Researchers at the University of Nottingham in England have discovered that patients taking a class of commonly prescribed sleeping pills called benzodiazepines are at an increased risk of contracting and dying from pneumonia. Scientists studied about 5,000 patients who had been diagnosed with pneumonia. They were each compared with six similar people, matched by age […]
Diet can affect sleep duration
“You are what you eat,” the saying goes, but is what you eat playing a role in how much you sleep? According to a study by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, diet may influence sleep duration. People who report eating a large variety of foods—an indicator of an overall healthy […]
Two-thirds of Americans don’t get a restful night’s sleep
If you’re counting sheep at night, chances are you’re doing it on your side, in your pajamas and between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. on a Sunday, according to a national sleep survey conducted by Costa Mesa, Calif.-based home furnishings retailer Anna’s Linens. The study reveals that 74% of Americans wear pajamas to bed (8% […]
Chicago named worst metro area for bedbugs
The dubious honor of being deemed the most bedbug-infested city in the United States goes to Chicago, according to pest control giant Orkin’s ranking of the top 50 bedbug cities for 2012. Last year, Orkin’s parent company, Rollins, which operates eight pest control brands nationwide, saw a 33% increase in its bedbug business over 2011. […]
Sleep news roundup
Research: Belly fat disrupts sleep quality Dropping extra pounds enhances the quality of sleep among people who are overweight, according to a new study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. “We found that improvement in sleep quality was significantly associated with overall weight loss, especially belly fat,” says Dr. Kerry Stewart, professor of […]
ISPA expects more state-level bills in 2013
The International Sleep Products Association and the mattress industry have long supported the need for mattress recycling. As a result, last year ISPA sought a cost-effective, efficient national solution to waste problems associated with used mattresses. At the same time, the entire industry faced costly legislation in 2012 in three states that would have forced […]
Don’t go there: Phrases that get on customers’ nerves
We’ve heard them over and over again—tired phrases that are repeated ad nauseam on TV, in the workplace and, yes, at retail. On the website FirstToKnow, Rick Andreoli took the liberty of tallying the most annoying cliches currently in circulation. Sleep Savvy offers this abbreviated ranking. Retailers can post the list to encourage sales associates […]