How well are you sleeping? Did you know that poor sleep can have a direct impact on your overall health?

 

Inclined Bed Theory and the benefits it has on your sleep. Remember your health is directly linked to the quality sleep, and poor sleep can have a direct impact on your overall health.

Did you know that almost 8 million Australians suffer from insufficient Sleep. This costs the Australian economy a whopping $66.3 BILLION dollars per year!

Deloitte estimated that 39.8 per cent of Australian adults experience some form of inadequate sleep. This was further broken down to:

• 5.8 per cent of adults with excessive daytime sleepiness8 (EDS) due to sleep disorders;
• 13.3 per cent of adults with EDS not due to sleep disorders; and
• 20.7 per cent of adults with subjective insufficient sleep.

Over 3000 people die in Australia per year attributed to poor sleep hygiene or lack of sleep. This is 3 times the national road toll deaths in Australia. But we spend more time focusing on telling people how to drive than telling people how to strengthen sleep foundation!

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) state that insufficient sleep:
“… impacts full and functioning healthy recovery from existing conditions, work productivity, mental functioning, exposure to accident risk, quality of life, and a range of health conditions. It is also associated with increased all cause mortality”.

 

Key takeaways

• Sleep is far more important than the average Australian understands.
• Lack of sleep will lead to serious health conditions.
• Getting the proper sleep and improving oxygenation of the blood through sleep and sleep position is crucial to better health outcomes.
• Medical science studies have identified an inclined sleeping position as beneficial to your health.

So why does insufficient sleep costs Australians 66.3 BILLION dollars per year? The answer is simple, the strain on the health system is enormous. Medical science proves that poor sleep may lead to:

• Dementia
• Blood Pressure
• Diabetes
• Heart Disease
• Circulation
• Kidney disease
• Stroke
• Oedema (fluid retention)
• Depression
• Obesity
• Migraines
• Low sex drive
• Plus many more health risks

Many if not all of these diseases can be linked to poor oxygenation levels which leads to poor health and results in the Australian economy being impacted by 66.3 BILLION dollars each and every year.

“Getting the proper sleep and improving oxygenation of the blood through sleep and sleep position is crucial to better health outcomes. Studies have found that having your body inclined whilst you sleep improves pulmonary functions and oxygen saturation in your body (Patel and Shah, International Journal of Health Sciences and Research 2021)”.

Why Does Inclined Bed Therapy Improve Health?

Learning how to sleep better, learning how to get into a better sleep hygiene through inclined bed therapy position to improve sleep and your health. It stands to reason that improving circulation at night would improve health.

When the body is flat the blood and lymph fluids will not move around as easily throughout the body due to the effective of gravity. When the body is inclined, blood and lymph will continue to circulate more, allowing more blood and oxygen to move around the body and keeping the lymph flowing more freely. Keeping blood and lymph flowing is a help to the body’s nighttime tasks of repair and toxin removal.

Consider that a pond without water flowing in and out of it will stagnate. A river, with the benefit of gravity and an incline, will continually flow and have a more clear and pure appearance than a pond.

British scientist Andrew Fletcher argues that Inclined Bed Theory (IBT), which is the raising of the head of bed by 5 degrees has great benefits for sleep, circulation, metabolism and the immune system. This is supported with the study by Patel and Shah (2021) where that looked at the affects of lying in a flat position on your side verse the raising your head and feet in the Semi Fowler position (a medical position where your head and feet are raise approximately 35 degrees). This position significantly increased oxygen into the blood stream and positively impacted the health of their patients.

 

How do we incline our head and feet to get the quality sleep and health benefits?

The simple answer is to invest in an electric bed or adjustable bed. These beds are no longer a ‘hospital’ bed that people should fear. An adjustable bed is a therapeutic sleep system that improves your sleep.

Remember POOR SLEEP = POOR HEALTH

Adjustable beds are electronically controlled, and can be profiled into a variety of different positions. The most common position being the contouring one, which is designed to mold to the natural ‘S’ shape of your spine. This helps to reduce pressure points and can lead to a better night’s sleep. There are many different benefits that an adjustable bed can have on your life and improve your health.

7 Amazing Ways Adjustable Beds Can Help You Sleep Better

1. Improve Your Sleep Health And Ease Insomnia
   As well of all the above health benefits which can improve your sleep, adjustable beds offer the benefit of being able to adjust your bed to a position that you feel 100% comfortable in. This will enable you to be able to fall a sleep faster and avoid tossing, turning and changing sleeping positions throughout the night.
2. Increase Oxygen flow by up to 30%
   Often people look to find the solution to improving oxygen flow through CPAP machines. Especially for people that suffer with obstructive sleep apnea or snoring. This is because the neck is putting extra weight on the windpipe, causing it to close slightly. Not only can snoring affect your own sleeping pattern, but it can also affect your partners too. By sleeping with the head elevated, you can reduce the likelihood of snoring. This is because oxygen can flow more freely than it can when you are lay flat on your back.
3. Relieve Pressure on your body caused by aches and pains
   How often do you get up in the morning and your sheets are all twisted? We call this the washing machine effect. This is because your brain is telling you to continue toss and turn due to pressure and/or because your blood has stopped flowing around your body – hence toss and turn. An adjustable bed can benefit chronic pain sufferers and relieve pressure on your body, stopping the constant tossing and turning at night. They can provide temporary pain relief from conditions such as arthritis. The position of the bed can be adjusted with the simple touch of a button, allowing you to find an angle that is most comfortable for you, and helping to relieve pressure points. Adjustable beds are also a particularly good reliever for back pain. This is because they contour to the natural ‘S’ position of your spine, unlike an ordinary, non-adjustable one.
4. Help To Settle Your Acid Reflux
   Did you know that Acid Reflux affects 1 in 5 Australians – that is over 5 millions Australians are impacted with Acid Reflux
   Even those who aim not to go to sleep with a full stomach can still be affected by heartburn and acid reflux. The symptoms acid reflux can often make it hard to sleep, which can lead to other issues when awake such as lack of concentration and mood swings.
   By elevating your upper body by six inches, you can help to reduce the symptoms of acid reflux. This can be done with ease with an adjustable bed. An adjustable bed is a much simpler solution than propping up multiple pillows, which can move around in the night potentially causing you neck and back pain.
5. Improve Your Blood Circulation
   Relaxing and sleeping healthfully are key components in maintaining good blood circulation. Elevating your feet above the level of your heart helps to improve blood circulation. Of course, this elevation can be achieved by putting pillows under your feet, however, this method only works successfully if you sleep on your back and barely move around. An adjustable bed will keep your feet and ankles raised no matter what position you sleep in.
6. Improve Your Posture
   Since our spines are formed in a curved ‘S’ shape, lying on your back on a standard bed can be bad for your posture. This is because when you lie on your back on a traditional bed, you are putting additional pressure on unsupported areas. Subsequently, this lack of support can lead to back pain as well as other spinal conditions.
   A good sleeping posture can be achieved by sleeping on an adjustable bed. This is because the mattress contours to the natural shape of your spine, offering maximum support.
7. Re-Gain Your Independence
   Individuals with restricted mobility can often feel like they have lost their independence, especially when they can no longer undertake tasks that were once so simple, such as getting out of bed.
   Our adjustable beds can help to assist you in getting into and out of bed. With just a simple touch of a button on a handheld remote control, you will be able to adjust your sleeping position and get out of bed easier than you could with a standard, non-adjustable bed.

How to choose the right Adjustable Bed?

Choice Australia (www.choice.com.au) advise consumers to look for these key areas when buying an adjustable bed:

Features to look for in an adjustable bed

• Range of motion: How many degrees can the upper and lower sections be elevated?
• Safety features: Does the bed have an anti-entrapment function?
• Presets: How many positions can the bed remember?
• Retention bars: How adequate are the bars that hold the mattress in place? Without good retention features, mattresses on adjustable beds can slip off the base easily.
• Weight limit: Can the bed handle you, a partner, and the weight of your mattress?
• Long warranty period on the electric components: Look at the fine print, not just the overall warranty on the bed frame.

One supplier to consider is Solace Sleep (www.solacesleep.com.au)
Australia’s #1 Adjustable Bed

 

Solace Sleep Adjustable Beds come with a Full 25 Year Guarantee (including OKIN German Brand Motors – 25 Years). Solace Sleep are the best in the Australian Market and offer the best lifetime cost of product. On average a Solace Sleep Adjustable Bed will be at least 5 times better value for money than any other competitor in the market. Solace Sleep Adjustable beds come with 3 x International Products Standards and comply with all Australian standards.

• ISO9001 is our global certification that sets out the criteria for quality management and is part of CE electrical standards within our manufacturing.
• ISO14001 is our global certification that sets out the criteria for environmental management within our manufacturing.
• ISO 13485 is our global certification that sets quality system for medical manufacturing and is part of CE electrical standards within our manufacturing.
• Australian Electrical Safety Standards IEC 61558-1 and IEC 61558-2 Electrical standards.
• Therapeutic Goods Administration TGA Medical device class 1.