Live Well – Page 10 – Pillows.com Blog

July 5, 2013

How to Stay Healthy on Vacation

It’s that time of year when most are planning their vacation which means a time to indulge in drinks and delicious food that may or may not be so healthy. It is also a time to get the most out of your vacation which means a lack in sleep as well. Here are a few ways to make your vacation as awesome as possible without damaging your health too much. It is also important not to break too many habits away from home.

Sleep is probably the biggest factor in maintaining a healthy lifestyle while on vacation. Most people tend to make sleep the least of their priorities since they want to get the most time and fun out of their vacation. What you don’t know is that this can impact your sleeping habits back at home once your no longer on vacation. Ultimately, this can lead to mood swings, poor health, and even memory loss. Sleep is the most important factor in maintaining sound mind and sound body and has been linked to obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease over a long period of time. Try to maintain the sleeping patterns used while at home.

While on vacation it’s important to include a “sleep vacation” as well. This means listening to your body when you start to get tired and choosing that time as a consistent bed time. Do not use an alarm clock to wake up. Vacations are a great way to establish a pattern of sleeping that you can even take home if your personal life is hectic. The benefits of sleep vacation allow you to find out how much sleep you really need, establish a sleep pattern, and pay back sleep debt. You will also start to feel sharper, happier, and healthier. The next step is to make sure you continue to this patter.

Other factors that can lead to unhealthy sleep while on vacation are the consumption of alcoholic beverages and unhealthy foods. Sure it ok to splurge a little while on vacation but it’s important to keep in mind that alcohol inhibits your body from getting actual REM sleep. And junk food can sometimes make you feel full and gross which in turn can keep you up at night. Remember, that you can always ask for custom foods and drink in moderation.

Vacations are a great time to let loose, party, meet new people, enjoy company, and just have a great time. It is also a time to relax, catch up on some zzz’s and enjoy life without feeling worked. Take the opportunity and allow your body to rejuvenate by allowing it the proper sleep it needs. You will wake feeling happier, healthier, and you will enjoy your vacation that much more.

Blog Author: Jesse, Channel Manager

July 2, 2013July 2, 2013

How to Clean a Pillow

As we know, our pillows are where we rest our heads for the night. Pillows get dirty from body oils, sweat and saliva that seep into the pillow while we sleep. We can’t really control these natural bodily functions, but we can take other preventative measures that will keep our pillows from getting dirty. Here are a few tips to keep help keep our pillows clean:

We can keep a pillowcase on our pillows and wash the pillowcases once a week along with our sheets. For added protection, we may place two pillowcases on each pillow. Put a zippered pillow cover on our pillows under the pillowcases. This will help protect the pillows from yellowing; they will also help to keep dust mites out. Remove and wash the pillow covers once a month. Take note that pillow covers are different from pillow cases. They are made of materials that don’t allow body oils and other fluids to seep into the pillow itself.

Moreover, we should wash our pillows three to four times a year. Read the tag on your pillows for specific care instructions, and adhere closely to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Make sure the pillow is completely dry before putting pillow cases back on.

Eventually, all pillows need to be replaced, no matter how well we care for them. Here is a way to identify a pillow that is no longer doing its job. Simply fold the pillow in half; if the pillow springs back, it is still in good shape. However, if the pillow does not unfold itself, it needs to be replaced. If you are especially prone to allergies then you might want to change your pillow more frequently to avoid dust build up that’s inevitable over time. Bottom line, we would recommend changing your pillows every 2-3 years, and once a year if you have trouble with allergies.

Blog Author: Jerry, Quality Control Manager

June 25, 2013

How To Avoid Jet Lag

Traveling is fun and adventurous, but jet lag can put a damper on your trip if you don’t know how to take care of it the right way. If you have kids with you, you want to be able to keep up with them and do all kinds of fun things together. You can’t do much if jet lag has taken over you. As for those frequent flyers that travel a lot for business, jet lag can also affect you especially if you are tired and “out of it” that can put a damper on business. It is important to learn how to handle your Jet Lag whether traveling for fun or for business. In this post I will provide a few simple and easy steps to help you combat jet lag that will get you feeling back to normal in no time!

Prepare for the time zone change: It is always good to start early to help your body adjust to the different time zones. Start by going to sleep an hour earlier or later (depending on where you are going) a few days before you go to get your body used to the new time zone. Helping your body staying rested will help lower the symptoms of Jet Lag.

Plane Ride: Once you are on the plane headed to your destination, act as if you are already there. First, it will help if you set your watch to the time zone that you are headed to. This will help you get an idea and adjust to when you should eat or sleep. Next, find out if it will be daylight or nighttime when you arrive. If it will be daylight do what you can to keep yourself awake on the plane, if it is nighttime try to take a nap. Items to help you sleep on the plane can include: bringing your own blanket, your fantastic pillow from home, eye mask, and ear plugs. Also, eat as if you were already there. You want to start as soon as possible to act like you are already there, Jet Lag doesn’t just affect your sleeping schedule it affects your digestive schedule as well. Even snacking on the plane if you are not super hungry will help you out a lot.

Natural Light: Natural light will help your body adjust to the time zone change as well, so it is best to remain active when you first get there. Go explore and do outside activities especially on the first day. If you feel like you must take a nap, only take a 30 minute one since anything longer will make the jet lag worse. If you are on a business trip and don’t have time to do outdoor activities, try to take a brisk walk, even opening the curtains in your hotel room will help. The point is to get the most amount of sunlight you can.

Melatonin: It is not a bad idea to bring some Melatonin with you on your trip. Melatonin is a hormone that your body produces when you are ready to go to sleep. Taking Melatonin around the time you want to go to sleep (especially if it is earlier than your used to) will help you fall asleep to keep you in the changed time zone. This will also help to alleviate jet lag symptoms.

Exercise and Eating Schedule: Exercising early in the morning will help get your blood flowing and wake you up. It doesn’t have to be a hard core work out, just a brisk walk or jog will do the trick. Also, eating a high protein breakfast will help out a lot. At night, exercise is a good idea as well. A tough work out a few hours before you go to bed will help your body mellow down and allow you to fall asleep. Now as to your eating schedule, try to eat during eating times in the time zone you are in and not your normal schedule. The best thing to do when you first get there is to eat light meals until your digestive system can get used to your new schedule. Oh, and one last thing to remember, stay hydrated! If you are dehydrated it will most definitely affect your trip. Dehydration can give you stomach problems that can ruin your fun. Just be sure to drink a lot of water and try not to drink a ton of alcohol and caffeine, which I know can be hard especially if you are on vacation and all you want to do is have fun!

Traveling can be exhausting and take a major toll on you! Just by using a few of these simple steps you will notice a major difference in how you feel while traveling. Enjoy your adventures by feeling good and aware of everything going on around you, rather than feeling tired and bogged down.

Blog post author: Ali, Customer Service Rep