BedPost

This may make you very 'sheepy'...

Buckle up people, because you're in for a ride that's full of really baaaad sheep-related puns. Ewe think I'm joking? 

Ok, I'm actually over the sheep puns myself...I won't put ewe through any more. (Last one, I swear.)

Move over, Snuggie, there's a new comfort-line out there called the "lambie jammie." Sorry humans, just as the name suggests, these are just for sheep, not for us. *sigh*

Neon colors are SO in this season

While we as humans crave comfy, cozy things to wear to bed, we can't forget about our woolly friends too, right?

These "snuggies" for fleecy folk generally pop up in the summertime, when many farmers compete in lamb and sheep shows at their state and local fairs. Gotta' keep it fresh and clean, right? 

The lambie jammies (I have to admit how much I love writing and saying "lambie jammies"...) are also often used in cold climates for newborns not yet ready to face the frost. And sometimes the little jammies are a perfect fit for lambs who are losing the battle for mom's attention.

I don't know about you, but seeing these little guys all decked out in their bright and comfortable duds makes me wish that I could wear my jammies to work too. 
If you had the chance, would you wear pajamas to work?

Sweet dreams!
-KM 

This isn't your average game of dominoes...

If you've ever played dominoes, you know that it takes skills and wit. And if you've ever made dominoes out of mattresses, well...it takes patience and A LOT of mattresses and volunteers.

In the case of the most recent Guinness Book of World Records attempt in China, it took 1,001 volunteers to pull off the new World Record.

Who wants to shoot for 1,002? Anyone? Anyone?
~KM

Sleeping through the heat

Let me preface this post by saying last week was miserably hot. Like, "who turned the thermostat to hell?" hot. (As if you didn't already know that. Half the country was 100+ degrees.)

I don't sweat, I prefer the term "glowing"

Anyway, Thursday, after a few days of 100+ degree temps outside, our air conditioner finally was like, "yeah, I've had enough of this heat too," and croaked. It was fixed on Friday when a technician said he'd be there by 3:30pm (read: 7:30pm,) onnnnly to have it go off again a few hours later, along with our power...for five days. Yep. Almost an entire week with no A/C, which for us, meant no sleep.

If I had power, I would have gone on the internet looking for quick, cooling fixes, but it's a funny thing about power, turns out you need it to use your computer, much less your wireless router. Instead, me and Mr. M. just laid there, sweating and cursing the storm, and specifically the trees that decided to land on all our surrounding power lines.

Ok, enough of the pity party...(but you get that it was hot, right?)

Now that we have power, I went searching for ways to try and stay cool at night, despite the hellish temperatures outside. According to an article on Lifehacker, there's something called the "Egyptian Method" for sleeping on hot, sticky nights:
Wet a sheet or bath towel that is large enough to cover you with cool or cold water, and wring it or run it through the spin cycle on a washing machine (Unless of course you don't actually HAVE power to do this,) until the sheet is quite damp but not dripping wet. Place the dry towel or sheet on your bed underneath your body and use the wet sheet as your blanket. The damp blanket will keep you cool. 

While I understand that this would most definitely keep me cool...it's just...yuck. I don't know which is worse, suffering through the heat, or feeling clammy under a damp sheet. Not to mention, the last thing you want to do is get your mattress wet. I think I'll stick to some of the other tips that they shared:

• Flip over your pillow as needed so you can sleep on the cold side
• Don't consume caffeine close to bedtime
• Buy some rubbing alcohol and mix it in a spray bottle with water. Use a 1:1 ratio, and spritz on as needed.

What do you think? What are some of your tried and true ways to sleep through these ungodly hot nights?

Sweet dreams! Stay cool!
-KM 

Sleeping Beauty isn't just a Disney character anymore...

 

A photo taken of the author during her bout of mono

I had mono right after college and it knocked. me. out. I think my personal record was sleeping for 16 hours straight, and even then, I still felt exhausted and miserable. My Mom dubbed me "Sleeping Beauty," but little did I know, the real deal was living across the great, big pond in the UK. Let's just say, she has my 16-hour record beat--and then some.

According to a recent story in the Huffington Post, a 15-year-old girl fell asleep in April, and woke up in June. That's like my 16 hour snooze fest times...well...a lot. Talk about getting your beauty rest.

According to the report, the girl has something called Kleine-Levin Syndrome, aka "Sleeping Beauty" Syndrome. 
The cause of the condition is not entirely known, though scientists do suspect that it is an autoimmune disease. There is no cure for the condition--patients are told to basically "wait it out."

Here's to hoping that she's sleeping on a comfortable mattress at least.

Sweet dreams!

-KM 

Sleep your way to good health!

Think thin is healthy? It's not. Well, let me back track a bit because yes, in some regards it is. BUT, according to a new study by the University of Alabama Birmingham, a thin, middle-aged person does not a healthy person make. Despite the fact that you work out and eat healthy, if you're getting less than six hours of shut-eye every night, you're exponentially increasing your chances of having a stroke.

If you're middle-aged (45 and up) and not getting adequate sleep, you're more than quadrupling your chances of having a stroke. 
“The really important take-home message is this: Don’t blow it off. Sleep is just as important as diet and exercise,” said Megan Ruiter, the University of Alabama at Birmingham researcher who led the study.

"It's recommended that adults get between 7-9 hours of quality sleep each and every night. Chronic sleep deprivation may boost the risk of stroke because it causes changes in the autonomic functions of the body, including blood pressure, heart rate, inflammation and glucose levels," said Dr. Phyllis C. Zee, associate director for Sleep & Circadian Biology at the Northwestern University School of Medicine.

Bottom line, you can be a skinny minnie (or taught and toned dude, can't forget the guys!) but it doesn't matter much if you're not getting the Zzzzs.

Repeat the mantra: No sleep = bad health. (But preferably not before you go to bed...)

Sweet dreams and healthy living!

Dear husband...I'm saving your life, one snuggle at a time

This is an open letter to my husband, the non-snuggler. Today, I get to gloat a bit, and all in the name of science. Turns out, my snuggling habits may just very well be saving my hub's life. (YOU HEAR THAT, MR. M?)

According to a recent study, couples may get health benefits simply from sleeping in the same bed. And guess what, hubs? Some scientists believe that sleeping with a partner may be a major reason why people with close relationships tend to be in better health and live longer. My cuddling in our cozy bed is totally helping you live longer. You're welcome.

The new research runs counter to studies that show women don't sleep as well with a partner and both men and women move around more when sleeping together. Other bed battles that interrupt couples' sleep include sheet-stealing and differing bedtimes and room-temperature preferences. 

Ok, sure. I'm what you call a serial monogamous snuggler. Is that so bad? I don't think so. Unless, of course, you're my husband. As much as I love a shoulder to fall asleep on, he likes to be left alone, untouched. Over the years we've come to a compromise. Pre-sleep, I get to snuggle up to him and fall asleep on his shoulder. When he's ready to fall asleep, he quietly turns to his side, and in two seconds is out cold. It works for us. I get my bonding time, and so does he. With his pillow, sans me. 

According to this research, sleeping together in the same bed promotes feelings of safety and security, and may lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. Sharing a bed may also reduce cytokines, involved in inflammation, and boost oxytocin, the so-called love hormone that is known to ease anxiety and is produced in the same part of the brain responsible for the sleep-wake cycle. So even though sharing a bed may make people move more, "the psychological benefits we get having closeness at night trump the objective costs of sleeping with a partner," says Dr. Troxel, assistant professor of psychiatry and psychology at the University of Pittsburgh.

Ok, sure...this sharing a bed/health benefit thing may work more in my favor, but it's all about me anyway...right?
"Women enjoy male presence psychologically even though it costs them minutes or even hours of sleep," says John Dittami, a behavioral endocrinologist and biological rhythms specialist at the University of Vienna and the lead author of the study. The issue is that women are more sensitive to their environments, he says. 

Potato, tomato I say. Snuggling in the same bed is totally saving both our lives. Science said so.

-KM

Five simple ways to celebrate Better Sleep Month in May

Better Sleep Month is in t-minus 20 days and counting. Are you ready to celebrate lovely, magical and seductive sleep?
Good! So are we!

This year, the Better Sleep Council is going to educate the public about the importance of (cough) "Stop Sleeping Around." Now, before you choke down your morning coffee, it's not quite what you think. The BSC wants people to stop falling asleep everywhere else but their own bed. If you find yourself nodding off at your desk, in meetings, at the movies, or anywhere other than your own bed, it's high time you have a heart-to-heart conversation with your mattress and see if it's offering you the comfort and support you need.

Taking part of Better Sleep Month is a GREAT way to start the conversation about the importance of sleep, and the importance of what you're sleeping on. If you haven't looked into how you can be a part of BSM, here are five easy ways you can start celebrating!

1. "Like" the Stop Sleeping Around Facebook page
By liking the page, you can stay abreast of all the latest developments and fun things that this year's campaign has to offer! 

2. Take photos or videos of people "caught in the act"
Your friend is falling asleep on the bus? Your coworker nodding off at their desk? A cute baby taking a nap in their highchair? Take a photo of video and submit it to our Facebook page!

3.  Visit our Retailer Toolkit on the Sleep Savvy website
Find a variety of  easy-to-use marketing tools that you can download with a simple click of the mouse! 

4. Get your eight hours of rest during "National Eight Hours of Rest Night" on May 1st!
Spread the word to friends, loved ones, colleagues and customers! You can tout the importance of getting eight, blissful hours of rest on a quality mattress. Celebrate by sleeping--how easy is that?!

5. Share the BSC's Stop Sleeping Around videos on your own social media pages, company website, etc.!
Spread the word by sharing the videos. In fact, make one of your own and share it with us!

Happy sleeping, everyone!

It's a great day at ISPA EXPO!

From the networking events to the educational sessions to time on the show floor, the first day of ISPA EXPO 2012 has started off with a bang!

Attendees from all world are seeing the latest and greatest technologies that the mattress industry has to offer.

If you're not able to join us this week, (or even if you're here,) take a look at a few videos that we've put together that highlight some of the great things ISPA EXPO has to offer.

The Better Sleep Council collaborates with Dream Water to keep people from "Stop Sleeping Around"

We know…going to trade shows mean looooong (but well-spent) hours of talking to old friends, and potential customers on the show floor, and of course, late night soirees. That, combined with not being able to sleep in your own comfy bed usually doesn’t bode well for getting a quality 7-8 hours of rest each and every night.
Fear not! The Better Sleep Council and Dream Water have teamed up to help keep attendees from “Stop Sleeping Around” at next week's ISPA EXPO 2012!

Dream Water is an all-natural sleep water. Rather than us explain, we'll let their fun infographic do the talking:

We know how hard it is to get a quality night's rest when you're traveling, (who doesn't miss their own nice, cozy bed?!) 
While we realize that sleeping on a new, quality bed is one of the best ways to get a great night's rest, we also get that sometimes you need a little extra help, and natural is the way to go.

If you're headed to ISPA EXPO next week, be sure and stop by the Welcome Center to learn about the BSC's new "Stop Sleeping Around" campaign, and get your FREE sample of Dream Water!

And for you tweeters out there, tweet your heart out with @Dreamwater and @ISPAsleep all next week! #ISPAEXPO

Tweet your heart out, ladies and gentlemen! #ISPAEXPO

Have you ever seen one of these before at a trade show or event?

If you haven't, allow us to introduce you to one another.

Digital wall, this is (insert your name here.)
(Insert your name here,) this is the Digital Wall.

There--now that we have the niceties down, let's get down to the fun part of what the world of social media and this digital wall will have to offer at the upcoming ISPA EXPO 2012, shall we?

Social media is one of the most efficient ways to reach your audience on a global level. In two seconds, you can send out a tweet or write on a friend's wall about what ever it is that you're experiencing. Thanks to the interwebs, we are all connected by just a few clicks. Pretty cool stuff.

If you're attending the upcoming ISPA EXPO, be sure and start tweeting #ISPAEXPO and connect with your friends, colleagues and potential customers. And guess what? We'll be able to pull those tweets on that glorious digital wall that you see above. Same goes for Facebook as well. If you haven't done so already, be sure and "like" us here.

Poke, post pictures, like our witty and thought-provoking updates (we're so modest,) on our Facebook wall, and behold! You'll see all those wonderful posts on the digital wall in real-time!

OH! And speaking of other fun, cool and new things that we'll be offering at this year's EXPO, be sure and read next week's BedPost entry on the collaboration we have with Dream Water...

Until then, sweet dreams, errr, we mean, "tweet dreams!" :)