3
Jan/10
1

Some Truth About Sleep

Sweet dreamsSleep is as important for the human body as food and water. However, here are many misconceptions about sleep. It is important to give some serious thought to sleep and not just believe what is said.

Sleep is important for good health but its requirement varies according to the individual. The only thing in common is that everyone needs to sleep for at least 6 hours a day to recharge and let the body relax before starting to work all over again.

Many myths are based on generalizations like everyone needing at least eight hours of sleep, while actually sleep requirements vary, or that sleeping more is better than less sleep. Unfortunately, sleeping more is an indication that something is amiss and the body is facing some sickness.

To read more about the myths of sleeping, see : 5 Myths on Sleep

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27
Oct/09
2

10 SureFire Ways To Help You Sleep Better

Sleep is elusive to many Singaporeans today. Many attribute it to the stresses and strains of living and working in a high pressured society like Singapore. The truth is that the human body needs a combination of physical and mental exhaustion to be able to go of to sleep. The current trend of work makes people mentally exhausted but they do not get adequate physical exercise.

The sleep routine once disrupted, develops into a vicious circle since the sufferer who cannot sleep finds his concentration decreasing, his productivity reduced, mood swings, fits of anger and a perennially exhausted state. Therefore, everyone needs to ensure that he manages Click to Continue Reading

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24
Oct/09
0

How To Make Your Bedroom Cooler Without The Use Of Aircon

It seems that the heat in Singapore is ever getting hotter, and electricity bills are shooting record high due to our unrelenting use of the Air-Con.

Here are some tips that would help keep our rooms cooler and electricity bills lower.

Use curtains in lighter hues like neutral colors, white, beige, subtle brown, subtle pastel colors etc. These light colored curtains will reflect the light out falling on them from outside. This will keep your room naturally cool without having to turn on your ACs or coolers. On the other hand, dark colored curtains have larger tendencies to absorb and allow the heat to enter in the room making it hot throughout the day. In case, you are hell bent on buying a dark colored curtain as it matches the color of your furniture, then, stick foil paper on the side of the curtain which is exposed to sun so as to reflect maximum rays possible.

Usage of ceiling fans instead of an aircon or cooler in every room will fetch you a 40 % fall in the total electric energy consumed Click to Continue Reading

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20
Oct/09
0

Sleep Apnea Causes 300 Deaths Yearly in Singapore

In Singapore, an average of 300 people die per year from sudden death in their sleep. This startling statistic was published in the Sunday Times. The likely cause, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), which leads to heart attacks, high blood pressure, heart failure, strokes and even sudden death during sleep.

A study conducted by the National University of Singapore revealed that Obstructive Sleep Apnea was present in 4.3% of females and 13.6% males. 1-3% of the child population in the country also had OSA. Unfortunately, awareness about sleep apnea remains at very low levels and the average Singaporean needs to be educated about it. Worldwide figures reveal that over 100 million people suffer from sleep apnea in different parts of the world with 90% unaware of their condition.

An informative article that gives a detail account of Sleep Apnea, its causes and how to prevent it from happening to you, have been newly posted in Beds.sg article section, see Sleep Apnea in Singapore

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17
Oct/09
0

Did You Know That The Way You Sleep Tells Alot About Your Personality?

From the confident, purposeful stride to the timid entry of an individual, every action of his provides an inkling about his personality. The way he sits and stands, talks and eats are all a manifestation of his inner traits. People give themselves away by specific behavioral traits. Hence, many companies while recruiting staff rope in a psychologist to get some clues about the candidate’s personality. Personality is reflected not merely in waking activities, and extensive studies by psychologists and sleep specialists reveal that the sleeping position of an individual also provides insights into his personality and health.

Most people fall asleep in a specific position, lying straight on their backs or on their side. However, their position changes through out the night, as has been witnessed in many sleep clinics. Two published reports used expansively in this connection include the groundbreaking analysis of two scientists, Dr. Samuel Dunkell, a renowned psychiatrist Click to Continue Reading

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29
Sep/09
0

Beware of Having Too Many Electronics in The Bedroom

This is the new electronic age where humans are largely dependent on machines for their entertainment and comfort. Though these machines are a great boon to us, however, their negative effects cannot also be discounted.

Too much of electronic gadgets in your bedroom furnishings are likely to affect your health and disrupt your comfortable sleep. More details can be found in this new article posted today on Beds.sg Sleep Disorders Due To Electrical Appliances in Bedroom

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14
Aug/09
1

10 Common But Often Neglected Ways of Improving Backache

The “ooh””, “aah” and “ouch” one hears ever so often with a hand on the back, is becoming ever so common as an exclamation in agonizing pain in the back. Even more usually visible is bent figures, improper gait and holding the back as if for support. Backache has always tormented the human frame but it is becoming increasingly common with the changed lifestyles we all have.

Our physical exercise is minimal and we spend hours bent in front of our tables, in front of computers and sleeping on the softest beds that make our back weak, instead of strengthening it, the way the hard floors did for our ancestors. With ever increasing backache suffering, the remedies for it have also flooded pharmacies. Doctors prescribe mild anti-inflammatory drugs, painkillers and in the worst cases, steroids. Research however, proves that alternate medicine, home remedies and back specific exercise are equally effective not just in reducing back pain but also strengthening the back.

Drugs suppress symptoms and each has its long list of side effects. It is therefore advisable to use home remedies that would benefit the back and if for some reason, they do not help in improving the backache, they at least do not leave any side effects.

Medication and exercises apart, there are some simple and very effective measures we can all adopt to get rid of back pain. Consistent commitment to stick to these remedial measures will help in improving backache considerably to pick up threads of normal life again. Some of the common but most neglected ways of improving backache include:

Improving Posture: A defective posture, that is, not sitting and standing erect, leads to a curve in the back and stretches the muscles in an incorrect manner. Almost every third person we cross is stooped or has a hunch. These impact the back adversely, leading to chronic backache. Simply making a conscious effort to sit, stand and walk erect would bring tremendous relief to backache. If you find it difficult, you can tie a hard plank of wood to your back for a few hours, since this would make bending and stooping painful, and you would have no choice but to keep your back straight all the time. Soon a correct posture will return.

Correct sleeping position: The exhausted body often forgets what position it is lying in as it drifts into deep sleep. The result is terrible backache on waking up. The solution is easy and simple. A little bit of effort to sleep right, that is, lying on the side with knees bent and preferably with a pillow placed between the knees, will work to keep the spine in the correct position and there will be no backache in the morning. For those preferring toile straight can just lie on their back with a pillow or cushion under the feet to raise them.

Better Mattresses: An old, lumpy, uneven mattress can trigger backache just as much as an extra soft mattress. Firm mattresses that do not get depressions where you sleep are preferable. The mattress provides cushioning to the spine for six to eight hours every night, but every individual has to find a mattress that gives his back the right support. The best way to select a mattress is to lie on it for at least fifteen minutes to see how the back takes to it.

Pillows for backache: Often, a high pillow that is not soft, stretches the upper back and that leads to the whole back area getting tense and you experience severe spasms of pain. A simple remedy is to take a soft, low pillow that cushions the head, provides support to the neck without hurting the back.

Weight loss: With an increase in the body weight, the pressure on the back increases and backache is a natural consequence. In this case, the backache will not improve till drastic steps are taken to reduce weight by regular exercise and diet control.

Swimming: Swimming is considered to be the bets exercise for improving backache. It is perhaps the best fitness exercise that is especially beneficial for the back. Swimming keeps the back straight and the body remains stretched with the head kept over the water. This is very effective in healing the sore back.

Cycling: Cycling has been known to heal hundreds of bad backs and helps in reducing backache since it helps to strengthen the back muscles.

Complete rest: Rest is important for the back and lack of adequate rest increases the intensity of backache. Backaches due to lack of rest will not get cured till complete and adequate rest is taken.

Wearing proper shoes: The back gives support to the body and the back receives support from the legs and feet. Feet need to be cushioned in soft closed shoed that effortlessly help movement. High-heeled shoes change the gait and exert pressure on the back instead of giving it the support it needs, High heels and shoes without proper soles are unadvisable for people with backaches.

Heat treatment: Heat to the back with a hot pad or a hot water bottle helps to soothe the sore muscles of the back and ease the pain emanating from them.

All these are simple, inexpensive methods of improving backache, which do not include medication, visits to doctors, suffering from side effects or using expensive equipment. These ten ways are so common but unfortunately, neglected despite the fact that they are highly effective in curing backache.

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14
Jul/09
0

3 SureFire Ways to Help You Sleep Better

Believe it or not, how we go through our day to day activities can cause us to have difficulty sleeping at night and eventually develop a disorder called insomnia.

More and more people are sufferring from insonmia these days, and the reason behind most cases of insonmia is related to the type of work we do. As our work gets less physically demanding and requiring more and more mental work, insomnia starts creeping into our lives.

If you suffer from insonmia, even if you sleep in the best mattress in the world, you will still have insonmia. So forget about the the fanciful mattresses that cost thousands of dollars promising you a better sleep.

Here are 3 tips to help you sleep better -

Tip #1: Make it a habit to sleep and wake up around the same time each day. Changing the time you sleep and wake up will leave you feeling languid and sluggish for the rest of the day. Constant changing of your sleeping patterns can make it eventually difficult for your body to sleep at certain times of the night, ultimately resulting in development of insomnia.

Tip #2: Don’t eat too much during dinner and avoid supper. How do you expect to sleep well when your digestive system is working hard?

Tip #3: Schedule your exercise regimens during the afternoon. After working out, your blood continues to flow more freely throughout your body, causing your heartbeat to increase. As a result, you feel energized and the sleeping pattern is disrupted.

These 3 tips should help 100 times more than getting a top of the range mattress. If you would like to read up further on more ways to batte Insonmia read 9 Ways to Conquer Insomnia

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28
Jun/09
1

Do not buy a second hand mattress!

Every now and then, I had enquires from customers on whether we sell second hand mattress. Initially I did not bother so much as there were only a handful of people who asked us the question. Then, it dawned unto me that there may be more people who are actually considering buying a 2nd hand mattress, and that thought caused a little shiver down my spine.

Here are 5 reason’s why you should never even think of purchasing a used mattress.

1) Firstly, Think about all that goes on in a bedroom. Everynight, the previous owner will excrete bodily fluid and and dead skin cells on the mattress. These disgusting things gets deposited into the mattress. And bear in mind, bacteria thrives on these organic deposits. Do you really want to sleep on someone else’s body fluids especially their sweat? Also you don’t know whether the mattress belonged to a person who had a contagious disease.

2) When you buy secondhand you are also buying the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allergen. Allergens are not good for anyone who suffers from asthma or allergies. These Allergens can cause serious issues with your allergies and especially asthma. They can aggravate your problem. I repeat, allergens are a very serious problem.

3) The risk of bedbugs. Sometimes they are not visible to the naked eye as they hide inside the mattress. Bedbugs are tiny parasites that feed off of dead skin on your body. Bedbugs are so digusting that if you got them, you would propbably burn the mattress. You could refer to this article to find out more Bed Bugs- Preventions And Remedies

4) It will not provide the support that you may be looking for. Used mattresses are well worn and already conformed to the original user’s body contours of its initial users. So it will be very difficult for you to get comfortable. This is especially true for someone who suffers from lower back pain.

5) Cost – This is the most ironic reason. Why do someone actually considers buying a secong hand mattress? To save money right? This is where it becomes illogical.

A Queen size second hand mattress may cost $100, you add in the transportation charges $50 and it adds up to $150.

Do you know that you can actually purchase a brand new, highly rated queen size spring mattress for $150? Yes, same price as a 2nd hand mattress. See this Wasaly Luxury Mattress.

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26
Jun/09
2

Improve your sleep with the correct pillow

Stiff neck? Change your pillow. Shoulder Pain? Change your pillow. With the wrong type of pillow, you would probably end up with severe stiff neck, giddiness and even headache.

To pick the right bed pillow, first, get to know how many types of pillows are there.

Then, base on your usual sleeping pattern, pick the ideal one and pain will soon become history.

If you are a back sleeper, pick something of medium height , medium firm to firm, that will support your head and neck.

For a side sleeper, go for a pillow that is high, medium firm to extra firm, keeping your spine straight while you rest.

A tummy sleeper should get a low or flat pillow so the tension on your neck do not build up.

Below is a simple guide on few of the most common types of pillows in the market.

Synthetic Fiber Fill Pillow – Uses polyester fiber, easy to wash. Allergy and odor free. Generally lower in price. Soft to medium firm. Ideal for cuddling as it can be easily squished.

Foam Pillow – Foam pillows are firm and never lose its shape for a long long time. Foam pillows provide good support for the neck. Recommended for side sleepers. Shaped foam mattresses are very popular for their contoured shape, which provides additional support for the neck during sleep.

Cotton Pillow – Cotton pillows are usually flat. Firm but has a springy feel. Cotton being a natural material, is hypoallergenic. Ideal for people who suffers from allergy.  Disadvantage is it flattens quickly. Recommended for back or tummy sleeper.

Memory Foam Pillow – Memory foam conforms to the contour of the neck and head, providing all rounded support. They are usually heavy and last longer. The foam springs back to its original shape after you move away. With these properties, memory foam pillows will not go out of shape. For back and side sleeper.

Latex Pillow – Latex, an extract from rubber trees, is a natural material. Hypoallergenic , dustmite free, anti bacterial. Ideal for asthma and allergies sufferers. Latex pillow do not sag and can last for a long time. With the pin hole technology that is used to manufacture this pillow, it breathes, keeping you cool and dry. For back and side sleeper.

Feather and Down Pillows – Feather and down pillows are very popular since the olden times for the luxurious feel. Down pillows are soft, fluffy and moulds around the neck and head. Do not provide as much support compared to firmer pillows.  You may want to get one which is specially treated to be allergy free.

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24
Jun/09
3

5 types of Pillows Recommended by Othorpedic Specialists

Other than mattress, pillow plays a huge role in contributing to a good night’s sleep and waking up fresh without aches. There are many types of pillows which can improve your sleep, helping to maintain a good sleeping posture.

Get to know what types of pillows are there and what are the advantages. Below are the few common ones.

Knee Pillow –Knee pillows are used to reduce strain for the lower back by placing between the knees when sleeping at the side and the back of the knees while sleeping on the back.

Body Pillows – A body pillow is long, as long as an adult body, provides very good support for the whole body during sleep. Excellent for side sleepers, and pregnant women especially.

Neck Pillows – These pillows support the neck, they are contoured to fill the space between the head and the neck, providing excellent support in keeping the spine straight while you rest.

Lumber Pillow – A lumber pillow is placed under the lower back, to support the lumber spine curve. Especially useful when sitting in a car, the shock and gravity forces are absorbed.

Dounut Pillow – The dounut pillow, as the name suggest, has hole in the middle, placed on the chair. Mostly used by people who suffer from tailbone injury. Recommended for pregnant woman as well, to reduce pressure for comfortable seating.

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