Good Night!

For many people, a good night’s sleep is a hard thing to get. One of the more interesting TV features I’ve seen was a 60 minutes segment back in 2008. The story and video are still on their site, though I couldn’t get the video to play. One thing to remember is that as adults, we often think it is OK to go right from working on the computer in full light, watching TV (especially fast-paced cop and hospital dramas) or housework and think we should just be able to fall asleep. For some people, sure. But if you’re having trouble falling asleep, think back to the bedtime routine of childhood: bath, story, etc. Come up with a bedtime routine for yourself that starts to slow down your mind 30-60 minutes before you want to go to sleep. Dim the lights, read a book, have a small snack or drink, take a bath or shower. An internet search of “sleep hygiene” yields dozens of websites with similar tips and tricks.

Patients often ask me what mattress to buy. Given the many types on the market (foam, pillow top, sleep number, and on and on and on), what mattress feels best to you is entirely a personal decision. I got an email today from the Arthritis Foundation, which is giving away a Tempur-Pedic mattress through the Arthritis Today magazine. It appears you can enter daily and I’d assume that by giving them your email and address they put you on a mailing list, but read the privacy policies carefully. I’ve heard that some people love this kind of mattress and some hate it – but if you’re in the market for one it could be free!