Category: Sleep

1. Is Sleeping On The Right Side Great For The Body?

   Posted on 12:00pm Friday 1st Dec 2017

   Sleep is a big thing in our house, we love it but just don't get enough of it. To be honest, we grab those elusive 40 winks at any opportunity but which side of the body is best for sleeping? My friend is a nurse and she has to deal with lots of different patient complaints but some are in relation to how they sleep? (Who knew!) They complain about pain in the back left hip, left foot or the occasional abdominal pains for the sideway sleeper on bed. Of course, sleeping on the left side of the bed is medically approved, and it’s completely different from the right side. 

   

   The Lymph Drains Towards The Left Side

   Interestingly, a significant amount of the body’s lymphatic fluid drains to the thoracic duct, found on the left side. Along the way, it carries proteins, metabolites, and glucose. So, by sleeping on the right side, you hinder this process leading to chronic lymphatic complications.

   Hinders Elimination of Waste

   Here, the small intestines dump waste through the ICV or ileocecal valve, located on the right side of your body. This is just near the start of the large intestines. So, food travels up and across the right side of your tummy where it dumps the waste products into the left side of your colon. With the help of gravity, the left side of your body can move food wastes from the small to the large intestines quickly.

   It is amazing to see that by sleeping on the right side, you put your body through an unbearable digestion process. Eventually, this leads to indigestion and other stomach complications. Therefore, if you find yourself with un-ending tummy problems, it might not be something you ate but shockingly, how you sleep! wow!

   Reduces The Efficiency of a Functioning Heart

   We all know that the heart is located on the left side. By sleeping on this side of the body, you further aid the body in lymphatic drainage to your heart through gravity. Remember that it’s always good to take some of the tedious work off your heart as you enjoy your night’s rest.

   If you prefer sleeping on the right side, you’re not doing your heart any favors. Here, you’re just giving it extra work throughout the night, and chances are that you might not even enjoy your sleep. Many of my patients complain about heart problems, but after running some tests, the results show no problem. If you’re going through a similar situation, consider changing your sleeping posture!

   It Gives Your Spleen Too Much Work!

   We sometimes all need a little reminder that the spleen plays an essential role in your lymphatic system. It’s like a gigantic lymph node. However, other than just filtering lymph, it also removes ‘dirt’ from the blood. By sleeping on the left side and through the help of gravity, you assist the spleen in handling these processes quickly. However, if you love sleeping on the right side, you give the spleen extra work which is not healthy at all!

   

   Do You Feel Sleepy After Taking a Heavy Meal?

   Sleeping on the right side after a heavy dinner is quite unhealthy. It further causes indigestion and discomfort throughout the night. Keep in mind that the gallbladder and liver hang on the right side. By resting them on the left side, you allow them to secrete precious bile and to swing freely. And with the help of gravity, they can quickly emulsify fats and neutralize the stomach acids, giving you peaceful rest during the night.

   Over the years we have talked a lot about sleeping but who knew how important it was to sleep on the left side, especially if you’re suffering from ‘weird’ health complications. Besides, if you’re having trouble sleeping, sleeping on the right side could be the problem. Either way, you should change your sleeping posture sooner rather than later!

   Happy snoozing! 

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2. Step Up To Parenting By Facing These Responsibilities

   Posted on 2:00pm Thursday 13th Jul 2017

   

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   Let’s be honest; adulthood is a myth. None of us ever feel ready to take on those big life events. Instead, we float along and hope the hard decisions will go away. But, when you become a parent, it’s important that you step up to the responsibility. You’re not only letting yourself down now; there’s a little one along for the ride. Is it any wonder there are so many overwhelmed parents out there? All that responsibility at once is a big ask. That’s why we’re going to look at a few things you need to get right now there are children in your life! 

   THE CAREER
   
   Have you failed to settle on a career? You aren’t alone. A lot of us end up in jobs which are far from what we imagined. These are make-do jobs, rather than lifetime careers. But, there are bills to pay, and before you know it, you’ve been there for five years.

   

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   Once you become a parent, it’s that bit more important that you find a career you can settle in. The chances are, you’re going to wish you had done this sooner. But, hindsight won’t do you any good. Instead, take proactive steps to achieve your dream. Return to studying part time, or jump straight in and apply for careers which suit. 

   
   Why is a career so important? Because you need to offer a secure lifestyle to a little person. A  make-do job isn’t going to provide that. For one, the chances are that your wages don’t offer the best lifestyle. For another, you need a career you can feel secure in. Convenient options are rarely the most stable. How are you meant to build a life for your kid when you don’t know what you’re working from one week to the next?
   
   FACE THE FUTURE

   

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   You’ve been putting it off, but now is the time to face the future. If your security down the line isn’t enough incentive, consider your child. The money you put into pensions and life insurance policies will form the basis for their inheritance. So, it’s time to get round to it. The good news is, there’s plenty of help available to make this an easy and painless life choice. Talk to your workplace about a pension, or look online at private options. The net can help you with life insurance, too. Sites like my Insurance Hero can compare various options to ensure you get the best deal. As horrible as these things may be to contemplate, finally taking care of them will be a huge relief. And, your child will thank you later on!

   TIME TO BUY A HOUSE
   
   Homeownership is becoming less and less common. Houses are expensive, and private rentals seem like a safer bet. But, your child needs a secure home life. With rentals, there is no security. You stand to lose your home whenever the landlord deems fit. So, it’s time to finally get around to booking that chat with a mortgage advisor! 

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3. How to help a child with Asthma sleep easier : Acosy Bed Wedge Review

   Posted on 8:57pm Saturday 14th Jan 2017

   Asthma can be hard work at any time of the year for sufferers but come winter, it gets even more difficult.  The cold, dry air can be painful on the lungs and make doing the simplest task outside more arduous.  Aside from the cold, dry air the other big problem for asthma sufferers in winter is the high number of respiratory and sinus infections that hang around.  Nearly every child in school has a cold and half of the workplace, meaning avoiding those bugs can be hard work.  

   Night time is always worse and symptoms such as coughing can increase as the airways work less effectively at night and airflow may be more limited, so if like us, asthma symptoms are more affected at night time, here are some top tips for making life a little easier for you and your child.

   Banish the bed bugs

   Buying an anti allergy pillow can help an asthma sufferer as you may have heard them being "allergic to dust" when in fact, it's the droppings of house dust mites which cause the problems. These tiny creatures live in the dust that builds up around homes in carpets, soft toys, bedding, cushions and furnishings, for example. They're invisible to the naked eye and 90 per cent of people with asthma are sensitive to them.

   

   Make the bed "asthma friendly"

   The natural process your child’s body uses to control inflammation (including inflammation in their airways) tends to switch off while they’re asleep. Asthma UK recommend propping a child up in bed so whilst a DIY solution is okay to use in an "emergency", the Acosy Little Bed Mattress Elevation Wedge is a specially designed wedge of white 100% British “NURSERY GRADE” cot safe FOAM. The purpose of the wedge is to elevate the head end of your mattress allowing your baby or child to sleep comfortably in a gentle elevated position. By placing the Wedge either under or on top of the cot mattress may promote better airflow to the chest and upper respiratory tract, it slides comfortably underneath and is a quick fix solution. 

   

   The airways work less effectively at night and airflow may be more limited, so asthma symptoms may affect your child more if it’s not well managed but the elevation from the Little Bed Mattress Elevation Wedge can also help assist drainage from nasal and ear passages during periods of General Congestion.

   I have spent many evenings sat upright in bed with my daughter against me as so many previous hospital visits have told us that keeping her upright will help her airways but while she sleeps, I obviously don't. Wherease the Acosy Bed Wedge is, I am quite sure, considerably more comfortable than me and everyone gets a much better nights sleep. 

   If your child’s asthma is affecting their sleep, it’s likely they will feel tired and lacking in energy, unable to play or concentrate at school, so a solution that helps everyone to sleep has to be a good one. We have been using the Acosy Bed Wedge for a couple of months now and have noticed a significant difference in the quality of my daughters sleeping, when a cold spell hits it doesn't completely eradicate the coughing but it definitely helps. 

   A bed wedge doesn't just help a child with asthma sleep better, it gives us parents the peace of mind to get a restful nights sleep too!

    

   Note: We were sent an Acosy Bed Wedge for the purpose of this post but all thoughts and experiencese are our own. 

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4. Your Home and Your Health

   Posted on 4:15pm Monday 27th Jun 2016

   You know that old adage, a change is as good as a rest, well, in my opinion it doesn't just apply to mini-breaks and summer holidays, but can be perfectly applied to your own home. Tired furniture and sagging sofas aren't just a strain on the eye, but aren't too good for your health either, and with this in mind, I decided to make a list of all the things that I could change in my home to make it a more comforting, and comfortable, place to be.

   Taking it from a health perspective, let's start with the main living area of your home and see precisely what you can do to make sure your furniture isn't literally being a pain in the neck, or back, or bum...You get the idea. Of course, you will want your sofas to look good, but when replacing your old suite, don't just pick one because it's super snazzy, without actually testing whether it will hold up against a good trouncing from the whole family. A sofa should support your weight, be comfy and be an investment that should last years. If your sofa is causing you to experience aches and pains and has seat and back cushions that wouldn't support a limp piece of lettuce, then it is time to open your wallet and buy a new one.

    

   It is said that you spend a third of your life asleep (unless you're a teenager and then it's probably around two thirds), and so scrimping when it comes to your bed and mattress is not a good idea. Ensure you get a great night's sleep by changing your mattress every few years, and if needs be, your bed, especially if it is looking a little worse for wear these days. From a personal perspective, I think Bedstar, with their extensive range of mattresses and beds, have a lot to offer as they have various styles, sizes and colours when it comes to bed frames, and a good variety of different mattress types.

   Mental health should be considered as important as physical health, and studies have shown that an untidy, cluttered home can increase the risk of depression and anxiety. Therefore it is vital that you strip back your home to an uncluttered state to ensure it is as happy a place to be as possible. This is of course easier said than done when you have children throwing things left, right and centre, but if you clear out any non-essentials bit by bit you will soon see a difference to the state of your home and, hopefully, your state of mind. If you are still not convinced, think about the money you can make by selling items you haven't used in months or even years – now surely that is an incentive for a good old clear out?

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