One of the most searched topics in science is sleep: How we can get more, why we need it and how does it affects daily lives from income to daily performance. Daniel Kripke, co-director of a sleep research in California, has looked at the most important question of all. Ten years ago he compared death rates among 1 million Americans, who were part of a cancer prevention program and their reported sleeping patterns.

The big question everyone wants to know is how much sleep is ideal for the average American? Recent studies have been made and the results show that there is such thing as sleeping too much or not enough. People, who sleep between 6.5 hours and 7.5 hours at night, are said to live longer. If they sleep less than 6.5 hours and more than 7.5 hours then these people wouldn’t live as long.

It has been said that both very short sleep and very long sleep can cause many health risks. These illnesses may include depression, obesity and heart disease. When it comes to the ideal amount of sleep it all depends on the illness the person has and the measurements that need to be taken. For example people with diabetes should sleep an average of 7 hours. These measures aren’t as clear as the data for mortality.

Researches don’t really know the reasons of why people that sleep 6.5-7.5 hours live longer. They don’t know what the cause is and what the effect is. There have been many questions made, can a short sleeper live longer by sleeping in more and can a long sleeper live longer by waking up earlier.

We’ve all been told to sleep 8 hours regularly but there is no evidence of this being correct. It’s important for people that have insomnia to know that it is ok to wake up earlier than most. A common problem why people go to sleeping clinics is due to the fact that they are sleeping too much. They think that they have to sleep 8 hours so they stay in bed for that amount of time and later on at night it is difficult for them to fall asleep. A lot of what causes insomnia is lying on bed awake and thinking about why you can’t sleep. There have been a lot of studies made that show if insomnia patients get out of bed when they are not sleepy and restrict their time in bed it will help them sleep more at night. The reason why this helps it’s because it will help them get over the fear of going to sleep, they get over the worry. Some people sleep more than others but it is alright as long as you sleep the necessary amount to live a healthy long life.

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Sleep is extremely important, insufficient sleep can involve problems in the cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, and nervous systems. Between 50 and 70 million Americans suffer from a chronic sleep disorder such as insomnia or sleep apnea.

Here’s a look at the research:

1) People who sleep less tend to be obese. Insufficient sleep appears to make hunger hormones out of control. Leptin, which cuts down appetite, is lowered and ghrelin, which stimulates appetite increases.

2) Poor food choices are made. A study found that people with obstructive sleep apnea or other severely disordered breathing while asleep ate a diet higher in cholesterol, protein, total fat, and total saturated fat.

3) A study found that people getting five or fewer hours of sleep each night were 2 ½ times more likely to be diabetic, those getting six hours or fewer were 1.7 times more likely to become diabetic.

4) Heart attacks were 45 percent more likely in women who slept five or fewer hours per night than in those who got more. A 2008 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that too little sleep promotes calcium buildup in the heart arteries, leading to the plaques that can cause heart attacks and strokes.

5) Blood pressure may increase.

6) A rise in auto accidents, nearly 20 percent of serious car crash injuries involve a sleepy driver.

7) Elders who sleep less and have trouble sleeping become more drowsy during the day and could be 2 to 4.5 times more likely to sustain a fall.

8) Depression can become more prone.

9) You become moody. Sleep loss is likely to negatively affect your mood, causing irritability, impatience, and an inability to concentrate. Lack of sleep increases deviant and unethical behavior, making people more rude and more likely to respond inappropriately in situations.

10) Your learning capabilities may suffer. Sleep promotes learning, it helps the brain take in new information to memory, and researchers have found that people who sleep after learning a task do better on later tests. Less than six to eight hours of sleep a night can age your brain by four to seven years causing the speed of cognitive skills to decline, and worsening vocabulary and reasoning abilities.

11) Behavioral problems with kids. Research from a 2008 issue of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine found that children who are plagued by insomnia, short duration of sleeping, are more likely to have behavioral issues like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

12) You’ll look and feel better. People are perceived as being less attractive and unhealthier when they’re sleep-deprived than when they’re well-rested.

13) Those who get five hours or less per night have approximately 15 percent greater risk of dying, regardless of the cause.

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Sleep is fuel for the brain. Important body functions and brain activity all occur during sleep. Skipping sleep can be harmful sometimes even deadly, in certain situations such as being behind the wheel. Lack of sleep can cause you to look bad, feel moody, and perform poorly. Insufficient sleep can cause you to argue and make it hard to get along with your family and friends and hurt your scores on school exams, on the court or on the field.

When the brain is hungry for sleep it will get it, even if  you don’t expect it. For example, while driving many people have fallen asleep, this has caused more than 100,000 car crashes a year. When you do not get enough sleep, you are much more likely to have an accident, injury and/or illness.

Interesting sleep facts:

- Sleep is very important to your well-being. Just as important as nutrients for your body. Sleep helps you to eat better and manage the stress of being a teen and everyday tasks.

- Biological sleep patterns shift toward later times for both sleeping and waking during adolescence. This means that it is normal to not be able to fall asleep before 11:00 pm.

- Teens need about 8 ½ – 9 ¼ hours of sleep to function at their best. Most teens do not meet this criteria, a study found that only 15% reported sleeping 8 1/2 hours on school nights.

- Teens usually have irregular sleep patterns during the week, on the weekends teens typically stay up late and sleep in late, which can affect their biological clocks and hurt the quality of their sleep.

- Today, many teens suffer from treatable sleep disorders, such as narcolepsy, insomnia, restless legs syndrome or sleep apnea.

 Consequences for not getting enough sleep or having sleep difficulties can:

- Constraint your ability to learn, listen, concentrate and solve problems. It may even cause you to forget important information like names, numbers, your homework or special dates.

- Cause you to develop more acne such as pimples and other skin problems.

- Lead to aggressive or inappropriate behavior such as yelling at your friends or being impatient with your teachers or family members.

- Cause you to eat too much or eat unhealthy foods like sweets and fried foods that lead to weight gain.

- Heighten the effects of alcohol and possibly increase the use of caffeine and nicotine.

- Contribute to different illnesses, and not using equipment safely.

Solutions to sleep consequences:

- Make sleep a priority. Keep a sleep diary and decide what changes need to be made to get enough sleep to stay healthy, happy, and smart!

- Power naps can help pick you up and make you work more efficiently, if you plan them correctly. Naps that are too long or too close to bedtime can interfere with your regular sleep cycles and end up hurting you in the long run.

- Make your room a sleep sanctuary. Keep it nice and cool, quiet and dark. You may want to get eyeshades or blackout curtains. Bright light in the morning will signal your body to wake up.

- No pills, vitamins or drinks can replace good sleep. You need to actually sleep! Having caffeine close to bedtime can hurt your sleep, so avoid coffee, tea, soda and chocolate so you can sleep at night.

- Did you know that when you are sleep deprived, you are as impaired as driving with a blood alcohol content of .08%, which is illegal for drivers in many states. Drowsy driving causes over 100,000 crashes each year. Call someone to drive you if you are feeling sleepy.

- Come up with a bed and wake time and stick to it, come as close as you can to it on the weekends. A consistent sleep schedule will help you feel less tired since it allows your body to get in sync with its natural patterns.

- Don’t eat, drink, or exercise within a few hours of your bedtime. Also don’t leave homework for last minute. Try to avoid the TV, computer and telephone in the hour before you go to bed. Stick to quiet, calm activities, and you’ll fall asleep much more easily!

School and sleep:

Teens sleep cycle puts them in conflict with the time they have to get up for  school. Most students need an alarm clock or a parent to wake them up on school days. They are like zombies getting ready for school and find it hard to be alert and pay attention during class. Because they are feeling sleep deprived, and are sleepy all day and cannot perform to their best capabilities. Schools that have set later bell times find that students do not go to bed later, but get one hour more of sleep per school night, which means five hours more per week.

Enrollment and attendance improves and students are more likely to be on time when students get enough sleep. Parents and teachers report that teens are more alert in the morning and in better moods; they are less likely to feel depressed.

Data about sleep deprived teens:

NSF’s 2006 Sleep in America poll found that many adolescents exhibit symptoms of a depressive mood on a frequent if not daily basis, and these teens are more likely to have sleep problems. The results showed that about half (46%) of the adolescents surveyed had a depressive mood score of 10 to 14, 37% had a score of 15 to 19, and 17% had a score of 20 to 30; these scores are considered low, moderate and high respectively. 73% of those adolescents who report feeling unhappy, sad, or depressed also report not getting enough sleep at night and being excessively sleepy during the day.

Lots of adolescents are likely to worry about things too much (58%) and/or feel stressed or anxious (56%). Many of the adolescents surveyed also reported feeling hopeless about the future, or feeling unhappy, sad or depressed much or somewhat within the past two weeks of surveying. Research shows that the lack of sleep affects mood, and a depressed mood can lead to lack of sleep. To fight against this vicious cycle, sleep experts recommend that teens prioritize sleep and focus on healthy sleep habits.

“The earlier parents can start helping their children with good sleep habits, the easier it will be to sustain them through the teen years.”

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Now a days our days seems shorter, schedules are crammed and precious sleep hours are sacrificed.

The National Sleep Foundation’s annual poll estimated that Americans get an average of about 6.7 hours of sleep during a weekday. The hours of sleep have gradually decreased. During the last decade, the poll indicates that a growing percentage of Americans are getting less than six hours of sleep.

In the last few years the economy has taken a downturn this causes more people to become stressed. Stress causes sleep deprivation, anxiety, depression and sleeplessness. The economy is a major factor in why people are losing sleep.

A finding by the American Psychological Association, reported last year that 52 percent of 7,000 respondents were losing sleep at night from stress.

The increase in technology and the efficiency of the Internet, and cell phones, are allowing people to be active at any time from anywhere. This increased activity is essentially giving sleep less importance.

The mean hours of sleep on a weeknight went from an average of 7 hours to 6.7 hours this year. This could be due to more distractions.

So what’s taking time away from our sleep?

Entertainment, Internet, playing games or TV. People have all sorts of distractions they didn’t have back then.

Back then people normally slept eight to nine hours a day. But now, only about a quarter in the survey reported getting eight or more hours of sleep.

Doctors today are warning us about the effects of sleep deprivation, such as increases in car accidents, depression, anxiety and cardiovascular problems. Doctors recommend seven to eight hours a day.

Researchers and experts agree that stress and work can cause a person to not gain sufficient sleep. During rough economic times, people work longer hours to avoid the risk of running behind on their workload and the possibility of a layoff. If a person is working more, he or she is more likely to sleep less.

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The first time that you try a memory foam mattress, even if it’s just to lie down on one to see how it feels for one minute, might just change your life. Memory foam was indeed developed by NASA scientists to help cushion the take off of shuttle astronauts. Many people think that is just a myth, but the first materials that were eventually turned into the famous Tempur-pedic beds started out at NASA. Tempur-pedic beds may be the most popular and well known form of memory foam mattress, but there are a wide variety of memory foam mattresses on the market today. Tempur-pedic beds still tend to monopolize the market, but that is primarily due to their extensive marketing campaigns.  The magical sensation of sleeping on a memory foam mattress is available at reasonable prices at SelectFoam.com

Select Foam has followed the industry wide improvements made over the past three decades, since NASA released their first tempur prototypes to the general market. Select Foam’s selection of memory foam mattresses are among the top rated mattresses on the market, but sell for a fraction of the Tempur-pedic prices. The big deal is really the experience of sleeping on a memory foam mattress, which is why Select Foam has an incredible guarantee and trial period. Memory foam is so comfortable and promotes such deep and restful sleep that Select Foam is willing to bet that you will not want to return your mattress.

Memory foam is especially designed to conform to the contours of your body. Whatever you put on a memory foam mattress will sink into the memory foam where it is convex, so that the concave parts are supported, too. In other words, where you need it, memory foam is supportive and where you need memory foam to give a little, memory foam gives just the right amount. 

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SelectFoam.com sells only mattresses and mattress toppers that are made in the USA.  SelectFoam.com is dedicated to providing the best quality and standard of products and not only do they source all their products from the USA, but they also offer free shipping to anywhere in the country. Because of their confidence in the quality of their products, Select Foam offers a 20 year guarantee that is unrivaled in the industry. Not even Tempur-pedic offers that type of guarantee.

Tempur-pedic may be the best known name in memory foam mattresses and memory foam mattress toppers, but they are not the leaders in guaranteeing your satisfaction. Tempur-pedic also does not offer a 90 day trial period. Select Foam is so confident that you will be satisfied with your memory foam mattress that they will let you try it at home for 90 days. If you want to send it back, you can, but we know that it is very unlikely that you’ll want to part with your memory foam mattress.

Select Foam is willing to go out on a limb and guarantee that you will enjoy your mattress and that you will enjoy it for a long time. This is because Select Foam looks for the best USA made memory foam products and confirms that their products are worth backing up with a 20 year guarantee as well as a 90 day trial period. On top of all these guarantees, Select Foam also offers prices that compete so incredibly with Tempur-pedic, you’ll think that the product cannot be as good as it sounds. But memory foam mattresses are always too good to be true – especially if you’ve been suffering with an old, saggy, or hard mattress that makes you sore and doesn’t provide support. Select Foam guarantees that you will sleep better with your memory foam mattress.

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Tempur-pedic is one of the best known names in mattress technology. The wine glass commercial hasn’t run for years but people still remember the imagery. Today, Tempupedic mattress technology is still evolving, but the beginning of the Tempurpedic memory foam mattress is by far the most interesting story. Tempur-pedic doesn’t have a patent on memory foam technology, in fact, they didn’t even invent the first tempur materials. Today you can buy memory foam mattresses from a variety of companies, and for much better prices than Tempur-pedic offers.

The first tempur materials were established for use in space. That may sound unbelievable, but the truth is that NASA first made the first tempur products in the 1970s, to help protect astronauts from tremendous forces during take-off. Tempur padding was produced to support and protect astronauts backs and necks. NASA made their advances available for public use and development in the 1980s. Two companies, in Denmark and in Sweden started to develop the first memory foam mattresses for consumer use. In 1992, a man from Kentucky name Bob Trussell visited Dan-Foam, the company in Denmark making memory foam mattresses. Bob Trussell came back to the United States and formed Tempur-pedic. 

Today, tempurpedic beds are known as some of the most comfortable beds available. The top rated mattresses are usually memory foam mattresses, due to their ability to compress where you need them to and provide support in the places where your body needs support. Tempur-pedic makes a line of sleep products that includes memory foam pillows to slippers. These products are widely available, both from Tempur-pedic as well as from their competitors. All memory foam comes from that same NASA invention, with some innovations along the way. You can get the same comfort at reduced prices by shopping for memory foam mattresses from SelectFoam.com.

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Bed bugs have always been around and the need to minimize the possibility of them living in a modern latex mattress is very important. As they do not like the light, bedbugs seek dark places where they remain during daylight and then come out at night to seek sources of food.

Selectfoam mattresses and bedding products are manufactured with covers that do not allow bedbugs to penetrate and enter the latex or the area around it. This is critical, because bed bugs once inside a mattress are much harder to get rid of. Preventing them from entering is the best thing that can be done in order to stop them.

Our high-quality, earth friendly, memory foam mattresses, mattress toppers and provide the comfort needed to give you a calm night’s rest, and are designed to keep the latex core inaccessible to any bed bugs. Additionally, you have the assurance that no chemicals or pesticides were used in any part of the manufacturing process, which may inhibit bed bugs, but can cause other health problems.

Choosing a high quality mattress involves a number of factors and SelectFoam offers choices based on overall comfort and support. This includes consideration of the common problems of standard mattresses, that allow bedbugs to enter and live inside the mattress. And Selectfoam’s high-quality mattresses and toppers are available at prices 40% less than other products and come with an assurance that you are getting what is personally best for your healthy night’s sleep. Add to that our 90 day in house risk free trial, a twenty year warranty and free shipping and there is no comparison with any other mattresses on the market. A Selectfoam product will give you the assurance that your problems with bed bugs are in the past.

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Not sleeping well at night is the cause of other health problems because getting a restful sleep is the foundation of general good health. And getting comfortable while sleeping is an important part of having a restful sleep, supporting good heath. And the need for a bed that you look forward to sleeping in can’t be overestimated. There is no more support and comfort than a Selectfoam mattress or a Selectfoam mattress topper. Or if you want additional flexibility in finding the perfect position for sleep or rest, consider our Adjustable bed sleep systems.

Bad sleep may be an indication that a mattress may not be giving you the comfort needed. There are many types of beds available to minimize discomfort, but SelectFoam’s unparalleled support and pressure relief can remedy many common sleep problems. Our high-quality, earth friendly, memory foam mattresses, mattress toppers and pillows will provide the comfort needed to give you a calm night’s rest, the key to feeling well during the day.

Our totally biogradeable mattresses and bedding products are the foundation of a healthy night’s sleep. Because our products are all natural, they do not off gas any petroleum residues, and have no unnatural smell.

Choosing a high quality mattress involves a number of factors and SelectFoam offers choices based on overall comfort and support. And Selectfoam’s high-quality mattresses and toppers are available at prices 40% less than other products and come with an assurance that you are getting what is personally best for your healthy night’s sleep. Add to that our 90 day in house risk free trial, a twenty year warranty and free shipping and there is no comparison with any other mattresses on the market. There is no reason to compromise your heath – with the assurances that a Selectfoam product will give you.

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Looking forward to a good night’s sleep is the beginning of the process of getting the rest we need. Before going to sleep, as we get tired, it is important to allow our body and mind to slow down. All of us have individual preferences for that process, and when we take a moment to consider what we need to reduce stress, most of us know the answer.

It may be as simple as bathing or brushing teeth; or reading something pleasant or humorous. As our body slows down, it’s important to allow the mind to also rest, putting aside the cares of the day and releasing all concerns until we are prepared and renewed by a restful night’s sleep.

Knowing that you will have a wonderful bed to sleep in is a big factor in appreciating sleep and reducing stress. There are many types of beds available, but SelectFoam’s unparalleled support and pressure relief reinforce the instinct to slow down. Our high-quality, earth friendly, memory foam mattresses, mattress toppers and pillows will provide the comfort needed to give you a calm night’s rest, the key to approaching sleep as a stress-reducing function.

It is important to choose a high quality mattress and SelectFoam offers choices based on overall comfort and support. And Selectfoam’s high-quality mattresses and toppers are available at prices 40% less than other products and come with an assurance that you are getting what is personally best for your good night’s sleep. Add to that our 90 day in house risk free trial, a twenty year warranty and free shipping and there is no comparison with any other mattresses on the market. Knowing that you have the best available bed from Selectfoam will allow you to look forward to sleeping – already reducing stress as you prepare for a restful night.

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