A trial published in The Lancet medical journal suggests a medium-firm mattress is the best for a painful spine. 300 people took part in the Spanish study and found those on the softer mattress reported less back pain in the morning. The research, carried out by doctors from Madrid, Majorca and Barcelona, focused on “non-specific” back pain which is not directly linked to degenerative diseases such as arthritis, fractures or injury to the spine.

Read the full post on A Medium-Firm Mattress May be Better for Low Back Pain than a Hard Mattress.

Regular aerobic exercise improves the quality of sleep, mood and vitality, according to a small but significant study from Northwestern Medicine. The study examined the effects of aerobic exercise on middle-age and older adults with a diagnosis of insomnia. The results achieved resulted in more dramatic improvement than pharmacological intervention, which is good news as the taking of few drugs allows for less potential negative interactions with medications that a person may already be taking for other health conditions.

Read the full post on Aerobic Exercise Improves Chronic Insomnia.

A study recently published in the journal Sleep noted an increased mortality risk in men who have insomnia with objective short sleep duration, and the risk is greater than previously estimated.

1,741 men and women randomly selected from central Pennsylvania were studied in the sleep laboratory and Pennsylvania State University and followed-up for 14 years. Insomnia was defined as subjects having a complaint of insomnia for at least a year. Additionally, subjects were divided into groups of “normal” or “short” sleep duration (more or less than six hours of sleep a night). When adjusting for other health conditions, it was found that male insomnia sufferers in the “short” sleep duration group had a 21% higher mortality rate! Insomnia and short sleep was not associated with an increased mortality rate in women. This research shows how important it is for people with insomnia, especially men, to get treatment for their condition.

Read the full post on Insomnia and Increased Mortality Rates.

Researchers at Harvard University’s Medical School think they have found the secret ingredient to uninterrupted sleep – sleep spindles. Their findings were presented in the recent issue of Current Biology.

The researchers studied the difference in noise sensitivity from one person to another while they slept. There results showed that there is a certain type of brain wave activity called “sleep spindles”. When these spindle rhythms occur at the same time as a noise, the noise is typically blocked from perception. “More spindles make it more likely that noises will collide with this sleep-protecting rhythm “, said Jeffrey Ellenbogen, a neurologist and sleep specialist at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Read the full post on Secret to Deep Sleep – Sleep Spindles?.

A 2006 study found that most 6th – 12th grade students don’t get enough sleep, so with that in mind here are some back to school sleep tips from the National Sleep Foundation.

- About two weeks before the start of school, work on returning your child to a sleep schedule that is appropriate for school.
- Maintain this sleep schedule once it is set – don’t use weekends to catch up on sleep.
- Establish a quiet and relaxing routine before it is time to go to bed.
- Limit electronic device use (television, video games, texting) before bedtime.
- Avoid big meals just before going to sleep.
- Limit caffeine use six hours before going to sleep.
- Maintain a sleep-conducive bedroom environment. Keep the room dark with a comfortable mattress and proper temperature settings (mid to upper 60s).
- Be a role model for your child and follow appropriate sleep guidelines yourself.

Read the full post on Sleep Tips for Back to School.

An “unequivocal link” between poor sleeping patterns and premature death was concluded recently in a report from the University of Warwick in Great Britain and the Federico II University Medical School in Italy. The study, published in the journal Sleep, analyzed 16 studies of more than 1.3 million people in Asia, Europe and the United States.

Study participants who slept for less than six hours a night showed a 12% increased risk of premature death as compared with participants who averaged between six and eight hours of nightly slumber. Sleeping too long also was a case for concern, but it is more than likely a symptom – not a cause – of already existing ill health, according to lead research professor Francesco Cappuccino.

Read the full post on Early Death And Poor Sleep Linked.

A new study from the University of Helsinki was published in the International Journal of Obesity and found that middle-aged women who suffer from sleep disorders are more likely to have weight problems than women who get eight hours of nightly sleep. Previous studies have established a link between weight gain and a lack of sleep, but this study was unique in that it suggested that the sleep problems actually preceded the weight gain of the study subjects. Approximately 7,300 adults between the ages of 40 and 60 took part in the seven-year study.

Read the full post on Link Between Lack of Sleep and Weight Gain.

Here are a few numbers recently reported by the National Sleep Foundation:

Read the full post on America’s Poor Sleep Habits.

• 6.9. American adults average only 6.9 hours of sleep a night – less than the 8 hours recommended by most sleep experts.
• 75. That’s the percentage of adults who say their partner has a sleep-related problem. Snoring is the most common complaint, which can be a symptom of sleep apnea.
• 25. Sleep problems affect 25% of American adults in a negative way. While most adults don’t use any sleep aid, 11% say they use alcohol to help them relax. Another 9% use over-the-counter sleep aids and 7% say they use prescription medication.

Did you know?
Better Sleep Month stresses the importance of sleep for overall good health. Did you know that a lack of sleep is linked to being overweight?

Steps to take
Get enough sleep at night to feel refreshed the next day. If you have insomnia for more than 3 weeks, see your doctor. Learn more from the National Sleep Foundation at sleepfoundation.org.

Getting deep and restful sleep is important to your overall health. One of the key factors to achieving deep slumber is maintaining a bedroom temperature that is conducive to rest.

In general, researchers found that most people are sleeping in a room that is too warm. Studies have come out with two different ranges, one from 60-65 degrees and the other from 65-72 degrees, as optimal in promoting deep sleep. Generally, you want your bedroom to be a bit cool, as your body lowers its temperature as you sleep, and a lower body temperature is a signal to your brain that it is time to rest. You’ll want to experiment a bit to find your personal temperature preference.

Read the full post on Setting Bedroom Temperature for Sleep.