Sleep Doctor offers insights on sleep, health
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, June 1, 2009
BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. — The Sleep Doctor was in at Furniture/Today's Bedding Conference here. And he offered up a prescription for better health messages.
Nationally recognized sleep expert Michael Breus, who has appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and has been interviewed hundreds of times by various media outlets, shared startling facts about sleep, weight loss and better health in a well-received address at the Bedding Conference here. His speech was sponsored by Carpenter, a leading supplier of comfort materials to the mattress industry.
“The mission he has embarked upon is good news for the bedding industry,” Carpenter's Bob Steelman said in introducing Breus, who had the audience chuckling and nodding approvingly as he presented sleep insights.
Breus urged the industry leaders to think about sleep in a new way: “Sleep is not just about sleep. It's also about awake.” In addition, he said, sleep is a perception: “When you wake up in bed and think about how well you slept, that's probably how well you slept.”
He also urged his audience, a group that included bedding retailers, manufacturers and suppliers, to think about what kind of work they are engaged in. “Everyone in this room is a health consultant,” Breus noted. “You all have health companies. You are affecting people's health.”
Breus punctured the widely held belief that eight hours of sleep is the right amount for everyone. Personally, Breus said, he gets six-and-a-half hours of sleep a night, while his wife aims for nine hours. “Eight hours of sleep is not what you should strive for,” he said. “You should get what you need to feel good.” The average person needs from seven to seven-and-a-half hours of sleep, he said.
Several bad things occur when people don't get enough sleep, according to Breus. Insomnia is directly linked to high blood pressure, and people who are sleep deprived gain weight, catch more colds and are more forgetful, he said. Bad sleep equals bad health, Breus added, just as good sleep yields good health.
While Breus did not specify a particular type of mattress or a pillow he recommends, he offered general comments about both products. He said a poor sleep surface will cause muscle soreness, and a sleep surface that increases pressure on the body will cause increased pain.
It's OK for bedding producers to seek to reduce a sleeper's motion, he said, but sleepers need to move during the night.
Addressing pillows, Breus said a good pillow allows for better breathing. And he said poor spinal neck alignment will cause pain that can directly affect deep sleep.
Breus also offered sleep tips linked to the five senses:
-
Sight. Light directly affects a sleeper's biological clock. Put a night light in the bathroom, not next to the bed. And use a book light to read in bed.
-
Touch. There's more to a good night's sleep than just the mattress. Sheets and pillows are also key elements of the sleep system.
-
Sound. Consider noise-reducing earplugs. Don't hit the snooze button; that little bit of extra sleep won't really do you any good. If you fall asleep in front of the TV, use a timer to shut the TV off.
-
Smell. Some smells, including lavender, produce a relaxation response that can help in falling asleep. Aromatherapy does work.
-
Taste. Avoid caffeine after 2 p.m. Drink beverages with the highest caffeine levels in the morning and then shift to water later in the day. If drinking alcoholic beverages, drink a glass of water for every glass of alcohol consumed.
Breus has captured the nation's attention with his insights. He recently collaborated with “Glamour” magazine to design improved sleeping programs for seven readers who wanted to lose weight.
The results were touted on the cover of Glamour's March issue: “Lose 10 pounds just by sleeping more.”
Featured Company
-
FurnitureCore.com
FurnitureCore.com is a dynamic web application aimed at the furniture industry. Retailers and manufacturers alike will find our deep reserve of tools to be exactly what their furniture business needs.www.furniturecore.com... more
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
