Reader's Digest - USA (2019-08)

PHOTO: GET T Y IMAGES

WELLBEING

YOU’RETRYINGtogeta goodnight’s

sleep.Youpouryourlastcupofcoffee

forthedayapproximatelyfiveminutes

afteryougetupinthemorning,and

yourbedtimeroutineissocalming,it

couldputa wiredfouryearoldintoa

coma.Youbanishworriesbywriting

themdownina specialnotebookyou

keepbythebed,rightnexttoyour

warmmilkanddrug-free,homeo-

pathic,fragrance-basedsleepaids.So

whydoyoustillfindyourselfstaring

attheceiling?

It’stimetolistentowhatsome

unexpectedexpertshaveto say.

Theirjobsdon’tnecessarilyinclude

longhoursina laboratorystudying

sleepproblems,butwhattheyknow

abouta multitudeofotherirritants

• stomachillsandbackpainand
  windowsinneedofshades–just
  might put you out for the night.

RethinkYourMattress

“Youdon’tneedareallyexpensive

mattressoronewitha lotofspace-age

bellsandwhistles.There’sreallyonly

onegoodstudyonmattresses,and

itconfirmedtheGoldilockstheory:

mostpeopleprefera mattressthat’s

nottoohardandnottoosoft.So look

forsomethingmediumfirm.”

Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Andrew Hecht

“Ifyoucan,trythetypeofmattress

you’reconsideringina hotelorata

friend’shouse.Somestoresmayeven

letyousleeponitfora night.Some

mattresscompanieswillalsogive

youa fullrefundif you don’t like it

aftera month.”

MaxwellGillingham-Ryan,cofounder

oftheApartmentTherapy website

SticktoOnePillow

“I’mnota fanofsleepingwithtwopil-

lowsifyou’rea backsleeperbecause

itmakesyourupperbackcurveand

strainstheneckandback.Ifyouneed

tosleepuphighformedicalreasons,

geta wedgeandputyourpillowonit.”

ChiropractorDrKarenErickson

NodOffWiththeRightScent

“Myresearchhasfoundthatanynew

smell,evenoneassociatedwithrelax-

ation, such as lavender, can makeyou

Theymayneverhave

steppedfootina sleeplab,

buttheseunusualsleep

expertsknowthesecrets

ofsnoozeandhowtoget

a goodnight’ssleep

BYMichelle CrouchFROM RD.COM

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