One estimate has shown that in industrialised countries around 8% of the population is shift working. If you — like millions of employees worldwide — have a job that requires clocking in outside the hours of 7 am to 6 pm or you have constantly rotating shifts, you will find useful information in this article to mitigate the effects of your routine. While some shift workers will not develop any serious impairment, a significant portion of the shift work population develops difficulties in being alert and they may find it hard to sleep outside of the work period.

Most of the population will have experienced a bad night’s sleep at some point in their lives, but this is usually short lived. However, many can suffer from sleepless nights for a longer period of time, which can sometimes have negative effects on physical and mental health.  Taking cannabidiol (CBD), a cannabis derivative, is becoming more and more popular for attempting to improve sleep and reduce anxiety. To pinpoint the precise effects CBD has on sleep and other issues with physical and mental health, however, much more research is needed to give a definitive answer to whether CBD can help us sleep.

While most of us have one solid sleep through the night, did you know that there are certain sleep patterns that involve separating sleep into smaller segments, spread throughout the day? As humans, we naturally sleep following a monophasic sleep pattern, meaning most of us have one, mainly uninterrupted sleep every 24 hours, but recently, there has been a growing trend in alternative sleeping patterns, including biphasic and polyphasic sleep.

I'm sure many of us have awoken in the middle of the night from a dream so vivid that you had to pinch yourself back into reality. Some theories have described dreams as magical doors to the mind, revealing our deepest desires, feelings, and anxieties. There are other ideas that suggest that dreams may be completely meaningless - because they are the after-effects of a random neural activation.

Restless leg syndrome (RLS), also known as Willis Ekbom illness, is characterised by itching, prickling, pulling, or crawling sensations in the legs. These sensations cause a strong desire to move the legs. Generally, those feelings are found in the calf, feet and sometimes in the thigh. The discomfort is rarely experienced as pain. RLS sufferers can find relief by walking, stretching, or shaking their legs. When you're inactive, such as when you're relaxing or lying down, your symptoms tend to get worse. As a result, RLS symptoms interfere with sleep. The discomfort is typically present at sleep onset, but it can occur also during wakeful episodes in the middle of the night. RLS can affect people of all ages, but older adults are more likely to experience the most severe symptoms.

Most of us have heard of the term Sleep Apnea before. A lot of us would associate it with snoring and some of us might assume that people who snore have sleep apnea. But let’s explore more on this condition and enhance what we know about it. Sleep Apnea is a chronic sleep disorder characterized by repeated episodes of complete or partial upper airway obstruction during sleep. This condition leads to a decrease in the oxygen content in the blood and sleep fragmentation which are repetitive short interruptions of sleep. Because of this airway obstruction, the typical symptoms for sleep apnea is heavy snoring as well as tiredness during the day due to chronic sleep deprivation. Studies have shown that 2-5% of adult women and 3-7% of adult men suffer from symptomatic sleep apnea.

Sleep plays an essential role in keeping our body and mind healthy and recharged. Without enough hours of sleep, you’ll start feeling the symptoms and effects of sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation is a condition caused by inadequate quantity and quality of sleep. This condition is common among teens and adults. According to the National Health Service (NHS), teenagers (ages 13-18) need at least eight to 10 hours of sleep. Meanwhile, adults (ages 19-60 years) need six to nine hours of sleep per night. But various studies have revealed that around 33% of teens and 63% of adults in the UK are not getting enough sleep, which could lead to many health problems if not treated or resolved right. It’s important for people to realise how important sleep is for their physical and mental health. Treating sleep deprivation early on can help you live a healthier life and become more productive in the day. 

Everyone knows that sleep is an essential part of everyday life. When the day ends, the natural course of action is to wind down and finally go to bed. However, given the hectic schedules that most people have, it’s often difficult to go to sleep quickly or fall asleep at all. In the worst-case scenario, people get two hours’ worth of shut-eye and start the day feeling lousy and haggard.  The awful feeling that comes with the lack of sleep is because the body needs seven to eight hours worth of rest to repair itself and support various functions, such as its immunity or muscle repair. While some have no problem falling asleep as soon as they go to bed, others have a hard time learning how to get to sleep quickly due to insomnia. Here’s what you need to know about it: 

Our bedroom plays a major role in all our lives. It is a sanctuary to rest our weary souls and body at the end of the day. Since it’s our sanctuary, we must strive to keep it in comfortable, clean, and hygienic conditions – especially our mattress. Sometimes, people are unaware that their mattress also needs protection.   Like other items in your possession, your mattress is vulnerable to harmful things. Constant exposure to these things can decrease the quality of your mattress. We all know mattresses are not cheap and we can't replace them every other day. So, instead of leaving your mattress at the mercy of nature, you should protect it with a tried and tested method – use a mattress protector. 

If you search online or ask someone to share the secret to comfortable sleep, the most common answers you will find is a quality mattress, perfect temperature of the room, breathable sheets, and so on. However, what most people forget to mention or don’t know about is using the right pillow will help you sleep better and more comfortably at night.  That is why you will see different types of pillows in the mattress shop. Even though your first instinct is to grab the softest and fluffiest pillow, it doesn't mean you have to act on it. With this guide, you can choose a pillow that is specifically recommended for your sleeping style to improve your posture. 

Nothing can replicate the comfort of your own bedroom, mattress, and bathroom. Every time you are away from home, it must heighten the craving for sleeping in your own bed because it provides maximum support during my nighttime respite. For nine-to-five workers, the bed becomes a sanctuary. According to research conducted by the Emma Sleep Research Team, 39% of the UK population agree, and 16% strongly agree, with considering their bedroom a true sanctuary.   However, the bed mattress can lose its firmness due to time and usage. And there is truly nothing more dissatisfying than a lumpy mattress - maybe not “nothing” but pretty much. Instead of compromising on your comfort, you should shop for a mattress that can help you wake up fresh every morning . Fortunately, there are various types of mattresses, and you buy the one that fits your needs. However, not everyone knows which mattress type is right for them. So, we are answering all your questions today to ensure you find the best mattress to rest your tired body.

There is only one thing we want after a long day at work sitting in an uncomfortable office chair: a big and comfortable bed all for ourselves. However, this dream can instantly turn into a nightmare if you own the wrong type of mattress.  You must be thinking about how can a mattress be wrong. According to sleep experts, you should choose a mattress based on your sleeping position. You need support in different areas of the body while sleeping and not everyone sleeps in the same position. Therefore, there are multiple types of mattresses in the market to facilitate all types of sleepers.  Before you get lost in the mattress world, we will match you with your soul-mattress. After extensive research, numerous discussions with sleep experts, and various in-house tests, we can provide you with the essential information on mattress shopping. 

We are looking at the impact of sleep on the ability to maintain your social life and friendships. Sleeping adequately improves your mood and self-esteem, allowing your social stamina and friendships to be positively affected.

Exercise in general is incredibly beneficial for you,as it can help reduce fatigue, while increasing energy levels and cognitive function. It can also increase oxygen levels to your brain, helping you to awaken in a more natural way than your daily coffee order. Exercising can help to promote the release of endorphins, which can help improve your mood and generate a sense of wellbeing and good health. Getting sunlight early in the morning is also proven to help improve your sleep-wake cycle. Getting outside for an hour or so each morning, either for a run or a walk, can also inspire and encourage you to eat healthier and increase motivation.

Jet Lag according to the Encyclopaedia of Sleep is defined as, “A transient psychophysiological syndrome related to the desynchronisation of body circadian rhythms due to a  rapid long-distance transmeridian travel.” In short, it is when your body gets confused at what time it is, due to a long trip during which you change different time zones.  As a result, your internal clock hasn’t adapted to your current timezone yet. For this reason, you may find yourself falling asleep at weird hours, or staying up much later than you normally would.

With summer fast approaching, we’re already reaping the benefits of longer, brighter days and warm summer nights. However, sleeping in summer can be difficult for those who are used to the colder climates we have for most of the year, so should we be adapting our sleep routine for a better night's sleep?