Sleep can help you protect yourself against COVID-19 and other viruses It was World Sleep Day on 13 March, so it seems like a good time to look at how sleep can help protect against illness. Sleep helps build and promote a strong immune system. Lack of sleep compromises your immune system. Lack of sleep can make you sick Research has shown that people who don’t get quality sleep or enough sleep are more likely to get [...]
It may seem inconceivable that your gut flora may affect the quality of your sleep. However research indicates unhealthy gut microbiome could be the cause of your sleepless nights. A recent article published in October 2019 in PLoS ONE explains the findings of a study by researchers from Nova Southeastern University (NSU) in the USA.[1] The study suggests that your gut microbiome can influence your health through the two-way communication path between the gut and the brain. Growing evidence suggests [...]
Travelling is great – whether it be for business or pleasure. However, it is not uncommon for your sleep pattern to be disturbed as your normal routine is thrown out of whack. This can result in a lack of energy, which can affect your mood and enjoyment of the trip. Better sleep makes for better travel – here are some tips to help you along the way. Eliminate Blue Light when it is Time for Bed Try and reduce exposure to [...]
What is blue light? Why should one beware of blue light? To explain this one should first understand what is meant by blue light. Blue light is a bandwidth in the visible light spectrum, defined as having a wavelength of between 400−495 nm. This high-energy, visible blue light is normally transmitted through the eye to the retina. Sources of blue light Digital and elctronic devices, such as cell phones, tablets, TV screens and computer monitors emit significant levels of blue light. Compact fluorescent light bulbs, [...]
There are many factors that can influence the quality of sleep that you are getting. Such as lighting in the room as well noise levels surrounding you as well as the temperature of the room. Your bed is also a big factor when it comes to the quality of sleep you are getting. We approached Vencasa with a couple of questions to learn how your bed can influence your sleep. Vencasa are known experts when it comes beds and how [...]
Caffeine can be found in many different drinks and foods like tea, coffee, chocolate and soft drinks. It is also found in some medications. Caffeine promotes alertness by inhibiting chemicals in the brain that promote sleep. Caffeine absorbs rapidly into the bloodstream and reaches peak levels within 30-70 minutes. Its effects can then last 3 to 7 hours, but it may take up to 24 hours to fully eliminate this substance from the body. Important Things to Know About Caffeine and [...]
A team of American scientists observed how the brain reacts to short, intense exposure to blue light in order to determine how sleep is affected. Smartphones are now so integral to daily life that some people take them to bed. However, several studies have shown that the blue light they emit has negative effects on health, especially sleep. A new study appearing in the journal eLife analysed the effects of short bursts of blue light on the sleep cycle. “We all have smartphones, [...]
SleepSpec requires to be worn a minimum of 2 hours before going to sleep. Yet that does not mean you must stop your usual nightly routine just because you are wearing your specs. You can: Watch televisionWork on your laptopRead your kindle or use your tabletPlayPerform household chores like cooking, laundry, washing the floor, dishes etc… In fact, you can do basically anything you would normally do when wearing glasses without the worry of blue light interfering with your sleep. The only thing [...]
Blue light, which is emitted from most electronic devices including televisions, cellphones, tablets and e-readers as well as from fluorescent and LED lights suppresses the production of melatonin. Melatonin is the sleep hormone. Melatonin is a hormone that regulates human sleep and wake cycles. It is primarily released by the pineal gland. The production and release of melatonin in the brain are connected to the time of day. It increases when it is dark and decreasing when [...]
Are you sacrificing your productivity of tomorrow to complete today’s deadline driven task? Pulling a late night or even worse an all-nighter can have a disastrous effect on your body and mind over the following days as your body tries to recover from the lack of sleep. Your sleep debt is made worse by skimping on your sleep hours because you have other things you either have to do or rather would prefer doing. With today’s deadline driven and [...]
