BedPost

ISPA gives back for the holidays

In the words of the late, great Edward Pola and George Wyle, "it's the moooooost wonderful tiiiimme, of the yearrrrr!"

ISPA staff wanted to give back this year,
so after a bit of research on the good ol' internet, we found a non-profit organization, Soldier's Angels, and "adopted" two military families for the holiday season.

Both families have a parent serving in the armed forces and have young ones at home, so ISPA was able to gather up goodies from their respective wish lists, and hopefully bring some smiles to their faces come Christmas morning!

Everyone got in the holiday spirit and jumped right in during the "wrapping party." Some people even impressed us with their creative wrapping skills! (*cough* Ryan Trainer.) ISPA President by day, and one heck of a present wrapper by night--who knew?!

All of us at the International Sleep Products Association feel very blessed to work for such an amazing industry, and work with some outstanding volunteers. We wanted to "pay it forward," and help those who need a little extra help this holiday season. On behalf of the entire group, we would like to thank those serving our country, and also to their families for their sacrifice.

From all of us at ISPA, to all our dear friends near and far, we wish you the happiest and healthiest of holidays, and here is to a prosperous 2012!

 

Let's hope your mattress isn't THIS old...

According to research conducted by Oklahoma State University and the Better Sleep Council, you should consider replacing your mattress every 7 years or so. An international team of archaeologists discovered a 77,000 year old bedding made of insect-repelling leaves and other medicinal plants in a South African cave - which sets the world record for the oldest mattress, according to World Records. 77,000...that's just a few years off the 7-year suggested replacement cycle, right?

One of the coolest things they found out about this bed, is that its comprised of insect-repelling leaves and plants. (Take that, bedbugs!) The beds themselves consist of compacted stems and leaves of sedges, (a grass-like plant that grows in wet places,) rushes (hollow stalks/stem-like leaves,) and grasses stacked in at least 15 layers within a chunk of sediment 10 feet (3 meters) thick.

Archaeologists discovered the stack of ancient beds at Sibudu, a cave in a sandstone cliff in South Africa. "The use of medicinal plants, along with other artifacts at the cave, helps reveal how creative these early peoples were," researchers said.

"The inhabitants would have collected the sedges and rushes from along the uThongathi River, located directly below the site, and laid the plants on the floor of the shelter," said researcher Lyn Wadley, an archaeologist at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.

This fine covering of leaves may also represent the earliest known use of medicinal plants by humans. The leaves are from the tree Cryptocarya woodii, or river wild-quince, a medicinal plant that produces insect-killing chemicals.

 Kind of neat to think that even 77,000 years ago, humans had the inherient need to be as comfy and cozy as possible when they went to sleep. So, how old is YOUR mattress?

Sweet dreams!
~Karin Mahoney

 

All I want for Christmas are some extra Zzzzs...

The running around, the late nights, the holiday excitement and stress…it’s enough to keep adults wide awake every night, but just think of the children! With all the hustle and bustle (and winter break looming,) it’s easy for your children’s sleep schedules to be off kilter for the next month or so.

It's hard enough getting children to fall asleep, much less stay asleep. Now throw an exciting holiday season into the mix and time off from school and it calls for some tired kids (and parents.)

To make sure that your children (and you!) stay on Santa's "nice" list this year, try using a few of the following sleep tips for children from the Better Sleep Council:

1. Develop a pleasant, soothing sleep ritual. Don't roughhouse or play games that may be too stimulating. Choose quiet activities, such as working on a puzzle or reading a bedtime story.
2. Don't arbitrarily decide how much sleep a child needs at different ages. The best way to know how much sleep your little ones need is to wake them up at the same time every morning for several days. Notice if they need naps during the day and when they become tired in the evening. Use your observation as a guide to setting a reasonable bedtime for each child--and then stick to it.
3. Rely on an impersonal signal for bedtime. By doing so, you can avoid a struggle over authority. Teach young children where the hands of the clock are at bedtime, for example, and have the clock "tell" them when it is time for bed. Another good signal is the end of a favorite evening television show.
4.Distinguish between bedtime and sleep time. While you should set a definite hour for your children to be in bed, don't try and force them to sleep at this time. Let them play quietly with stuffed animals or listen to soothing music until sleep overtakes them.
5. Be flexible! Let your children stay up a little later when family comes to town, or especially during big events like the holidays. Try and appeal to their sense of reason though by pointing out that staying up too late will make it harder for them to enjoy the next day.
6. Be sure and monitor what your kids are watching on tv or the computer. While they may not seem scared or over stimulated during a show, images may creep into their mind later on, making it hard to sleep.