Wenatex Blog :: Healthy Sleep for a Better Life

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.

While researching all things “sleep”, I came across an article about Lee Hadwin, who is just fascinating! Lee is a “sleep artist” and even though he has no inclination towards being an artist when awake, he draws fabulous works of art in his sleep.

Lee has been a sleepwalker since the age of four and started drawing in his sleep 14 years ago. “It started out just being scribbles everywhere, and I still do scribbles from time to time. But then I started doing proper artwork, really complicated things. Without the video footage we have got, I wouldn’t have a clue I was doing it.”

The interest in Lee’s work has been building with galleries around the work keen to show his work.

The article that sparked my interest was written by the North Wales Post where Lee lives, about Lee doing his bit recently for charity, http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2009/05/05/sleep-artist-does-his-bit-for-charity-55578-23540823/

If you are interested in this fascinating sleep artist, see his website at http://www.leehadwin.com/?p=118

A story such as this brings home to me just how little we know about sleep and its effects on the body and mind. Please let me know your thoughts.

During pregnancy I had terrible problems with memory, particularly with numbers. I remember going to the bank with two cheques and had to ask the teller to add them for me! I believe this is commonly referred to as “placenta brain”.

Well there was an article in the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday stating that Australian researchers have discovered that the “reason for the decline in auditory memory is suspected to be poor quality sleep”! I wish I had have known that during pregnancy!!!!

Read the article at http://www.smh.com.au/national/thanks-for-the-memory-loss-baby-20090328-9es3.html and let me know your “placenta brain” stories.

When your teenage son or daughter emerges from his/her bedroom at noon, do you accuse him/her of being lazy? Now you might have to think twice as researchers believe there could be a biological reason for why teenagers get up late. For more, read this very interesting article by the BBC in the UK.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7932950.stm

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Sleep has been connected with weight loss and a couple of articles on the subject have appeared on a number of credible sites recently. If you are interested in sleeping well and losing weight, you should check them out. Let us know what you think.

http://www.weightwatchers.com.au/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=31701&sc=3045

http://womansday.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=82188

Wenatex has also produced an article on a similar subject, check it out at

http://www.wenatex.com.au/article_dreamdiet.asp

Hi and Happy New Year to all!

In this short video you will find 16 basic questions about sleep explained by a professional in simple and straightforward English.

Enjoy and promote the importance of healthy sleep.

If you wish to learn more about healthy sleep, you can visit a Wenatex Healthy Sleep Seminar by visiting: http://www.wenatex.com.au/seminars_registration.asp

Until Next Time

JS

Let me know what you think.

Be wise and have fun

Juan

How important the quality of a bed is has been demonstrated in a police incident in the town of Okaloosa, USA.

A couple having marital problems and contemplating divorce had a fight over who would sleep on the couch. The wife said her husband pushed her off the bed onto the floor, which started the fight over who should sleep on the couch. The husband had slept there the night before, but was refusing to sleep there a second time. After an investigation by the local Sheriff, the incident was closed.

This case illustrates the importance of a good night’s sleep and the influence of the mattress to achieve it.

Until next time

Be wise and have fun

Juan

For more information of how to improve the quality of your sleep please click here.

Jane Meeuwissen sent us this picture. This mat is available in some pharmacies and it is used by the customers to sign the scripts. Simple, cheap and probably very effective.

Thank you Jane. Looking forward to meeting you soon!

For more Sleep Education please visit the Wenatex Sleep Seminars. Book here!

Juan