Sleep Related Articles and SAD Light Therapy Blog

INFANT SLEEPING PROBLEMS

Mike Zimmerman — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:53:29 +0000

Babies do sleep very much. As a matter of fact infants require 12 to 18 hours of sleep daily but it doesn’t necessarily mean sleeping at nighttime or continuous sleeping. They may awaken every now and then accompanied by outcrying. However, there are also a few infant sleep problems that you have to note in your child.

Of course, as parents, you’ve got to also be able to tell if your baby suffers from infant sleep problems so you can also fix a good remedy early on. Most often, your child’s sleeping practices will follow a kipping time the whole morning and being alert at nighttime and this is normal. However, if your infant is not sleeping, there are various factors that you may need to check into to rule out some baby sleep troubles.

Check if he/she is hungry. Of course, hunger may be the reason of his unceasing crying or not being able to sleep. Determine the last time he was fed and if he was feeling fine when you last fed him. Also monitor if your baby received enough milk the last time you fed him.

Apart from being hungry, thirst can also be another matter that can lead to nap problems. Watch out if the weather is a bit warm as this could also make your child thirsty.

Also see to it your baby is not wet. This will also cause your baby some sleep troubles so make certain he is dry and comfortable in his slumber. Check his kipping environment and make sure that he there are no annoying noises that might disturb his sleeping. Keep in mind however that infants sometimes love to hear white noise while sleeping, thence you may want to ascertain if he loves a humming sound of some appliances and if this could keep him soundly at peace. A good choice for a white noise machine for a baby’s room would be the Graco Sweet Slumber Sound Machine.

If your baby has been crying, and you have ascertained that he is not hungry, thirsty or wet, you might find out if he is in pain. Check for signs of teething. This could cause him irritation and pain and may be the cause for his crying and inability to sleep. Also check if he has fever.

Sometimes, little things like soft stuffed toys and rag dolls can help her catch some Z’s. These cuddlesome toys also play a major role as our infant grows as these can help him in developing.

To avoid baby sleep problems, making sure that your child is well fed, not thirsty and is at ease in his sleeping environment are among the things that you have to ascertain every time you put him to sleep. Most infants may need to be cradled or cuddled so they can kip down without problems. It is also crucial that you give time for your child to wind down after a physical play or some stimulating activities, so that he will also be prepared for an undistracted rest.

Although some infants may just need to be left alone awhile for them to cease crying and go back to sleep, it is important that you do not also leave them crying on their own for a long time. This is particularly true to very young babies.

Benefits of Sound Conditioners and White Noise Machines

Mike Zimmerman — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 23:39:53 +0000

The use of sound machines is becoming more commonplace. This has been attributed to the different benefits that the users will enjoy. The main use of these machines is to ensure that people are not disturbed because of noises as they sleep. It has been applied in a wide number of places including baby’s room or even in means of transport.

One of the main benefits is that the individuals will enjoy better sleep. The sleep cycle has five stages, with the last stage known as REM. This is the stage where people dream, and it is when most of them are vulnerable to wake up as a result of noise. When they use the machines, they will be able to reduce the chances of waking up. These machines will mask the bad noise allowing them to sleep better and they will be completely rested.

Since these machines come with different types of sounds, the users are free to select the ones that will suit their needs. They have the option of selecting the white noise or go for sounds such as waterfalls and humming sounds, among others. With such sounds they will be able to sooth their minds allowing them to sleep better. When they are well rested, they will be able to concentrate on their activities better and boast of good health.

Some of these white noise machines are designed to be compact and portable, allowing the users to go with it wherever they are going. They can also choose the large standing models that are meant to stay at the bedside table. With the portable ones, they will not have to worry about the lack of sleep wherever they go, especially in new environments.

Beside better sleep, these products can be used in blocking noises in different locations. They can place the product near a window or door and the noise will be masked out. This feature will offer them peace, whether they are in the bedroom or office. With such a tool, they will be able to concentrate better and therefore become more productive as they work.

For those people worrying about the price, these machines are cheaper as compared to other solutions for sleeping problems. they will get different price tags on these products and can select the ones that best fit their budgets. The best thing is that despite the cheap cost, these machines are highly effective as compared to a number of alternatives.

It is also flexible in that it can be used together by other medications and procedures to sleep or relax. There are no rules that limit such usage. An outstanding thing about these product is the fact that it does not come with any side effects as compared to the alternatives. The users can listen to the white sound but will not have any problems. As long as the machine is not close their ears, they will not suffer from any hearing damage. These are benefits the individuals will enjoy when they use the sound machines.

Sound Machine for Baby’s Room

Mike Zimmerman — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 03:02:22 +0000

Babies are the pride and joy of any family. When you first hold your baby in your arms, you would want to give him everything that you can offer. But for now he just wants his sleep and a lot of parents would go over the top to provide the best sleep possible.

Baby will sleep a lot because that is part of their growing process. They cannot eat food like us to keep giving them energy and instead are given milk. So the next alternative to replenish energy is to sleep.

Unfortunately, babies are very sensitive to sound. Maybe they are still new to the world and they hear every single sound and process it. That is why a loud, high pitched or even unfamiliar noise will wake the baby up.

You could try to sound proof the room but sometimes unexpected things would happen like the neighbors arguing or loud music is being played next door. Other than throwing away the speakers that are making those loud noises, why don’t you try placing a Marpac SleepMate 980A inside the baby’s room instead?

Marpac SleepMate 980A is a white noise sound machine that can help both adults and babies to get a good night sleep. White noise is a mixture of sounds with different frequencies and wavelengths that will help calm us down. This can be compared to listening to the sound of waterfall or the fan humming.

Because babies are more sensitive to sounds than us, they will be able to process this white noise better. The low frequency is constant but never repetitive. So the baby will slowly get used to the sound and subconsciously ignore the other bad sounds that might wake him up.

Another reason why the Marpac SleepMate 980A works so well is because of the low sound frequency that is reminiscence of a mother’s heartbeat when the baby is still in the womb or the sound of your voice when you are having a conversation with him.

This SleepMate 980A is not loud at all. There are two settings and a volume adjuster so you can set how loud the white noise will be. The loudest volume will not be higher than 60 db which is the tone for a normal conversation.

Its small design makes it easy to be placed anywhere in the baby’s room. It is also lightweight so you can bring it around depending on where you are putting your baby to sleep. The 8 foot long power cord gives the Marpac SleepMate 980A some flexibility on how far you can place it from the nearest power source.

You will know that the SleepMate 980A is doing its job when your little precious is sleeping soundly through the night and only wakes up when you want him to or he is hungry.

The price for the Marpac SleepMate 980A is very reasonable and it is small price to pay considering when you are ensuring quality sleep for your baby, and of course, yourself.

Why You Need a White Noise Machine

Mike Zimmerman — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 02:51:23 +0000

White noise machines are basically devices that produce sounds like those of wind blowing or rushing waterfalls. White noise machines can be used to serve several different purposes which may include those used to offer a relaxing environment to entice sleep, testing audio equipment, as machines for power-napping or as sound masking. When used as to entice sleep, the devices may also generate other sounds like rain, highway traffic, ocean waves or wind that is modulated.

If you often find it difficult getting sleep, you should consider trying white noise machines. There are many things that can disturb your sleep at night including a snoring partner or noise from the outside environment. The sleep machines are designed to mask disturbing sounds by producing pleasant and relaxing sounds which are identical to the sounds of a radio or a fan. There are also other numerous situations where sound machines can be used to enhance privacy. That includes in college dorms, motels and hotels, hospitals and other health care facilities, apartments, centers for day care and assisted living, RV’s and Motor homes. Using sound machines in such areas will keep you off from getting noises which are sometimes not meant for everyone. For instance, when used in hospitals, sound machines will keep a conversation between a patient and a medical staff between the two. You can also use sound machines to keep away noise from barking dogs, air traffic, noisy neighbors, sufferers of tinnitus can also use the machine to mask buzzing and ringing sounds in the ears, stereos and television to mention but a few. If you have a baby who keeps you awake all night then a sound machine can help you in soothing the baby to sleep. White sound machines can also be used in the office to help you have a peaceful working environment.

If you are considering getting a white noise machine or sleep fan, there are several brands to choose from. Some come with MP3 or CDs which provide a source of soothing sounds you so need to relax and possibly have a peaceful sleep all through the night. When buying any sound machine, there are a number of things that you need to put into consideration. Cost, usability, sound quality and versatility are some of the factors to consider. A good sound machine for you should be cost friendly and within your budget, good quality to ensure durability and be convenient. The availability of several brands should make it easy for you to find a machine that you will be able to afford and which will satisfy your needs.

You can decide to buy white noise machines from online stores or from local land based stores. Buying online will offer you with several advantages among them convenience, better discounts and wide selection. On the same note, buying online is less time consuming and in most cases hassle-free. On the other hand, buying local will save you the risk of losing your money, as not all online stores are genuine. On the same note, buying from land based stores will make it possible for you to get your white noise machine immediately after purchase.

Homedics SS-2000 Nature Sound Machine

Mike Zimmerman — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 21:13:43 +0000

Sleep is an important activity to all of us. Researchers have looked into the benefits of sleep and they came across a lot of interesting results. A good sleep keeps your heart healthy, reducing body stress and makes you more alert during the day. Your body and mind need to reach the level of deep sleep before you can experience any of these benefits.

A lot of people have trouble sleeping because of their environment. You might have just moved into a new neighborhood, your neighbor’s dog gets excited at night and start barking or there is a construction going on near your house. All these contribute to negative sounds that we are sensitive to and disturb our sleeps.Some people will take sleeping pills if they want to get a good night sleep but that method is not for everyone. Some people might be allergic to the pill or taking such medication does not help one bit at all.

If you have a baby, you would know how sensitive they are to environmental sounds. They seem to react even to the slightest sound.

What if I were to tell you that all your sleeping problems can just be solved with one device? You do not need to get a doctor’s prescription or do any changes to your room. Just plug it in and turn it on. There are no allergies attached and anyone can benefit from a good night sleep with it.

Let me introduce to you the Homedics SS-2000 Sound Machine. It is a redesign of the Sound Spa Acoustic Relaxation Machine, having all its special features but without the original design flaws.

It is an entry level sound machine that comes with 6 natural preset sounds. You can choose between ocean waves, heartbeat, rainforest, rain, summer night and white noise. White noise is a mixture of different sound frequency and wavelengths that are meant to soothe listeners.

These nature sounds from the Homedics SS-2000 are meant to help you focus on your task, help relax your mind and most importantly, let you sleep peacefully. You will feel more reenergized and rested the morning you wake up.

Homedics SS-2000 can also be used with babies (especially the heartbeat preset sound) so you don’t have to be extra careful to be quiet around the house when the babies are sleeping.

The Homedics SS-2000 can be powered by an AC adapter or using 4 AA batteries. It is designed to run continuously for long periods. However if you are concerned about the battery life, there is an auto timer that you can adjust. Set it run to for 15, 30 or 60 minutes depending on how long you need to fall asleep.

It has a small built, so you can carry it around easily. Whether you are going on a holiday or out camping, you won’t have trouble sleeping in your new environment with the Homedics SS-2000. It has an alarm clock function too.

Sound Oasis Deluxe S-3000 Deluxe Sound Therapy System

Mike Zimmerman — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 22:54:02 +0000

Traveling can be harsh to anyone who are used to staying at home. Arriving at your new destination, you might find yourself tossing around at night because of the unfamiliar environment.

The new place could be too noisy or perhaps noises like insect’s cries, cars honking or dogs howling are keeping you awake. Why not pack a Sound Oasis Deluxe S-3000 and forget all your sleeping worries? It is a step up from the white noise’ sound machine, packed with a lot of features and comes with a stunning design.

If you ever take note of other sound machine, the speaker for it can be too small. You would need to place it close to you and it does not work well when placed in a bigger room.

There is also a limitation on how much sound a normal speaker can produce and how realistic the sound can be. The Sound Oasis Deluxe S-3000 will not have any of these problems because it comes with 3 speakers and one of them is a sub woofer. With the extra bass and speakers, the Sound Oasis Deluxe S-3000 is capable of producing realistic sound.

Another example of limitation on other sound machines is the preset sounds. Most sound machine comes with 3-6 preset sounds you can choose from and they are mostly nature related. You can still program the sound machine to mix those sounds to generate more sound effects. However you will eventually run out of sounds to mix due to the small numbers.

The Sound Oasis Deluxe S-3000 is programmed with 20 main sounds and 5 mix sound to produce 120 sound possibilities! That is a least 10 times more than what you can get from other normal sound machine.

It also comes with a patented sound mixing technology. This technology helps control the sound mixing allowing it to run flawlessly when transitioning from one sound to another. It also has a memory button so you can instantly replay the last sound without having to go everything again.

The Sound Oasis Deluxe S-3000 comes packed with many features such as alarm clock with 12/24 hour settings, digital calendar, voice memo recording so you do not forget anything when you sleep and AM/FM stereo radio with 3 presets so you can save your favorite radio channel.

The display screen is back-lit, which not only makes it look cool, but it’s also easy for you to make any adjustments during the night when the lights are off. For a more private listening session, just plug in your earphones into the headphone jack.

You can also save your electricity bills with the Sound Oasis Deluxe S-3000 timer feature. You can set it to either 30, 60 or 90 minutes or just let it run continuously throughout the night. It also comes with a gentle off setting and a nap timer. This is excellent for those who need some noise to fall asleep but at the same time you don’t want to suddenly wake up in the middle of the night just to turn it back off. It can be really annoying to do that, so this feature is really a superb addition to the S-3000 unit.

Noisy Dorm Room Problems? Try a White Noise Machine

Mike Zimmerman — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 21:43:14 +0000

Sometimes you just can’t choose your neighbors. You might have thought that everything was perfect when you first moved in. The dorm room is perfect, the rent is cheap and you get a good night rest. Everything is just like a dream. Then comes along this new neighbor (from hell) that moved into the empty dorm room, one floor above you.

You never took notice of them until they started their nightly party and it only ends at 3 am. Maybe you thought it is a one time thing but they kept throwing parties, throwing arguments and love to stomp around the room. You tried telling them to keep the noise down, inform the management and even send them a letter explaining their behavior. None of them just works. You are lacking sleep and it shows in your work and studies.

Maybe you should just move out for your perfect dorm room but you’re worried that the new place would have another set of troublesome neighbors. Maybe the other alternative that you didn’t think of is to buy a Marpac SleepMate 980A white noise machine.

Sound Conditioner? Sound is a hair that you put conditioner on?

Our brains are tuned to “hear” repetitive noises. That is why we are easily annoyed the humming of mosquitoes or water dripping from faulty taps. So what the Marpac SleepMate 980A Sound Conditioner do is it gives off a constant but non repetitive white noise like a fan that will help covers up the negative noise.

The first few nights you might not be able to sleep thanks to the new sound but after a while you will get used to it. You can adjust the volume and the tone of the white noise by rotating the cap and collar.

Other sound machine might not work as well as the Marpac SleepMate 980A Sound Conditioner because they are playing recorded sounds. After the end of the track is reach, the sound will just repeat itself and you will hear that repetition. There is no sound track or presets sound being played so there are no repetitions in the Marpac SleepMate 980A.

Another amazing factor about the Marpac SleepMate 980A Sound Conditioner is the size of it. It has a 5.75” base diameter and as high as 3.25”. This magic box is capable of giving you a good night sleep despite its small size. Thanks to it you can also bring it around when you travel.

The price is also another factor you should consider. Earplugs cost cheaper than the Marpac SleepMate 980A Sound Conditioner but it is not capable of blocking negative noise completely. A sound cancelling headphone might cost as much as $60.00 but how are you going to sleep with that thing on. And can you imagine the cost of moving out of your apartment? That would even cost more than $100.00.

For $60.00, it is a cheap price to pay when your sleep is at stake and you are running out of options.

You can even bring it to your study session and put it in the room. Your friends might find it a bit weird to see the Marpac SleepMate 980A Sound Conditioner in the study space but will be amaze by it because they are not disturbed by outside noise and can concentrate on their work.

The Many Benefits of White Noise Sound Machines

Mike Zimmerman — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 00:48:32 +0000

The use of white noise machines is slowly becoming more popular as it helps in a number of ways. If you haven’t picked one up yet, or you’re still unsure what the benefits of white noise machines are, read on!

#1 The white noise will mask the bad noise and help you sleep better. There is no such thing as a single deep sleep for us. We cycle through 5 stages of sleep and the last stage is called REM. We start dreaming in REM stage and that is when we are most prone to be awoken by noise. The white noise can lower the chance of you waking up to that noise, giving you a more pleasant and refreshing rest.

#2 You can get better uninterrupted sleep because the white noise produced is soothing to the mind. A good uninterrupted sleep will give you a prepared mind and well rested body. You won’t wake up to the sound of the white noise because your mind perceives it as beneficial and soothing.

#3 It is small and very portable so you can carry it wherever you go. The white noise machine comes in many forms. There are larger models that are meant to stay on the bedside table and there are portable models that you can bring almost anywhere. You don’t have to worry about not being able to sleep in the new environment the next time you travel.

#4 It can block noises when you place it at specific locations. Another function of the white noise maker is noise blocking. When you place it at places near the door or window, the noise will be masked out by the white noise. This feature provides you the privacy and peacefulness whether you are in the office or bedroom.

#5 You can concentrate better because of the white noise machine. You can turn the noisy environment at your working area into something more bearable. If you work in a cubicle then you can use the white noise to mask the noise. If you work in a room, you can place the machine at the door or window to block outside sound from coming in.

#6 Cheaper compared to other solutions. The cheapest white noise machine might only set you back $50.00 which is about the same as a doctor’s fee. It also has little keep cost when compared to sleeping pills. Overall, the machine is quite a good investment because it is cheap and it works.

#7 No side effect. White noise has no side effect. You could listen to it all day and nothing will happen to you. As long as you are not blasting the white noise machine near your ear, you will not get any hearing damage.

#8 Can be used together. There is no rule saying you can’t use the white noise machine with other medications or methods to relax or sleep. In fact, you should use it together so the medications or methods can become more effective.

#9 Has a lot of features. The white noise machine is not only limited to producing white noise. Some of them are built with alarm clock function, FM radio, voice recording and so much more.

#10 Can be used anywhere. You can use the white noise machine almost anywhere. You can be in a plane, traveling in the car or sitting in the train and still be able to use the machine.

How White Noise Can Help You Get a Better Night Sleep

Mike Zimmerman — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 12:16:27 +0000

You hear dripping sound from the tap. You’re not really sure if it’s coming from the bathroom or the kitchen sink, but you don’t really care right now – all you want is a good night sleep but you just can’t bring yourself up to find the source of the problem.

You try to cover your ears with the pillow but you still hear the cars honking at each other and the wind blowing. The pillow is not enough to block the noises and other methods like ear plugs or noise canceling earphone will just get in the way when you are trying to sleep. Fortunately, there is another method where you can improve your sleep without having to resort to building a noise proof room.

Everything in life has positive and negative effects on us. Noises like tires screeching or dogs howling are sounds that affect us negatively. They cause us to feel restless and stressed. But sounds like the rushing waters of waterfall or the sounds of waves crashing on the beach can have positive, calming effect on us and they are called white noises.

White noises are combinations of sounds at different frequencies and scientists know about these positive sound and they have used this knowledge to help people who have trouble sleeping at night. The white noises actually blanket the bad noises when it is played in the background. People will still hear the outside noises but they will not be bothered by it. The result of this test is a deeper and more restful sleep. It is amazing how white noise can make such a huge difference.

Manufacturers such as Marpac have begun producing white noise machine since they are proven to work for people having trouble to sleep. The cheaper white noise machine models only play a prerecorded sound and repeat it all night long. There are more expensive models that will mix and match different kinds of white noise so you don’t notice when the sound tracks are repeated over and over again. They also include different kinds of white noises so you can play different one each night so you don’t get bored listening to the same track.

While you can get a CD recording of white noises, you might still want to get yourself a white noise machine instead. You need a CD player and a speaker if you want to listen to the white noise sound tracks on the CD. White noise machines, however, are no bigger than an alarm clock. You can put them on your bedside table and listen to it all night long, wherever you are. The small size of the devices also allows you to carry them around when you need to go traveling. They can mask noises as you can even have a peaceful sleep on the airplane or the train.

Rather than moving to a quieter neighborhood or trying to make yourself deaf, you can just get white noise devices to help bear with the bad noises. You need to remember it does not cancel out the bad noises but makes you more tolerable towards it. So you don’t need to make any drastic lifestyle changes just so you can get some good night sleep. Just place the white noise devices beside you and experience a deep and resting sleep.

Marpac Marsona TSC-330 Sound Conditioner

Mike Zimmerman — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 17:00:11 +0000

There are many benefits to using a sound conditioner, which explains why so many people have one in their home. However, once you get used to the power and peace in a sleep machine at your house, you will miss it when you are abroad. After you’ve gotten used to the restful sleep that you get by using these sound generators, it is hard to go back to anything sub-par. The trouble with a lot of popular models is that you can’t really afford to pack it into your suitcase; most are far too big to be considered portable. That’s not the case with the Marpac Marsona TSC-330, though! It is actually designed to be portable, and comes with tons of features that aim to make portability even easier for the consumer. Now you’ll never have to go back to restless nights again, no matter where you travel to or where you want to fall asleep.

First of all, one of the most important things for any portable device is its size and weight. This is certainly no problem with this model, as it is small enough to easily carry in one hand and it is pretty lightweight too. You won’t have to sacrifice much space in your suitcase at all to bring this along, and even if you need to fly on an airline, you don’t have to worry about this thing weighing you down and costing you extra in the check-in line. To make it even easier for you, a travel pouch is included. This helps keep the unit safe for even more durability. Even so, it is very durable on its own; the pouch is just for extra protection in case of spills and to avoid scratching. If you are still not convinced about the durability, there is a one year warranty, which is plenty of time for you to truly realize how durable the device actually is.

With a portable device such as the Marpac Marsona TSC-330 sound conditioner, you may expect to be getting something that is a bit lacking in quality compared to their non-portable counterparts. This is not the case, however. The speaker is both loud and clear, especially for its size. The sounds stored on the device are at a very high level of realism, and still do very well at enveloping your environment in lush sound. You can choose between the sound of rain, of the ocean surf, or of a waterfall – all extremely relaxing and calming.

Whether your job requires you to travel a lot, or you are just the occasional vacation taker, having a portable sound conditioner such as this will make your hotel stay much more relaxing and enjoyable, bringing a bit of familiarity wherever you go. You can even take this up to your office if you are expecting to have a busy and stressful day to help keep you calm through the trials that you face during the day. It’s a small investment to buy the Marpac Marsona TSC-330, but you’ll be glad you did after using it just once!