity of the unconscious. Teens have reported sending texts into the wee hours of the morning when they were seemingly fast asleep. It is not until the next day that they realize the odd, and sometimes inappropriate, texts they had sent the night before.

Sleep used to be a restful time when we could escape the stresses of our daily lives but our overdependence on technology has landed our cell phones and ipads in bed with us. Experts say that ditching these devices at least a half an hour before bed may actually improve our quality of sleep. Technology has wedged itself into every aspect of our daily lives, are we going to let it take our sleep as well?

I challenge you to take the Electronics Curfew Challenge!  For one week only, try turning of all your electronics in your bedroom 30-45 minutes prior to going to sleep.  After you wake up record your observations and share them with the Mediflow Community via Facebook or Twitter (@MediflowPillow #ElectronicsCurfew).  

I am starting the Electronics Curfew Challenge tonight (February 25^th).  I will be tweeting about it @MediflowPillow hash tag #ElectronicsCurfew, and posting to the Mediflow Facebook page; so check out my observations and see if you agree. 

Give yourself an Electronics Curfew and start taking your sleep back!

Is holiday gift buying causing you stress? Searching for a gift that is practical, yet personal? You are not alone in the struggle to find the “perfect gift.”

 The National Retail Federation estimates that holiday sales will reach $586 billion this season, with the average consumer spending around $550 on gifts. The NRF also reports that eight out of 10 Americans will purchase gift cards as gifts this holiday season, and that gift cards remain the most requested holiday gift item – statistics that clearly reflect America’s desire to give gifts that recipients will actually utilize.

But what if you are looking to be more creative and personal this holiday season? Before you run out and purchase an ironic T-shirt or a novelty beer can party hat, consider this: If the average person spends one third (approximately eight hours daily) of his life asleep, this only leaves 16 hours each day for activities outside of sleeping. Those 16 hours are shared between tasks such as work, eating, cleaning, traveling, family and leisure – to name a few. Following this logic, sleeping by far surpasses every other activity in people’s lives.

So why not give a gift that enhances the activity we spend the most time enjoying? And what can be more cozy and intimate than something you sleep with every night? 

Between 50 and 70 million adults in the United States have chronic sleep and wakefulness disorders, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Studies have linked sleep deprivation to sickness, disease, mental health issues, reduced attention span, poor job performance and weight gain. This makes a good night’s sleep truly invaluable.

You can help your friends and family rest easy by giving sleep-friendly gifts this holiday season. 

Noises at levels as low as 40 decibels or as high as 70 decibels can keep us awake, the National Sleep Foundation reports. Help loved ones block out unwanted sounds with a gift of noise cancelling earbuds, filtered earplugs or a white noise machine. Most sleep experts agree that the ideal temperature for sleep is around 60 to 68 F. Temperatures in this range help facilitate a decrease in core body temperature that in turn induces sleepiness. Temperature regulating sheets or pajamas, which wick excessive heat or moisture away from the body accordingly, make great gifts and help facilitate temperature control.

Pillows and mattresses that don’t provide the proper support for your back or neck can hinder you from getting the sleep you need and leave you feeling sore and sleep-deprived the next day, according to the National Sleep Foundation. While choosing the right pillow can be a personalized task, giving loved ones a pillow that is adjustable satisfies all types of sleepers. Waterbase pillows, for example, can be filled according to the user’s preference, therefore always providing the “perfect fit” and ideal neck support.

Think sleep products make odd gifts? Maurice Bard, founder and CEO of Mediflow Inc., disagrees. “Poor sleep quality affects all aspects of your life. If you could give someone something that could potentially improve their quality of life, wouldn’t that be the best gift your money could buy,” asks Bard.

This holiday season, as you run down your shopping lists, consider the benefits of giving sleep-friendly gifts that will be used every single night by those you love. Your loved ones will quickly discover that a good night’s sleep is truly a gift that keeps giving.