Reader's Corner
| For Patients |
| The Perfect Bedroom Source: "Health & Nutrition" |
The Perfect Bedroom is a place where you don’t do much of anything except make love and sleep. To reduce bedtime stress, banish paperwork and TV to another room, experts advise. Establish a ritual that slows you down, such as sipping a cup of chamomile tea or soaking in the tub; research shows that a warm bath an hour before turning in can lead to an extra 15 minutes of deep slumber. And be sure your environment is utterly restful. Here's what to check.
MATTRESS : Whether it's too firm, too soft, sagging from age, or lumpy as a sack of potatoes, the wrong mattress can make your nights miserable. When shopping for a new one, wear comfy clothes, and spend 15 minutes plopped on a prospective purchase. Most people are best served by a medium-firm mattress with a medium-soft top layer of padding; dig your knee into the covering to make sure it isn't too taut. If you sleep beside someone who needs a different amount of support, get a custom made one where one side of the bed is tailored to suit to your body, the other to your mate's. PILLOWS : There is no best pillow; the key is finding the size, shape, thickness, firmness, and material that suit you. Test contenders out on a bed in the store until you find one that feels perfect (pressing your head against a pillow while standing up doesn't work). SHEETS : When your internal thermostat’s out of control, as it tends to be during menopause, you want your sheets to breath. Look for 100 per cent cotton in a tight weave so the fabric feels good when you slide into bed. Beware of lacy borders; they can irritate skin. CURTAINS : The ideal curtains are heavy enough to screen out the first rays of dawn; less than ideal ones can be backed up with custom shades. LIGHTING : The best reading lamps are those that cast only a narrow beam and do not disturb your sleeping mate. FRAGRANCE : Researchers have found that the smell of lavendar can be as effective as a sleeping pill in helping insomniacs snooze through the night. NOISE BLOCKERS : City dwellers in particular might benefit from a superfancy white noise machine. Disposable foam or silicone earplugs are a low-tech alternative; they screen varying levels of sound and fit snugly without causing discomfort. |
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