Don’t Let “March Madness” Disrupt Your Sleep

March 1, 2011 - PRLog -- (Richmond, VA) – Thanks to a recent agreement between the NCAA, CBS and Turner Sports, 2011 will be the first year that all 67 games in the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament will be broadcast on national TV.  For sports fans, the temptation to stay glued to the TV set will be great.

“We hope folks won’t let their ‘hoop dreams’ interfere too much with regular sleep patterns,” said Dan Schecter, vice president of consumer products at Carpenter Co. and creator of leading sleep tips website http://SleepBetter.org. “But with tournament venues scattered across the country and game times scheduled throughout the day and into the night, it would be surprising if fans can avoid breaking their regular rest rhythms.”

Research has shown that short-term sleep deprivation can cause confusion, impaired memory, diving mishaps and diminished vision.  Since most Americans suffer from chronic sleep deprivation to begin with, the prospect of marathon sports watching only adds to the challenge.  SleepBetter.org offers the following tips for making the most of “March Madness.”

* Use Technology --  DVRs allow easy recording of games and streamlined viewing afterwards.  The biggest challenge is keeping friends from prematurely revealing the results of games already played.

*Avoid Artificial Stimulants --  Coffee and energy drinks can help short-term, but loading up with caffeine can interfere with efforts to get to sleep later on.

* Drink Alcohol in Moderation -- Alcoholic drinks and sports seem to go together, but too many drinks can also disrupt your sleep patterns.

* Repay “Sleep Debt” -- The good news is that people can “make up” lost sleep.  But it can’t be done with one marathon snooze; lost sleep must be paid back an hour or two per night over time.  

For more tips to help you sleep better, please visit http://sleepbetter.org.  You can also get sleep advice from SleepBetter on Facebook (http://facebook.com/sleepbetter) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/sleep_better).

About Carpenter Co. / SleepBetter.org
SleepBetter.org is dedicated to helping people sleep better. Designed as an online resource, the web site creates a forum for visitors to define, discuss, and discover solutions to their particular sleep needs. SleepBetter.org’s quest is to continually gather pertinent sleep information, then share this knowledge with the general public. The site also shares tips on the best sleep related products, both in stores and online. SleepBetter.org has created the Sleep Better seal as a way to easily identify products recommended for their superior quality or scientifically based design. Created by Carpenter Co., the world’s largest producer of comfort cushioning products, SleepBetter.org provides information and advice that visitors can use to sleep better. For more information, please visit http://SleepBetter.org.