This week''s tips on how to sleep better
19/12/2011
Scientists have once again been debating how we can improve our quality of sleep, with a host of studies being carried out to help us rest more easily. Here's this week's raft of research that could help you get better shut-eye over the festive season.
Address your sleep apnoea
Experts believe that if you suffer from sleep apnoea, then receiving treatment could do more than just tackle the symptoms.
A team from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi found that using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine can help lower blood pressure, cholesterol and stomach fat. As a result, heart health may be significantly improved.
One of the main problems, however, is that the masks attached to CPAP machines can be especially uncomfortable, meaning sufferers might not be making the most of these advantages.
Surendra Sharma, head of the department of internal medicine at the institute, believes that proper counselling on the use of CPAP machines could make a real difference. Not only will sufferers and their partners get the shut-eye they need, but their general health could also benefit.
Switch on to switch off?
One theory on people's lack of sleep over recent years has been that we're spending too much time playing with gadgets before bed. However, experts from the University of Sydney doubt that this is the case, instead saying that sleeping patterns haven't changed much at all.
Analysing data from 1992, 1997 and 2006, they found that the average person spent eight hours 20 minutes in bed back in 1992. This is compared to eight hours 30 minutes in 2006, showing very little change.
Some groups of people were found to sleep less than others, so if you're in higher education or have young children, then you're destined not to get as much shut-eye as the rest of us.
So, when it comes to light-emitting gadgets disrupting our rest, Australian experts seem to think there is little case to answer to.
Improve your work/life balance
Having flexible working conditions may do more than improve the quality of your work/life balance, a team from the University of Minnesota claimed in recent days. They believe that a great night's sleep can be made possible if there is some flexibility in when and where you are expected to work.
After assessing employees at one location in Minnesota, the researchers found that spending an extra hour in bed was common among those who were able to determine their own working hours.
In addition to this, they were more likely to make an appointment with their doctor if they felt a little under the weather. Arguments with friends and family were also less common among this group.
