Did you know that Denmark is considered one of the happiest countries in the world? It is so important for the Danes to be happy that there is also a research institute on happiness!

Meik Wiking, CEO of the famous Happiness Research Institute, has published a book on the Danish method to find happiness. The secret seems to be all enclosed in a simple word: hygge!

What does “Hygge” mean?

There have been many attempts to translate this word, which apparently seems to exist only in Danish, but it is practically impossible to find the equivalent in other languages.

“Hygge” in fact indicates a precise experience of intimacy, comfort, familiarity, safety and well-being. Meik Wiking defines it as the feeling we have when we’re surrounded by dear ones, everyone is happy and relaxed around the magical warmth of a wintery fireplace, sipping a good cup of hot chocolate. You know what kind of felling we’re talking about, right?

5 steps for a more “hygge” life and regenerating nights

The premises sound good, so why not try to be more “hygge” in everyday life? Give it a go like this:

1. Make your home a cozy place where you can inhale that peaceful and intimate atmosphere. The Danes spend a lot of time at home during the cold winters, so they are real experts in making it as cozy as possible. A home where you can relax, forget work-related problems and enjoy an exceptional rest.
2. Lights are of fundamental importance, preferably warm and soft ones: especially in the evening it’s a good habit to keep lights as low as possible to get used to darkness and fall asleep better and faster.
3. Share your time with the people you love: there is no better way to relax, be happy and live your life better.
4. Cuddle up with a cup of hot chocolate or even better a relaxing herbal tea: in this article we suggested 5 different herbal teas for a great rest.
5. Give shape to your “higgekrok”, or “nest”, where you can lay on soft pillows, wrapped in a warm blanket, sipping a good cup of tea. Higgekrok is your personal retreat, a place in the house where you can relax and pamper yourself. Follow the same rules to make your bedroom the most relaxing place in the house: always choose neutral shades and natural materials, low lights and no electronic devices in the room!

Relax, enjoy life and rest wonderfully every night!

Find out how to improve your night’s sleep thanks to a quality bed system: discover all the products for a “Healthy Sleep” that Manifattura Falomo has thought just for you!

A recent research published in the scientific magazine Nature, talks about how fish, both in a child’s and adult’s diet, can help rest better!

Here’s why you should add fish dishes to an everyday diet if you want to help your children rest better!

Omega-3, new allies for a “healthy sleep”

The research carried out in China took into examination the results obtained on more than 500 children aged between 9 and 11: what emerged is that fat acids contained in fish help not only to improve intelligence, but also the quality of children’s sleep.

4.8 points more in IQ tests

Scientists compared the results obtained in intelligence tests and discovered that a greater consumption of fish corresponds to a higher score in test results.

Better quality of sleep thanks to the consumption of Omega-3

Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania have then asked children’s parents to monitor the quality of their children’s sleep and again, what emerged is a correlation between the consumption of fish and children’s resting habits: frequency of nighttime awakenings and daytime drowsiness.

The children that ate fish more frequently were those who also had less frequent sleep disorders and better sleeping qualities.

For a healthy lifestyle, eat well and sleep wonderfully!

Some ideas for a perfect dinner before a regenerating rest? Find out in this article how to improve your rest starting from what you put on the table.

Choose the best for your sleep, find now a bed system that best suits your needs and mattresses for children!

Medicott is the revolutionary mattress cover created in Manifattura Falomo’s laboratories that has changed the mattress world forever. Discover the extraordinary qualities of this innovative lining and all mattresses supplied with it.

If it’s time to renew your bed system, Medicott cover could be the perfect solution for a perfect... rest!

Discover all the mattresses that use a Medicott lining!

In 1998 Manifattura Falomo presented Medicott, the first mattress cover that can be washed at high temperatures, up to 95°C: a true revolution in the world of healthy sleep! Here are all the mattresses that use Medicott lining!

Kuschelmed, the revolutionary mattress with three-dimensional shaping!

Kuschelmed mattress, the first mattress with a three-dimensional shaping was developed in collaboration with the Institute of Ergonomics in Munich. It’s one of the most successful products for Manifattura Falomo with over 50,000 pieces sold since its first release!

Kuschelmed mattress, as well as Kuschelmed De Luxe, are particularly suitable for those who suffer from low back pain as they ensure greater distension of the spine and less compression of the neck and cervical.

Relaxody, the first Memory Fresh Blue mattress, cool and welcoming!

The Relaxody mattress is equipped with a stiff, high-density Aquatech body, while the contact surface, made of Memory Fresh Blue material, is ideal for a cool and regenerating rest.

In the Plus version, the Relaxody mattress is provided with an additional material called Eucafeel which has extraordinary thermoregulating and breathable characteristics that help disperse excess heat.

Soy Memory and Soy Ergo, made of Biosoy: they perfectly shape to your body

Choose either the Soy Memory mattress, provided with a solid core entirely made of Soy Memory Touch, ideal for supporting without compressing, or the Soy Ergo mattress with its special independent pocketed microsprings for a complete relaxation of muscles and nerves.

Innergetic De Luxe and Innergetic Hypoallergenic, the latex mattresses produced by Manifattura Falomo’s artisans

Made by using only innergetic latex, the Innergetic De Luxe mattress, with its 7 differentiated load bearing zones, perfectly adapts to all your night-time movements.

The Innergetic Hypoallergenic version is the ideal choice for those who suffer from dust mite allergies, especially thanks to its incredible Medicott lining that, as well as in all other mattress models that use it, allows you to eliminate mites and bacteria as it can be washed up to 95°C!

Although Chinese medicine is not officially recognized by conventional medicine, it remains one of the most ancient disciplines in the world.

According to its tradition, each organ of our body has a moment of the day during which it reaches an energy peak and therefore the maximum of its functionalities: triple burner, pericardium and gallbladder, stick to the right time for a great rest!

7.00pm - 9.00pm, pericardium in action

According to Chinese medicine, it is at this time of the day that pericardium reaches its maximum vitality: this moment is therefore considered ideal for relaxation, meditation and sleep preparation.

9.00pm - 11.00pm, it's the triple burner’s turn

This is the definition of the energy flow that runs from the head through the neck and then along the arm, finally reaching our fingers tips: it’s during this period of time that we should fall asleep.

11.00pm - 1.00am, the gallbladder comes into action

At this point we should already be asleep, otherwise all the reserves of energy contained by the gallbladder would be exhausted at the expense of our health.

1.00am - 3.00am, soon after it’s the liver’s turn

Also during these hours, it’s essential to rest deeply because the liver is at its maximum energy necessary for detoxification!

And once you wake up?

The cycle continues: between 7.00 and 9.00 o’clock, the stomach reaches its peak, therefore it’s the ideal time for a big breakfast; then it’s the spleen’s turn which, according to traditional Chinese medicine, is able to transform food into energy!

Have you synchronized your biological clock?

Although Chinese medicine often appears obscure and far from our habits, in this case it seems to follow what are considered good resting habits: in the evening we should begin to relax already before dinner and then get to sleep between 10.00pm and 11.00pm and rest well throughout the whole night in order to wake up full of energy!

This is why it is important to rest on a bed system that suits your physical characteristics: carefully choose a mattress, bed base and pillow that best satisfy your needs.

We’re heading towards the warm season and with plenty of good resolutions: which is the most important among all? Getting back into shape and feeling great every day.

To reach your goal you should stick to few usual fundamental rules: regular exercise, healthy diet and a night of regenerating rest.

In the morning, try out this new drink which has many praised powers: alleviates inflammation, regenerates, works perfectly against cough, cold, menstrual pain and high cholesterol; moreover, it boosts the immune system. There couldn’t be a more appropriate name: get the golden milk ready!

Golden milk recipe

• First of all you will have to prepare the turmeric dough by boiling 1/4 glass of turmeric diluted in 1/2 glass of water.
• Stir until obtaining a thick mixture, place it in a jar to keep in the refrigerator and use it every morning to prepare your golden milk.
• In the morning you will just have to melt 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric dough in the milk you like best, either cow or vegetable milk, and add a pinch of pepper or honey as you prefer.

A perfect remedy also against insomnia!

Golden milk is a perfect drink, not only for recharging yourself in the morning, as its beneficial effects go well further: drinking a glass of hot milk in the evening before going to sleep can help you rest better and by adding a sprinkle of turmeric, the effect will be enhanced!

Restore your sense of wellness

Daily stress can have important effects on our body, therefore it’s important to take care of yourself especially in the evening, when you can profit from the 7/8-hour-rest to forget all your problems and regenerate the body and spirit.

Carefully choose the perfect bed system that allows you to rest well each night and awake feeling relaxed and full of energy!

We have reminded you many times of how important it is to always respect the same hours in the evening and morning: in order to not interrupt or compromise the cicardian rhythm, our body has to always observe, more or less, the same schedule.

But just as important to help you fall asleep more easily in the evening, is to stick to a resting ritual: what does this mean? It means to make the best of the “transitional hour”. Find out how!

The transitional hour

Run the numbers: establish at what time you have to wake up, subtract the 7/8 hours of sleep you need and you’ll obtain the time when you should fall asleep. So for example, if your alarm is set at 6:30 am (no snooze allowed!) then it would be good for you to fall asleep around 11.00 pm.

Now subtract the nearly 20 minutes which may be needed to fall asleep once you’re lying in bed. We therefore get to 10.40 pm, the time at which you should be going to bed.

Well, now subtract 1 hour: 9:40 pm is the moment when you should begin your “transition” towards a healthy rest!

Relaxing activities to tell your body that it’s time to prepare for rest

You have 60 minutes to get ready for a full rest: so put your sleeping ritual together. If you’ll stick to the same habits every evening, your body will understand that the time for resting is approaching and will prepare at best.

Reading, listening to music, having a hot bath; there are several activities to choose from, either to do alone or in company.

The importance of the ritual for children’s rest

For toddlers, the importance of a sleeping ritual is even greater: reading a fairy tale, drinking a chamomile, taking a bath and putting on pajamas are all activities that prepare your child for rest and helps him/her relax.

Get ready to sleep ... but not in the bedroom!

When you get ready for bed by reading a good book, drinking a cup of herbal tea or doing some relaxing exercises, remember not to do them in the bedroom but to get under the covers only when you feel really tired.

You bedroom should be your resting temple: carefully choose all the components of your bed system in order to rest wonderfully every night!

How many of you, just before going to sleep, stick your eyes to your smartphone’s screen to read the last emails, check notifications on various social media or text with someone?

Not just before going to sleep, but even when already lying in bed. A very widespread problem also and especially among younger people.

What we often don’t consider are the consequences that this attitude can have on our rest and therefore on the quality of our life.

Here’s what happens to your brain when you’re in front of a screen!

When we stick our eyes to the smartphone’s screen with its bright light as we look at images, read texts and write words, we’re also telling our brain that it’s not time to sleep yet.

Therefore our brain reduces the production of melatonin, the hormone which regulates our biological clock. Spending time in front of a screen will keep us awake more than necessary and once we put the phone down, we’ll have difficulties in falling asleep immediately.

Sleep at least 7 hours per night for a better living

As Doctor Dan Siegel from UCLA University reminds us, while we sleep our brain’s neurons rest, but more importantly, glial cells “clean up” our brain from toxins produced during the day.

If sleeping hours are reduced to 5 or less per night, most of the toxins will remain there and will compromise many of the brain’s capacities that are critical to everyday activities:

• difficulties in concentrating;
• reduced storage capacities;
• difficulties in making decisions;
• reduced insulin production essential for the proper functioning of the metabolism.

So not only will your mental skills be reduced, but even your waistline may be affected!

Turn everything off one hour ahead!

Remember that a good habit is to turn your devices off an hour before going to sleep: try following the advice given for a healthy good night ritual!

Change the alarm clock!

If you use your smartphone as an alarm clock, remember to set it at least an hour before going to sleep and lay it away from your bed in airplane mode so not to give in to temptation.

Or, even better, you could rediscover the appeal of more traditional alarm clocks.

Remember to always rest on a bed system suitable for your physical features and needs!

Are you looking for some useful advice to help you sleep better every night? Today we have decided to list all those tips that ought to do the trick!

Do you already know them all? Try some out in order to improve the quality of your rest by falling asleep faster!

1. Set the right temperature in your bedroom, never over 18°C. 
2. Eat the right foods, those rich in magnesium help rest better. Discover the ideal dinner to help yourself sleep better!
3. Use essential oils, lavender is particularly suitable for those who suffer from insomnia.
4. Free your mind before going to sleep, push work-related stress away by reading a good book. But be careful not to choose the wrong format...
5. Reduce the intake of sugar and simple carbohydrates in the evening and choose proteins and complex carbs which are rich in melatonin.
6. No electronic devices in the room, including tablets, smartphones, TVs and bright alarm clocks.
7. Respect your sleep routine so your body can adjust to its own cicardian rhythm. Find out now how to create your sleep routine!
8. No caffeine in the afternoon and watch out for hidden caffeine!
9. Work out during the first half of the day, even better if in the early morning. Find out why it’s best to avoid going to the gym in the evening!
10. Keep a diary so you can vent your worries and feel relieved.
11. Eat foods that stimulate the production of melatonin like cherries or kiwi!
12. Help yourself with natural magnesium supplements but only after having consulted your doctor!
13. Don’t count sheep, reading a book or listening to relaxing music is better.
14. Take a sun bath: exposure to natural sunlight helps adjust your biological clock!
15. Relax with a long bath instead of the usual 5-minute shower!
16. Enjoy a herbal tea an hour before going to sleep. Here are 5 delicious sleepytime herbal teas!
17. Avoid afternoon naps if you struggle to fall asleep at night.
18. Meditate or do some breathing exercises before going to bed: try with mindfulness!
19. Get yourself tired as much as possible: especially if you have a desk job, challenge your body with more demanding physical activity sessions.
20. Purchase a bed system that suits your needs and physical features: choose a mattress, bed base and pillow that best suit you!

The question we often ask ourselves more than any other is: what is the ideal number of hours of sleep? The National Sleep Foundation is committed to “updating” and regularly reviewing the guidelines on how many hours of sleep are appropriate for each of us, but specifying that any recommendation must keep in mind individual differences.

But how many hours do we have to sleep each night? Let’s find out the latest recommendations from the National Sleep Foundation.

Here is the ideal amount of sleeping hours for each of us

The guidelines on the amount of hours recommended for each individual is first of all based on the age group:

Starting from these guidelines, you should never increase or decrease of over 1 hour with regard to the maximum and minimum hours of sleep recommended.

The ideal number of sleeping hours during adulthood are 7/8 per night

From the data provided by the National Sleep Foundation, it is clear how the ideal number of sleeping hours are more variable during the growth phase while during the whole adult age, from 18 to 65, they stabilize in a much more defined and narrow range: 7/8 hours per night.

This means that it’s highly discouraged to sleep less than 6 hours or more than 9 hours a night.

Not only quantity, but also quality!

As we have frequently pointed out, it’s not only important to sleep a certain amount of hours per night, but also to do it in the right way!

To get the most from your resting hours, remember to:

• Respect the same hours as much as possible both when you go to sleep at night and wake up in the morning.
• Relax and get ready for your rest an hour before bed time.
• Carefully choose the bed system that best suits your needs.
• Listen to your body to understand if you are resting properly: in the morning you should wake up feeling rested and full of energy!

Practicing a regular physical activity involves an infinite number of benefits for our body: it improves cardiovascular resistance, makes us lose excess weight, improves our mood, etc...

But what you may not know is that some sports are more appropriate than others to help our bodies rest better every night! Find out right away which ones!

Aerobic or anaerobic activity?

• When we talk about aerobic exercises we mean any physical activity practiced for a period of time greater than 10 minutes which accelerates our heart rate and requires a greater supply of oxygen, as could be running, swimming or cycling.
• While anaerobic exercises are those that require greater effort for a shorter period of time.

To be clear, a marathon runner practices an aerobic activity, a sprinter practices an anaerobic activity.

What type of sport is suitable for a healthy rest?

Certainly the activities that can be classified in the group of aerobic sports are best for fighting insomnia: walking, running or cycling for at least 30 minutes several times a week will bring a remarkable change to the quality of our rest.

Aerobic exercises in the morning or early afternoon: here is the winning choice!

Practicing any type of aerobic sport, such as running and swimming, for at least 30 minutes 3/4 times a week will help you rest better. If you’re not particularly sporty, just a brisk walk will do it!

Exercising in the early hours of the morning would be the best solution, but if your schedule makes that impossible, try to end any physical activity at least 4 hours before going to sleep.

A balanced diet, regular physical activity and a good rest: the winning formula for a healthy lifestyle!

Discover now the bed system that suits your physical features and needs: a bed base, mattress and pillow that make the difference!

Among the many different mistakes we commit, which could compromise our rest, using the snooze button on our alarm clock is one of the worst!Repeatedly using the snooze function on our alarm clock, as well as setting several alarms within a few minutes, can cause heavy damage to our rest and therefore to our body.

Why shouldn’t you use the snooze button?

Professor Matthew Walker from the Centre for Human Sleep Science at the University of California warns: “When the alarm goes off, our heart suffers a small shock and we suddenly wake up. By repeatedly activating the snooze function, we inflict this shock on our heart over and over again”.

Moreover, every time we fall back to sleep, our body begins a new sleep cycle which is then repeatedly interrupted after a few minutes!

Our body gets confused as it’s unable to understand whether that alarm signal is definitive or not!

Don’t get “sleep-drunk”!

Dr. Chris Winter, a well-known American neurologist, defines the phenomenon of “sleep-drunknness” as a real pathology that could affect those who misuse the snooze button: disorientation, dizziness and a drowsiness feeling accompanies sleep-drunk people throughout the whole day.

And besides, take care of your waistline!

At night, the hormone that regulates our sense of appetite, ghrelin, is produced in smaller quantities and increases as soon as we wake up.

Waking up and falling asleep again and again could compromise the regular production of this hormone, possibly anticipating its release and thus triggering night-time hunger that could wake you up forcing you to eat in the middle of the night!

Going to sleep always at the same time, following a resting ritual, sleeping at least seven hours a night and doing it on a bed system that suits your physical features will help you get the most out of your sleep and wake up feeling active each morning without the need to “postpone” your alarm!

Scientists have always told us that having regular resting habits is the perfect solution for a healthy lifestyle.

But what emerged from a study conducted at the University of Stockholm seems to contradict these beliefs: recovering the hours of sleep lost during the week by sleeping in at weekends, actually extends life! Could that be true?

The risks of scarce sleep!

Scientific research has now proven that mortality risk is higher in people who sleep 5 hours or less each night compared to those who rest at least 7 hours a night.

The importance of sleep for our longevity

Scientist and author of the research, Dr. Torbjörn Åkerstedt from Stockholm University, reminds it as the premise to the results obtained from his research: sleeping and resting well for the amount of time necessary for our body to recharge itself, is essential for living a healthy life.

Research results published by the “Journal of Sleep Research”

The gathered data builds on a study that involved about 38,000 people: scientists collected elements regarding habits, lifestyles and health status of the subjects examined for a period of more than 10 years so as to determine the long-term effects of resting habits.

The results that amazed everyone!

Adults aged less than 65 who slept 5 hours or less, 7 days out of 7, increased by about 65% the likelihood of incurring in some damage to their health. So the less you sleep, the more you put your life at risk, but this is something we already knew.

However, the figure that surprised everyone is related to those who routinely slept 5 hours or less during the week and then granted themselves a rest of at least 7 hours at weekends: the odds of incurring in risks for their health didn’t increase.

So what’s the best choice for your wellness?

Dr. Peirson from Oxford University, an expert in the study of our biological clock, reminds us that physiological needs vary from individual to individual: perhaps we can fix our bad resting habits by compensating and recovering the hours of lost sleep, but the only certain data, which years of scientific studies have made clear, is that sleeping too much or too little is harmful to our health.

So let’s do the math: sleeping 7/8 hours each night, respecting more or less the same hours, remains the best choice to make.

You have surely already read it dozens of times: in order to sleep well every night you should follow few simple rules. But then, in reality, these rules don’t seem to be so few and neither so simple to stick to in real life.

But if we could really boil everything to a few simple rules, what would they be? So here’s a guide with 4 simple tips to sleep better starting from tonight!

1. Relax!

Stress has apparently become the ultimate evil of our times, and it’s in part true. If there’s one certain thing, that would be that going to bed with worries and anxieties is a guaranteed shortcut to a sleepless night.

But how can we leave everything behind and relax in bed? Impossible. But you can alleviate your worries which, fortunately, are often much less serious than you believe.

You don’t necessarily have to get into "acrobatic" yoga positions, google ancient oriental mindfulness techniques or spend hours listening to Bach and Mozart, especially if you don’t enjoy classical music.

Choose your favorite music, which can also be very noisy, sing, dance, have a good chat with your bestie, go out for a stroll. The best way to relax and forget about problems is to do what you like!

2. Listen to yourself

There is no perfect formula which fits everyone, but it’s certain that the best way to find your perfect recipe is to listen to your body: if you wake up in the morning feeling already tired, if you’re even more tired in the evening but can’t fall asleep, if you often suffer from even slight ailments like headaches or gastric reflux, then your body is telling you that something’s wrong.

So try to "adjust" your habits. How’s your diet? Is it more or less balanced or would it need some improvement?

Do you exercise enough? What if you started using your car less from tomorrow?

Ask your doctor for advice and remember that it often takes very little to change your life for the better!

3. Think your choices through

Being able to rest properly every night is not a goal that can be reached in a short time, not even by exactly following all the best tips in the world. Every choice we make throughout the day affects our body: how many coffees have you already drunk today? Did you take a nap after lunch? How many times did you get up to stretch your legs a bit around the office? What did you have for lunch?

There is no need to go round the twist with strict food choices or extremely healthy lifestyles: we all well know the simple guidelines that should help us choose the best for our well-being.

4. Choose well

We are certain that before purchasing your latest smartphone or a new car, you long thought about which could have been the best choice for you.

You've heard it millions of times, but what seems to be the most trivial advice is one of the most important: choose well and carefully all the components of your bed system!

If the mattress, bed base or pillow on which you lie down and spend a third of your entire life doesn’t suit you physical characteristics, it doesn’t take much effort to realize that the consequences on your wellness, as well as on the quality of your rest, will be noteworthy.

Follow our 4 simple but effective tips and you will notice your rest improving!

According to a study published by the American Academy Sleep Medicine, the decision to use clothing during sleep isn’t that much of a great idea.

To pay the price is not only the quality of our rest but also our health! Discover why sleeping naked is good for your rest, physical well-being and also for your waistline!

Italians love PJs!

According to a survey conducted by the company Cotton USA on 5,000 Italian volunteers, and on as many Germans and British, the inhabitants of the "Bel Paese" are number one in terms of use of pajamas: based on the survey Italians own about 7 pajamas each against 3 belonging to Brits and Germans.

There are even more incredible results compared to those overseas with 13% of men wearing PJs in bed preferring only underwear or total nude!

4 good reasons to leave your beloved pajamas in the closet!

But what are the reasons that push scientists of the American Academy Sleep Foundation to say that sleeping without pajamas is better? Here are the most interesting 4!

1. To sleep better!

The first and most important of all motivations is related to physical health during hours of rest. In fact, during sleep the temperature of our body naturally lowers. This is necessary for our organism to regulate the circadian rhythm and therefore "correctly" set the sleep-wake cycle. If we dress heavily over the night, we risk heating up our body too much and altering this natural rhythm.

2. To stay fit

If on one hand our body cools down during rest, on the other our metabolism has to work harder to keep a constant internal temperature. This requires it to stay more active and burn more calories!

3. To allow our body to “breathe”

In addition to altering body temperature, wearing PJs at night can also interfere with normal body perspiration: if you really don’t want to give up wearing something at night, choose underclothes and pajamas made entirely of natural fabric such as cotton, white and without applications or prints made of acrylic materials.

4. To feel less stressed

Already back in 2009 Dr. Kerstin Moberg presented some interesting results in this regard: according to his research, sleeping naked stimulates the release of oxytocin, the so-called "love hormone", which among its many benefits, also allows relaxation.

Try sleeping without pajamas tonight!

Remember that this rule doesn’t apply only for summer, when giving up pajamas seems to be an easy choice: your bedroom’s temperature should be around 18-20°C also in winter. 

Are you ready to say goodbye to your pajamas?

Summer is a magical season: endless days, holidays, trips, luxuriant nature, cool nights filled with stars.

On the other hand, however, the change in usual habits, the temperatures that are sometimes too high, the evenings out with friends until late, spicy foods, alcoholic drinks and so on, can negatively affect the quality of our rest.

And as you well know, a good rest is determined also by what is served on the table, especially if we’re talking about dinner: so here are 4 foods that you should avoid in the evening to sleep wonderfully!

Spicy foods, desserts, and alcoholic beverages

Perhaps you already knew this: in the evening it is always better to avoid foods that are too spicy and hot, as well as desserts and alcohol. A good rule that applies to both summer and winter.

So, if you really can’t give up on ice cream, enjoy it in the afternoon or at least 3 hours before going to sleep: the high content of sugar, in fact, affects the quality of your rest.

Likewise, spicy foods can cause gastric reflux, thirst during the night and, moreover, they are stimulants.

The same goes for pizza, loved as much as the calories it contains! Better to avoid it in the evening or eat it just once in a while.

Here are the 4 “unsuspected” foods that can compromise your rest!

It’s incredible, but there are foods that, although essential in our diet, should be avoided in the evening to ensure ourselves a good rest. Here’s a list!

1. Fruit

Fruit is an essential food in each person‘s balanced diet, but be careful not to exaggerate! Thinking about replacing dinner by just eating fruit with the idea of "staying light" is not always the best go!

In fact, also fruit is very rich in sugar and therefore it should be consumed in moderation especially in the evening!

2. Vegetables

Well yes! Also, vegetables may sometimes not represent the best choice: even in this case the watchword is “dosing” the right amount. Vegetables are very rich in fiber, demanding for our body to digest.

So, it’s s okay to have vegetables in the evening as a side dish in the right amount but don’t be tricked by those famous salad bowls for dinner.

3. Meat, even if white

Red meat is a food that must always be well balanced in a healthy diet, so it’s not surprising to say that it should be avoided at dinner, but this applies also to white meat: animal proteins are never easy to digest for our body.

If you can’t do without meat in the evening, better opt for chicken or turkey, but in any case, choose to cook with little fats and salt.

4. Dark chocolate

One of the few goodies we can allow ourselves every day thanks to its many beneficial qualities, but always better not in the evening: its exciting properties would certainly not favor your rest!

The 3 essential rules for sleeping well!

• The most important rule to be able to sleep well at night is, of course, to avoid late dinner, at least 2/3 hours before going to bed.
• Secondly, don’t allow the couch to “trap” you, especially in the summer it’s very pleasant to have a short walk that favors digestion.
• Finally, categorically avoid alcohol and caffeine.

So, what do I eat for dinner?

According to a study published by the National Institute of Health, in the list of the best foods that promote sleep, the first place is occupied by white rice.

A first option could be to choose a rice dish accompanied by a portion of vegetables.

Fish is another ally of good rest: salmon, tuna, and trout are particularly suitable for a light dinner (of course not fried and without exaggerating with salt!).

If you are interested in the topic, in this article we suggest some ideas for an ideal dinner before going to sleep: get inspired!

The holidays are finally here, are you ready to pack and take off? If your destination is far and requires a long flight, you better take inspiration from these 10 simple tips to rest well on the plane so as to reach your destination feeling relaxed and rested and enjoy your holiday from the beginning!

Always keep in mind these 10 tips and travel wonderfully all year long!

1. Even during your flight, stick to your usual routine as much as possible: brush your teeth, drink something hot, read a book. Try to respect your usual home habits in order to "trick" your body and make it feel “at home” as much as possible.
2. Wear soft clothes that aren’t too tight. 
3. Choose a window seat in order to have more space and use the side panel to support your head; furthermore, you can close the shade whenever you wish.
4. During the long wait before boarding, do some stretching exercises, especially for the legs.
5. Remember to bring the essential cervical pillow along with you and, if necessary, also a lumbar pillow.
6. Take your shoes off and wear traveling socks during the flight; if you suffer from poor circulation, wear graduated compression stockings.
7. Don’t forget to take a sleeping mask and earplugs with you and wear them when necessary.
8. If you have troubles relaxing, prepare a playlist with relaxing music or white noise before departing. Find out more on white noises in this article!
9. Also remember to bring (or ask the cabin crew) a blanket to cover up and keep yourself warm. Remember to fasten your seatbelt over the blanket if you don’t want to be woken up by a hostess or steward during safety checks!
10. The best position? Recline the seat as much as possible (kindly ask the person behind you), stretch your legs (don’t overlap!) and use the cervical pillow.

Do you suffer from Jet Lag? Here is some useful information.

If you are interested in the topic, find out now why we suffer more from jet-lag when traveling west to east and how to get back to normal after a holiday!

Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder, more than we may think: it is estimated that among adults aged over 45, about 20% suffer from OSAS, the acronym for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome.

But what are the triggers of sleep apnea, who are the individuals with the highest risk, how can we recognize them and how can we intervene to improve rest?

Causes and symptoms of sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is a temporary interruption of normal breathing: these absolutely involuntary interruptions last a few seconds and usually occur during sleep. When one of these interruptions occur, the person automatically wakes up (or is half awake) and often wakes up also those who are lying next to them!

But why is breathing interrupted?

This all happens because of an obstruction of the airways, more precisely in the region on the back of the tongue, called hypopharynx.

What are the most common symptoms for those suffering from sleep apnea?

• Overwrought sleep.
• Snoring.
• Drowsiness during the day.
• Lack of energy.
• Irritability.
• Difficulty of concentration.
• Migraine and dry mouth when waking up.

What could be the consequences of an untreated sleep disorder?

Sleep apnea is not a disease and therefore it can not be treated through drugs; but taking a look at the list of symptoms, it’s easy to understand how serious the consequences on a person’s life quality could be.

What to do if you suffer from sleep apnea?

Sleep is a fundamental part of our physical and mental wellbeing, this is why we must never neglect the quality of our rest and underestimate nocturnal disturbances: if you think you suffer from sleep apnea, immediately contact your family doctor who will direct you to a center specialized in sleep disorders.

Sometimes a small lifestyle adjustment is enough to reduce body weight, decrease stress or eliminate bad eating habits to improve your life!

Reclining bed base: a bit of help from your bed system

Keeping head and shoulders raised can be a great help and give relief when you suffer from sleep apnea: you can place several pillows under the head but a reclining bed base that can be adjusted as you prefer is for sure the most comfortable and safe choice. 

Discover now the adjustable bed bases by Manifattura Falomo!

A few weeks ago the results of a research conducted at the University of Zurich and Fribourg were published!

Could it be true that a language can be learned... with eyes closed? What have Swiss scientists discovered?

Learning a foreign language is always a good idea

Researches conducted by monitoring brain activity during the study of a foreign language have shown that in order to become an excellent bilingual you should learn foreign languages during childhood. However, it is also true that you can reach great results also during adulthood and, above all, this trains the brain by keeping it active and managing to ward off diseases such as Alzheimer!

The research conducted in Switzerland

Scientists at the University of Zurich and Fribourg have published the incredible results of this research carried out on 60 German mother tongue volunteers who were studying Danish. During the learning phase, they were divided into 2 groups: half of them listened to a recording of Danish words (at low volume!) during sleep, while the other half listened to the same recording when awake.

What really left everyone speechless was the results of the language test carried out during the hours following the experiment: those who have listened to the recording while sleeping obtained significantly better results compared to the other group!

Is it therefore so simple to learn a new language?

Not exactly: having your brain listen to words in a foreign language without previously studying them in the traditional way, will not bring any benefits to your learning skills. What you can do is try to “enable” the many words found during classes and therefore memorize them better!

And will our rest benefit from this?

Not much: even if these words are just “whispered” through a microphone, listening to a recording could disturb your regular rest. So help yourself with this trick only when necessary and if you don’t suffer from sleeping disorders!

Who doesn’t happen to come back from summer holidays with a load of new resolutions? It certainly happens to you as well!

Getting back in shape and improving your habits for a healthier lifestyle are always at the top of the list! So why not try putting them really into action?

But before venturing into drastic diets or exhausting workouts, remember that a healthy lifestyle starts out with simple and easy habits, like the ones we should stick to each night before bedtime!

Start writing your list of new resolution right now!

1. Get to bed always at the same time

Our body loves habits, especially healthy ones and going to sleep at the same time in order to wake up early in the morning is one of these! The hard part is respecting the same time during weekends, but you'll realize that the benefits are enormous! You’ll feel refreshed and restored allowing you to better handle the day!

2. No energy drinks after 5 pm

Caffeine is an enemy of healthy sleep, so we should always be careful and never exaggerate: moreover if you have trouble falling asleep or happen to wake up during the night, starting from the afternoon you should avoid drinking coffee or eating other foods containing caffeine!

And remember that caffeine is often hidden in unthinkable places: discover the 7 places you wouldn’t expect to find it!

3. No screens one hour before bedtime

Smartphones, tablets, and televisions have been defined as the modern enemies of sleep: not surprisingly, several scientific studies have proven how using screens before going to sleep can reduce by 22% the production of melatonin, the regulatory hormone of sleep.

Turn off your electronic devices one hour before bedtime, relax by listening to music, reading a book or chatting on the couch. You’ll notice an improvement in the quality of your rest!

4. Create the ideal resting environment

Autumn is the perfect time to reconsider and reevaluate your bed system in order to get ready for winter! In order to understand if it’s time to change your mattress and find one that better suits your needs and physical features, we suggest you read our essential guide to help you choose the perfect mattress for you!

Ready to get back on track?

Waking up in the morning with a headache is a problem that actually afflicts many people: but what are the possible causes and what can you do to ease or eliminate the problem?

Here are the 7 most likely causes of headaches upon waking up and a few useful tips to get rid of migraines!

The 7 most common causes of headaches upon awakening!

1. Insomnia, the most common sleep disorder among those who suffer from headaches in the morning. Being sleep deprived can seriously compromise health, therefore it’s best to immediately discover its causes.

2. Snoring, sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome are further common disorders among those who suffer from headaches as they alter the regular flow of sleep causing repeated awakening.

3. Bruxism, often linked to stress can trigger severe headaches.

4. Dehydration, the lack of mineral salts can be the root cause of severe headaches.

5. Hormonal changes, especially for women.

6. Allergies, in particular to mites, can trigger sinusitis and consequent headaches.

7. Wrong pillow, are you sure to have one that really suits you?

Some useful tips for alleviating “early morning headaches”

• First of all keep a headache diary: write down what you ate, what you did during the day, what time you went to sleep and when you woke up. This way you can easily identify links between headaches and wrong habits!
• Make your room suitable for a good rest: don’t overuse air conditioners in summer or heaters in winter, air the room out and keep it tidy.
• Choose the right bed system, and especially the right pillow! Try our online configurator to find a pillow that best suits you!
• Avoid substances that can promote the onset of headaches, especially alcohol!
• Eat light in the evening and at least 3 hours before bedtime, in order to not slow down the digestive process.
• Hydration is important but don’t drink before going to sleep as you may wake up in the middle of the night for a run to the bathroom! Keep yourself hydrated throughout the day.
• If you grind your teeth (ask your partner) consult a dentist immediately.
• Minimize the presence of allergens in the room: no curtains, pillows, rugs, books or clothes.

Find now the right bed system for your physical features!

Guarantee yourself a healthy sleep and get rid of sleep disorders once and for all thanks to a bed system that meets to your needs and perfectly adapts to your physical features!