A quick power nap, ‘forty-winks’ or just a good night’s sleep, these terms come quickly to some. Other people seem to have great difficulty catching up with much-needed rest.With the average night’s sleep falling around eight hours (one -third of a day), you can calculate 25 years of rest or 9125 days, based on a 75-year lifespan. That is one very long nap that could rival even Sleeping Beauty herself!Did you know the average mattress last eight years? It slowly degrades over time adding to a wealth of health issues. Most fitness enthusiasts will replace their equipment regularly. A company employee will upgrade their car based on wear and tear. How often do you change your mattress?A poll completed by the National Sleep Foundation examined that, out of 1500 candidates, nine out of ten people stated that both a comfortable mattress and comfortable pillows contributed to a good night’s sleep. Let’s take a look at the effect that changing your bedding can have.A high-quality mattress will promote overall blood circulation. When you sleep on your side at night, those areas become compressed. Blood travelling in your capillaries to the skin become trapped over time. The numb feeling might cause you to toss and turn at night. A high-quality mattress would provide even pressure points to minimise this risk.Upon closer look at your current mattress, long-term use leads to skin deposits and eventually dust mites. These mites cause skin irritations and can lead to dust mite allergies. You may experience symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing or a cough. Purchasing a new quality mattress then implementing dust mite proofing will discourage those pesky bugs.Have you noticed any pain or ongoing back problems? High-quality mattresses provide even support to your back. The extra support prevents or minimises back pain. Back pain can contribute to disturbed sleep or difficulties falling asleep. One or two days of disturbed sleep cause drowsiness and irritability. Prolonged insomnia, however, could lead to issues functioning throughout daily life and even mental health problems.In a similar vein, right back and neck support will minimise the chance of snoring. The support provided in a high-quality mattress means that your neck is in the optimal position. It allows for air to flow in/out of your nose and mouth unhindered. Snoring may be causing you or your partner to lose sleep. So take the step of securing yourself a new high-quality mattress.Studies have been done on the increased levels of stress perceived when using an old mattress. The research completed by Smith, Boolani and Jacobson (2009) looked at how 60people slept on various qualities of mattresses. The figures correlate a link between new bedding and lowered levels of stress.As shown above, there is a clear link between high-quality mattresses and better sleep, leading to lower levels of ill health. The type and style of mattress come down to personal choice. It’s time to invest in your sleep health. With a new high-quality mattress, you can take steps towards improving the quality of those ‘forty winks’.References:https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/09/mattress-sleep-health_n_4740435.htmlhttps://sleepfoundation.org/sites/default/files/bedroompoll/NSF_Bedroom_Poll_Report.pdfBert H. Jacobson, a. Ali Boolani, Doug B. Smith, C. 2009 Changes in back pain, sleep quality and perceived stress after the introduction of new bedding systems Journal of Chiropractic Medicine(1): 1–8.
