Mediflow - Blog

Use All 5 of Your Senses to Get a Great Night's Rest - Part 1 (Taste)

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 07:28:00 -0900

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.

[1] Thorpy, Michael and Jan Yager. 2001. Encyclopedia of Sleep and Sleep Disorders. 2nd Ed. New York, NY: Facts on File, Inc.

[2] "Die Early with Sleeping Pills." Anh-usa.org. The Alliance for Natural Health USA, 29 Oct. 2012. Web. 17 Apr. 2013.

[3] Mann, Denise. "Sleeping Pills Linked to Raised Risk of Death, Cancer: Study." US News. U.S.News & World Report, 28 Feb. 2012. Web. 17 Apr. 2013.

[4] Nadelson, Carol C., ed. 2001. Sleep Disorders. Philadelphia, PA: Chelsea House Publishers.

[5] Golokhov, Dave. "10 Foods to Avoid before Bed." Fox News. FOX News Network, 15 Apr. 2012. Web. 17 Apr. 2013.

Take Sleep Back with a Curfew on Your Electronics

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 09:18:00 -0900

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!

Don’t Lose Sleep Over Holiday Gift Buying

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:22:00 -0900

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.

Sleep Smarts

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 11:06:00 -0900

Did your back to school preparation include sleep? Studies say it should, especially for teens.

Only 8 percent of American teenagers are getting the required nine or more hours of sleep needed, according to the National Sleep Foundation. In fact, a recent study published in the "Journal of Adolescent Health" found that more than 60 percent of high school students get less than seven hours of sleep per night. The situation does not improve in college, either. A 2010 study conducted at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota revealed, not surprisingly, that 70 percent of college students get less than the 8 recommended hours of sleep.

While most people have, at times, battled sleep issues, poor sleep habits plague college campuses. Let's face it - most college kids do not place a premium on a good night's rest. In addition to sleep falling low on the priority list, most students are sleeping on cheap dorm mattresses and worn out pillows - which can affect sleep quality.

Perhaps reminding your student that there is a proven relationship between healthy sleep habits and academic success might help encourage healthier habits. In 2010, a University of Minnesota study found a significant positive correlation between the amount of sleep per night and GPA. Additionally, as the average number of days per week a student got less than five hours of sleep increased, GPA decreased.

Once a pattern of bad sleep has developed, is it possible for teens and college students to "reset" their internal clocks? Researchers at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine say it is. Suggest that your students try following these tips, a little bit at a time, over several weeks:

* Try your best to avoid caffeine, smoking, alcohol, heavy exercise and heavy snacking (pizza included) at least three hours before bedtime.

* Don't pull all-nighters or cram for exams late at night. Specifically schedule studying for when you're most alert so your performance won't be affected.

* Be as consistent as possible with your sleep habits, ideally aiming to go to bed at the same time each evening and get at least eight hours of sleep per night.

* Wake up at the same time every morning and head outside. Sunlight helps reset circadian rhythms, the body's internal biological process that rotates around a 24-hour schedule.

* Turn off your cell phone and laptop at night. Besides being a distraction, exposure to light can suppress the production of melatonin, a hormone that aids sleep.

* Make sure your bedroom is set up for sleep. If you are a light sleeper or your dorm is noisy, try wearing earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones. Keep the room cool and dark. Make your bed as comfortable as possible. Consider investing in a foam mattress pad and a quality pillow. For example, for around $100, you can purchase a mattress topper and a waterbase pillow, both of which greatly improve head, neck and back support while you sleep.

"While you most likely cannot control the amount of sleep your teens or college-aged kids receive, at least you can make sure that once they are in bed, the sleep they do get is of the best quality," explains Maurice Bard, founder and CEO of Mediflow Inc., a company that makes waterbase bed pillows. "One simple way to accomplish this is to make sure your teens are sleeping on the right pillow - one that adjusts to properly support their head and neck throughout the night."

Countless studies have shown that people who get the right amount of sleep are physically and emotionally healthier - which is of course is something we all want for our children. Getting better grades is just the icing on the cake.

New Age Napping

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 09:00:00 -0900

The vast majority of mammals (over 85%) are polyphasic sleepers, meaning that they sleep in multiple, short spurts during each 24-hour period. Humans, however, are monophasic sleepers. Our days are divided into two specific periods – one for sleeping and one for being awake.

Some question whether or not monophasic sleeping is a natural sleep cycle; instead claiming it a learned behavior. Babies, for example, nap regularly and typically (as most parents will painfully attest to) do not have a set morning/night sleep pattern.

Experts claim that a short nap of 20-30 minutes can help to improve mood, alertness and performance.

According to the National Sleep foundation:

Naps can restore alertness, enhance performance, and reduce mistakes and accidents. A study at NASA on sleepy military pilots and astronauts found that a 40-minute nap improved performance by 34% and alertness 100%.

Naps can increase alertness in the period directly following the nap and may extend alertness a few hours later in the day.

Scheduled napping has also been prescribed for those who are affected by narcolepsy.

Napping has psychological benefits. A nap can be a pleasant luxury, a mini-vacation. It can provide an easy way to get some relaxation and rejuvenation.

Napping has also been linked to improved memory and learning, reduced risk of heart disease, increased motivation to exercise and increased creativity.

Given all the great benefits of power naps, it is no surprise that airports, being full of tired travelers, are finding innovative ways to facilitate napping. Airports around the globe have started opening pay-by-the-hour micro-hotels that consist of only the basics: a bed, desk, air conditioning, internet access and sometimes a TV or sink. Ranging in size from 40-100 square feet, the “Sleepbox,” “Snoozecube,” and “Napcabs” can be found in airports in Moscow, London, Dubai and, more locally, Philly and Atlanta.

Check out the pictures here:

Airports are our portals to the world – and it seems as though that world is getting a lot more sleep-friendly….now all you need is your Mediflow travel pillow and an open mind.

As Easy As Changing Your Pillow

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 06:39:00 -0900

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that somewhere between 50 and 70 million adults in the United States have chronic sleep and wakefulness disorders.

Not surprisingly, approximately one-third of adults are sleeping fewer than 7 hours each night – the National Sleep Foundation recommends 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night for most adults.

According to the National Institutes of Health, sleep disorders account for approximately $16 billion in annual health care costs, and Cornell University psychologist and sleep expert James Maas estimates that sleep deprivation and sleep disorders cost the American economy at least $150 billion a year!

If these stats don’t worry you, maybe these CDC findings will. Sleep deprivation is not only costly, but dangerous too. After a review of national behavioral health data, the federal agency found:

• More than 1 in 3 adults (37.9%) said they unintentionally fell asleep during the day at least once in 30 days.
• Nearly 1 in 20 adults (4.7%) reported nodding off or falling asleep while driving at least once in 30 days.

Most recently, a study by researchers at Scripps Clinic Viterbi Family Sleep Centre in San Diego has linked hypnotic sleeping pills to a 4.6 percent greater risk of death and a 35 percent increased risk of cancer among regular pill users.

What many people do not realize is that getting a better night’s sleep may be as simple (and as safe) as changing their pillows. According to the Johns Hopkins Hospital Neck-Pain and Quality-of-Sleep Study published in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, proper selection of a pillow can significantly reduce neck pain and improve quality of sleep. In this same study, the Mediflow Waterbase pillow was shown to improve the quality of sleep (and reduce neck pain) best, over all pillows tested.

The Johns Hopkins study examined four factors: (1) How quickly subjects fell asleep, (2) How few times subjects woke up, (3) Perceptions of sleep compared to normal, and (4) Overall quality of sleep. Mediflow’s water-based pillow ranked “Best” in all four categories when compared to the others tested.

Before turning to pharmaceuticals or other more drastic measures, you should make sure to examine the factors that might be contributing to your sleep problems. The answer to your insomnia may be simpler than you think.

What Your Mom Knows About Sleep

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:39:00 -0900

When I was a child, my older relatives attempted to deter me from staying up past my bedtime by warning me that I would get sick if I didn’t get enough sleep.

Of course, I never listened. Considering this expert health advice was coming from the same people who insisted I would drown unless I waited a full hour to swim after eating and that if I swallowed my chewing gum it would stay in my stomach for seven years, my lack of adherence was not unfounded.

But it turns out, my mom’s claims were not without medical merit.

A 2009 study challenged conventional theories of sleep evolution when it compared the sleep durations of numerous mammals to the species’ susceptibility to infection. The study found that sleep does influence immunity, as the species that slept the longest suffered substantially reduced levels of parasitic infection.

Studies in humans have proven that lack of sleep negatively affects your immune system. Lack of sleep increases the production of inflammatory cytokines in your body. Cytokines, which are infection-fighting proteins, interact with cells of the immune system in order to regulate the body's response to disease and infection. When your body overproduces these proteins, you will feel the effects of the sickness your body normally would be fighting.

Furthermore, sleep deprivation not only plays a role in whether we come down with illnesses; it also influences how we fight illnesses once we are sick.

So I guess I have to admit that my mom was right on this one. As for that chewing gum, well, there might still be some inside of me somewhere – you never know.

Need help getting more sleep? Watch Mediflow’s Top Ten Sleep Tips video.

The Dangers of Being a Text Addict

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:07:00 -0900

Lately, a multitude of articles discussing a recently coined ailment affectionately referred to as “text neck” have been occupying a lot of space in my Google alerts. “Text neck” refers to head, neck and shoulder pain resulting from excessive mobile device usage. Evidently, the unnatural, hunched over position most of us adopt while using technology is not at all healthy for our spine.

Some experts are estimating that tens of thousands of people in the U.S. alone are affected by some degree of text neck.

And, while it seems somewhat contradictory, one Florida chiropractor has even gone as far as to develop a mobile phone app that helps alert users of a posture problem while texting. Using the angle your phone is being held at as an indicator, a green light in the corner of the screen means proper posture, while a red light means the opposite.

Of course all of this raises a big question: is our addiction to technology bad for our health?

I know I am extremely guilty of phone lust, though I prefer the less accusatory description of myself as “tech savvy.” Between texting, checking work emails, updating my Facebook status, becoming a super mayor on Foursquare and tweeting things I find hilarious, my phone feels like it is part of me. I try to blame it on my career choice (Social Media Coordinator) but the truth is, I’m addicted – not to my phone (I hate every phone I try) but to the constant contact it gives me with my family, friends and outside universe.

But it makes sense that anything you spend a significant amount of time doing can be harmful if it puts your body in an unnatural position. Even something as seemingly harmless as sleeping, when improperly executed, can cause discomfort due to the fact that we spend so much of our lives doing it. If you sleep with an overly stuffed pillow, for example, you can force your spine out of alignment and put your neck in a position it’s not meant to be in. If done on a nightly basis, this will most likely lead to pain and even lasting injury.

The answer is not to give up on sleep or technology, but rather to be more aware that anything done repetitively has the potential to cause harm if we are not vigilant. I’m happy to report though, so far I’m “text-neck” injury free. But I do sleep on a Mediflow pillow (with my phone underneath it) every night, just in case.

Top 5 Reasons Why a Mediflow Pillow Should be on Your Black Friday List

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 10:41:00 -0900

Beyond the fact that Mediflow Waterbase pillows are clinically proven to improve your sleep quality and reduce neck pain AND that they are customizable to suit your personal pillow needs, there are five crucial reasons to include them in your retail game plan:

5) Buying a Mediflow pillow does not involve a 4 am wakeup call.
4) Buying a Mediflow pillow does not require you going out into the cold, or even getting out of bed if your laptop is close.
3) Buying a Mediflow pillow does not involve waiting in lines, or fighting angry consumer mobs.
2) Buying a Mediflow pillow as a gift pretty much makes you the coolest gift-giver ever.

And the number one reason why you should buy a Mediflow pillow on Black Friday:

1) You don’t have to put pants on to buy yourself a pillow!

So there you have it, no early wakeups, no going out in the cold, no lines, no fights, no disappointments and NO PANTS.

Disclaimer: If you already sleeping on a Mediflow pillow, you most likely will be sleeping so soundly and comfortably that your 4 am Black Friday alarm may be ignored. We apologize for any inconvenience, and any damaging effects this may have on the economy.

Don’t Worry, the Devil isn’t at Your Bedside

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:59:00 -0900

We’ve all heard people tell harrowing nighttime tales of alien abductions, visits from ghosts and even demonic possessions. Maybe you’ve even experienced an episode yourself. Well, good news – that most likely was NOT Lucifer at your bedside.

The scientific explanation is sleep paralysis – a short period of time during which voluntary muscle movement is inhibited, but ocular and respiratory movements remain intact. In other words, you can see your surroundings, and sometimes even feel or see a presence in the room with you (enter: aliens, devils, Elvis etc.) but you cannot move your body. Essentially, your mind is awake, but your body and muscles are still in REM sleep.

A recent study published in Sleep Medicine Reviews examined thirty-five different studies discussing lifetime incidents of sleep paralysis. The most interesting conclusion was that while the odds of sleep paralysis occurring in the general population are less than eight percent, the chances of incident are higher among both college students and psychiatric patients.

While I’m sure there is a joke to be made about the similarities between psych patients and college kids, the one thing they definitely have in common is a strong likelihood for disrupted sleep. Those with poor or irregular sleep patterns, including sleep disorder sufferers, are more likely to experience sleep paralysis.

So what can you do to protect yourself from nighttime demonic possessions? Do your best to avoid irregular sleep patterns and get as much QUALITY sleep as possible. Mediflow waterbase pillows are clinically shown to improve sleep quality – you will fall asleep faster and experience less tossing and turning. The less you disturb your REM sleep, the less vulnerable you become to sleep paralysis. Your body…and soul will thank you!