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Hire quality CPAPs & Mask combinations, preset to your requirements. Small, medium, large PAP devices to suit your needs. Check out our holiday & camping accessories to go with it 🌒✨

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🎅🎄 Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas from Sleepco. May the spirit of the season bring peace and joy to you and your loved ones. Merry Christmas to all! 🌟🎁❤️

☀️🌙 Sleepco wishes everyone a joyful and energizing summer holiday! Here's to restful nights that recharge your spirit for exciting days ahead. Enjoy every moment under the summer sky and Merry Christmas Eve! ☀🎄🏖️️️😴🍻🥂

Continued from Part 1. The basal forebrain is involved in sleep-wake homeostasis and the production of adenosine which contributes to ones desire to fall asleep. Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors - the receivers waiting for the "get sleepy" message to be effectively received. Therefore caffeine can reduce your sleep urgency or sleep drive.

Finally, the amygdala - which plays an important role in regulating critical emotions such as fear - becomes more active during REM sleep and is partly responsible for the different emotions you feel during your dreams.

Clearly, there’s a few things going on in the brain when it comes to sleep onset and maintenance. What about sleep stages?

There are four stages to one sleep cycle: NonRem1 (NREM1), NREM 2, NREM3 (Deep sleep) and REM. REM (Rapid Eye Movement) is when your brain is most active when you sleep, and is generally when the majority of your dreams occur.

We need 4 to 6 sleep cycles each night to feel adequately rested. Any less than 3 and most people will experience some daytime sleepiness. 2 or less and you’re in for a bad day.

What’s our brain actually doing when we sleep? (Part 1)

Nobody knows! Just kidding, we have some fairly good ideas. What it boils down to on the surface is maintenance, repair and toxin removal. Since we’re talking about the CPU of the body, without this maintenance and detox, all other assets of our system would be effected. The CPU of a computer is a good analogy. Over time, it accumulates dust, rust, and the silicone infrastructure of the microchips begin to change chemistry and degenerate; leading to a loss of conductivity; too much conductivity or holding charges incorrectly. The closest thing to “sleep” for a CPU or a graphics card for example, is a strip down and thorough clean with compressed air and alcohol. Where microchips and wires store and send electrical signals, neurons (billions of them) and dendrites do the same. Luckily for us, CNS neurons can repair and create new pathways when required. A computer can’t do that (not yet at least). A good way to think about sleep is your central computer having a cleanup and detox.

Different parts of the brain play different roles.

The hypothalamus controls falling asleep and waking up. When you shut off your lights, it’s your hypothalamus that interprets this signal and begins the sleep process. The brainstem and hypothalamus produce a calming chemical called GABA which inhibits arousals, the brainstem also controls muscle movement during sleep (and prevents our bodies acting out our dreams).

The thalamus is in charge of relaying sensatory information to the cerebral cortex. It’s mostly switched off besides REM sleep where images, sounds and other sensations fill our dreams.

The pineal gland receives signals from the hypothalamus and increases production of melatonin when the lights go down. This is the “go to sleep” signal hormone.

(Head to Part 2), Credit: pexels.com/ pexels.com/mart-production

Desk workers!

It’s estimated that up to 60% of us work in sedentary office-desk type workplaces, which is likely set to rise with the advent of automation and the like. Our brains are similar to our muscles, in that they respond positively to the -correct- form of stress. The message of being sedentary informs our brain that there is no danger, there is no need to adapt, there is nothing happening, the energy producing parts of our CNS can take a break and switch off. This has been demonstrated in clinical trials where parts of our brain degenerate, atrophy or change chemistry. Most of us are victims, so how do we combat this?

Use half of your lunch break walking. 30 min break? Eat for 15 mins, walk for 7 minutes, then walk back for 7 minutes. That’s 1400 steps or roughly one km. Over time you might end up walking 3000 steps by utilizing the full 30 mins.
15 to 30 minutes of exercise every day after work. It’s actually easier than it sounds. Start with disciplining yourself to a required amount of sets of various exercises you must complete every day. For e.g. you have to do 10, 20 or 30 reps of any combination of pushups and squats every evening. It doesn’t matter what type of exercise, but light to moderate is recommended. Start simple.
No caffeine after 12 and limit yourself to a maximum of 3 per week.
Do something energizing or engaging after work that takes your mind off the day. This could be an hour of gaming, reading, writing, gymnastics, fencing, cycling, really anything that engages your mind. Effective relaxation does not mean doing nothing; it means doing something that you enjoy (followed by a well earned rest).
Relaxation techniques like qi-gong, mindfulness or meditation are powerful tools.
NO WHITE LIGHT - When the sun is going down, so too should your white lights. Smart lights are great; you can set the colour to go red after say 7pm, red light sends less “alert awake” signals to your hypothalamus, helping production of melatonin and improving your calm.

Did you know this simple little unit is a potentially life saving device? CPAP therapy, or continuous positive airway pressure therapy, is a treatment commonly used for individuals with sleep apnea.

This therapy involves wearing a mask that delivers a constant flow of air to keep the airways open during sleep. The benefits of CPAP therapy are numerous and life-changing. It helps alleviate symptoms of sleep apnea, such as loud snoring and daytime fatigue, leading to improved quality of sleep and increased energy levels. CPAP therapy also reduces the risk of serious health complications associated with sleep apnea, such as heart disease and stroke.

It is estimated that as high as 10% of the population suffers from sleep apnea, but less than 1% are receiving treatment or have been properly diagnosed. Send us a message to find out more, or visit our website: https://sleepco.nz/

CPAP therapy is the current gold standard in treating sleep apnea; a common sleep disorder where breathing stops during sleep. It involves using a machine that blows air through a mask worn over your nose or mouth. This keeps your airways open and prevents interruptions in breathing. CPAP therapy not only helps you sleep better but also reduces daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and other symptoms of sleep apnea. It's important to talk to a healthcare professional to find the right settings and mask for your comfort and to make sure it works well for you. Talk to us if you feel tired, think you may have sleep apnea or would like to book a sleep test.
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Find products and support for sleep apnea at very competitive prices.

Sleep better with Sleepco. Sleep testing, sleep apnea, CPAP and masks Sleepco helps customers and patients with sleep disorders and difficulties. We specialize in testing for sleep apnea and assist in other sleep related problems. We supply a popular range of CPAP, BiPap and APAP machines for OSA and CSA. Contact our friendly team with any questions or sleep related p...

Getting enough sleep but still feeling tired? Flick us a message, you may need a sleep test. Done in the comfort of your own home, 3 nights sleep data is recorded and analyzed. Any severity of sleep apnea can be detected and treated.