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Meditation for stress: How this practice can transform your life

Posted on by lionel

Meditation can be understood as an art of awakening the innate healing potential of your own mind. It helps you stay physically fit, mentally strong, emotionally stable, and connected to your inner self. If you’re looking for meditation for stress management, this is a good place to start.

The ever-growing body of research in the past two decades either supports its immense mental health benefits, including better sleep, stress management, anxiety relief, improved focus, enhanced memory, rebuilding grey matter, and whatnot. Read on to find some of the benefits of meditation and how it can help you stay calm and sleep better during these stressful times.

Relieves stress and anxiety

Modern scientific developments have changed the way we look at the capabilities of the human brain. Now we know that our brain adapts, rewires itself, and keeps changing continuously according to our experiences. If you keep challenging your brain continuously, it will adapt itself to address those challenges.

This is where meditation comes in.

With regular practice of meditation, the brain learns to stay calm even in stressful situations. It prepares the mind as well as the body to adapt to physical, psychological, and environmental stressors. A 2018 study found meditation programs to reduce psycho-emotional stress, anger, fatigue, and depression in participants. These participants also reported higher levels of wakefulness during daytime and better quality of sleep in the night time during the program.

Improved quality of better sleep

This might sound like a no-brainer (given that meditation reduces stress, and stress is the most common reason for poor sleep), but the way meditation improves sleep is way more effective and deep-rooted than any other form of relaxation. A 2012 study revealed that a regular meditation practice alters the physiological functions in a similar way to what happens during sleep. Decreased heart rate, blood pressure, slow and regular breathing, enhanced levels of melatonin (sleep hormone), and reduced metabolic rate are some of the conditions our body goes through every night. Meditation brings about similar changes in the body to improve both the duration and quality of sleep.

Meditation for stress management

Meditation is rejuvenating for the body and mind and contributes towards enriching your inner life. Consistent meditation practice is known to have a profound impact on mental composure as it teaches you how to stay emotionally stable even in turbulent times. It brings clarity of thought so you can better understand your feelings, worries, fears, and anxieties.

 

How to start meditating: Basic steps for beginners

Whether you’re turning to meditation for stress management or you’re just looking for a new, healthy practice to incorporate into your daily routine, these beginner steps might be useful.

·        Prepare

Sit down in the cross-legged position on a comfortable surface, preferably on a firm mat. Make sure the surrounding is either calm or distraction-free. Set up a timer for 10 minutes. Once you start enjoying the practice, you can increase the time to 20-25 minutes or however long you want.

·        Breathe, just breathe

Do not try to control your thoughts. In the beginning, it’s very important to learn how to turn a natural, involuntary act of breathing into a conscious act. Focus on your breathing – feel the air in your nostrils, and try to keep it slow and deep. If your mind wanders, return your focus to breathing again. With time and consistent practice, you will notice fewer wanderings and more focus.

·        Try essential oils

Essential oils can be a powerful tool for breathing, especially for beginners who often struggle with focus. Some essential oils like patchouli, frankincense, myrrh, sandalwood are considered great for centering your mind on a single object, in this case – breathing. More you like the smell, better it will help you. Diffuse 3-4 drops in the room or apply a diluted version on the forehead, neck, and inner wrists.

Home workout plan: Two to try

Posted on by lionel

With the outbreak of Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdown, gyms are closed and it means more people are working out at home. If you’re already in the habit of working out and you have your own equipment, then this will be a relatively smooth transition.  However, if you haven’t done much training in the past and don’t own any exercise equipment, then you might find our two home workout plans useful.

We’ve created two plans for you: One for beginners and one for people with a higher fitness level. If you’re going to use this time to get fit, create a daily routine that incorporates some time to concentrate on working out.

Benefits of a home workout plan

Now is the perfect time to get started on an exercise program, or simply continue what you’ve been doing at home. Working out contributes to general good health and as a result improves your overall immunity.   It also can improve your mental health, while significantly reducing your risk of depression.  Not to mention, it can really help you with sleep. (We love sleep here at Sealy! If you’re struggling to sleep, be sure to check out our Sealy Sleep Tips.)

High output workouts where a large amount of work is performed in a short amount of time are super-efficient and effective. However, even moving your body just a little each day – with a very low impact exercise, some stretching, etc. will deliver benefits to your body and help break the monotony of lockdown!

Choose your home workout plan

We’ve created two workout plans for you:  One for beginners and one for fitter people.  Once you’ve selected your programme, do a quick Google search for each exercise to make sure you’re doing each exercise correctly. Each exercise has an easier option to start with – for example, you can do a push up with your knees on the ground get started.

Work through each exercise listed in the programme, moving from one exercise to the next. Once you’ve finished all the movements, rest for one to two minutes. Then do another round. Aim to perform three rounds in one workout. As you begin to improve, you can work your way up to five rounds in a workout.

Beginner workout

  • Pushups: 10 reps
  • Bodyweight Squat: 20 reps
  • Walking Lunge: 10 each leg
  • Plank: 30 seconds
  • Jumping Jacks: 5 reps

 

Advanced Workout

  • Pushups: 10 reps
  • Steps Up: 10 each side
  • Bent Over Row (Use a litre of water): 10 each side
  • Bodyweight Squat + 10-Second Hold at End: 25 reps
  • Mountain Climbers: 30 seconds
  • Jumping Jacks: 25 reps

If you’re new to training it is important to proceed with caution.  As with anything in life, it’s important to start out slowly.  Listen to your body, and if you feel any joint pain, you should stop immediately.

Some South African fitness professionals sharing free online workouts

If you have a reliable internet connection, check out these online workouts from some of South Africa’s fitness professionals:

 

 

 

 

Sleep and the immune system

Posted on by lionel

Sleep and the immune system are deeply connected, and the quality and quantity of sleep has a direct effect on your immune system. Your immune system works at its best when you receive the necessary quantity and quality of sleep, which is usually around 7 to 8 hours per day.

T-cells, sleep and the immune system

One of the important cells that make up our immune system is T-cells. If you’re trying to remember where you’ve heard about this cell earlier, this is a cell that fights against HIV. However, this T-cell is more than HIV infection; it has a role to play in protecting our body against many forms of viral infections.

These T-cells work by activating a special element in our body called integrins. The activation of these integrins is highly essential for killing viruses and even cancer cells. Many studies show that healthy sleep of at least 7 hours has a prominent role in increasing the activation of integrins of T-cells.

Stress, sleep and the immune system

Sleeplessness is associated with stress and this can be translated as a high amount of cortisol, which is a ‘stress’ hormone. Cortisol and other substances as if prostaglandins that are secreted as a result of stress can decrease the activation of integrins and thereby, decrease the effectiveness and functions of T-cells.  This shows that importance of sleep to live a healthy life.

Several scientific studies show that healthy sleep is essential for the production of specialised immune substances called cytokines. These cytokines are highly essential to activate inflammatory reaction whenever any foreign particles or microbes enter our body. Sleeplessness or insomnia deprives our immune system of the production of these important immune molecules and thus, decreases the strength of our immune system. These studies and scientific facts not only show the link between sleep and the immune system but also encourage us to give importance to sleep.

Is your mattress contributing to sleeplessness?

The quality and quantity of sleep also depend on various factors. Among them the environmental factors such as the amount of light in the room, noise in the environment and the sleeping conditions are vital. One of the important factors for healthy sleep is the quality and the form of mattress that we use. Mattresses that absorb heat too much or the ones that are too soft to maintain the correct posture can disturb your sleep. Choose your mattress wisely as your sleeping posture and overall comfort will also impact your sleep.

A mattress is a long-term investment, both in terms of the money you spend and the impact it has on your daily well-being. Considering you spend a lot of time on your mattress throughout your life, this is an important decision and one you should consider carefully. Every person is different, with different sleeping habits, different physiques, and different preferences, so make sure you research and test various mattress options to ensure you invest correctly.

Why deep sleep is important

Posted on by lionel

You may have heard that you need to get eight hours of sleep, but when you’re talking about sleep, the quality matters as much as how long you sleep.  Throughout the night you go through different stages of sleep.  Deep sleep is what allows you to wake up refreshed.

Cycles of sleep

Stage 1– During the first stage of sleep, your body starts to relax. Bodily functions such as breathing and heartbeat slow down and your muscles relax and your brain waves begin to slow down.

Stage 2– This stage encompasses half of your sleep cycle. You fall into this stage of sleep more than any of the others. During this stage your body continues to relax, your brain waves are much slower with short periods of activity, your eye movements stop and your body temperature drops.

Stages 3 and 4– These stages are considered deep sleep stages.  This is where your body is in the deepest state of relaxation and brain waves are at their slowest.  At this stage, it’s hard to wake up, and you don’t even wake up with loud noises.

Your body stays in deep sleep the longest during the first few cycles.  As the night progresses the deep sleep cycle gets shorter.

Stage 5– This last stage is REM sleep.

Why Stage 3 and 4 sleep is important

Sleep stages 3 and 4 facilitate several processes in the body.  During these stages, the brain metabolises glucose which helps with memory and overall learning.  These are the other benefits of deep sleep:

  • Promotes growth and repair of tissues and bones
  • Cells regenerate
  • Strengthens the immune system
  • Increases blood supply to the muscles
  • Restores energy

Deep sleep is a vital part of your body healing itself so you are healthy.

Deterrent to deep sleep

There are many things that can cause you not to fall into sleep stages 3 and 4.  One of the main contributors is your mattress. When your mattress is not comfortable, it doesn’t allow your body to fall into a deep sleep because your body can’t get comfortable enough to relax.  You may toss and turn which keeps your body alert.

If you are waking up tired all the time, even after getting the right amount of sleep, you might not be getting enough good sleep, and you may need to look at your mattress as the culprit.  A good mattress supports your body and allows it to relax and fall into a deep sleep.

Having the right mattress can make all the difference with feeling more energetic as well as keeping you healthy.  Now that you know how important deep sleep is, maybe it’s time to reevaluate your mattress and how you feel after a “good night’s sleep”.

 

 

Slow down the signs of aging in 2020

Posted on by lionel

A healthy diet, regular exercise, smart lifestyle choices, strong social connections and good sleep can help slow down the signs of aging. We teamed up with South African blogger, Fiona Rossiter, to explore practical ways to boost your chances of healthy aging, and to make the most of 2020.

In the latest blog post on her Inspired Living blog, Five tips to slow the signs of aging, Fiona shares some real-life practical tips to incorporate this year. While it’s impossible to stop the clock or turn back time, it is possible to slow it down.

A lack of sleep increases the signs of aging

Research shows a link between a lack of sleep and slowing metabolism. However, the National Sleep Foundation reveals that although women aged between 30 and 60 should get an average of seven to nine hours of sleep each night, most women are getting less than seven.

Good sleep reduces stress, improves memory, lowers blood pressure, increases immunity and helps put you in a better mood. But did you know a good night’s sleep can also give you better skin? After all, it’s not called “beauty sleep” for nothing. Just think about it: If you don’t get enough sleep, you start seeing bags under your swollen eyes, paler skin and more wrinkles and fine lines. Your skin wants sleep! Yes, it’s wise to invest in good quality skin care products, but if you’re not making sleep a priority, you’re doing yourself a disservice.

A good quality mattress will help slow down the signs of mattress

A good quality mattress means good quality sleep! Considering you spend approximately one third of your life in bed, a quality mattress and sprung foundation is a smart investment in your health.

Sealy manufactures comfortable mattresses to suit everybody.  The absolute luxury of Essensual with its sumptuous feel for a gorgeous night’s sleep.  It looks and feels refined and luxurious.  Our Crown Jewel collection is sophisticated and elegant made from the best lavish materials and is the height of perfection in luxury.  The Hybrid Collection offers the best of both worlds with the top half featuring a Coolsmart Memory foam or the Dual-Flex Hybrid Foam layer with a pressure reducing properties and the bottom half providing pocket spring support to reduce motion transfer.  The Sealy Posturepedic range has a patented spring system with luxury layers to ensure healthy, restful sleep and providing the perfect balance for back support.

 

Sleep: Your most important New Year’s resolution

Posted on by lionel

Adding this one New Year’s resolution to your list will help ensure you achieve all the other resolutions: Sleep more. We’re talking approximately eight hours per night!

Nothing compares to the benefits of getting enough sleep. In fact, studies have shown that inadequate sleep over time can shorten your lifespan. Trading sleep to cram more into the day increases your risk of developing serious medical conditions, especially when you factor in additional bad habits of poor nutrition and lack of exercise.

Reducing sleep from the recommended eight hours per night by two to three hours can have dramatic consequences to your health.

Risk of sleeping only six to seven hours

  • Cardiovascular disease – Missing just an hour or two per night is associated with a greatly increased risk of coronary artery calcification which is a predictor of future heart attacks.
  • Common cold and immune function – If you get less than seven hours of sleep per night you are about three times as likely to get a common cold. Studies have shown that people who get eight hours of sleep are also less likely to come down with cold symptoms.

Risk of sleeping six hours or less

  • Obesity – Several studies have shown a correlation of obesity and lack of sleep. People who sleep less than 6 hours per night are more likely to have excess body weight. So, if weight loss is another one of your New Year’s resolutions be sure to add getting eight hours of sleep to the top of your list.

Risk of sleeping five hours or less

  • Diabetes – Sleeping fewer than five hours have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while sleeping eight hours can have positive influences on blood sugar control for those who already have it.
  • High Blood Pressure – Sleeping less than five hours per night puts you at risk of developing or worsening high blood pressure.

 

An analysis of data from three separate studies suggests that sleeping five or fewer hours
per night may increase mortality risk by as much as 15 percent. – Harvard Medical Study

After several days of missing sleep your body begins to give you signals, such as feeling tired and irritable, with some serious side effects such as brain fog and inability to concentrate or make decisions. This means if being more productive is one of your New Year’s resolutions, getting enough sleep should be at the top of your list.

Tips for getting enough sleep

It will take more than a New Year’s resolution to change your sleeping habits.  Here are some tips that will help you make the change to better health and longer life:

  • Set your internal body clock by creating a regular sleep schedule.
  • Wind down before bedtime.
  • Make your bedroom a relaxing environment.
  • Keep a sleep diary so you can review your habits.
  • Check the comfort of your mattress.

Simple solution

Replacing your mattress for a more comfortable mattress just might be the best purchase you make for your health.

It may be time to replace your old mattress for one that is more comfortable if you:

  • Wake up tired
  • Suffer from allergies from the dust that collects on old mattresses
  • Have back or body aches
  • Just can’t get comfortable

The type of mattress you choose depends on your personal needs.  There are mattresses for side sleepers versus back sleepers, those that give back pain relief, and those designed to be orthopedic.

Adding the goal of “Getting eight hours of sleep” to your New Year’s resolution list and investing in a comfortable mattress could be a life changer for the coming year.

Sleep deprivation linked to early signs of Alzheimer’s

Posted on by lionel

Not getting enough sleep can increase the risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. You know by now that sleep is essential to brain function, but did you know that sleep deprivation is also linked to early signs of Alzheimer’s disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is associated with a greater amount of a certain protein (beta-amyloid) in the brain and nervous system. While you’re getting some shut-eye, your brain is busy cleaning out these toxins that contribute to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Studies have shown that even one night of not getting the appropriate amount of sleep increases this protein in the cerebral spinal fluid.

Sleep is associated with clearing metabolic waste out of the system.  If you don’t get enough sleep over a period of time, the beta-amyloid stays in your system.  The build-up of beta-amyloid is linked to early signs of Alzheimer’s disease.

Nearly 50 million people worldwide live with Alzheimer’s disease.  Alzheimer’s and dementia are the top causes of disability later in life.  The Alzheimer Association predicts a 68% increase in dementia in lower and middle-class countries by 2015.

How to get better quality sleep

If you’re struggling to sleep, there are some ways to get better quality sleep:

Increase bright light exposure

Our bodies have a circadian rhythm.  Getting more bright light during the day helps your body, mind, and hormones stay awake during the day and settle down and sleep at night.  Try getting into the sunlight daily or invest in a bright light bulb.

Don’t consume caffeine late in the day

Caffeine stimulates the nervous systems which encourages your body to stay awake.  Quit consuming caffeine at least six hours before bed.

Have a bedtime routine

Have a routine before bedtime such as reading a book or taking a bath.  Go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning, allowing for at least 7 hours of sleep if possible.

Reduce blue light exposure

Smartphones, tablets, computers and even your TV emit a blue light.  This light tricks your body into thinking it’s daytime and so it doesn’t release melatonin.  This could cause you to have trouble falling asleep or wake up in the middle of the night.  If you need to use your devices you can:

  • Download an app to block blue light on your computer or smartphone
  • Wear glasses that block blue light
  • Stop watching TV for at least an hour before bed

 

The most important tool: A good mattress

A good mattress is one of the most important tools for getting good sleep quality.  How do you know if you need a new mattress?

  • You are tired all the time
  • You Toss and turn all night
  • Your current mattress is sagging
  • You can’t get comfortable on your mattress

How to choose the right mattress

There are a few things to look for when choosing a mattress:

  • Your body should be distributed evenly across the sleeping surface
  • While laying down, your body should be well supported across the shoulders, hips, back, and ribs
  • Your spine should be aligned in a neutral position with the rest of your body
  • Type of mattress (memory foam, gel, spring coil, pillow-top, etc.)

Sleep is important to overall health and brain function.  Lack of sleep is tied to various health conditions including early signs of Alzheimer’s disease.  By having good sleep habits and sleeping on the right mattress, you can improve your health and reduce your risk for serious health conditions.

 

 

 

 

Can Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) help you sleep better?

Posted on by lionel

Traditionally, insomniacs have lent on sleeping pills, Hypnotherapy, Acupuncture and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) to try and find the sleep that eludes them. CBT teaches you to recognise negative thoughts (I am worried I won’t get enough sleep tonight) and shut them down to avoid negative behaviours (now I can’t fall asleep as I am so worried about it).

However, there is now a new therapy available for insomniacs that advises against avoiding negative thoughts and it is called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or ACT.

“ACT helps you see how futile it can be putting energy into trying to change the thoughts and feelings that crop up around sleep. It teaches you to accept their presence and let them go, which in turn pushes you towards sleep”, says Guy Meadows, who has recently released ‘The Sleep Book’ that describes how to implement ACT techniques to ease sleeplessness over five weeks.

Early metacognitive research studies have shown a good outcomes, but what exactly is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

There are six steps that make up this approach:

  1. Acceptance

Rather than embarking on strategies such as hot baths, accept the things that show up when you try to sleep, such as unwanted thoughts.

  1. Mindfulness

Try and be in the present moment. Rather than worrying about the past, or what might happen in the future, take time out to ground yourself.

  1. Defusion

This is about defusing the sleep bomb: you need to start getting closer to and even playing with your unwanted thoughts and emotional reactions associated with insomnia in order to untangle yourself from them and lessen their power.

  1. Self in context

Put yourself and the situation into context. We have lots of stories playing in our heads: ‘I’m a failure’ or ‘no one likes me’ and ‘everyone else can sleep and I can’t’. Be able to put yourself into context and stand outside them.

  1. Values

Think about what’s important to you. Family? Your friends? Being healthy? If you could write your epitaph, what would you want it to say?

  1. Committed action

There’s no point valuing something if you don’t act upon it. There’s no point valuing being fit and healthy if you never go to the gym. This is about committing to act towards those values by making small steps every day. A happy brain is a sleepy brain.

These six steps come from the book ‘The Sleep Book’. To look into this programme in more detail you can purchase it here.

Stronger core = better sleep

Posted on by lionel

Can getting stronger abs, get you better sleep? Damn straight it can! A strong core = better sleep.

Your diaphragm is a band of muscles that separates your internal organs (like your stomach, liver and colon) from your chest cavity (that contains your heart and lungs). The diaphragm is like a hammock that is pulled tight by your core muscles.

A solid core means a happier diaphragm which means healthier, deeper, more nourishing breathing.

So yes, a stronger core could mean better sleep for you if you suffer from conditions like sleep apnoea.

Your internal organs are housed within your core. Abdominal fat cushions and protects these organs from harm, however, too much abdominal fat can hurt your spine while standing and put pressure onto your vital organs while sleeping.

Strong abdominal and back muscles use fat to keep them functioning which helps burn up any unhelpful fat that is lying near them.

This helps to keep blood flowing to our organs so that they can perform optimally.

The larger you are, the harder your heart has to work. So strengthening your core could mean that your heart gets stronger and gets to relax more when you are sleeping.

A smaller waste circumference is linked to lower risk of developing high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease.

Lastly, your spine has to carry the excess load you lug around each day.

If back pain is keeping you up then strengthening your core could help reduce the pain and get you snoozing more deeply.

Furthermore, if your pain is so bad that you can only sleep when taking pain-killers, then strengthening your core could help you reduce the frequency and/or dosage of pain meds.

So what are you waiting for? Figure out what work outs work for you by trying into high-intensity, yoga or pilates to get a stronger core.

Help is here for blanket hoggers

Posted on by lionel

Ikea has launched the TOG-ether bundle to help couples sleep better. Inspired by the Swedish tradition of using two single duvets rather than one queen sized duvet, the TOG-ether bundle gives each person their own amount of insulation, but at a cost that that can be is less than buying two single duvets.

Whist some feel that this will put an end to any snuggling, others are excited about the prospect of getting a better night’s sleep.

Many who co-sleep report that their sleep is broken-

  1. when they wake up and realize they are blanket-less
  2. when their partner wakes them up to reclaim what was their half of the blanket
  3. when they share a bed with someone with a totally opposing thermostat and wake up freezing and/or over-heating.

Any couple who differ in bedding needs will love this idea that puts an end to the midnight tale of waking up to find you have double the blankets you would like thanks to your sweaty loved one who has dumped their bedding onto you.

Ranked as the ninth happiest country in the world, perhaps the Swedes are onto something and we should all copy their now infamous sleep strategy.

What we do know at Sealy is that good sleep means a great life.

Note from CEO