One of the things that makes Alaska such a unique place to live or visit is its amazing summers. Summer time in Alaska is like no other place in the U.S. because of the vast amount of daylight we get. In the northernmost parts of the state the sun refuses to set for nearly a month. In the interior, the sun briefly dips behind the mountains leaving golden hues to hold its place until it returns minutes later. And even in the southern parts of the state, periods of darkness are so short, that if you blink, you could miss it.

Most likely you have a favorite sleep position. For most of us, this is the first position in which we lay after getting into bed.  It’s usually our most comfortable position, and most likely the position you’ve been sleeping in for years.

Have you ever thought that your favorite sleeping position may be affecting your sleep? And if so, are there better positions to enhance your sleep?

Being a mom can be as rewarding as it is difficult. With all the joy comes challenges, such as not getting enough sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, 90% of parents believe that sleep is very important in their lives for their own wellbeing and that of their family. But how many moms are getting enough sleep?

It’s that time of year again … the time when we make a promise to ourselves that we’ll finally hit the gym, lose weight, or spend more time with friends and family.

Perhaps I’m biased, but it is always surprising to me that “improving sleep” does not show up on more New Year’s resolution lists. Sleep, along with exercise and diet, are part of the three “pillars of health.”

Sleeping isn’t always the easiest thing to do. The Center of Disease Control estimates that 35% of Americans do not get enough sleep on a nightly basis, either through lifestyle habits, insomnia, or another sleep disorder. Even worse, a chronic lack of sleep raises a person’s risks for a myriad of health complications.

Falling asleep effectively might require a lifestyle change, but there are science-backed steps you can take to fall asleep quicker and easier. Even better – you won’t even have to take pills to do it.

No one needs to tell you twice – when you’re pregnant, you’re tired.  All the time.  And there’s no better time to justify hitting the snooze button one or five more times. 

Most of us have a routine we follow.  We get up at the same time, go through the same steps to get ready for the day, and even have the same thing for breakfast.  There are many reasons we follow routines.  We may do it out of habit, or do it because it’s comfortable, or maybe it’s the most effective and efficient way to go about our days.  Our habits and routines can even make us more successful according to an article recently published in the Harvard Business Review.

We all know that getting good sleep at night has a direct impact on how we feel during the day. If you sleep poorly even one night, you will probably feel sluggish and tired the next day. If you continually get poor sleep it can lead to some serious health problems down the road.

However, while most of us know how important sleep is to our health, many people may not realize that they're practicing poor sleep habits.  Below is a list of seven bad sleeping habits to avoid as soon as possible:

Thanks to growing advocacy and the abundance of available information on sleep medicine there is a growing awareness into the importance of getting quality sleep every night. More people are beginning to realize the benefits of practicing sleep hygiene, and how it can positively impact their daily lives.

Many people are choosing to make sleep a priority and realizing they can accomplish it by keeping a bedtime routine, exercising regularly, eating sleep-friendly foods, and relaxing before bedtime.

However, there is one aspect of sleep hygiene that still needs more attention. One that should be at the forefront of the pursuit for better sleep––the sleep environment.

Summer is now in full swing, and that means long, hot sunny days and warmer nights. And while during the day it may be easy to escape the heat by visiting the beach, rafting on rivers, or even running through the sprinklers with your children in the backyard, it's often much more difficult to avoid the heat at night when you're trying to sleep.

It's a strange phenomenon that excessive heat can make you feel tired and fatigued, while at the same time making sleep at night harder to achieve. So what exactly is the relationship between body temperature and sleep, and how can you find the best temperature to help you fall asleep? Here we aim to answer those questions and more.