The Connection Between Goals & Better Sleep, Part 3: Clearly Defining Your Goals

Posted on February 11, 2015February 19, 2015 by Joey Donovan-Guido

Have you ever tried driving somewhere new without directions? These days, all we need to do is enter an address into a maps app on our smart phone, and step-by-step directions detailing how to get from where we are, to where we want to be, are instantly available.

But could you imagine making a cross country trip from New York to Los Angeles just by pointing your car toward the west? Without an exact address, your GPS cannot plan a step-by-step route to get you exactly where you want to go (we’ll talk more about a step-by-step plan of action in Part 4 of this series). Let’s say you’re trying to get to Rivera, one of Los Angeles’ more popular restaurants, simply by entering “Los Angeles” in your GPS. There’s a good chance you’d never find it. Instead, how about we enter 1050 S Flower St., Los Angeles, CA 90015? Now we know exactly how to get there.

It’s the same with goals. “Kind of” knowing what our goals are is not enough. The more clearly defined they are, the better chance we have in attaining them.

How to Clearly Define Goals

For example, let’s say your goal is to be a doctor. What kind of doctor do you want to be? A general physician, OBGYN, pediatrician, or maybe a veterinarian? Once that’s clarified, you’ll have to decide which school you want to attend. Is it a large universtiy that will impress potential employers after you graduate? Or is it a universtiy that has an exemplary program that’s in your area of interest?

These are only a couple of the questions you may encounter when defining your goals. You may not have the answers to all of these questions, and that’s OK. The point is to acknowledge them and then investigate until you have your answer.

Here’s what Brian Tracy, a world renowned speaker, has to say about defining our goals …

“Imagine that five years from now your whole life has been made perfect in every respect. Every aspect of your life. All your dreams have been fulfilled. Every goal has been achieved. What would it look like if five years from now your life was ideal in every way?

– Where would you be in five years?
– Who would you be with?
– What would you be doing?
– How well would you be doing it?
– How much would you be earning?
– What kind of home would you live in?
– What would be your level of physical fitness?
– What would your family be like and your relationships?
– How would your children be doing?

If your life were perfect 5-years from now in every respect – what would it look like?”

Powerful questions, for sure. But often times, your answer to some of these questions may be, “I don’t know.” The good news is that if you feel like you don’t know, there’s one more question you can ask yourself that will help: WHAT IF YOU DID KNOW?

Make it hypethetical and see how it feels. Remember, you can always alter something if it doesn’t feel right, but until you get a clear picture of what your future looks like, how can you begin your journey there?

Whether you’re dealing with neck pain, insomnia, or opening your own business, we highly recommend you take some time to think about each of Brian’s questions. In fact, it’s optimal to write them down (or type them up) and answer them with as much detail as possible.

Once you’ve answered all of the questions, and possibly added some of your own, set the document aside for a day or two before revisiting it. Then see if you need to add or delete anything from it. Discuss it with people you trust, but only if you can depend on them to be supportive and positive.

The Goal of Better Sleep

At first glance, clearly defining what better sleep looks like may seem unnecessary. It’s all about sleeping through the night and waking up well-rested, right? But what does a good night’s sleep look like for you? Is your room dark enough? Do you meditate before bed? Avoid bright lights and screen time on your phone or iPad? As you look at your routine, what changes can you make to help yourself sleep more soundly?

Of course, two major players in better sleep are your pillow and your mattress — each of which should be supporting your neck, spine and body while you sleep. If you’re not currently using a supportive pillow, or if you’re waking up with neck or shoulder pain, feel free to peruse our website to learn more about how the Natural Comfort Pillow can help.

Thank you for visiting Natural Comfort Pillow. Until next time, sleep well, and good luck with defining your goals!

You may also like:

The Connection between Goals & Sleep, Part 1: How to Sleep Better

The Connection Between Goals & Better Sleep, Part 2: Discovering Your Goals

The Connection Between Goals & Better Sleep, Part 4: Implementing a Step-by-Step Plan of Action

Resolve to Reduce Pain & Live a Happier, More Active Life in 2015

Posted on January 8, 2015January 8, 2015 by Joey Donovan-Guido

Have you been suffering from chronic pain in your neck, shoulders or back? There’s no better time than now to make a few simple New Year’s resolutions that can help reduce that pain, and put you in a position to lead a happier, more active life.

What is a New Year’s Resolution?
We’ve all heard of resolutions before, but what exactly to they mean? Many people treat their resolutions as a wish list, but then never do anything to follow up on making their New Year’s resolutions a reality. We’re going to be honest with you: if you want to reduce pain in your neck, shoulders or back, you’re going to have to take action on making things better. Sure, pain reliever can make your discomfort bearable, but it’s not a solution.

The good news is that there are plenty easy strategies you can add to your life that can provide a lot of help. That being said, let’s take a look at a handful of New Year’s resolutions that you can implement to reduce pain in 2015 and beyond …

Physical Activity
There are a broad variety of physical activities that can help reduce pain. Your interests and physical ability should drive the type of activities you choose. Yoga is an excellent, low-impact, activity that both strengthens and stretches the body, and there are specific yoga positions that help reduce neck pain. Running, walking and cycling are also excellent choices, but keep in mind that any of these may exacerbate pain. Of course, you can also go the gym, but be sure to avoid overworking a muscle group that’s already causing you discomfort.

One of the main ways physical activity helps with neck, shoulder and back pain is by bringing additional blood flow to these areas. Something as simple as a stretching regimen each day can help you loosen up those tight muscles.

Eat Better, Drink More Water
A common New Year’s resolution is to eat better. But you might be wondering how eating better can help reduce pain. For starters, without enough water, your muscles are more likely to become tight. You’re also more likely to get headaches. In addition to drinking water, eating foods that are water-rich — like fruits and veggies — can help. Plus you’ll get the benefits of the nutrients these foods provide. Including foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, calcium, vitamin D and magnesium can also help reduce neck pain. In essence, we’re asking you to eat whole, fresh foods as opposed to junk food. If you are performing some form of exercise, it’s also important to make sure you’re eating enough protein to help your muscles recuperate.

Meditate
Meditating more is an excellent New Year’s resolution for many reasons. When it comes to reducing neck pain, meditation can help reduce your stress level. And since stress causes muscles to tense up — especially in the neck and shoulder region — reducing it with meditation is a good way to help keep muscles from tightening. Learn more about how to manage stress.

Get a Better Pillow
One of the main reasons we make the Natural Comfort Pillow is to help people reduce pain so they can lead happier, more active lives. Through the support of our pillow, muscles in the neck shoulders and back are more likely to relax during sleeping hours instead of tensing up because they’re out of alignment. Our pillow also helps align your spine, making it the easiest way to reduce neck, shoulder and back pain. All you have to do is get a good nights sleep!

Learn more about how our pillow can help reduce neck and shoulder pain.

Thank you for visiting Natural Comfort Pillow!

What is Insomnia?

Posted on November 24, 2014November 24, 2014 by Joey Donovan-Guido

If you suffer from insomnia, you know how frustrating and debilitating it can be. Of course, everyone experiences a restless night here and there, but when it’s constant the need for a solution becomes critical to one’s overall health and happiness. Let’s clearly define what insomnia is, and in doing so help you determine whether or not you might be suffering from it.

INSOMNIA DEFINED
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), approximately 30 percent of adults experience sleep disruption of some kind, and insomnia is more common than you may think.

Insomnia sufferers fall into two main categories: those who have difficulty falling asleep, and those who have difficulty staying asleep. Adults who struggle with insomnia may also wake up several times each night, or wake up too early in the morning feeling tired.

In addition, insomnia may only occur occasionally, or can be an ongoing problem.

Acute Insomnia does not last long. It typically occurs in association with a stressful or big event, like a job change, job loss, final exam or getting married. And although many people experience this type of insomnia, it often resolves itself without any formal treatment.

Chronic insomnia typically occurs a minimum of three nights per week for a minimum of three months. There are many factors that can cause chronic insomnia, including unhealthy sleep habits, 2^nd or 3^rd shift work, certain types of medication, as well as neck and shoulder pain. Sufferers of chronic insomnia can often benefit from treatment that addresses the underlying causes of their sleep disorder.

Common Insomnia Symptoms

Fatigue
Low energy
Difficulty concentrating
Mood disturbances
Decreased performance in work or at school

Common Causes of Insomnia

Depression
Anxiety
Stress
Poor sleep habits like watching TV in bed
Stimulants like tobacco, caffeine and alcohol
Neck and shoulder pain

Let’s take a closer look at that last point — neck and shoulder pain. This can have many causes, including overexertion, stress, your pillow and your mattress.

Many people don’t realize that using a non-supportive pillow can be detrimental to spine alignment. In addition, a non-supportive pillow can also cause muscles in the neck and shoulders to tense up causing pain and stiffness, which can lead to insomnia.

The Natural Comfort Pillow can help with both of these issues. Whether you’re a back- or side-lying sleeper, our pillow supports your neck and aligns your spine, helping your body’s muscles relax instead of tense up — helping you sleep better and wake up more refreshed (and less stiff).

Learn more about how our pillow helps with insomnia, as well as how it can relieve neck pain and shoulder pain.

Thank you for visiting Natural Comfort Pillow!

Decreasing Migraines by Improving Neck & Shoulder Health

Posted on November 13, 2014November 13, 2014 by Joey Donovan-Guido

In a recent article, we talked about reducing migraines through diet. This week, we’re going to focus on simple ways to reduce neck and shoulder pain, which often leads to decreased migraines — not to mention a better quality of life. But first, let’s take a quick look at some common causes of neck and shoulder pain …

Common Causes of Neck & Shoulder Pain

Stress or tension, which causes compression of spinal nerves (known as a “pinched nerve”)
Arthritis
A herniated disk
Muscle strain caused by overuse (sports- or labor-related)
Any kind trauma injury
Shoulder instability (joint slippage in and out of sockets)
Poor posture when sitting or standing
Spinal misalignment when sleeping (caused by use of a non-supportive pillow)

Reducing Neck & Shoulder Pain
One of the easiest ways realize better neck and shoulder health is by using a supportive pillow. In addition to reducing pain, a supportive pillow can also help you sleep better. This combination of proper support, which aligns the spine, and better sleep is a highly effective way to reduce migraine occurrences.

How Our Pillow Helps

For Back-lying Sleepers: A multi-bolster system, created by leading Australian physiotherapists, cradles the neck for proper spine alignment
For Side-lying Sleepers: The non-bolster side of our pillow supports your shoulder while maintaining spinal alignment
With proper spine alignment, your muscles are in a position where they can relax, instead of being tensed up, which helps decrease the occurrence of pain and migraines
Migraines are often triggered by a poor night’s sleep; using a pillow that reduces pain can go a long way in helping you sleep better

Additional Ways to Reduce Neck & Shoulder Pain
Speaking with your doctor is always a good idea when addressing chronic neck or shoulder pain. Seeing a licensed massage therapist, physical therapist, or a chiropractor are also smart strategies. When choosing one of these specialized health professionals, look for experience and a proven track record, as opposed to who’s offering the best price. Like most things in life, you get what you pay for.

Stretching and exercise are also two options that help reduce neck and shoulder pain. But if you’re in pain, it may be difficult to stretch or exercise without causing more pain. Again, forming a plan with a health professional can assist in helping you feel better, while avoiding further injury or pain.

Aerobic conditioning is often an excellent way to help the neck and shoulders loosen up, reduce pain and increase range of motion. This occurs because aerobic activity increases blood flow to the muscles and soft tissues of the neck and upper back (your whole body, actually). It also helps release endorphins (after approximately 30 minutes of aerobic activity), which naturally reduce pain in the body.

We hope these strategies help reduce pain and improve the quality of your life!

Learn more about how our pillow can help with neck pain and shoulder pain.