Trying to keep up with your body’s demands for sleep in this busy world is all but impossible. There’s always a meeting, an appointment or some other time-crunched incident that pulls you out of bed long before you’d prefer.
But there’s always the weekend, and according to a recently completed study, getting a few of those hours back does more than improve your mood. Turns out, those extra weekend hours can provide as much as a 20% lower risk for developing heart disease. The next time someone tries to rib you about your noon alarm on Saturday, kindly inform them that it’s good for the heart.
In this article: Perytong Sleep Headphones, Mainstays Blackout Curtain Panel Pair, and Tranquility Weighted Blanket
The study involved the data of 90,903 individuals from the UK Biobank project. Like other biobanks, that project collected biological samples from participants starting in 2006 and continues to this day.
To follow its hypothesis, the study grouped its participants into four equal sections based on the amount of “compensatory sleep” they received on the weekends. They also collected self-reported data from each participant on whether they were sleep deprived (getting less than seven hours a night), with only 19,816 (about 21.8%) reporting thus.
The 20% reduction in heart disease was found in the participants who reported daily sleep deprivation, but who also fell in the fourth section of compensatory sleep, i.e. they enjoyed 1.28 to 16.06 extra hours of sleep on the weekend. There was no difference in the results between men and women, and some of the diseases mentioned in the study include ischaemic heart disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation and strokes.
The awful part of trying to sleep with earbuds or headphones is you can’t sleep on your side with them. With this combination of headband and headphones, you won’t have to deal with that pain anymore. Its battery can last for up to 10 hours and it comes in 26 styles.
Alternatively, instead of headphones, you could use this white noise machine. It has 21 sounds to select from, including crickets chirping on a warm summer night or a thunderstorm you can summon at will. The battery is rechargeable and it should last through the night with time to spare.
Sijo AiryWeight Tencel Sheet Set
But if your sheets aren’t comfortable, no special speakers or headphones can save you. These are made from organically grown and sustainably sourced eucalyptus, so you can feel comfortable in body and soul. They also have a deep pocket and are moisture-wicking for you hot sleepers out there.
Mainstays Blackout Curtain Panel Pair
One of the worst parts of trying to sleep in is the sun forcing its way into your home, ruining your plans. Unless you use blackout curtains. This set of panels lets you have the best of both worlds and they come in 11 colors to match your bedroom.
As anyone who has trouble sleeping in general knows, melatonin can be a wonderful thing. You usually need to take a pill or eat a gummy for the effects, but this packages the benefits in spray form. Use it on your pillow before hitting the hay and enjoy the scent of lavender as you drift away.
Finding the right pillow is an integral part of getting a good night’s rest, and this foam-based offering wants to be that for you. The foam provides support while staying soft, and interior cooling gel and “HeatDelete Bands” keep you cool and comfy. The cover is removable for easy washing.
With the air quality around the world trending in the wrong direction, it’s not a bad idea to hop on the air purifier train. This small unit is perfect for your bedroom and helps eliminate pollen, dust, pet dander and more. There’s also a version that’s compatible with Amazon’s Alexa smart assistant.
Weighted blankets have been a favorite of people with anxiety, stress and other conditions that can make it difficult to sleep. They provide even pressure across the body, almost like a gentle hug from your bed throughout the night. This one weighs 12 pounds and comes in gray or ivory.
You can take the weighted sleep aid game a step further by also using this weighted sleep mask. It's weighted using special crystals slipped inside a hidden pocket, though you can take them out if you prefer. It also helps muffle any annoying sounds and comes in gray or “petal.”
If that melatonin sleep spray isn’t your speed, you can keep it classic and use these gummies instead. Each gummy has 3 milligrams of melatonin and extra ingredients that could help you relax. It comes in several quantities so you can stock up with however much you need.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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