Top 3 Neck Exercises & Stretches for Beginners

The key to preventing neck injuries is in developing strength and flexibility in your neck.  Although there are many exercises you can perform to improve your neck muscles. The following three very simple stretches and exercises are for beginners.  As with all neck exercise always begin in the neutral position.  Neutral position is when the body is aligned and relaxed. Also, as with any exercises you should always do these and any exercises under the guidance of your doctor.  Neck exercises should be performed in a slow and controlled manner.

1. Chin Tuck
The chin tuck is the most popular and easiest exercise you can do to help correct your posture, prevent getting a rounded back and an unnatural forward head position; both of 
which are more likely to occur as you age.  You can perform the chin tuck either from a standing, sitting or lying down position as long as you begin in the neutral position.  

From a neutral position, begin with your head facing forward and gently push your chin back to form somewhat of a double chin and hold for a few seconds. Repeat.  Be sure not to raise or lower the head.  You should be looking straight ahead.  It may be helpful to perform this in front of a mirror or start with your back straight against a door or wall.

2. Shoulder Blade Squeeze 
There are several different methods for the shoulder blade squeeze and you will want to find one that is best for you.  This exercise will help strengthen your neck and improve your posture.  Begin sitting in a neutral position with your chin slightly tucked in.  Place your hands on the tops of your thighs.  Slowly pull shoulders back and squeeze your shoulder blades together.  Hold for a few seconds. Repeat.

3. Head Rotation
This exercise will help strengthen and stretch the neck rotators and relieve stiffness in your neck.  It is very important to begin this exercise either standing or sitting in the neutral position with the head and neck in proper axial alignment.  Once in the proper position slowly turn your head to one, hold for a few seconds then turn back to the center and repeat on the opposite side.  Always remember to keep your body in proper alignment throughout the entire exercise movement.  

Contour Products offers a variety of neck pillows and related products.

Continue Reading

Cyber Monday Savings at Contour

Happy Cyber Monday shopping to all of our online customers!

Shop today and take your pick of savings:

Choose FREE Shipping with $50 purchase - Enter coupon GIVE at checkout OR
Take $10 off $100 orders with coupon MONDAY

You can only use one, and both expire tomorrow.

Enter the coupon in your shopping cart before you start the checkout process

Plus you'll save even more on most of our products!   Great gifts include pillows, leg pillows, seat cushions, our Mattress genie and Back Support products.

Continue Reading

Early Black Friday Coupon

 

Shop Black Friday weekend at Contour Living and your shipping is on us!  Free Shipping applies to any product or combination of products totally $50 or more.  Enter coupon GIVE in your shopping cart, just before you start the checkout process.

Check out our new Kabooti donut/coccyx cushion, our unique folding bed wedge, leg pillows and many more great gift ideas.

Continue Reading

Give the Gift of Comfort, Health and Wellness for the 2012 Holidays

We are all hoping for an improved economic outlook for the coming New Year 2013.  We look forward to returning to work, getting on a good heath plan and lessening the stress and worry over our economy. As a result of job losses and lack of good medical insurance, overall health conditions have been a big issue over the past year.  Give the Gift of Comfort, Health and Wellness for the Holidays!  

Our biggest holiday shopping season has begun and everyone is looking for an affordable, quality gift for their loved ones.  Stand out this holiday season with well thought out, practical gifts for your family and friends.   A gift which will improve their aches and pains and allow them to get a better nights rest and feel good about the coming New Year.   There is no better gift than a gift that helps someone feel better!

A superior seat cushion which can provide all-day comfort is one great choice.  Our Kabooti Donut Cushion has a stylish cover making this donut discreet masking itself as a tradition seat cushion. Get the much needed relief from coccyx tailbone pain without the embarrassment – give the Kabooti for their booty! 

Sleep, read and eat in bed comfortably all with the flip of your pillow! Perfect gift for your college student’s dorm room is our Contour Flip Pillow which is 10 Pillows in One!  

An easy and affordable way to reduce pressure and pain in your lower back while you sleep can be achieved with our Contour Leg Pillow available in both 100% memory foam and traditional support foam.  Give the give of comfort for the lower back, hips and knees.
Know someone who has trouble getting up out of bed?  Our Mattress Genie Adjustable Bed Wedge works like an adjustable bed.  Raise and lower your mattress via remove control.
Help someone adjust to using their CPAP machine by giving them our deluxe CPAPmax Bed Pillow.  This specially designed CPAP pillow improves the fit and comfort of all CPAP masks!
For more great gift giving ideas visit Contour Living.com and give the gift that says you care.  Happy Holidays from Contour Products!

Continue Reading

Helping Your Elderly Parent Be Comfortable at Home

According to a 2009 survey by the AARP, more than 42 million Americans provide family care giving for an adult who needs help with daily activities.

Not everyone has the option or wants to place their parent or loved one in a nursing home; leaving the majority of the burden of home care up to the family member living closest to the parent.  When a nursing home or assisted living community is not one of your options you may need to consider planning daily visits, working out a visitation schedule with your siblings, hiring a home health aide or have the parent move into your home.

Both you and your loved one will benefit from making them as comfortable as possible while in the home.  Daily activities such as getting out of bed or up from a seated position, finding a comfortable sleeping position, personal care and grooming habits, walking, balance and mobility all may become increasing difficult to perform as you age. Often these activities are a result of a physical limitation due to a bad back, faulty knees or recovery from shoulder, knee or hip replacement. There is a wide selection of equipment and products on the market today which help the elderly live at home in comfort and safety.

Before you go broke purchasing a bunch of products which may go unused, here are some suggestions which should save you both time and money when considering which products will be best when providing in-home caring for your elderly parent or loved one. Observe which activities are most difficult for them to perform in their home.  They may have difficulty getting in and out of bed. An adjustable bed might be nice but they tend to be very costly.  An alternative may be a Mattress Genie which uses a remote to raise and lower the upper mattress.  They may wander around the house because sitting is painful but, you may never know unless you sit down and talk with your loved one about their difficulties.  A new cushion for their favorite chair may be the solution that makes them comfortable sitting.  Once they are comfortable sitting they may begin a new hobby, start doing crossword puzzles, knitting, watching television or other activities which may help relive their stress and stimulate their brain.

Getting a good nights rest has many health benefits for everyone and can be difficult to obtain as you get older.  Weather you have to get up several times during the night to use the bathroom or adjust your CPAP machine while you sleep, when you do not sleep well it is likely that you will be moody and miserable the next day.  Since caring for your loved one at home is difficult for the both of you a positive attitude plays a major role in the success of your endeavors.  Sometimes having that perfect pillow to sleep on at night can make all the difference in how happy you are the next day!

Continue Reading

Help Me Get Off My Recliner!

No, I am not talking about couch potatoes or lazy people!  According to Kathryne Pirtle, writer for The Weston A Price Foundation, In the United States, sixty million people have acid reflux, or one in five people. Last year, hospitals recorded four hundred seventy thousand hospitalizations and almost two million emergency room visits from acid reflux.   As a result, there are many men and women who end up sleeping all night in their recliners because they have so much trouble lying down, sleeping in their own bed.  Stacking pillows in a huge pile under your head just do not seem to do the trick!  However, over time the recliner will loose its appeal and you will end up not sleeping well anywhere.  The solution is simple, invest in a good bed wedge that will allow you to sleep all night in your own bed and help alleviate some of your symptoms caused by GERD, acid reflux or sleeping disorders.

A wedge is a pillow shaped like a ramp which allows your body to rest in a gentle, natural reclining position.  The most common size bed wedge is 7 inches which is approximately a 20 degree incline starting at your head and ending at your waist.  Often, when you stack pillows to raise your head in bed you end up bending your abdomen in a way they may restrict the digestive tract which in turn, may worsen your reflux or other problems.

If you are recovering from surgery or are required to spend most of your time in bed then a taller wedge of either 10 or 12 inches may be a better choice.  In this case, a neck pillow will be useful to support your head which will allow you to be able to watch television, eat or read in bed comfortably and doze off to sleep when you get tired.

Your GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), acid reflux, belching, heartburn, sleep apnea and other breathing or digestive disorders often prevent you from getting a good nights sleep since they seem to worsen at night.  There are a number of other factors which will also increase the likelihood of a GERD flare-up including weight gain, smoking, certain foods, alcohol consumption, pregnancy and age.   Allowing gravity to help move everything toward your feet by sleeping on a bed wedge may help you get your best nights sleep ever!

Reference:
http://www.westonaprice.org/digestive-disorders/acid-reflux-a-red-flag

Continue Reading

Reduce Neck Pain and Tension

New Self-Massage Tool for Neck Pain & Tension

Neck King is a self-massage tool designed to release tension in the neck and back muscles. Its four strategically placed bumps allow users to apply pressure to various areas of the neck and back.  It is very easy to use - simply place under desired area (neck, back, legs, etc) and relax.  The raised contour areas will  melt into the areas of tension.  Use daily to reduce pain and pressure on nerves throughout your body.

Neck Muscles and Surrounding Area

1. Laying down on your back, raise your head and place the Neck King  under your neck, with the lower bumps facing your body. Keep the neck centered between those bumps.
2. Relax your body and let the bumps melt into your tense muscles.
3. Gently rock your head to one side then the other, looking for other tender areas to work.
4. Stay over the tender areas on both sides of the neck, allowing the muscles to relax and associated tension to release. Tender areas should become less tender with daily use of Neck King.
5. Finally, stretch your neck by allowing your head to roll all the way to each side. Hold the stretch and relax. Repeat this several times. This will help increase your range of motion.

Back Area

1. Laying on your back, place a pillow under your head 
2. Place the Neck King just below the pillow and carefully lower your back onto it. Make sure to keep your spine centered between the bumps
3. Relax your body and let the bumps melt into your tense muscles
4. To work each side more intensely, you can bend your knees so your feet rest flat on the floor. Then, gently rock your knees side to side. This will allow you to focus more on one side

       
   

Continue Reading

10 Pillows in 1 - The new Flip Pillow

See the new Flip Pillow by Contour Products - get 10 pillows in 1!

Whether you buy one or more Flip Pillows, you can arrange them in a huge variety of positions, placements and areas of your body to satisfy so many so needs.

• Place the Flip Pillow under your upper body to act as a wedge, gently elevating you body during sleep
• Place under arms to make reading on your stomach a breeze
• Then simply go to sleep - the Flip Pillow makes a great stomach sleeping pillow
• Prop up behind back for upright support
• Use behind back, neck and head for support while relaxing on couch
• Flip the wedge out of the way and use the smaller portion as a bed pillow
• Use under your legs to elevate knees for improved circulation and to ease lower back pain
• Place Flip Pillow under feet to elevate and soothe tired feet
• Place the Flip Pillow in any chair to improve posture and lower back (lumbar support
• Helps to allow reading in multiple style chairs
• Use two Flip Pillows for a combination wedge and knee support

Create your own unique positions.  Now the Flip Pillow comes in larger queen and king sizes as well.

Makes a great gift for yourself or someone you love.  get yours today!

• 
  

Continue Reading

Easiest Back Pain Relief Device?

Contour Living has just added a new product billed as "The World's Easiest Back pain Relief Device!"

It definitely has a unique design - employing a concave shape and relying on the body weight of the patient and gravity to naturally align the spine.   User instructions advise using 2-3 times a day, for 10-20 minutes each duration for maximum results.   User can passively lay on device (activities include reading,  resting even watching TV) or you can strengthen your body with exercise.   A Free DVD with exercises is included.

The product is called the Wondertrack, available for $59.99 at ContourLiving.com.  It is a FDA registered device and was developed by an Orthopedic Doctor.  It is very easy to use - simply lie down on it, reap the benefits!

Product instructions:

Use on a hard surface for best results.  Wear a shirt or place a towel on the WonderTrack prior to use.  Not recommended for direct skin contact.  Lie down for back relief only, or have the option of exercising to improve strength.

WonderTrack is very easy to use - Simply lie on back and naturally straighten spine.

Continue Reading

Here is a Touching Review from a Contour Customer

Just had to share this note sent into Contour regarding a customer's experience with our BackMax cushions:

My husband has ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). His symptoms began in June of 2007 and he was not diagnosed until May 2009. With this disease you lose all your voluntary muscles. Most do not have a problem with their diaphragm until the disease progresses. That was not the case with my husband. Even with the assist of a bi-level machine to assist his breathing, he needed to be in an upright position. We tried a wedge but it did not work. He would slip down and was unable to breathe.

For several months he slept in a recliner and I slept on the couch to be near him. I finally told him I had to go back to bed. That lasted 2 nights as he took a bad fall in the middle of the night…so back on the couch I went. I then began an internet search to try and find something to help. I came across the Backmax. I ended up purchasing one from the J.C. Penny catalog because it was returnable. I wasn’t sure this would work either. IT WORKED PERFECTLY!

My husband was back in bed with me and he was comfortable for the first time in months. (This was back in ’09.) Once again we were both getting a good night’s sleep. I can’t tell you how this changed both of our lives for the better. I made copies of the paper work that came with it and have educated more medical personnel than you could imagine.

I recently purchased the 3rd Backmax. Unfortunately, my husband has lost so much weight, and his spine is exposed, he only slept on it 3 nights and I had to switch him back to the one he had “broken in.” Once again all is well, but now we had this “new” Backmax I did not know what to do with. My plan was to take it with me to the next ALS support group meeting and see if someone else would like to have it.

Then a wonderful thing happened. My husband is now on Hospice and his nurse recently told me her husband has advanced prostate cancer. My heart broke for someone who is so kind to us to know that she is going through her own pain watching her husband suffer. Last Tuesday she left our home and called back in about ½ hour. She offered to buy the Backmax hoping that it might help her husband. I was very happy to give it to her and she took it home.

The following day she called; when she took it home, she put it on their bed and her husband lay down and went to sleep for 6 hours. She told me she could not remember the last time he was able to sleep that long. While she was telling me this story, I got goose bumps and tears in my eyes. Hospice will not allow her to accept this as a gift so whatever money she gives me, I will then donate to Hospice of the Valley.

I just wanted you to know how important this product is that you manufacture. When you can give your loved one relief and comfort, nothing can top that. I will continue to get the word out about your product. For my husband & I, it has made the difference of him in a hospital bed or being able to spend his final days next to me in our bed. Just imagine how important that is to both of us.

My most sincere thanks, D. Price

Continue Reading

CPAP Therapy Resources

Sleep Apnea patients and CPAP Therapy users - If you haven't heard about our CPAP Pillows yet - please take a look.   Below is a short video on our CPAPMax Pillow - the latest in our line of bed pillows created specifically for CPAP therapy patients.     It allows you to sleep better, accommodating your mask and reducing leaks and pressure points.  

Plus, Contour has a line of CPAP accessories designed to improve your overall sleep experience, from daily cleaners to tubing covers, we have you covered.    You can find the CPAP category of products here:   http://www.contourliving.com/c-38-cpap-supply.aspx

There is also a great facebook resource for CPAP users and Sleep Apnea patients called http://www.facebook.com/CPAPPillow.  Filled with lots of good information on the subject.  Plus, it's great community of users who share their opinions on what works and what doesn't.

Continue Reading

Proper Positioning Post-Pregnancy

Among the many priorities and concerns that accompany the notion of becoming a new mother, proper posture pre and post pregnancy should not be an issue in daily occurrences, as becoming a new parent has enough responsibility without constantly worrying about a straight spine. With the help of a ergonomically crafted specialty pillow, any new mother can rest, breast-feed, relax and sleep soundly knowing their upper and lower back are being properly supported, not only for themselves but for their newborns as well.

Full-body pillows, such as the Snoozer available at ContourLiving is designed to achieve proper spinal alignment and healthier circulation throughout all stages of maternity and nursing. Designed to follow the natural  position and contours of the body, the 3-pillow-in-one design accommodates the semi-fetal position, the top doctor-recommended sleep and rest position for pre and post-pregnancy. The semi-fetal position reduces tossing and turning as well as muscle cramping for the new mother so maintaining this position as often as possible is crucial for optimal comfort. “Many women who prefer to sleep on their back are bothered by pain during the later stages of pregnancy. Unlike the traditional back position, where you are laying flat against the bed, with the use of this pillow, you can prop your body up at an angle and will help to take the weight of the uterus, abdominal nerves and surrounding blood vessels.”

What is also ideal for pregnancy is this full body pillow provides ideal nursing support whether you choose to nurse in a rocking chair or while laying down, as the contoured pillow cradles the lower back and abdomen as well as the neck and spine so both mother and baby are comfortably positioned.

ContourLiving understands just how important the health of your muscular and skeletal system is. Their full line of body support cushions and pillows will provide the ergonomic support at all times. Other wonderful full body pillow options to be recommended are the Back Max wedge cushions, featuring full body support as well as massage option and the Mattress Genie inflatable wedge, a wedge design allowing any bed surface to instantly become that of a luxury adjustable mattress. A must-have for any new mother.

Continue Reading

Comfort Your Kabooti at the Football Game

We are fast approaching that time again; football season time, that is. The familiar smell of draught beer, greasy hot dogs and cheesy doughy pretzels is right around the corner. Serious football fans are already buying season tickets, claiming prime seating in those stadium steps. A true example of tailgating at its best, but what would enhance this all-American experience that much more would be a comfortable seat wedge cushion for all four quarters.  Originally designed to soften and comfort the lower region of the body per and post surgery, the Kabooti Cushion has far greater use than its donut-ring shape may inspire. Not only does it aide in the relief of hemorrhoids and tailbone injury, it also doubles as the perfect accessory for any game. The ribbed and winged design cradles the coccyx bone and aligns the hips properly for long periods of sitting. Start by sitting on the cushion in your car on the way to the game and keep the comfort and support the whole way through. Sitting endlessly on hard, firm stadium seats is not only uncomfortable, but promotes poor posture causing head, neck and shoulders to slouch. With this ergonomic design, total support and alignment are present along with general padding where you need it most! Order the Kabooti Cushion along with those pre-season tickets - it's a long season, so might as well get comfy!

Continue Reading

The First Donut Ring Cushion with a Coccyx Cutout!

Stumbling upon a new discovery is always generally a crowd-pleaser. Whether its a new restaurant in town to a new flavor of toothpaste, discovering new products to enhance a lifestyle is the focus of all things company marketing.    And certainly the healthcare market is on board with this notion, as the newest specially crafted Kabooti Cushion by Contour Living has just been introduced. What can possibly be better than "three for the price of one?"  This innovative New seating cushion is designed with "comfort" in mind.  The Kabooti comfort ring allows comfort of sore and sensitive areas while resting in the seated position.  The Kabooti ring cushion provides a complete solution to seating by combining the best features and benefits of a donut ring, coccyx cushion and a traditional seating wedge.   The innovative design is a completely re-invented ergonomic design you won't find anywhere else.  Whether you need a donut cushion or a coccyx cushion for medical reasons or improved comfort, or a superior seat cushion which can provide all-day comfort, this is a great choice.  The First Donut Ring Cushion with a Coccyx Cutout!   Comfort sore and sensitive areas with this innovative new seating cushion! The Kabooti ring cushion provides a complete solution to seating by combining the best features and benefits of a donut ring, coccyx cushion and a traditional seating wedge.  The innovative design is completely re-invented ergonomic design you won't find anywhere else.  Whether you need a donut cushion or a coccyx cushion for medical reasons or improved comfort, or a superior seat cushion which can provide all-day comfort, this is a great choice.  The coccyx cutout extends from back of cushion all the way to the center oval cutout, providing complete comfort for sore areas and also helps improve airflow so user is cool and comfortable. The corner lobes provide stability, unlike regular donut rings which can pose difficulties in terms of balancing. The wedge shaped cushion features tapered design which is thicker in back and more narrow in front.  This allows complete support where you need it (tailbone, buttocks) and less support under thighs.  Especially helpful when driving or sitting at a desk.  This design also helps circulation under thighs. The ergonomic design helps promote proper posture by slightly tilting the pelvis forward.  This maintains the spine's proper lumbar curve for low back comfort and pelvic support. New cover features a durable knit fabric which stretches in three ways.  It zippers over the cushion and is removable and washable. The cover also makes this donut discreet - no one will know it's not a tradition seat cushion!

Continue Reading

Free 1 Year Warranty When you Buy at Contour Living

New Contour Living Customer Care Program - Buy with complete confidence!   Purchase ANY Contour Products branded product from ContourLiving.com and you will automatically receive an extended 1 year warranty.  Contour Living will repair or replace, without charge, any product proved defective in material or workmanship for a period of 1 year from purchase date.   

Coverage for your warranty is easy and automatic.  The one year warranty is automatically included with your purchase (Order option is pre-selected in shopping cart) and after your purchase, we will maintain your record of purchase - so there is no need to register your product or return a warranty card.  Plus, If you ever have a claim, just call our Customer Service department at 1-800-950-0230 x2400 or write CustomerServ@ContourLiving.com.

This extended warranty is currently only available only to Contour Living Customers and is offered as a free bonus at checkout.

Continue Reading

The Flip Pillow

The Flip Pillow

How wonderful does this sound: Watching television in the comfort of your own bed one minute to falling fast asleep with the simple flip of your pillow the next minute? Simplicity with versatility is the key here. You can do this when using the new Contour Flip pillow. Uniquely designed to comfort multiple positions, the Contour Flip  Pillow is the most versatile wedge and bed pillow available on the market. Accommodating the sleeping position, upright position, relaxed position and inclined position, the “flip design” allows for total comfort and support for your complete relaxation.

Not only does this pillow accurately align your neck, shoulder and lumbar region when used as a back support, it can even be used as a knee or leg wedge in an office chair or supporting the lower region for extra comfort while laying in bed. The whole notion behind this unique design is to be able to position yourself for the ultimate comfort in any of the aforementioned positions with the result ultimately accomplishing a quality night’s rest. Ordinary bed pillows certainly do not deliver the same body support and can be quite cumbersome to position. The sagging, squished position of an ordinary pillow only leaves your feeling frustrated and unsupported.

Ideal for sleeping, the smaller lobe provides great support for proper head and neck alignment, without compromising a plush, comfort feel. The Contour Flip Pillow allows for maximum back support for upright activities such as typing from a laptop or reading in bed. A built-in head rest offer great neck, shoulder and back support in a relaxed position. It also provides gradual, upward slope, ideal for those who need to sleep with their head elevated.

Embark on a wonderful night’s rest always with this pillow-to-wedge- design combination.

Continue Reading

Flip Pillow Bed Pillow and Wedge Cushion

Check out the Flip Pillow by Contour Products - It's a combination wedge and bed pillow!  Allows you to position as a back wedge with several levels of support, depending on how you fold it.   Flip it and just use the smaller portion as a bed pillow.   Beyond the obvious, you can use in a variety of ways - place under knees for a knee bolster, reverse and move down for a leg wedge.  Create your own use - write and let us know!  Visit our face book page and send us a note: www.facebook.com/ContourProducts

Here is a new video showing the Flip Pillow in action:

Continue Reading

Mattress Pad Temperature Control

Temperature Tune-Up (or Down!)

 

Much like Goldie Locks and the Three Bears, the temperature must be “just right.” The air temperature of your bedroom, that is. Not too hot and certainly not too cold. Finding a comfortable air flow is a key to a better night’s sleep.

As you’re turning in for the evening, your body ideally has reached  a comfortable equilibrium or middle ground, so when the air is too warm or too cool, the body is then made to work to achieve that “happy medium” it started out with.  Dr. H. Craig Heller, professor of biology at Stanford University says “a mild drop in body temperature induces sleep. Generally, if your are in a cooler room, it is easier for that to happen. But if the room becomes uncomfortably hot or cold, your are more likely to wake up which can also affect the quality dream state of REM sleep."

Recommending a universal room temperature for quality rest sounds simple enough, but realistically, experts find it more difficult as what may be a comfortable temperature for one is not necessarily comfortable for another.  Experts from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine advise thinking “cave-like: cool, quiet and dark, an ideal setting for bats who are known for sleeping 16 hours at a time." They also suggest limit the layers of clothing you sleep in, including socks on your feet as they tend to increase body temperature. 

If your house or bedroom tends to be on the cool, drafty side, trapping cold air, perhaps a personal space heater would warm the room just enough to keep the thermostat bill from creeping too high. Consequently if the room tends to trap heat, keep the ceiling fan running at a constant speed to allow cooler air to circulate at a more comfortable rate. With more than 70 million Americans suffering from chronic sleep disorders and sleep problems, seeking relief from these tips are seemingly necessary and will help increase energy, health and safety.

For a unique, temperature controlled bed surface, look at the ChiliPad Mattress Pad - It allows single or dual-zone control to make your bed hotter or cooler, depending on preference.  The dual-zone is perfect for two users who differ on desired temperature.   You will sleep better and you will save money by just adjusting the temperature control where you sleep, not your whole house!

Continue Reading

Staying Fit After Age 50 - New Advice and Tips from Contour Living

New article from our own Lauren Stone - Staying Fit After 50.    See the full article via the link, or check out the excerpt below.

Is this realistic? Of course it is! With a combination of a few life adjustments, maintaining a healthy body, regulated metabolism, vitality and energy is certainly attainable.  Your body still requires a balance of a healthy diet and sufficient exercise, not only to prevent weight gain but to maintain flexibility and ward off unwanted ailments further down the road. 


Some tips for the older than 50 crowd center around aerobics, muscle strengthening, stretching & flexibility and balance.   It's important to note that balance includes mental balance - exercise your brain along with your body.  Word games like crosswords, Sudoku and similar can help keep you sharp

Continue Reading

Leg Pillow Helps During Pregnancy

See another customer testimonial on how the Contour Leg Pillow helps positioning during pregnancy, and with Fibromyalgia issues.  We've long known that the leg pillow helps millions find a comfortable sleeping position, but certain conditions and circumstance surrounding pregnancy.   See the testimonial here:

Learn more about the leg pillow here.

Continue Reading

Sleep Apnea is a Problem for Long-Haul Truckers

Sleep Apnea is starting to receive quite a bit of press and attention from the media and other sources, as a concern with truckers.   Studies show that sleep apnea can be responsible for as many as 20% of accidents, primarily due to the side affects of the disease:  fatigue and drowsiness.    Learn more in this brief but informative article titled:  Truckers and Sleep Apnea.

Continue Reading

Tips for Enhancing that Wonderful Thing Called Sleep

 

A warm glass of milk before bed is always a calming means to close the end of a busy day. The soothing, warm beverage helps to ease the mind and body for rest. Even if not a milk fan, the notion of something warm before bedtime is certainly worth the effort in order to promote optimal rest. According to the national Sleep Foundation, as much as 64 percent of American adults experience sleep difficulties. That warm glass is sounding more and more appealing.

 

Judith Fertig, contributing author for Natural Awakenings Magazine mentions a concept called “sleep hygiene” in her article, Sleep Aides versus Sleep Sappers. The room temperature, amount of light in the bedroom, fluffiness of the mattress or bed pillow to what dinner consisted of all factor into the quality or lack of quality rest we will receive that night. 

 

Neuropathic physician with Seattle’s Bastyr University, Jamie Corroon suggests staying away from spicy foods, nightcaps (alcoholic beverages) and caffeine. 

 

“Caffeine’s stimulant effect peaks in about one hour and then declines as the liver breaks it down. So, if you go to bed by 11 p.m., you’ll have to stop your caffeine intake by 2 or 3 p.m. to avoid insomnia,” advises registered dietician, Joy Bauer.

 

What are recommended by physicians and neuropaths are nuts and juices, an assemblance of herbs, in tea form or supplement form, a complex carbohydrate of 200 calories or less as a bedtime snack  and of course a warm glass of milk. 

 

Janet Stone, a Registered Nurse working with patients receiving colonoscopy/endoscopy care agrees that a warm, milky beverage is certainly a great sleep aide for the patients she cares for. “We always ensure our patients are calm and relaxed prior to any scheduled procedure. The warm liquid resonates with sleep as most patients drank milk as infants before bed, so that fond memory is reintroduced.”

Brought to you by Contour Living - "We Support You For Life"

Continue Reading

Submit a Testimonial, Win $50!

We Want to Hear From You!

Win a $50 Gift Card!

Send us a testimonial for one of our Contour Products branded items - we'll send you a $50 Gift Card! PLUS you will be placed into our drawing for a chance to win a Twist Neck Pillow just for entering! We'll choose two random winners from all submissions 2X per month.


Be creative! We are looking for short but detailed submission featuring content of you, our customer, describing your experiences with any Contour Products item. Submissions may be video or text content with a picture.


Tell us how much you love our bed pillows, or how the Mattress Genie helps with acid reflux, or even how your husband’s sleep apnea therapy has improved with our Contour CPAP pillows. We want to hear how our products are improving your life! Tell us how youhave created a whole new or odd way to use one of our products that even WE haven’t thought of!


Any and all are welcome, keeping in mind that all submissions should include:

A. A specific product of ours you or a loved one uses frequently and how it has positively affected a condition, problem or your lifestyle

B. A first and last name as well as the city and state

C. Permission in the E-mail to use your testimonial on our websites, in online videos, our blogs sites and on our Facebook pages.

We'll select two random entries each month to receive a Twist Pillow. Plus, if we use your testimonial on our website (ContourLiving.com) or blog, we'll send you a $50 gift card from a national retailer!


Testimonials should be sent to: cpappillow or contourliving.

Continue Reading

3 Quick Tips for Better Back Care

How about a big, warm welcome to 2012!  Hopefully this finds you in great health and happiness as the new month of a whole new year begins to unfold!  And with a whole new-year unfolding, so do the new-year resolutions. As many resolve to quit smoking, lose weight or perhaps kick the caffeine habit, others focus on better posture, both sitting and standing. Here are some helpful tips to encourage a straighter spine:

Helpful Hint #1: Be Self-Aware!

Throw those shoulders back and perk up a bit! Being mindful of how you stand in line at the grocery store or how you sit in the driver’s seat may not only surprise you but encourage you to work on the positioning of your neck, shoulders and back.

Helpful Hint #2: Invest in a supportive pillow

With the right “tools,” anything is possible. Take a moment next time you make the bed or get ready to turn in for the night; evaluate the structure of the pillow, whether it sinks down to the mattress or may be as stiff as a board. That certainly does not sound comfortable so it may be time to invest in a new style of support for the upper body. The use of a pillow while sleeping has two main functions: Support and comfort.  Here's an extra hint - Check out Contour Living's Bed Pillows.

Helpful Hit #3: If your bed pillow is in good shape, take a moment to evaluate your bed mattress

Your bed pillow may be supporting your upper body just fine, but how is your lower or even the rest of your body feeling each morning as you wake? Proper alignment of the lower body is just as crucial for a healthy, full-night’s rest. Fortunately, there are less-expensive alternatives than being forced to invest in a costly mattress and box-spring; options like specially crafted mattress tops to even an ergonomically sound full body pillow can bring such a difference to your nighttime routine!

Continue Reading

Sleeping In (And On) The Clouds!

Supporting Your Neck When Traveling

As the new year fast approaches, business in the business world is quickening its pace as well.  It’s crunch time, so this means more sales representatives, employees and the like are on the move, traveling around the clock to stay in the positive. Goals must be met, clients must be established and deals must be in the works in order to round out a successful upward swing for profit, margin and equity for companies both large and small all over the world.  

That alone is the epitome of stress at its finest, so any and every effort to ease tension and alleviate unnecessary headaches goes a long way. Start simple; we all know traveling through the airport and trying to connect flights can be an energy drainer and more often than not, the flight time is the only decent amount of rest one may get between meetings and business dinners. We all also know how uncomfortable and, let’s just be honest, skeevy those tiny-excuses-for-a-pillow are on board any airplane are. Make this rest one of quality. Bypass that sad rectangle of fluff and opt for not only optimal comfort but ergonomically correct support with the Contour Twist Neck Pillow, perfect for any travel scenario or the Contour Cloud Memory Foam pillow. Both unique designs fit easily into any carry on and will provide more comfort in one flight that any other pillow.

The Twist Neck Pillow is perfect for sleeping, reading or supporting your spine while surfing the web in-flight. Like no other pillow available, the Contour Twist bends into any shape or position; and actually stays there. It’s soft poly-foam easily forms and comfortably supports you in any place or position. As the neck is made up or fragile joints, ligaments and muscles, this design can be positioned exactly the way you want for perfect neck saving relief.

Ahh, feel the stress and tension release already. Endure the hectic travel season with these suggested rectangles of “euphoria” and make that window of rest the best possible.

Continue Reading