Sleeping Secrets Uncovered

Did you get 6 or less hours of sleep last night? If so, you’re in good company. So many Americans are in the habit of sleeping less and less every day. If you routinely lose sleep or choose to sleep less than needed, the sleep loss adds up. Sleeping more on days off might be a sign that you aren’t getting enough sleep. Although extra sleeps on days off might help you feel better, it can upset your body’s sleep-wake rhythm. Bad sleep habits and long-term sleep loss will affect your health.

A recent study we conducted revealed some interesting results. 2,230 people were surveyed and here is what we found:

• 72% of Americans are catching up on their sleep over the weekend, getting 7 hours of sleep or more per night
• 65% sleep with someone else
• 35% sleep alone
• 44% of Americans are getting less than 6 hours of sleep on the average weeknight

We also found that when individuals buy a mattress:

• 56% make the decision with a partner
• 4% decide with little input from a partner
• 35% somewhat involve a partner in the decision
• 5% decide independently

Basically what we have learned is that Americans aren’t getting enough sleep and that over half of them sleep with someone else every night. We also concluded that buying a mattress together seems important to most people. The latter is good news! We are supporting each other and want the opinion of others. But the earlier statement is not. Getting 6 hours of sleep or less every night is not a good trend and is something that needs to change.

At your mattress store in Las Vegas we care about your health and the sleep you get every night and we want to help. Here are some reasons why good sleep is important.

Poor sleep is strongly linked to poor health

People with short sleep duration tend to weigh significantly more than those who get adequate sleep. In fact, short sleep duration is one of the strongest risk factors for obesity. If you are trying to lose weight, getting quality sleep is absolutely crucial. Short sleep duration is associated with a drastically increased risk of weight gain and obesity, in both children and adults. Poor sleep affects hormones that regulate appetite. Those who get adequate sleep tend to eat few calories than those who don’t.

Good sleep can improve concentration and productivity

Sleep is important for various aspects of brain function. This includes cognition, concentration, productivity and performance. All of these are negatively affected by sleep deprivation. A study on medical interns provides a good example: Interns on a traditional schedule with extended work hours of more than 24 hours made 36% more serious medical errors than interns on a schedule that allowed more sleep. Another study found that short sleep can negatively impact some aspects of brain function to a similar degree as alcohol intoxication. On the other hand, good sleep has been shown to improve problem-solving skills and enhance memory performance of both children and adults. Good sleep can maximize problem-solving skills and enhance memory. Poor sleep has been shown to impair brain function.

Sleep affects emotions and social interactions

Sleep loss reduces your ability to interact socially. Several studies confirmed this using emotional facial recognition tests. One study found that people who had not slept had a reduced ability to recognize expressions of anger and happiness. Researchers believe that poor sleep affects your ability to recognize important social cues and process emotional information. Sleep deprivation may reduce your social skills and ability to recognize people’s emotional expressions.

Those who buy mattresses together, sleep well together

We know that making decisions together is an important part of any relationship. Sometimes it’s easy to just let the other person decide on what to cook for dinner or where you will spend your next date night. However when it comes to buying a mattress, if you have a significant other, it’s important to make the decision together. Here are some quick tips that can help with your decision to buy a mattress together:

• Know your size. Make sure you know each other preferences on the size of mattress you have your heart set on.
• How firm of a mattress do you want? This can be a complicated one for couples. But if you are able to try out mattresses together, do it! We have such a large, wide variety selection of mattresses we are positive you’ll be able to agree on one and we can give our recommendations.
• Know your options. There are so many types of mattresses out there. Do your research together and ask questions.
• Communicate with each other. Talking through each of your options and the wants and needs you both have will help make the decision process run smoothly.  

Finding the right mattress together will not only improve your relationship but it will improve your sleep health and we all can agree that when we are well rested our relationships are better.

Getting a good night’s sleep is something we take very seriously. Your sleep health matters to us at Best Mattress. Visit us today and let us help you uncover what a good night’s sleep really is.