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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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