World Sleep Day: Sealy supports sleep awareness campaign

14 March, 2014

World Sleep Day: Sealy supports sleep awareness campaign

Lack of sleep is dangerous to your health. And that’s not all.

There would be 20 per cent fewer injury accidents on Auckland roads if people avoided driving when they were tired. And experts agree lack of sleep can also be linked to diabetes, obesity, lowered immune system and poor school performance.

In addition, current academic wisdom says sleep disorders are damaging New Zealanders economically as well as physically.

Today (14 March), World Sleep Day celebrates the benefits of good healthy sleep with a call to action on issues important to sleep.

To draw attention to the issues and provide a few simple tips to help us sleep, bed maker Sealy and NZ sleep expert Dr Alex Bartle are joining forces.

According to Dr Bartle, an extra hour's sleep every night would mean we would be happier, healthier and more productive. Also, road accidents would be reduced and hospital services under less pressure.

“Here’s a test; when you wake in the morning if you find you can turn over, shut your eyes and go straight back to sleep, you’re not getting enough rest,” he says.

“Insomnia affects many people. Some studies have reported one-in-two adults surveyed from the general population have brief periods of difficulty sleeping. About one-in-ten has insomnia lasting longer than two weeks at a time, so it’s a significant problem that is affecting lives.”

Dr Bartle says insomnia is frequently a symptom of illness, severe stress, or can be a primary sleep disorder. His Sleep Well Clinic provides a range of tests and comprehensive medical consultation to help decide on a treatment for a long-term solution.

So if you’re having trouble sleeping, what can you do?

Dr Bartle says there are medical treatments but in most cases a focus on good sleeping “habits” can make a significant improvement.

“Relax before you go to bed – put away the laptop or smartphone, avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol late in the day and exercise regularly but again, not within three hours of bedtime.

“Also, don’t nap during the day and only go to bed when you are sleepy. And when you do retire, make sure the environment is as pleasant, dark and quiet as possible. And just like when you were a child, establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine to tell your brain it's time to sleep,” he says.

Bed maker Sealy has a useful link on its website which includes sleep tips for all members of the family.

To promote sleep awareness, Sealy NZ Facebook fans have the opportunity to ask Dr Alex Bartle any sleep-related questions from March 17 to 21 and there is a chance to win a one hour sleep consultation at the end of the week at the Sleep Well Clinic.

Visit http://www.facebook.com/sealynz for more.

About World Sleep Day
World Sleep Day is organised by the World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM), an international association whose mission is to advance sleep health worldwide. This year’s theme is “Restful Sleep, Easy Breathing, Healthy Body,” a three-in-one message highlighting the preventable risk factors for obstructive sleep apnoea.

Restful Sleep
Good, restorative sleep is continuous and uninterrupted, deep, and of adequate length. If you achieve all of these, you should feel rested and alert throughout the day.

Easy Breathing
People with obstructive sleep apnoea may not realise how many times they’re waking up during the night, but if your airway isn’t open enough, you’re not getting good sleep.

Healthy Body
Not only can getting healthy lead to better sleep — the same principle works in reverse. Better sleep leads to better health.

For more information on World Sleep Day, including additional media resources, go to
www.worldsleepday.org.

About Sealy
Sealy is the world’s number one bedding brand and the leader in innovation and quality. For over 85 years Sealy Posturepedic has been setting the standard in quality bedding and helping people wake up feeling relaxed and rejuvenated after a great night’s sleep.

All Sealy Posturepedic beds are designed in conjunction with the Orthopaedic Advisory Board (OAB) and come with a 10 year guarantee, so you can rest easy.

ENDS

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