Wenatex Blog :: Healthy Sleep for a Better Life

Soccer fans are eagerly anticipating the start of the World Cup next weekend. However, because of the time difference between Australia and South Africa, the matches will be shown on television here in the middle of the night.

The World Cup goes for a month which is a long time to be continuously sleep deprived!

I read an article today that gives some good advice on how to deal with the stresses on the body as a result of staying up and watching late night and early morning games. The article comes from Korea but it is still relevant to us here in Australia as they face similar problems with time differences. Check it out at http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2010/06/147_67158.html and soccer fans out there, please let me know how you plan to deal with sleep deprivation during the World Cup.

Go the Socceroos!!!

Do you sleep with a snorer… or more the point do you get any sleep with a snorer?

Do you battle with your partner each and every night over his (or her) snoring?

If you do, I am certain that you will relate to a story. It is partiularly interesting as it not only talks about her ongoing battle with her snoring husband but it also talks about the different kinds of snorers and what you can potentially do to prevent certain types of snoring.

If you are interested, read the article at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1282711/HE-sleeps-like-log–snores-like-foghorn-SHE-spends-night-lying-awake-seething-rage–Its-snore-wars.html?ito=feeds-newsxml and share your experience.

At Wenatex, we have been banging on for a long time about fatigue being a contributing factor in accidents.

Here is yet another case in point:  In an article I read today about the Shen Neng 1, the Magistrates Court found that the reason for the oil spill is that “the crew neglected to change course” which wasn’t helped by the fact that “the first mate had only slept for a little over two-and-a-half hours in the previous day-and-a-half”.

Another case that comes to mind is the Exxon Valdez oil spill off the coast of Alaska some years ago. It was shown that fatigue was a factor as it was reported that “the staff were not given their mandatory 6 hours off duty prior to the start of their 12-hour shift” during which time the incident occurred. 

I guess we will just have to keep banging on… 

If you would like to read the article I referred to about the Shen Neng 1 findings, it can be found at http://www.news.com.au/national/fatigue-a-factor-in-sheng-neng-1-incident-australian-transport-safety-bureau/story-e6frfkvr-1225854018414.

Hi Ladies, Ever felt guilty about taking a nap when there are so many jobs around the house waiting for you to do? If so, you are not alone.

I read an interesting article this morning about feminine “guilt” being the cause of sleep deprivation in women. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laura-trice/feminine-or-yin-guilt_b_417512.html

Please share your experiences on the topic.

Christmas is supposed to be a relaxing holiday time for kids, but as it turns out, it can be stressful for some. They have so much going on and so much excitement that they do not get enough sleep and can get grumpy.

I read an excellent article on the subject. You can find it at  http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5iIAKv1KG7VTqRweCeQwPbTzDM6lA

Make sure that your children get enough sleep this holidays… it will be all the better for them and they will enjoy Christmas all the more!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Tired Mums, it is as we have always suspected… while asleep, Dads turn a deaf ear to crying babies.

However, Dads, all is not lost. It seems that there may be “evolutionary differences that make women sensitive to sounds associated with a potential threat to their children while men are tuned to disturbances posing a threat to the whole family.”

If you want to read more, this really interesting article can be found at http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/143188/Sleep-patterns-Yes-dads-do-turn-a-deaf-ear.

Astronauts at the International Space Station recently had to sleep in escape pods while a piece of potentially dangerous debris floated past. The space junk missed the station this time but it will become a more frequent occurrence as the volume of space junk floating around the Earth increases!

How do you think the astronauts slept that night? Were the escape pods comfortable? Were they up all night worried sick that there would only be half a space station left when they woke up?

Do you think sleeping problems go away in space? I am sure they don’t! Let me know what you think.

You can read the article I read this morning at http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/11/too-much-space-junk-makes-astronauts-sleep-in-escape-pods.php.

I read an interesting article this morning that states that “bed-sharing couples suffer 50 percent more sleep disruptions as a result of snoring and other interruptions compared to partners who sleep separately” and that “moving into another room or another bed can result in better sleep.” What do you think of this view, do you agree or disagree? Please feel free to share your opinion and/or experience.

Check out the article at http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/860828/couples-should-sleep-separate

Over time, we have put up a few blog entries about sleep and how it can help with weight loss. I believe this article is one of the best I have read on the subject so far. The article (and study it is based on) comes from Canada but it is absolutely still relevant to Aussies. Read the article at http://www.canada.com/health/Dozing+diet+Sleep+diet+works+research+shows/2009252/story.html

Please feel free to share your personal experiences on the subject.

Investigations into Michael Jackson’s death are well under way and it has been made public that he was a severe insomniac. It is alleged that he was taking some fairly serious drugs to help him sleep which may have caused his death. The article I read can be found at http://www.examiner.com/x-4592-Birmingham-Family-Health-Examiner~y2009m7d28-Gluten-attacks-my-sleep-and-I-contemplate-Michael-Jacksons-sleeping-problems.

Insomnia is a serious problem, not only for MJ, but for the entire population. I read an article recently which stated that in a recent Australian study, as many as two-thirds of the people who took part reported that they had difficulty going to sleep. http://www.pfizer.com.au/Media/Sleep.aspx

The cause of insomnia is often worry. “Worry… combined with the long hours and stresses of our 24 hour society, is a recipe for leaving the majority of the population living in a constant state of fatigue. Not a healthy, or safe, way to live.” http://www.pfizer.com.au/Media/Sleep.aspx

So, the lesson from all of this is don’t take the drastic steps that MJ did to get a good night’s sleep… make changes to your life to minimise stress and worry.

As well as reducing stress, there are also some practical things you can do to help you get off to sleep. See the Sleep Tips page on the Wenatex website at http://www.wenatex.com.au/sleep_tips.asp.