How a twin size floor bed leads to a heaven for sleep

Russell Foster, British professor of circadian neuroscience, and Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2015 for his services to science, is well known for his research on sleep and it’s influence on our daily lives. His research suggests that sleep is therapeutic. Let’s have a look at why, and how, we can have healthy  bodies and minds by using something we all have to do, and don’t have to pay for: sleep. We will also learn how a twin size floor bed leads to a greater sleep experience.

1/3 of our lives that influences everything else

On average we sleep 33% of our lives. If we take an average Japanese woman (the Japanese are known for their longevity: The 6 habits the Japanese folllow to live a long life), who lives to 86 years of age, that means that she’ll be asleep for more than 28 years of her life.

Poet Edgar Allan Poe wrote: “Sleep, those little slices of death – how I loathe them.” Mahatma Gandhi would add: “ Each night, when I go to sleep, I die. And the next Morning, when I Wake up, I am reborn.” Is it really so? Do we waste a precious one third of our lives with a non-productive activity?

According to Russell Foster, that could not be more further from the truth!

Neuroscientists – scientists who research the brain – discovered that our brain never fully shuts down. Some parts of the brain are active only while we sleep. Moreover, the genes that are responsible for the restoration process are active only during those hours.

According to research, people sleep, on average, 6.5 hours every night. That’s at least 1.5 hours less than ideal. The National Sleep Foundation, with a multidisciplinary expert panel, recommends that adults between the ages of 26 and 64 sleep  7-9 hours every night. For other age groups, the recommendation are below. The data was published in “Sleep Health: the journal of the National Sleep Foundation”.

Sleep duration recommendations are for these people only

Are you someone who sees your health as a serious matter? If yes, read on, because those facts are for you.

When we sleep for only 5 hours, for example, we’re tired and our powers of concentration are limited. According to research, more than 31% of drivers will fall asleep at the wheel at least once in their life. In the US, Russell says, poor sleep causes over 100 000 accidents a year, thanks to the poor judgment and slower physical reflex response that comes from sleep deprivation.

What else happens when we’re deprived of sleep?

• poor memory
• lack of concentration
• increased impulsiveness
• higher stress level
• greater desire for nicotine and alcohol
• weight gain
• suppressed immunity (which may lead to cancer and diabetes 2)

What happens during those precious hours at night?

• rebuilding the body and brain
• saving calories
• memory consolidation (processing happens at night)

Why do our bodies associate so many bad things with tiredness thanks to lack of sleep? Our ability to solve complex problems is greater after a night of good nurturing sleep, and we can be more creative.

What should we do when we want to fall asleep at night but for some reason we can’t? We often are more irritated as the minutes go by. Fortunately there are a few simple things to try that can help

How to sleep better

• Sleep in a room that’s as dark as possible. Russell Foster suggests decreasing the level of light in the room at least half an hour before going to bed.

If you are travelling by plane, use the airplane eye cover. When you fly business class, you’ll probably be given one by a stewardess. While at home, you can use our special herbal sleep pillow. It’s a small pillow filled with a blend of organic hulls and dry herbs from our garden: so aromatic, you will love it. Organic lavender will bring you to a secret garden, where you will find inner peace.

Buckwheat flowers in closeup

The herbs have an anti-inflammatory effect to relax and soothe your head, and the entire body. The husks help your skin cool down, and gently massage your skin and muscles. It is all very pleasant.

How to sleep better at night

• Turn off mobile devices. They activate the brain and excite you – the opposite of what you want when it’s time to sleep
• Don’t drink drinks that contain caffeine, including tea, yerba mate or coffee, less than 4 hours before going to bed
• Reduce the temperature in your bedroom
• Sleep on healthy pillows and mattresses. If you suffer from allergies, migraines, spine and neck aches, or if your body tends to overheat, you’ll experience the beneficial effect of healthy buckwheat husk pillows and organic buckwheat husk mattresses quickly. They cool your body temperature, have a lovely smell, and they’re anti-allergic.  They’re firm, but they’ll massage your spine and muscles gently. They’re great anti-radiators.

Twin size floor bed by EcoHealthLab

Twin size floor bed

In Japan, people slept on the floor for centuries. First: they placed their futons (simple mattresses) directly on the floor or on a tatami mat. Second: this way, they could not only support the healthy structure of their spine, but also help keep the strength of their body. Simply, standing up from the floor is a great exercise. Moreover, there are other benefits of floor sleeping as well, like: if we sleep on the floor, the Earth is a perfect grounding tool. Just use our organic Twin size floor bed, and enjoy healthy benefits of floor sleeping.

Leonardo da Vinci and Napoleon Bonaparte

Do you need more or fewer hours of sleep? We believe that Leonardo da Vinci slept for only 4 hours in total a day. He slept for 15-20 minutes every 4 hours that he was awake. (Now we call this sleeping pattern polyphasic sleep). Napoleon Bonaparte slept for approximately 4 hours, from 12 pm to 2 am, and when he woke up he worked until 5 am then he went to bed again, waking up after another 2 hours.

“Different subjects and different affairs are arranged in my head as in a cupboard. When I wish to interrupt one train of thought, I shut that drawer and open another. Do I wish to sleep, I simply close all the drawers and then I am – asleep.”  Napoleon Bonaparte.

Fascinating, isn’t it? Finally… you need to listen to your body to determine your own healthy rhythm of sleep. Start with the simple suggestions in this article, and see how you feel. Does sleep fascinate you? Read more about how it works, how to sleep better at night, when the telomers are doing their magic, and find more in our profound article:

Sleep Tips 

Article sources for more information:
Sleep Foundation
Russel Foster
TED