Have you ever tried counting sheep? It can work, sometimes. But more often than not, it doesn’t work at all. Those nights are long nights. Long sleepless nights. These sleepless nights are either ongoing, they happen more often than not—or happen when you need good solid sleep.
Those nights, when you toss and turn, when you know all too well how important it is for you to get some solid shuteye—can be the most frustrating of nights. And it doesn’t matter. No matter how many times you try to calm your mind, no matter how many glasses of warm milk you down, you just can’t keep those eyes closed. Not even chamomile tea can save the day.
You may be aghast—wondering if there actually is a solution (many solutions) to sleepless nights. There is, my friend. There truly is. And it may seem less invasive than downing glasses of warm, microwaved milk; and more soothing than chamomile tea; and less dull than counting sheep bounding over a little fence.
What is this sleep therapy that can help swoop in like a superhero and save your night? It’s far-infrared for sleep. What’s far-infrared for sleep, you ask? Well, before we dive into the mechanics of far-infrared therapy, let’s look under the hood and sort out how important sleep is.
How Important is Sleep
You probably knew this already, but sleep is important. Not just so you feel well rested in the morning for the big day, but because it has an important impact on your overall health and wellbeing. Good sleep doesn’t only save you money at Starbucks, it also aids with a number of health benefits.
Sleep has been shown to affect the brain. It’s been shown that if you don’t get enough sleep, your brain will be negatively affected. In fact, research conducted by the Mental Health Foundation found that people who didn’t get enough sleep were 4 times more likely to suffer from relationship problems and lack of concentration than those who got more sleep.
In the same study, those who didn’t get enough sleep were 3 times more likely to be depressed than those who did. Sleep doesn’t just affect the brain, it affects the whole body. From heart health to weight—there’s nothing you can’t find that’s part of your body that isn’t affected by sleep (and the lack thereof). Even your wallet is impacted by sleep.
People who don’t get enough sleep can end up spending more money on coffee and other caffeine related products to help keep their eyes open throughout the day. Adults need about 7 hours of sleep a day for their health and wellbeing, but across the country many people aren’t getting the recommended daily value of sleep.
The graph below from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the percentage of people in a given region who are not getting enough sleep. The darker the state, the less sleep that its residents are getting on average. 
Source: CDC. Behavioral Risk Factor Systems 2014 In the survey conducted by the CDC, It was found that among US adults, 35 percent were not getting enough sleep. 45-54 year-olds were among the age group that was above the average (as in they got the least amount of sleep); 39 percent of this group reported less than 7 hours of sleep.
Why You Can’t Sleep
In the previous blog post on sleep, we focused on how sleep works. This blog post we will focus on why you can’t seem to sleep. There are a number of reasons why you can’t sleep. From being on your phone too late, to drinking too much coffee; here are 6 reasons why you can’t seem to find any shuteye:
Stress
Stress may be weighing on you and you can’t seem to shut off your mind. Many people suffer from stress related sleeping issues. Making sure you do a winding down routine can help you reduce your stress significantly, and improve your sleep quality.
Depression
People who suffer from depression may get more sleep than most, but it’s not restful sleep, or deep sleep. Talking to a therapist or doctor could help you find the much needed, restful sleep you need.
Diet
You may not realize this, but not eating the right food can seriously affect your sleep. Eating a large meal before bed could make you feel uncomfortable, and drinking too much caffeine can seriously hinder not only falling asleep, but being able to fall into a deep sleep. Eating healthier can be a major benefit to your sleep.
Sleep Apnea
Many Americans suffer from untreated sleep apnea. This is when you're not getting enough oxygen when you sleep due to anatomical issues that aren’t always related to body weight. Sometimes, people just have this condition. To correct this, it would be best to consult with a doctor to find a solution.
Bad Sleep Habits
Many of us fall into this category. We just have unhealthy sleeping habits! But what are unhealthy sleeping habits? Unhealthy sleeping habits can be scrolling through our phone late into the night (the blue light really does affect your sleep), to staying up late just because.
These habits overtime can lead to bad sleep, and even insomnia. Developing good sleep habits means drawing a line in the sand saying, “The bed is for sleep and sleep alone.” Keep work, and other stressors out of bed. Don’t watch TV in bed; do that in the living room. You need to train your mind to be ready for sleep when you lay in bed.
Restless Legs Syndrome
Many Americans suffer from Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS). In fact, women are twice as likely to suffer from RLS than men. This syndrome can really make sleep uncomfortable. Some ways to resolve this include a hot bath before bed and exercising every single day.
Now that you know some of the more common issues as to why you find yourself tossing a turning and not being able to sleep, it’s time to dive into how far-infrared therapy can help you solve your sleeping problems—in addition to adding some of the solutions we listed above.
Far Infrared Therapy For Sleep
Far-infrared (FIR) therapy is a type of radiation that falls into the electromagnetic spectrum. It is a type of light, or heat, that humans cannot see, but feel. It has many benefits, aiding in the reduction of muscle pain and helping your body relax.
Like saunas, FIR therapy uses heat (infrared light) to warm the body. FIR can penetrate deeper into your body, soothing and relaxing tense muscles. Delivering the same benefits of heat therapy without intense heat, far-infrared therapy can help:
- Relax you
- Give you better sleep
- Improve your blood flow
- Aid in muscle recovery
- And more
Since FIR has been shown to aid in relaxation, using FIR before you hit the hay can help relax your body and prepare you for a good night’s sleep. Adding FIR into your routine will help you find the much needed sleep you’ve been dreaming about (except now, it won’t be a dream!).
Many studies have proven that FIR is helpful. A study found that infrared saunas helped combat the symptoms of chronic fatigue. Another study found that infrared saunas may help reduce high blood pressure. There are many different types of FIR devices you can use. Some popular FIR devices are gemstone heat therapy mats, that use natural gemstones to produce far-infrared light. Or even use far-infrared pillows while you sleep.
There are many ways you can receive far-infrared light therapy to improve your sleep. You just need to find the solution that works best for you. Either using a far-infrared mat before you sleep, or using one with a timer while you sleep, or using a far-infrared pillow all night long—you can find the best solution to help combat your sleeplessness today.
Sleep the Night Away
If you're having trouble sleeping, then now's the time to use far-infrared for sleep. Research has shown that far-infrared therapy can benefit your wellbeing by aiding in relaxing the body. Relaxing before sleep has been shown to aid in reducing the likelihood of a restless night. It’s simple, FIR can help you find better sleep.
Remember, sleep is an important part of your overall health and wellbeing. If sleep problems are left untreated, you can suffer various physical and mental disorders that could impair your judgment. FIR could be your solution to a better night's sleep. Don't you think it's worth a shot?
