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Avoid Alcohol Before Bed for a Better Night, Japanese Researchers Say

You’d think a nice glass of wine before bedtime would improve sleep.

 

Not so, say the experts: you can expect worse, not deeper, sleep overall if you imbibe in the evenings. A new study from Japan has revealed that individuals who drink larger amounts of alcohol may have reduced REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and could also experience shallower sleep than normal during the rest of the evening.

 

So why does it seem like alcohol should be a sleep inducer rather than interrupter? It certainly can start out that way, but “although the first half of sleep after alcohol intake looks good, the result of the assessment shows that drinking leads to insomnia rather than good sleep,” pointed out Yohei Sagawa of the Department of Neuropsychiatry at Akita University, Japan, one of the study’s researchers.

 

Reports on the study are quick to point out that the study size was small – only 10 students – suggesting that more testing is necessary before drawing any firm conclusion.

 

Still, better safe than sorry: if you’re already prone to sleep disturbances or if you consume alcohol regularly (say, every weekend), try to time your consumption so it won’t leave you with a sleep hangover as well as a drink hangover.

 

Also be sure to make your sleep area as comfortable as possible, with dim lighting, a cool to warm environment (when the room is too warm, sleep tends to be less recuperative) and a firm, supportive Rest Assured mattress to improve your chances of a healthy night.

 

Reports of Bedbugs Have Crossed the Pond. Be Aware

Yes, I know. Eew.

 

Just wanted to make you aware.

 

We’ve been reading tons of reports over the past year or so of bedbugs plaguing hotels in the U.S. It shouldn’t be such a surprise, then, that other areas of the globe are battling the unwanted bedtime visitors, too. Still, it was a little daunting to read this report of the sleepy creepies tormenting guests at a London hotel.

 

Now, let’s be fair. Though the article points a finger at the hotel’s hygiene practices, in reality, anyone can get bedbugs. Just two wayward bugs on any plush personal belonging (including children’s stuffed toys, sweaters and even your car’s carpeting) and you’ve got a recipe for disaster…and in no time at all: bedbugs can lay up to 500 eggs in a lifetime, and juveniles reach maturity in just a month and a half. That adds up to a lot of bugs in a very short period of time.

 

How to keep safe? You can reduce your chances of giving bedbugs a ride to your house by keeping tabs ahead of time on hotels you plan to stay in. The internet is your friend here; search the news for announcements of outbreaks or of unhygienic practices. If you’re suspicious, book a different hotel.

 

Inspect your mattresses every couple of months for evidence of bedbugs by looking in seams for dark spots and smears. These can be telltale signs of infestation (though they don’t have to be, so don’t panic – call in a professional exterminator for a look). Clean your mattresses regularly by vacuuming. A bed cover can also help keep things sanitary.

 

Once exposed to bedbugs, it’s not impossible to clean up a mattress, but for your own health and peace of mind, we suggest investing in a brand-new one. Take your old mattress to your local waste facility; don’t leave it on the curb. You don’t want to be spreading the bugs around and making the problem worse.

 

Above all, don’t be ashamed. As we stated earlier: anyone can experience this problem. It does not mean you run an unclean household. Some parasites are more persistent than others; this particular breed seems to be among the more hearty (and opportunistic). So if you suspect a problem, get it taken care of right away. You’ll sleep easier knowing you’ve done all you could to nip an itchy problem in the bud.

 

If you need a new mattress then check out the great prices we have on Rest Assured Mattresses