Beddr Blog

Current Category:

Sleep Health

Written By

Ed Pienkosz

June 9, 2020

Why sleep isn’t a luxury: Why we need sleep

The most important thing that the Beddr team wants you to know is that sleep is not a luxury. Here in the United States, we’re more apt to treat lack of sleep as a badge of honor, rather than respect the value of a good 7 - 9 hours a night. We cover all the reasons sleep is important.

Written By

Ed Pienkosz

December 27, 2019

Sleep Resolutions

Ready to begin improving your sleep? Start thinking of New Year's Resolutions around sleep. A few ideas to consider: understanding sleep/wake cycles, working with a sleep medicine professional to assess your sleep, learn how your daily habits/patterns/choices affect your sleep, find ways to get better data about your sleep to establish your baseline, and learn how Beddr can help you find your true sleep.

Written By

Mike Kisch

December 10, 2019

Beddr's 2020 Sleep Predictions

The Beddr team gathered together to put together a list of our sleep predictions for 2020. We look at factors that may have a negative impact and others that look promising for 2020 and beyond.

Written By

Subarna Mitra

November 28, 2019

Beddr and True Sleep

What is True Sleep? Very simply put, it is a science backed, evidence based, medically sound, nuanced and comprehensive definition of what comprises achievable healthy sleep for each one of us - in the here and now of our lives, personalities, preferences and constraints.

Written By

Tom Goff

February 4, 2019

Why do I get up frequently to pee at night?

By the time you’re an adult, your body has trained itself to send the bladder into a form of hibernation while you’re asleep. Ideally, this natural action allows us to enjoy the full benefits of a long night of restful sleep, sometimes accompanied by the need to pee in the morning. But in reality, this isn’t always how the evening plays out.

Written By

Simon Vining

January 15, 2019

What is sleep tuning?

What is Sleep Tuning? Think of it this way: you have a prized car or guitar that you really love. It was made by experts and at the moment you took ownership, it was in perfect condition. But with the passage of time and regular use, it needs to be tuned so it can still perform at its best. And you probably won’t tune it the same way every time. Rather, you’ll notice nuances and differences that weren’t there before, and adjust accordingly on a case-by-case basis as time passes. There’s no one-size-fits-all with sleep tuning. You make small adjustments, change a few habits, learn a few new ones then give them a spin to see if you feel more rested. The Beddr SleepTuner offers objective insights to see if your tuning is having a measurable impact on the quality of your sleep.

Written By

Tom Goff

November 2, 2018

How light exposure helps you sleep

Did you know that exposing your eyes to morning sunlight can significantly improve your sleep health as well as give you a feeling of being more energized in the morning? Let’s explore the far-reaching effects of light on our sleep health, and how you can create simple habits and routines around letting in the right light at the right time.

Written By

CPT. Allison Brager, PhD

September 25, 2018

Want to sleep better? Hit the gym.

Getting quality, restorative sleep and seeing improvements in your athletic performance are two sides of the same coin. Poor sleep can kill your willpower to eat clean and exercise, and moving your body in healthy ways can set you up for better, more restorative sleep later in the evening.

Written By

Brandon R. Peters, MD

August 6, 2018

5 Questions to Ask Your Sleep Doctor

An appointment with a board-certified sleep specialist is an important step towards better sleep health. Discover five questions about sleep apnea, sleep disorders, and other issues to ask your sleep doctor during your first visit.

Written By

Brandon R. Peters, MD

August 3, 2018

How well do popular sleep trackers actually work?

Consumer health tech is booming, with a wide array of wearable products claiming that their device will provide you a wealth of information, from vital signs to the number of steps you take in a day. Some of these devices, which are primarily designed to log motion and movement, have added basic sleep tracking to their marketing pitch. But how well do these activity trackers really work when it comes to capturing sleep data?

Written By

Mike Kisch

August 1, 2018

How Beddr can help solve the sleep data problem

The science of sleep has evolved considerably over the past several decades, but for all that we know, there is even more that we don’t. Part of what holds the industry back is a lack of high quality data from which to infer the true relationship between our actions, choices, sleep quality, and our overall health.

Written By

Robyn Woidtke, MSN, RN, RPSGT

July 30, 2018

How to spark the conversation with your doctor about sleep

Even though sleep is such an important part of health and well being, most primary care doctors do not ask us much about it. Most doctor appointments are rushed, typically lasting only about 15 minutes, and there is little time to do more than what is needed in the moment. Most primary care doctors do not have formal training in sleep assessment. In fact, few have more than 2-3 hours of education on sleep during their medical training experience. Even after practicing, one study showed that primary care physicians have poor knowledge about sleep.

Written By

July 26, 2018

Focus on sleep to boost your company’s performance

The benefits of quality sleep affect every profession, whether someone drives a forklift, writes code, or is CEO. Progressive business leaders like Arianna Huffington and Jeff Bezos speak of how sleep deprivation affects workplace productivity, personal health, and the global economy. And top performers in business, media, sport, and other highly competitive industries all use healthy sleep habits to give themselves an edge.

Written By

Robyn Woidtke, MSN, RN, RPSGT

July 20, 2018

Women and sleep apnea

Usually a middle aged, overweight man comes to mind when you think of sleep apnea. However this sleep disorder is common and underdiagnosed in women. Learn more about women and sleep apnea, including symptoms and more.

Written By

Brandon R. Peters, MD

July 18, 2018

Does a lack of sleep make you age quicker?

The consequences of poor sleep quality are as numerous as they are serious. A lack of deep, restful sleep, or simply not enough hours of quality sleep, can affect a person’s health in a number of ways. You may have heard about how sleep disorders, interrupted sleep, and sleep deprivation contribute to mood swings, heightened blood pressure, and problematic respiratory functions. But did you know that a lack of sleep can also accelerate the aging process?

Written By

Brandon R. Peters, MD

July 16, 2018

Are you getting enough sleep for your age?

How do you determine the number of hours of recommended sleep for you as an adult? Discover a number of methods and general guidelines for how much sleep is enough by age.

Written By

Brandon R. Peters, MD

July 13, 2018

Want to control your diabetes? Focus on your sleep.

If you’re one of the 29 million Americans living with type 2 diabetes, your diet, physical activity, and a host of other factors all play a role in managing your health. Yet perhaps one of the most significant but overlooked factors is the quality of your sleep.There is significant overlap of diabetes and sleep breathing issues. By some estimates, about half of the people with type 2 diabetes have sleep-disordered breathing. And it is estimated that 83% of obese people with type 2 diabetes also have sleep apnea.

Written By

Brandon R. Peters, MD

July 13, 2018

Use sleep positioners to help you sleep better

What is a sleep positioner? A sleep positioner is a device that helps someone control what position their bodies are in when they sleep. There are a wide variety of sleep positioners available, and for good reason: an estimated 90 million people in the United States struggle with sleep-disordered breathing, a condition that can often be treated by using a sleep positioner.

Written By

Brandon R. Peters, MD

July 13, 2018

5 surprising ways alcohol can hurt your sleep quality

Many people are surprised to learn that drinking alcohol can actually hurt your sleep more than help it. If you’ve ever had an alcoholic drink close to bedtime—let’s say within four hours or so— you’re likely aware that drinking can make you feel drowsy. Beer, wine, and other alcoholic spirits are depressants, and up to 20% of Americans use alcohol as a tool to help fall asleep. This may be a problem. Alcohol affects how your body regulates sleep, not to mention the overall quality of your sleep, in a number of negative ways. These can range from waking up in the middle of the night to increased snoring to an increased impact on sleep disorders, and more.

Written By

Brandon R. Peters, MD

July 13, 2018

Can sleeping better help you lose weight?

With 2 out of 3 Americans being overweight, a significant portion of the population is seeking a way to shed unnecessary pounds. Traditional weight loss approaches center around diet and exercise, but this overlooks one of the most powerful weight loss tools of all: sleep. Many sleep experts believe that optimized sleep care should be integrated into every weight loss program, for its powerful influence over cravings, mood, motivation, insulin regulation, and more. Poor sleep health often leaves you chronically sleep deprived, and an insufficient amount of sleep has two main negative effects on your weight loss efforts.