Did you know that after seven years, half of the weight of your mattress is dead skin cells? And if that isn't enough to make you want to change your mattress, there are many health concerns associated with not sleeping in the right posture, not having the right support and not getting enough sleep.
Lack of sleep has been associated with a wide range of health concerns from impaired memory and physical injuries to diabetes and cancer. It can also effect sugar and hormone balance and increase your risk of depression. A minimum amount of sleep that you should be getting is 7.5 hours - if you are getting less, it is affecting your health. Lack of sleep combined with the physical and neurological effects of having inadequate support whilst sleeping help to explain why having a good bed is really important.
To support you properly, a mattress should be as firm as is comfortable and should support you properly in all of the right areas. I would recommend the firmest one as the best to support your spine, but remember if you have been sleeping on a softer mattress for a while it may take some time to adjust to the new firm one. Allow yourself around three weeks to adjust, and then you should be right as rain.
Choosing an appropriate pillow is also very important. I recommend getting a contoured pillow that provides support for your neck (whether you are lying on your back or on your side), and also helps to maintain the curve in your neck, which is very important for your health.
The best bed and pillow on the market in my opinion is the Chiropractors Association of Australia approved range available at Sleepy's stores in SA. Even better if you get referred there by your chiropractor you get 20% off, free pillows and your old mattress removed free of charge.
Don't forget to look at your sleeping posture as well. The main one to avoid here is sleeping on your stomach. When you sleep on your stomach, you are effectively bending your neck to a full 90 degrees, loading it up with your body weight and then leaving it there for eight hours at a time. Over the years this adds up to be a big stress on your neck and spine.
So assess your bed, your pillow and your sleeping posture and you too can sleep your way to better health!
Dr Brett Hill's top 5 tips for getting a good night's sleep
1. Choose the right bed and replace it every 7-10 years
2. Choose the right pillow
3. Assess your sleeping posture, especially if you are a stomach sleeper (it is a hard habit to break but worth it)
4. Get plenty of exercise - it helps to switch of the stress response so you can relax at night
5.Avoid eating late at night, especially stimulating foods like sugar, carbs and caffeine
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