Where Do Mattresses Come From?

Having something comfortable to lie on, where we can rest and get a good night’s sleep, has always been a challenge. Our cavemen ancestors slept on the hard ground on piles of leaves, straw or animal skins – and near a fire if possible, to keep them warm and away from predators.

Those who could soon realised that being off the ground was a much better idea and considerably less draughty, cleaner and free from creepy crawlies. Wealthy Romans had mattresses filled with reeds, hay, wool or feathers, and sometimes these were raised on top of basic primitive metal, stone or wooden bedsteads. But the less well off and the slaves still had to make do on the floor. 

The word ‘mattress’ is actually derived from Arabic words meaning “to throw” or a “mat, cushion” and as a result of their involvement in the Crusades in the early middle ages, Europeans started to adopt this Arabic method of sleeping on cushions thrown on the floor. And the word ‘materas’ eventually descended into Middle English. 

Bed manufacturing has come a long way since then - with mattresses now containing a variety of materials as both fillings and technology have progressed over the centuries. Where once straw or feather mattresses were standard, 21st century consumers are now spoiled for choice with everything on offer in their bed: from water to foam to a variety of types of springs.

Although we have come a long way with our sleeping arrangements over the centuries, people today still suffer disturbed nights and struggle out of bed, bleary-eyed in the mornings, complaining of stiffness, back ache and general lethargy. What is amazing is that so many don’t realise all this could be easily cured if they would only invest in a proper supportive mattress to sleep on.  

Sleep expert Dr Chris Idzikowski found that swapping an uncomfortable old bed for a comfortable new one could account for an average of 42 minutes' extra sleep - four times that achieved by over the counter sleep aids. So, improving the quality of sleep can be helped enormously by making sure you're sleeping on the right bed.

However, until they lie down on one, unbelievably most people don’t appreciate just how great it is to sleep on a really comfortable and supportive mattress – and also just how many different types of beds and mattresses there are to choose from. And of course there is the confusion, how do you know which mattress is right for you?

Free Tickets to The London Allergy and Free From Show and a Chance to Win a Sealy Bed

The Allergy and Free From Show will be taking place at Olympia, London from 18th - 20th May 2012.

Sealy Posturepedic and Smart Fibres will be sponsoring the Seminar Zone, which will cover topics from 'Living Successfully With Severe Allergy' to dietary discussions including food allergies and tips on what to eat if you suffer from bloating or IBS. The seminars will also cover subjects such as eczema and how to manage allergy treatments.

On Sunday 20th May at 1pm, there will be a keynote session on 'How to avoid dust mites, pollen and other airborne allergens'. This session will be led by Dr. Robert Boyle who is a Consultant of Paediatric Allergy. 

Advanced tickets for the show are £7.50 and £10 on the door but Sealy fans can sign up for free tickets here!

There is also a chance for you to win a Sealy bed with Smart Fibres. Sealy's Smart Fibres contain Purotex that has probiotic friendly bacteria to keep dust mites at bay and reduce allergens for a fresher mattress throughout. If you want to find out more about Smart Fibres, click here.

If you are planning to be at the show, tweet us. We would love to know which seminars you are sitting in on. 

Here is the seminar timetable. Do any of the topics interest you?

What Happens When We Don't Get Enough Sleep?

If we don’t get enough sleep, it has serious effects on our brain's ability to function. After just one night without sleep, concentration becomes more difficult and our attention span shortens considerably with increasing feelings of grumpiness, grogginess, irritability and forgetfulness.

With continued lack of sufficient sleep, the part of the brain that controls language, memory, planning and sense of time is severely affected, practically shutting down. In fact, 17 hours of sustained wakefulness leads to a decrease in performance equivalent to a blood alcohol level of 0.05% (two glasses of wine) which is the legal drink driving limit in the UK. 

Sleep is actually far more important to us than exercise or diet -  we would die of sleep deprivation before we die of hunger. And sleep deprivation is a significant contributory factor to heart disease, stress, memory loss, depression, obesity, attention deficit disorder and the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease.  On a daily basis driver fatigue contributes to 20% of fatal road traffic accidents.

So with all this data to illustrate just how important it is for people to get a really good night’s sleep, surely having the right bed should be of paramount importance to everyone when an incredible 62% of us claim to experience poor “broken sleep”?

Why Do We Sleep?

Our lives are inextricably connected with beds and sleep. More often than not we are conceived, born and die in a bed and in between it is estimated we spend at least a third of our lives asleep in one – that’s some 26 years, which compares to 11.5 yrs at work and 11 years watching TV.  However Napoleon, Florence Nightingale and Margaret Thatcher famously got by on four hours a night and Thomas Edison claimed it was waste of time!

But why do we sleep? This has baffled scientists for centuries and the answer is, no one is really sure. Some believe that sleep gives the body a chance to recuperate from the day's activities but, in reality, the amount of energy saved by sleeping for even eight hours is miniscule - about 50k Cal, the same amount of energy in a piece of toast.

Human beings seem to sleep anywhere between 5 and 11 hours per night, with an average of about 7.5, but animals also need to sleep too: elephants make do on just 3 hours, unsurprisingly chimpanzees are more similar to us with around 9 hours, cats need 12 and pythons an amazing 18 hours. All that slithering around must be truly exhausting.

What we do know for sure is that while we are asleep:
·        our body heals and repairs itself
·        our spinal discs re-hydrate and we get up in the morning up to 1 inch taller (we lose up to an inch in  height during the course of a day as the spine and gravity and exercise compress the discs)
·        our brains carry out maintenance, archiving and data processing
·        our immune systems strengthen
·        we get an emotional reload
·        it is the ONLY time children and teenagers grow

How important is sleep for you? Does it feel like a necessity or a waste of time?

Did You Know Children Grow When They're Asleep?

Most parents would think twice before putting their children’s feet into ill fitting shoes which could potentially harm their development, so why are many parents unaware that a thin, cheap and unsupported mattress can affect a child’s growth?

A two year old child can grow 2 ½ inches (6cm)* per year until adolescence. After this it usually slows down but growth can continue until the early 30s. To ensure a child grows properly, deep, restorative and uninterrupted sleep needs to occur. It is only when in the deep sleep phase that the important growth hormone is released into the bloodstream.

To ensure the best possible night’s sleep, Sealy have developed some of the most technologically advanced beds in the world. With the largest research facility of any bed company, their latest bed range is unparalleled in comfort and support. Each bed is zoned along its length to provide greater “push back” support to different areas of the body according to where weight is concentrated. The beds also contain the newest technology to prevent allergies which can disturb sleep for so many.

A recent survey by Allergy UK predicted that potentially 12 million people in the UK are allergic to their homes, that’s 1 in 4 of us, and more specifically house dust mites, which reside in pillows and mattresses. House dust mite allergies cause runny noses, sneezing, wheezing, coughing and headaches – all of which cause disturbed sleep, which could in turn affect a child’s growth. They are also a serious irritant to children suffering from asthma.**

Only Sealy beds have the latest in sleep technology called SMART FIBRES. These fibres contain probiotic friendly bacteria which keep house dust mites at bay and reduce allergens to create a fresher mattress. The innovative mattress material is completely safe for children to use, the results are achieved naturally, as the fibres have not been chemically treated in any way. By reducing the presence of allergens and dust mites in the mattress the children have a healthier and cleaner sleep environment which should prevent them from being disturbed during the night and so allow them to grow to their full potential.

References

·       *    http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/growing/childs_growth.html

·       **  www.asthmas.org.uk

·       1.1 million children are currently receiving treatment for asthma in the UK. That’s 1 in 11 children

·       At least 1 child in 7 will have ‘wheezing’ at some point during their first five years

·       Out of 56 countries worldwide, the UK has the highest prevalence of severe wheeze in children aged 13-14

Sleeping With Your Pets In Bed

Did you know that it’s National Pet Month right now? From 7th April until 7th May 2012, National Pet Month aims to promote the values of good pet ownership and of course the values of having a pet.

This got us thinking about how many of our Facebook and Twitter fans/followers sleep with their pets. We know a few of you do and we are even guilty of being slightly obsessed withphotos of pets sleeping with their owners too.

But as you are probably aware, there has been a number of studies which explore the dangers of pets sleeping with their owners. Here is an article which appeared in The Daily Mail last year: Don’t sleep with your pet, you may catch something (possibly bubonic plague).

Still, we also know that if an owner wants to sleep with their pet – they will. If this is you, then have a watch of this video below. It provides great tips to help owners minimise the risk of becoming ill by taking care of their pet.

And here is an article called Pet Owners: Can Sleeping With Your Pet Make You Sick? – from The Huffington Post. It provides a balanced view about owners sleeping with their pets. Do you sleep with your pet? Which precautions do you take to make sure both pet and owner are kept healthy? Can you share any tips?

Beat The Recession And Sleep In Peace With The Essential Range From Sealy

When times get tough we tend to forego some of life’s little luxuries to ensure we only buy things we really need, so if you are foregoing some of life’s little treats, such as going out to that new bar or restaurant, those must have shoes and handbags, or a quick break abroad to top up your tan, then at least you should ensure that staying in is the best you can make it.

Sleeping well is as essential to life as air and water and one of life’s greatest pleasures is sinking in to a wonderfully comfortable and supportive bed at the end of a weary day or taking the time to lie in at weekends when you don’t have to get up.

We are now spending more and more time in the bedroom and our bed is everything from the best cinema seat to the most comfortable desk as well as being responsible for giving us a great night’s sleep.  So it’s really important that your bed isn’t lumpy, bumpy or sagging in the middle.

Realising that people are watching their pennies in these credit crunch times, but that life has to go on, Sealy’s range includes the “Essentials Collection” to ensure that one of life’s little luxuries can be within everyone’s grasp and staying in or having an early night can be a treat!

The beds are everything our customers now expect from the quality Sealy brand, just at a price they won’t! The renowned supportive Posturepedic zonal springs in really comfortable and relaxing mattresses, choice of tufted or micro quilted versions, and full length divan bases as well as divans on legs, and even drawers. So Sealy can now truly offer a bed to suit every requirement whether it is in size, comfort or price.

As Neil Robinson from Sealy says, “Sealy offer the very latest in sleep technology but if you want a new bed on a credit crunch budget, Sealy can provide a solution which does not compromise on quality despite the great price”.

Why Tossing And Turning At Night Make You More Vulnerable To Colds, Flu And Other Infections

There’s nothing worse than being laid up with flu or a bad cold or a terrible stomach bug, stuffed up nose, sore throat, lethargy and looking dreadful – or just feeling like the pits and fed up with the sight of the loo. And doesn’t it always happen when you are busy at work or you have a big social event or hot date coming up?

So what can we do to help ourselves when all around are busy sneezing, coughing or groaning. Obviously boosting our immune system is a good idea so our bodies are primed to fight off the bacteria and viruses as they lay in wait to invade.

But did you know something as simple as getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most important things to help do this? 

Most people know that our bodies recover overnight from the stresses and strains of daily living while we sleep, for instance our blood vessels dilate and all the blood that is stored in our organs during the day moves into our muscles to nourish and repair them. But more specifically, if you think about it, when we’re sick we sleep much more – that’s because our immune system is also activated while we are in deep sleep to fight the illness. It’s also very common for people who do a lot of long distance travel across time zones to also get sick very quickly.  This is normally blamed on jet lag but jet lag happens because of the body’s natural body temperature rhythm being out of alignment. Jet lag commonly creates a disruption of deep sleep and added to the stress of travel, this is a perfect mixture for lowering one’s immune system.

Recent reearch¹ from Sealy, the world’s biggest bed company, has shown that currently 50% of us are only getting one proper, undisturbed night’s sleep a week, which is alarming news when put into the context of how our immune systems are affected by lack of sleep.

So if you want to avoid getting too many coughs and colds – the first thing you need to do is ensure you are getting a good, restful, deep night’s sleep without disturbance.

¹ Sealy Sleep Research from Heawood Research Ltd – data on file

National Bed Month: Dream Bedrooms

As some of you may know, March is National Bed Month. This awareness month has been organised by The Sleep Council which works to promote the importance of sleep and choosing the right mattress.

So far this month, we have written about our Smart Fibres mattress and our Posturepedic range. We have also given you a few stretching exercises to help you to relax yourself to sleep.

But as much as we enjoy the science of beds and mattresses, we would also like to show you how a Sealy bed can help you to create your dream bedroom. Here are a few suggestions below. What do you think?

Win an MP3 Alarm Clock on Twitter

The clocks go forward on Sunday 25th March 2012 for the start of British Summer Time and we were wondering if you struggle to remember if this means we gain or lost an hour in bed. The clocks change twice a year but we can still sometimes be confused.

On the 25th, we will sadly be losing an hour in bed. So to help you remember to reset your clocks, so you don’t end up running late on the day, we are starting a Twitter giveaway today (Wednesday 14th March 2012) – to give you a chance to win your very own alarm clock.

This alarm clock allows you to record your own wakeup call, using a USB connector which you can link to a PC. You can also download a song of your choice to mp3 and have a new wake up call.

For a chance to win, all you have to do is Tweet or RT this blog link and follow Sealy UK on Twitter. The deadline is at 11.59pm on 25th March 2012 and a winner will be announced on Twitter on 26th March 2012.

Enjoy and Good Luck!

(This competition is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook or Twitter. Tweets may be retweeted at Sealy UK’s discretion.)