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Five Design tips to get better sleep

It is no secret that sleep is vital to our health. But did you know that design elements in your bedroom can actually have an impact on the quality of your sleep? If you find yourself not getting the rest you feel you need, see if any of these ideas can help. 1) Mattress placementChoosing the right mattress is only the first step. It is important to choose the right spot to place it. Experts say arranging your room so that you are able to see out the door while your bed can only be partially seen from the door is a key way to get a better night's rest. It all deals with a feeling of security. Those nighttime...

Would Feng Shui design be good for your bedroom?

When it comes to interior design, there are seemingly limitless options. Whatever theme you go with, the most important part is making sure it "feels" right. This may be why Feng Shui is making a comeback in Western design circles. The principle is based on balance and flow of energy. It's been a Chinese practice in some form or another for thousands of years. It first gained a foothold in America last century and is starting to see increased popularity here again. The whole idea behind Feng Shui is capturing positive energies and creating a space using layout and materials that help us feel safe. That makes the bedroom the perfect place to try this. Our bedroom is where we...

Daylight Savings Time and your sleep pattern

As if the past year hasn't done enough to throw our sleep patterns out of whack, this Sunday is when we throw the annual monkey wrench into the schedule: Daylight Saving Time. Every March we "spring ahead" which is a nice way of saying we lose an hour of sleep. Not only that, but changing the light and dark patterns can throw off our circadian rhythm, the 24-hour cycle that regulates our sleep which is based on light. Research has shown that the average person receives about 40 minutes less sleep the Monday after the switch. Nothing is better than starting the week even more tired than normal, right? Some of us adjust after a day or two, but there...

Could the moon really affect your sleep?

The moon still features prominently in pop culture, but years ago it was thought to play a much more active role in pretty much everything. Now days that may sound like, well, lunacy, but a recent report in the publication Science Advances is suggesting that the moon's cycles really do affect our sleep. According to the study, people actually slept less in the days leading up to the full moon. Conversely, they got more sleep in the days leading up to the new moon. This phenomenon sounds more feasible in the days before electricity had lit up our world. However, scientists studied people in both rural Argentina as well as urban Seattle, and the results matched. "Our results show that sleep timing...

The simple trick to help cold (or hot) sleepers

Do you and your partner disagree on what temperature to keep the bedroom? This simple trick can help make sure both of you sleep comfortably.

Include better sleep in your New Year's resolution

We're already several days into 2021; how are those New Year's resolutions coming? Some of the most common goals we set involve our health, such as eating better, exercising more, even being more positive. Unfortunately, most of those efforts will fall off before long. On average, 80% of people drop their resolutions by the middle of February. We are so focused on just getting by that there's hardly any energy left to create new habits. One way to help improve your odds is getting enough rest. According to a study from the CDC, one in three adults don't get enough sleep. Doesn't it make sense to ensure the time you do get to spend in bed is as restful as possible? Sleeping...

Is letting your dog(s) sleep in your bed a good thing?

Is it unhealthy to let your dog sleep in your bed? This is a common question and is a subject of much debate. Interestingly enough, it's often people who don't have dogs that staunchly come down on the "no" side. That makes some sense; people who don't have dogs usually don't understand the dog bond. "Because they're just so darn cute!" is one answer. But that's subjective and doesn't really delve into the science of the mater. A recent article in The Atlantic by Kelly Conaboy goes into this issue, looking at both the science and the cuteness. The findings Some studies have shown that letting a dog sleep in your bed does increase the number of times you adjust...

5 Benefits of Switching to an Organic Sleeping Pillow

A good night’s sleep can give you the energy you need to take on a new day. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy to do. Everybody wants to sleep well, but what can you do to actually achieve it?

What Will I Find at Plank and Coil in Portland?

The average American sleeps 6.8 hours a night, which means that, on average, you spend over eight days sleeping during a given month. That’s a lot of time sleeping, but as we know, a good night’s sleep helps our brains function, keeps us physically healthy, contributes to the health of our hearts, and protects us from high cholesterol, kidney disease, strokes, and diabetes.

Avoid stress = live longer

A recent study by a group of Finnish scientists looked at a number of metrics that can shorten life span. One of those metrics was stress. The study showed that heavy stress take nearly 3 years off the life of the average male and just less than 2.5 years for the average female. That's not really surprising when you consider what stress does to us. When we feel stressed, our body reacts as if we're in danger, releasing a flood of hormones and chemicals that essentially prep our body for the primitive "flight or fight" response. This was all well and good when we were wandering around the prehistoric landscape and having to fight off the occasional sabre toothed cat....

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