Sleep problems

1. Everyone is different ... and sleeps differently

It is estimated that about one in three people suffer from sleep problems. Most problems are only of a temporary nature, possibly due to some special event, but sometimes they point towards a more serious problem. 

Let us start with demystifying the statement that everyone needs 8 hours of sleep in order to have a good night's sleep. Nothing is further from the truth. Sleep research has shown that the need for sleep differs from person to person and varies between 4 and 11 hours per night. About 10% of the population has enough sleep with 6,5 hours per night, while about 15% needs more than 9 hours.

2. Sleep problems : sometimes innocent, sometimes a real problem

Everyone has problems getting to sleep, staying asleep or waking up in the morning at some point in time. Very often this is due to an extraordinary or painful event that happened during the day such as a death, a fight, a setback or a joyous occasion. Or because of a stressfull activity, or just because something was left on his or her stomach (literally) after a heavy meal before bedtime, or even the opposite: going to bed with an empty stomach.
Some women sleep very badly each month due to their periods. A long flight could also cause our biological clock to cause temporary sleep problems.

Usually this kind of sleep problems disappear spontaneously after a few days when the cause is gone or forgotten about, and there is no need to worry. On the contrary even, if you do worry too much you will risk making things worse

One can actually speak of sleeplessness when someone without a clear reason has problems getting to sleep or wakes up regularly at night for days on end (more than 3 weeks) AND when this has its repercussions at daytime e.g. you feel tired and agitated, have problems concentrating, possibly headaches, etc. In those cases it is recommended you see a physician, and it might be necessary to have a research done in a specialised sleep laboratory.

Furthermore, chronic sleep difficulties can be caused by external factors. One factor which is very logical, but often overlooked, is the sleep environment and more in particular the mattress.
Years of sleep problems could be solved pretty much immediately merely with the purchase of a good sleep system.

3. Causes of sleep problems

• Sleeplessness or insomnia is not a "disorder" as such, but is just like a fever, rather a symptom of a different problem. Some illnesses, like diabetes, asthma or other breathing problems, heart rhythm disorders, rheumatism etc. can be accompanied by sleeplessness. Sometimes sleeplessness can be a sign for some psychological problem, for instance a depression. In those cases it is useless to take on the sleep problem itself, but rather to treat the underlying cause.
• Another possible cause  of sleeplessness is the so-called 'Restless Leg Syndroom' : when you are just in bed, you are plagued with an uncomfortable tingling sensation in the legs, which make it impossible to lay still. Up to 5% of the population is said to suffer from this. It occurs more often with elderly and during pregnancy. The precise cause is still unknown, but there are a few medications that can help you to control this syndrome.
• Some medications - like antidepressants, medication to treat hay fever and high blood pressure, etc...- stimulating beverages like coffee and coke, or alcohol can cause sleep problems.
• Finally shift work or working at night or other circumstances that can upset our biological clock permanently, which can lead to a chronic form of sleeplessness.
  

In other words sleeplessness could have medical, personal and environmental causes.

4. What are the requirements for a  healthy bed or mattress?

For a decent night's sleep and full relaxation of the bones and muscles, it is necessary to support the body equally in the shape that follows the natural curves of the back. Generally, it is accepted that the ideal lying position at night is the one in which the spinal colomn is straight in sideways position. When lying on your back, your back should be supported evenly along the natural S-shaped curve.
The harder the surface, the more resistance it offers against impression. The hardness of the surface when you are sleeping, is determined by the pressure from the back of the head, the shoulderblades, the lumbar region and especially the pelvis and heels.

Overexertion symptoms can occur where the surface is too hard, which makes it necessary to take up a different position. This is the case for slim, small as well as heavy bodied people. The slim person hasn't got enough dermis tissue to support the pressure between bone and surface, the heavy bodied person has too much body weight for its surface.

The mattress has to support the body during the sleep. It should be elastic and retain its elasticity to support and divide the body pressure. Furthermore, they need to absorb the perspiration and release it again through evaporation.

These days, a lot of mattresses are made of synthetic material, like foam rubber and polyether foam.
Some mattresses consist of several materials and an internal suspension. Kapok an elastic fibrous material from the kapok tree used to be common as a filling for mattresses.

An equal spread of body pressure over the whole surface of the body can be achieved by lying on a granular or liquid materials, like chaff or sand. Those granules can move freely to the point where they support the body evenly.

This is the category to which the water beds belong. The water can adjust itself even more 'fluidly' to the human body.

All types of mattresses have a softer and a harder version. Before purchasing a mattress, you should test how much it can be impressed, by just lying on it. The larger the imprint of the shoulders and lumber region, the better the mattress is equipped to keep the spine straight in a sideways position and S-shaped when lying on your back.

A mattress that is too soft will make the body sink too deep, creating back complaints. A mattress that is too hard could cause problems by putting too large a pressure on certain pressure points, making it uncomfortable.

Most people sleep on their sides. The spine, however, bends unnaturally on a surface that is too hard or too soft. The spinal column is subjected to quite an amount of pulling and pushing forces that have a negative effect.

Water mattresses and in particular the special 4D-water mattresses with a pelvic support or a 5-zone design score very well at supporting the spinal column and spreading the body weight evenly.
The spinal column assumes a healthy posture whether you lie on your side or your back, and on no other system there is as little pressure on the body as on this one.  Furthermore, the warmth of a waterbed can prevent sleeping problems due to pain in muscles and joints.