Understanding the sleep graphs on your fitness tracker
As a lover of sleep, one of my favourite features of my fitness tracker is the sleep tracker app. In this blog post, we explain how to read the sleep cycle calculator.
Understand your sleep cycle
There are four stages of sleep: Stage 1, 2, 3 and 4 (REM- Rapid Eye Movement). There’s a five to 15 minutes interval between each stage of sleep, and a sleep cycle spans between 90 to 110 minutes. Stage 1, 2 and 3 are called the Non-Rapid Eye Movement Stages (NREM).
A sleep cycle is the transition between the Non Rapid Eye Movement to the Rapid Eye Movement phase of sleep. There are about four to five sleep cycles per sleep time and each cycle lasts for about 90-120 minutes, which are usually clearly separated on your sleep tracker app.
Stage 1 is the “transitional phase” of sleep, basically when you’re feeling drowsy. Eye movement at this stage of sleep is slowed down and your muscles become more relaxed. However, you can be easily awoken in this stage. This is also when your muscles will jerk, sometimes waking you up again.
Stage 2 is the defining phase of the NREM stage of sleep and about
50% of the time spent sleeping is in this stage. Your body temperature cools
down and your heart rate slows. Your brain activity slows down with occasional
burst of activity, or waves, called “sleep spindles”.
Stage 3 is
characterised by Delta/Slow Waves. Deep sleep begins here and the body is less
responsive to the surrounding environment. This stage of sleep only makes up
about 20% of your time sleeping. The following are experienced in this stage of
sleep:
- Muscle and
tissue repair - Growth
and development - Immune system
boost - Parasomnias
(sleep walking, sleep talking)
REM (REM- Rapid Eye Movement) stage is characterised by increased brain activity. If Stage
3 is about rest and regeneration, stage 4 is all about energizing your body. Awakening
and arousal is common place at this stage of sleep. Also, this is the phase where
dreaming occurs. The following are experienced in this stage of sleep:
- Increased
heart rate - Increased
blood pressure - Faster breathing
- Consolidation
and processing of information by the brain
The benefits of good sleep
Good sleep helps to improve your health, with increased mental and physical performance. Fitness trackers and/or a sleep tracker app can establish the connection between sleep, weight gain/loss, blood pressure as well as heart rate from the data generated.
If you analyse your sleep pattern and it’s clear that you’re not getting a solid night’s sleep, it might be time to start thinking about your sleep routine and your sleep environment. When was the last time you replaced your mattress? Ideally, you should replace your mattress every 10 years.
Other aspects to consider are the amount of light in your bedroom, how much time is spent on screens before bedtime, and how warm or cold you are during the night.
Sealy unveils new-look beds built with exclusive Posturepedic Technology
Sealy mattresses
revamped to offer improved support, aesthetics and value.
Sealy South Africa has recently unveiled its new, refreshed mattress and base sets, all equipped with Sealy’s exclusive Posturepedic Technology. The iconic brand, known for its reliable support, has taken style and comfort to the next level with a new moody grey and black colour palette, premium design elements and state-of-the-art engineering on all new Sealy mattresses.
What is Sealy
Posturepedic Technology?
Developed in cooperation with orthopaedic surgeons, Sealy
Posturepedic Technology delivers exceptional support and comfort, providing
back and body alignment to ensure a comfortable, healthy night’s sleep. While
you sleep, different parts of your body need different levels of support, and Sealy
Posturepedic Technology is designed to provide zoned support where it’s needed
most.
The word “posturepedic” is a contraction of the words “Posture”
and “Orthopaedic”, with paedic being the medically correct position of the
skeletal and associated structures of the body. A bed with orthopaedically
correct design correctly supports the muscles to relax and pressure points are
relieved to minimise the body’s need to toss and turn during sleep.
Introducing newly engineered Sealy mattress foundations
In addition to the contemporary visual appeal of the brand and the inclusion of Sealy Posturepedic Technology in all mattresses, you can now also choose from a selection of specially designed foundations (or bases) to go with your new Sealy mattress. Therefore, pairing your mattress with the right bed base will help ensure your mattress/base combination delivers the perfect sleep-enhancing characteristics for you.
Pair your Sealy mattress with one of our foundations:
- Sealy Posturematic adjustable foundation: Paired
with Sealy Crown Jewel or Sealy Hybrid mattresses, the Sealy Posturematic
adjustable foundation allows you to adjust the bed head and foot heights to
meet your needs. Controlled with a cordless remote control, adjust the bed for
reading, recovery, improved circulation or opt for one of the convenient built-in
settings that include a variety of massage settings. - Sealy Shock Abzzorber Steel Foundation: Designed
to work like a car’s shock absorbers, this base helps the mattress absorb and
disperse weight as it is applied, extending the comfort life of the sleep set.
Pair the Sealy Shock Abzzorber Steel Foundation with any Sealy Hybrid or Sealy
Crown Jewel mattress. - Sealy Reinforced Solid Foundation: The
Reinforced Solid Foundation is built with six legs and additional construction
materials for reinforcement and stronger support. This helps support mattresses
and prevent sagging, ensuring consumers fully experience the many benefits of
owning a Sealy bed. This foundation is ideal for the Sealy range, Sealy Hybrid
and Sealy Crown Jewel mattresses. - Sealy Solid Foundation: This entry-level
foundation supports the Sealy range of mattresses, maximising comfort and
durability.
We’ve made it easier
than ever to choose the right bed set
No matter who you are or how you sleep, there’s a Sealy
mattress designed to balance the support you need with the sleep you prefer.
However, in an increasingly confused and cluttered world of bed brands, it’s
hard to know what to choose, which is why Sealy has introduced a new set of
icons and visual cues that help you better understand the various features. From
entry level to top-of-the-range, the features and benefits of every Sealy bed
with Posturepedic Technology are laid out simply in all sales material so that
comparisons and choices are easily made.
In other words, the new, simplified selection system makes it much easier to select the bed that’s best for you.
No such thing as a one-size-fits-all baby sleep solution
Should I be sleep training my baby? Or could I rather look
for a gentler alternative? These questions are top of mind for most expecting
and new parents, but there is no book (or blog) that has the answer and you
need to figure out what works best for your baby and your family. Mommy
blogger, Tanya Kovarsky, found that what worked for her first baby didn’t work
for her second baby.
In her blog post, No regrets: From no sleeping to a little co-sleeping, Tanya explains how her firstborn, Max, had a strict sleep routine. It worked well for Max and Tanya. However, seven years later when baby Rebecca was born, Tanya realised early on that a strict routine wouldn’t work this time around.
Below is an excerpt from Tanya’s co-sleeping blog post:
“These are the best of times. They’re our precious memories in the making, and our happiness of today. I might not be getting my eight or even seven hours a night, but I’m fuelled by my kids and this parenting privilege, and good coffee – best freshly made from the beans in our machine, and enjoyed in bed, of course.”
The right mattress is the best foundation to any sleep routine
Whether your baby sleeps soundly in his or her cot, or if you have a big, happy family bed, Sealy has a sleep solution for you. The Sealy cot mattresses and Sealy baby mattresses are covered in an aloe vera fabric cover for anti-dust mite and anti-bacterial protection, and both come with a free cot mattress protector. Browse our bed selection on the Sealy website: www.sealy.co.za.
Sleep is essential to your exercise and weight loss routine
Have you heard about Louis? He is a fitness geek. He goes
for a jog every morning and hits the gym in the evening. He follows a strict diet
too. Still, whenever he checks his weight on the scale, he
discovers that he just can’t shake those extra kilos.
Do you face a similar problem? Even when you follow your
fitness regime daily, do you end up with minimal results? Or worse, does
following a fitness program completely drain you of energy?
If yes, then it could be that you’re ignoring the most
underrated fact of staying in good shape – Sleep
Impact of poor
sleep on your weight loss routine
“The
poorer the quality of your sleep, the bigger the size of your pants.” – Rujuta
Diwekar, a leading nutritionist & exercise science expert
Sleeping means recovery. When you sleep, you are
recovering from the mental and physical stresses of the day.
If you don’t get adequate sleep, you wake up half-exhausted as if you haven’t slept at all. This can be owed to a number of things, including unhealthy sleep hygiene and the fact that it’s time to replace your mattress. (Did you know mattresses should be replaced every eight to 10 years?)
When you wake up tired, you have strong cravings for tea
or coffee first thing in the morning, which is unhealthy because caffeine
contains dehydrating properties. These cravings continue throughout the day and
you end up seeking out more caffeinated beverages, sweets, chocolates and other
carbs.
Sleep deprivation decreases your willpower, making it more
difficult to deny fast food.
Reverse effects of poor sleep on
exercise
As you know, when you exercise, your muscles break down
and they require recovery time. If you don’t sleep, your muscles don’t get the
opportunity to recover from the strain.
In the study of ACSM, 12 athletes went without a proper
night’s rest. The next day, participants found that while they could engage in
mental activities like music, reading, watching movies, etc., they didn’t have
enough energy to effectively participate in physical activities.
Yes, nutritional supplements and foods high in protein
will help you recover, but nothing can substitute a proper sleep.
Additionally, exercising when your body is tired can lead
to unnecessary injuries which ultimately derail your fitness and weight loss
plans!
Consistent deep-sleep gives you a
fresh start for every day
An active mind and body helps you make healthy diet
choices and keeps you energized and motivated to embrace your exercise
programme. The Sealy suggestion? Every time you take on a new eating plan or
exercise regime, be sure to include at least seven to eight of sleep as a
mandatory part of that plan. Healthy diet, exercise and sleep go hand in hand.
10 Things To Try When You Can’t Fall Asleep
Pure Wow has released a sleep-inducing infographic that highlights 27 things that can be done to help you fall asleep. Wan’t our advice? Today, we’re covering 10 quick things to try when you can’t fall asleep.
Try these tricks before bedtime and hopefully they will help you snooze smoother:
- Make a cup of calming chamomile tea
- Be kind to yourself and give yourself the gift of sleep
- Use essential oils such as lavender
- Try wearing socks to bed
- Get your pets out your bedroom
- Write a list of all your worries
- Download a mindfulness meditation app such as Calm
- Get away from bright lights an hour before bedtime
- Try some bedtime yoga routines
- Take a warm bath
We would love to hear about your bedroom routine and what is your family’s sleep secret? If you have a tried and tested sleep remedy that gets your whole family to bed please, then please share it below.