As the director of clinical research at Select Comfort, I’m excited to share the results of a new sleep study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass Gen) by Harvard researchers. To examine the impact sleep quality has on quality of life and well-being, the new sleep study found the majority of study participants who switched to a different bed reported improvements in sleep quality, aches and pains, and other quality of life measures including greater intimacy with their partner and a decrease in food cravings. The bed participants switched to in the Mass Gen study was the Sleep Number bed.
Specific study claims include:
• After only six weeks, the majority of the participants who switched to a different bed reported a significant improvement in sleep quality, the ability to fall asleep faster and sleep longer, a decrease in back and neck aches and a significant decrease in soreness, stiffness and pain.
• Study participants also reported that improved quality of sleep led to improvements in their quality of life, such as a decrease in food cravings, a belief that they appeared younger-looking, and a decrease in negative moods.
• Participants who also were part of a couple reported that improved quality of sleep led to greater intimacy and expressions of affection with their partner. Specifically, the majority of study participants reported an increase in the stimulating exchange of ideas with their partner. And, nearly half reported increase kissing and laughing as a result of improved sleep quality.
These new findings add to previous clinical studies Select Comfort conducted at Stanford, Duke and other leading universities, which show how the Sleep Number bed contributes to better sleep quality and demonstrate why the Sleep Number bed is ideal for people with back pain or couples. Past studies found participants sleeping on a Sleep Number bed fell asleep faster, were more rested, experienced back pain relief, and spent more time in the deeper and more restorative stages of sleep. Visit our Web site to read more about Select Comfort research.
These new findings also add to the growing body of scientific evidence that shows improved sleep quality affects our well-being to the same extent as proper nutrition and exercise. And, if not the most exciting part, getting the proper amount of sleep is well within our control!
If you have questions about sleep, the Sleep Number bed or want to learn some sleep tips, please follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SleepGeekPete.
If you own a Sleep Number bed already, please write a comment to share any quality of life improvements you’ve experienced. If you don’t own a Sleep Number bed, what problems do you currently experience that make it difficult to sleep at night?
Sleep well,
Pete
One Comment
I am very interested in sleep quality, and I am trying to find my own methods and tips to improve that, and I have to say that I have found this article really interesting.
Anyway I would like to add some other tips, because I thing that in terms of sleep quality, you need to improve also some other customs.
* Feeding habits. A balanced diet, a good food timetable, and in general good eating habits help you to improve sleep quality.
* Exercise and sport. Regular exercise really helps quality sleep, and makes it peaceful and deep. This is because exercise contributes to cardiovascular health, and optimizes breathing.
I hope I have contributed positively to the blog that, as I said before, I think is very interesting. Thank you!