Pain. Of course pain can keep us from falling asleep or can wake us up in the
night and keep us from ever becoming comfortable enough to go back to sleep
Worry. Worrying about the next day, or how the bills will get paid, or the
wellbeing of a child will or course affect our ability to rest and sleep
Stress. This is different than worry. Often times, we cannot sleep, but cannot
pinpoint exactly what it is we are thinking about. Our mind won’t calm down
enough no matter how tired our body is.
Light or noise. Some of us are ultra sensitive to light and noise no matter how
slight. There are several theories about light deprivation and how it positively
affects the brain and the sleep patterns.

Regardless of the reason for your sleeplessness, acupressure may be a useful tool for you.

There are several ways to use acupressure to possibly help you to relax and sleep. The
first is to go to a practitioner. This may be a good idea if you have pain or illness as that
will relate more to specific points on the body depending on the issue.

The second is apply pressure to the “insomnia” points on your body yourself. One of
those points is called the “Shimien” and is located on the bottom of the foot – you can
look at a chart of pressure points on the sole of the foot in practitioners’ offices or on line.

To locate this point, draw a line from both of your ankle bones to the sole of your foot,
the point is located where these lines overlap at the midline of the sole (just above the
heel of the foot). When you are touching the foot, this will be the most tender spot in this
area.

There are other general insomnia points you can try as well on your wrist, ankle, and
lower leg.

The wrist point is in the crease of your wrist, on the outer (little finger side). This
technique is illustrated in a short video here:

http://www.5min.com/Video/Insomnia-Acupressure-Treatments-33170931

Another insomnia point is on the inside of your ankle, between the large ankle bone and
your Achilles tendon.

The third point is on your lower leg, about 3 inches up from the big bone at your ankle,
just behind the shinbone.

Apply medium pressure for one minute or longer three times a day with your finger,
thumb or knuckle.

There’s a lot of information on the side effects of taking birth control pills available.
Before starting the birth control pill, one would want to know all of these side effects
and a woman and her doctor or health care provider will go over these and decide if the
woman is a good candidate and if she feels comfortable with the possible side effects.

Most women, however, don’t think about the side effects of discontinuing the use of the
pill. This is very important information but often times is not offered by the doctor or
health care provider. Here are some birth control pill withdrawal symptoms women have
reported:

Post-pill amenorrhea. This causes the body to take up to several months to begin
menstruating on a normal cycle again. Post-pill amenorrhea is when the hormones
in a woman’s body are returning to their normal state – returning back to how
they were before she started taking the pill. This only happens in some women.
These women may not have a period for up to three months and may not be back
on a regular cycle of menstruation for up to six months especially for women who
have been taking the pill for a long period of time.

Acne. Women who were experiencing some relief from acne break outs while
using the pill, may find that the acne comes back after discontinuing use.
Additionally, according to AcneNet, an online information and resource site from
The American Academy of Dermatologists, using the birth control pill is one of
the leading causes of adult acne in women.

Minor weight gain. The change in hormone levels can cause an imbalance in the
body’s metabolism resulting in some minor weight gain.
PMS. For many women, but not all, discontinuing birth control pills can cause
and increase in PMS in the form of cramping, headaches, and tenderness.
Difficulty getting pregnant. There is some evidence, although not conclusive, that
birth control pills may create a prolonged effect on the endometrium, making it
more difficult to become pregnant after discontinuing use.

Women considering using the birth control pill or other hormone contraceptives should
make sure they are informed not only of the side effects during use, but after the method
is no longer needed.

There’s a minority of adults who actually need up to nine hours of sleep per night, while
another small percentage of adults need fewer than seven to function well through the
day. For most healthy adults, eight hours is enough under normal circumstances.

Every individual’s need are unique when it comes to amount of sleep needed. Here are
some average recommended hours of sleep by age under regular circumstances:

0 – 12 months
1 – 3 years
3 – 5 years
5 – 12 years
13 – 19 years
20 + years

14 -18 hours
12 – 15 hours
11 – 13 hours
9 – 11 hours
9 – 10 hours
7 – 8 hours

There are other factors, of course, to take into considerate when it comes to the amount of
sleep one should be getting. Here are a few of them:
•
Injury. Injury of any major type will cause the body to use much of it’s energy,
proteins and nutrients on healing and rebuilding. An injured person should sleep
whenever he or she feels it is required.
•
Pregnancy. Pregnant women may need more sleep just as they may require more
food. Women in the early and late stages of pregnancy can tire more easily and
this may too come in spurts that last a few days to several weeks.
•
Illness or disease. When the body is fighting off an illness, just as with an injury,
more energy is needed, more nutrients are used and, more sleep is required. This
is true for simple sicknesses or chronic diseases.
•
Changing hormones. A change in hormones can alter the amounts of sleep needed
for young adults up to age 18, and in older adults entering into menopause.
•
Emotional stress. This can be anything from a change in jobs, a big move, or a
death of a loved one. As people go through emotional stress or trauma, they may
require more sleep.

Individuals all have different sleep requirements at different stages and different ages.

Greenville South Carolina is where Comfortaire’s home-base is located. Today
Comfortair is a subsidiary of Park Place Corporation and it’s offices are located in
Greenville in the Park Place Corporation facility.

Comfortaire’s assembly plant is in a separate location still in Greenville SC. Park Place
used to manufacture furniture using the name Park Place Furniture, but in 2005, that
division (founded in June 1978) was sold to Perfection Furniture.

In 2006, Perfection Furniture went out of business. Comfortaire’s assembly plant is still
located in a section of the old furniture plant.

Now here’s a little about the mattresses themselves. Many people are concerned
with where the materials for their mattresses come from. A lot of people prefer to
buy American made whenever possible. Almost all of the materials in Comfortair’s
mattresses are American made except for the air pump. Additionally, most of the
materials are also assembled in the US with the exception of some of the mattress covers
which are quilted in Canada.

For an air mattress, these are very soft, luxurious, and plush. If you have ever slept on a
sleep number type bed, you know that that isn’t the case with all air-chamber mattresses.
As you lay on this bed, you will feel it virtually mold and support your body. Of course,
the firmness or softness of the air chambers themselves can be adjusted with the included
mechanical air pump and standard remote. The issue with the standard remote is that,
you lie on the mattress and press the up or down button until you get a feel you are
comfortable with the firmness or softness, but there is no readout to indicate the fullness
of the air cores.

The digital remote is available for an extra charge. There are also several other “up
grades” available as well. Memory foam mattress toppers are an upgrade versus the
Polyurethane topper that comes standard.

For frequently asked questions and more information, visit Comfortair.com, the official
website.

The average adult needs about seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep per 24 hour
cycle. Of course, this is under normal circumstances and applicable to normal, healthy
adults. Occasionally, certain adults will need fewer hours of sleep to be able to function
properly. Some adults need up to nine hours. For most healthy adults, eight hours is
enough.

There are exceptions to this rule. If you experiencing physical ailments, surgery, sickness,
or any other physical issue, you will need more sleep for healing. An increase in physical
activity or participating in endurance sporting events can create a need for more sleep as
well.

Emotional trauma such as the death of a loved one or a divorce can cause the need for
an addition hour or more of sleep, as can an upheaval of some sort like a major move or
even a new job.

If, however, you find you are sleeping more than eight hours per night and consistently
tired, there may be other issues going on. Extreme stress or depression can cause in
insatiable desire for sleep in many as some people will use sleep as an escape. When this
occurs, you may not ever feel fully rested no matter how much sleep you indulge in. If
this is the case for you, you may ask yourself what you are trying to escape from. You
may consider therapy or counseling.

Another cause of still feeling tired after eight or more hours of sleep is that perhaps you
were not relaxed when you went to sleep, and you found yourself restless through the
night, or maybe you woke up exhausted feeling as if you worked all through the night.

Relaxation techniques like guided imagery or recordings of relaxing music can remedy
this often times. Some people enjoy soothing sounds like ocean waves or birds singing
or crickets chirping as they drift off to sleep. The more relaxed you can make yourself
before you go to sleep, the deeper and better your sleep will be.

When you sleep well with a worry free mind, you awake refreshed and ready to start the
day.

I would encourage you to read the many reviews yourself as well by googling, “sleep by
number bed reviews,” but here, I offer an overview.

The following is a list of important things to think about before investing in a Select
Comfort bed:

•

Return Policy. Even though there is a 30-day return policy, it will cost you over
$200 on average to ship it back to the store unless you bought it locally. I would
suggest spending a couple of nights in a hotel that offers sleep number beds, as I
have.

•

Air Mattress. It’s still an air mattress. It’s a fancy, elaborate air mattress. I’ve
slept on many of these, and I feel like I’m sleeping on an air mattress regardless
of what number I choose. Granted, maybe it’s because I know it’s an air mattress,
it feels like one, but what it doesn’t feel like is a luxurious, expensive mattress.
Quite the opposite. It feels cheap to me. In the last two years, I’ve spent at least
two dozen nights on these mattresses in various hotels. I know what it feels like to
slide into a very comfortable, pillow-top, inviting bed. Again, quite the opposite!

•

Cost. These beds are very expensive in relation to what they really are. One
chiropractor said about the cost of the bed, “My first impressions were that I had
paid way too much money for what I’m now looking at in the boxes.” Another
customer had written that she thought it looked like about $70 worth of foam and
rubber. These beds are also available in the factory refurbished version with a
brand new cover for around half the original price, so you would end up paying
between $850 – $1000.

•

Black Mold. The company had an issue with black mold inside the air chamber.
This has been corrected, and customers who discovered the mold in their beds
were provided with replacement parts free of charge, but it is something to
consider if you are thinking of purchasing a used or refurbished mattress.
Sleeping Position. If you sleep on your side, this may not be the bed for you.
Many people have reported that the bed is very uncomfortable for side sleepers at
any number. I also found this to be true.

•

•

Body Weight. If you and your partner are of different sizes, the dual chambers
and the ability to adjust the firmness will appeal to you. I personally can’t tell
much difference in support as it usually feels firm regardless of the number. I
weigh 125 pounds though, so it may make a real difference to a bigger person.
Another big advantage is that if you do sleep with another person, he or she will
not feel you move or shift in the night.

Obviously, I am not a fan of the Select Comfort beds, however, some customers love
them. I feel that the brochure promises, for the most part, are exaggerated and even for
those who liked the mattress, it didn’t change their lives much.

Again, I would suggest staying in a hotel that offers the bed and try it out before you
invest your time and money.

Age

Newborn – One month
One – 12 months
One – three years
Three – five years
Five – 12 years
Teenagers
Adults 20 years
and older

These are just averages. Every individual’s needs are different depending not only on
age, but a variety of factors discussed below.

Notice that when the child reaches the teenage or adolescent years, the amount of sleep
required is almost the same (nine – 10 hours). This is because physical growth and
rebuilding happens when we are asleep.

Of course, children grow rapidly and teenagers often go through growth spurts that
can last for months. Enough sleep is completely necessary during times of accelerated
growth. It’s also possible that a change in hormones can alter the amounts of sleep
necessary for young adults and menopausal and pre-menopausal women.

Pregnant and women my need more sleep off and on during the course of the pregnancy.\

There can also be a variety of circumstances that dictate the amount of sleep a person
requires at certain times of his or her life. Emotional or physical trauma or stress of any
kind can affect the amount of sleep a person needs. Some people will also use sleep to
escape stressful and overwhelming circumstances. Depression also can cause a person to
sleep too much.

Sicknesses, weakened immune system, and chronic diseases can make a person feel tired
and in need of more sleep than usual. People recovering from surgery will sleep more
often times. During sleep is when we heal and rebuild our systems, so it is only logical
that we would require more sleep when we need to heal and get well.

Sleep per 24-hours

up to 18 hours
14 -18 hours
12 – 15 hours
11 – 13 hours
9 – 11 hours
9 – 10 hours

7 – 8 hours

Insomnia can be highly irritating and very frustrating. It can also be a vicious cycle and
there maybe be things you are doing to cause insomnia or to make it worse.

Do you feel tense or anxious before you go to bed? Do you dread going to bed because
you worry that you will toss and turn? Are you saying negative things to yourself
like, “I’ll never fall asleep,” or If I don’t sleep tonight, I’ll be a wreck tomorrow”?

If you are having these thoughts or feelings, they are making the problem worse. Redirect
your thoughts to a time when you slept easily. Go back in your memory and think of time
when you were so tired, you drifted off to sleep effortlessly.

From here, create some simple, positive affirmations to replace the negative thoughts.
Affirmations like, “I go to sleep easier and faster each night,” or “I know I will sleep
well.” Make the affirmations something that you can believe are at least possible.

It may take some time and discipline to control your thoughts, but you can do it. Try
taking a few deep breaths when the negative thoughts or feelings come, close your eyes,
and visualize those relaxed times. Really try to connect with what it felt like to relax
completely and drift into a deep sleep. They key is to really feel what was felt like and
really experience it.

It is also important to visualize and connect with the feeling of getting up in the morning
completely rested and ready to start the day. Create a vivid fantasy in your mind of the
whole scenario. Remember how it felt when you know you slept well. See yourself going
about your daily activities rested, happy, and alert.

Your mind and your thoughts are extremely powerful. As you harness this power with
vivid visualizations, you will see changes happen easily and naturally. Remember to
allow yourself to experience the emotion connected with the desired result. As you do
this, you train your mind to create that experience.

When it comes to sleeping position, there are three positions recommended to alleviate
back pain on the Mayo Clinic’s website.

The first position is to sleep on your side with your hips and legs aligned, legs slightly
bent, and arms in front of you in a praying type position, or how ever they are most
comfortable for you . In this position, you will want to place a pillow in between your
legs long-wise to support your entire leg. This position without the pillow leaves
your upper leg unsupported and your knee and thigh can to slide forward resting on
the mattress. This will cause a rotation in the lower spine. Even a slight rotation can
contribute or sometimes even cause hip or lower back pain.

The second sleeping position is on your back. If you sleep on your back throughout the
night, you will want to put a pillow under your knees. That will help to maintain the
natural curve of your lower back and alleviate any pressure you feel there.

You might also try a very small rolled towel or small cylinder pillow under your neck.
Make sure it is only 5 or fewer inches in diameter. This may help with upper back,
shoulder, or neck pain.

Placing a the same rolled towel or small pillow under the small of your back can be very
beneficial for lower back support.

This position is recommended if you do have chronic lower back pain.

The third sleeping position is recommended only if you cannot seem to sleep any other
way.

It is to sleep on your stomach with your arms up and hands above or next to your head
and with a pillow under you supporting your lower abdomen, hips and pelvic area.

In this position, you should consider sleeping without a pillow under your head or with a
flatter pillow. A large or firm pillow may put strain on your upper back and neck.

Laying in the fetal position for a few moments with your arms to the sides, palms up and
stretching toward your feet will gently stretch the back and may be a good exercise to try
right before bed or if you cannot sleep in the night.

Try several positions and several sizes of pillow for support. Soon you will come up with
the right combination. If back pain continues, make sure to consult with a doctor or pain
clinic.

Newborn babies will sleep most of the time – up to 18 hours per 24 hour cycle. Babies
one – 12 months old will generally sleep 14 -18 hours. Of course there are exceptions to
every rule. Many babies end up using up their sleeping hours during the day allowing
them to be completely awake and alert through the night!

Additionally, these hours can be broken up into many small spurts of sleep.

As the baby begins to enter toddler stage, from one to three years of age, he or she will
sleep anywhere from 12 – 15 hours. Usually this will be divided up into one or two naps
and nine + hours at night.

From ages three – five, the child will generally sleep about 11 – 13 hours. When the child
reaches the ages from five until 12, he or she will require around nine to 11 hours of
sleep.

When the child reaches the teenage or adolescent years, this doesn’t change a whole lot.
The child/young adult will sleep anywhere from nine – 10 hours.

The child’s physical growth and rebuilding happens when he or she sleeps. Because
teenagers often go through growth spurts (up to several inches in height over a summer
break), enough sleep is completely necessary. Don’t be concerned if your teenager seems
to be sleeping too much. It may just be that he or she is going through an accelerated
growing period or possible a change in hormones.

Later when we reach our adult years (20 years old and older), we require less sleep.
Seven or eight hours of sleep is usually enough depending on individual.

Of course, this can vary depending on a variety of circumstances. If the individual is
going through emotional or physical stress the amount of sleep may increase. If he or she
is experiencing any kind of disease or sickness, more sleep will be necessary. Also, when
we are healing after surgery, we will want to sleep more to rebuild.

We may need more sleep when we have an increase in physical activity. And pregnant
and nursing mothers often need more sleep as well.