High Fat Diet Disrupts Your Sleep

Organic Pillow fans will be interested to know about a new study conducted by scientists at the University of Minnesota and Minneapolis Veterans' Affairs Medical Centre showed that a diet made of up high-fat foods may diminish the quality of your sleep as well as cause you to gain weight.

To cut a long story short, we haven’t included all the science, but the findings of the study were that a high fat diet obviously leads to weight gain, but also to more fragmented sleep and a higher level of sleepiness during the day.

So what's the connection between a high-fat diet and poor sleep quality? In discussing their results, researchers suggest the link may be a chemical in the brain that's involved in regulating both sleep and weight: orexin.

Orexin is a neuro chemical that regulates our sleep wake cycle and our appetite and also our storage of brown (healthy) fat in the body. As we gain unhealthy fat in our body through a unhealthy fat diet our sensitivity to Orexin messages in our body is reduced causing poor and interrupted sleep as well as disrupted appetite.

You already know that a high-fat diet is bad for your waistline, but fat itself is not the enemy. A diet that includes reasonable portions of healthy fats can help keep you healthy, tipping that scale in the right direction. Improving your sleep is another great reason to limit your high-fat food intake and stick primarily to smart fats instead.

Source: Huffinton post Michael J. Breus, PhD 

The Best Eco Friendly Pillows for Greener, Healthier Sleep

Most people spend their nights resting their heads on a combination of cotton, polyester fill, and petrochemical based memory foam or down feathers. Although you may think you’re being natural if you use cotton or down feather pillow, there are much better eco-friendly pillow options that are natural and actually good for you and the planet. Ordinary cotton is one of the worst offenders, using a multitude of pesticide, herbicides and water in excess in order to grow. Most people think that polyester is a safe fabric, even though it’s not natural. This is not true. Polyester is a petroleum-based, non-renewable resource, It’s production is very energy intensive, using 63% more energy than the production of cotton. The main toxic chemical in polyester is ethylene glycol, this gets absorbed by our bodies through inhalation and our skin. It can damage your kidneys and central nervous system – most definitely not the best thing for a rejuvenating sleep! Down feather pillows maybe natural but are one of the worst fillings to harbour dust mites in abundance, the fillings stay warm and moist so are equivalent to dust mite heaven! Most down and feather pillows can’t be opened for the fillings to be cleaned. The other latest invention is polyurethane foam based memory foam pillows, these release VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds ) into the air whilst you sleep. The main bi-products of polyurethane foam production are benzene and formaldehyde, hardly healthy for workers or the planet. To begin with the most eco-friendly pillows are organic pillows, because all the fibres and fillings are either wild grown, or grown without using pesticides or herbicides and nasty chemicals. With an organic pillow you can be assured that the top cover on which you rest your head, is made of organic cotton, not regular eco unfriendly cotton! 1. Kapok Pillows – Kapok Pillows are very popular and is great eco-friendly alternative to poly fill pillows. Kapok is wild grown and comes from the seed pods of the kapok tree, it is an entirely renewable vegetable based fibre and as the tree is pest free, pesticides are not needed in the growth of this wonder fabric. It’s soft and lofty producing really comfy pillows which are hypoallergenic, water and mould resistant and quick drying. 2. Grain Pillows – Grain pillows such as Spelt, Millet and Buckwheat have been used for centuries to create pillows that have healthy and beneficial effects for mind body and soul due to the high level of Silica in the grain. The grains move freely allowing perfect cushioning of the head and neck. They are hypoallergenic and easy to clean. The only thing that might take some getting used to is the crunchy feel and the rustling sound when you move. 3. Natural Latex Pillows – Natural Latex comes from the milk of the rubber tree and if bought from a reputable source has no additives or chemicals added to it. Totally renewable, the tree starts to regenerate in an hour! Latex is the best fillings as it is bouncy, comfy and comes as little flakes in pillows which move around freely. They have antibacterial, antimicrobial properties and are dust mite resistant and biodegrade naturally 4. Organic Cotton Pillows – Organic cotton is much healthier for you and the planet than non- organic, , organic farming techniques are used and the cotton tends to be grown in high rainfall areas making it less water inefficient, but it’s not for everyone as a pillow stuffing because it flattens over time. Great for people who like flat pillows though! 5. Organic Wool Pillows – Wool is a fabulous filling for all bedding, and pillows are no exception. Wool has great insulating properties that keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. As a filling it is dust mite, mould and mildew repellent, It is naturally wicks away moisture and is also naturally fire repellent. Totally renewable, the sheep are raised organically and re grow their coat year after year. Once removed the coat is not treated with any toxic chemicals after. The added bonus with BuyOrganics organic pillows is that they are zipped allowing the filling to be removed for cleaning and the cover to be machine washed separately. You can even adjust the amount of filling to suit your needs!! None of our pillows have fire retardant chemicals on them or in the fillings and rely on wool as a natural fire retardant.

Enhancing Your Memory While You Sleep

Organic Futon lovers will be interested to learn that researchers at the North western University have found evidence that existing memories may be reactivated and enhanced whilst you sleep. The study concentrates mainly on the learning of a musical instrument but has implications for a vast amount of other experiences that we have every day. The study took 2 groups of participants and taught them how to play 2 different musical tunes. The participants then took a 90-minute nap. During this time, researchers played one of the tunes that had been practiced as they slept. Using electroencephalography (EEG) methods to record the brain's electrical activity, the researchers ensured the soft musical ‘cues’ were played to participants during ‘slow-wave sleep’ (a stage of sleep previously linked to cementing memories). These are also known as Delta waves. When the participants woke up and resumed their instrument practice, researchers noted fewer errors were made when volunteers practised the melody they had heard while sleeping. This may be good news for people who love to listen to positive affirmations as they get their healthy sleep!!

Sleeping On A Wire!!

Organic mattress lovers will be grateful for their comfy beds when they see how Adrenaline junkie Brian Mosbaugh chose to sleep on a high wire 2000ft up in the air!! Either its complete madness or stunning bravery!! but i don;t really think he was sleeping, do you!? view the image at http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01522/high-wire_532_1522849a.jpg

Do You Rest Enough?

Organic mattress lovers will be interested to know that proper rest is more than just a matter of getting a good night's sleep! Expert Dr Davidicus Wong advises that adequate rest is essential to our overall health, mental wellbeing, happiness and longevity.

 

Although 8 hours of sleep is essential to this formula, other forms of rest are also essential to help us cope with the pressures of multimedia, social networking, work and multi-tasking. Rest can take the form of spiritual rest such as yoga and meditation, physical and mental, rest such as taking a relaxing walk to the sound of pleasing music.

 

Make time every day to let your body re-coop or you could pay the price with your health later. Another great health tip, followed by many of our parents and a good lesson in life, go for a walk after having your dinner and before going to sleep. This maintains a healthy weight and fits with your body's natural rhythm.