Things to Do Before Bed to Ensure a Good Night’s Sleep

There are a number of different things you can do before, during and after you go to bed to ensure that you get the best night’s sleep possible.

Well according to the Sleep Council only one in ten of us get a good enough night’s sleep. One sleep expert gives the following tips to ensure that you get the best night’s sleep possible.

One of the major things is to avoid any food to soon before you go to bed. If you have food too close to the time you go to sleep then you may feel that you’re restless in bed because your body will be digesting the food you have just put in it, so if you’re going to eat it’s advised you only have a light snack and that you do it a good 2 or 3 hours before you go to sleep.

Also advised is that you avoid any sugary drinks or coffee. Due to the high amount of caffeine in coffee and the amount of sugar in things like Coca Cola it will again keep you awake at night. Whilst we’re on the subject of drinks, it’s advised that you avoid drinking alcohol to close to when you go to sleep.

Yes, it may help you to get to sleep quicker but it is also advised that you avoid drinking any alcohol as it will no doubt make you become dehydrated during the night and mean that you will be waking up, no matter what kind of luxury mattress you have, at stupidly early hours in the morning.

If however you are in need of a new mattress then you should pay a visit to The Odd Mattress Company and see what they have to offer you in the way of divan bed bases and many other things.

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Mattress Seats soon to be in Cars?

We all use our cars regularly whether it is a long journey or a short journey, they get used. Well, your seats may be about to become a lot more comfortable.

A car seat company in America has teamed up with a mattress company to produce a new kind of car seat. The new concept is to be called ComfortThin and it is a venture between the two companies, Johnson Controls and Harrison Spinks. They are looking to design a seat using pocketed coil spring mattress technology.

There are a number of different kinds of mattresses out there that you can take springs from, even a luxury mattress if you were desperate. However, if you’re planning on trying to do something like this yourself then you may be better waiting for this new technology to come out.

If the companies are successful you can expect to see this kind of technology begin rolling out in cars from 2015. Not only will this improve the car’s interior, it will also help the environment by providing environmental benefits.

However, if you’re in the market for a new mattress then you should look at paying a visit to The Odd Mattress Company and see what they have to offer you. Not only do they have mattresses in stock but they also stock a number of other things to do with your bed in case you’re in need of anything. So whether it’s a Divan bed base or a special sized mattress you’ll be sure to find what you’re looking for.

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The Best Positions for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep

A nation of insomniacs, Britain has a lot of people, one in four to be precise who suffer from insomnia. Last year, there were ten million prescriptions handed out in England alone for sleeping pills last year.

One in four people are unhappy with the amount of sleep they get every night and one in 10 people have got some kind of sleeping disorder. According to scientists, taking drugs to try and sort your sleeping problems out isn’t the best way of trying to resolve your issues as they can at times cause more problems than they solve.

Sufferers of long term sleeplessness are five times more likely to be depressed, anxious and have double the heart rate failure and diabetes and also a higher risk of dying early.

The Log

The log is a good position to sleep in. Lying straight on your side this keeps all of your body’s functions working well and your breathing isn’t compromised. Generally a great, all round position.

The Soldier

This is when you fall asleep lying on your back, legs out straight and arms at your side. Yes it’s comfy but if you’re sharing a bed then you should try and avoid this one as it leads to snoring.

The Foetus

A great position and really comfy, this position allows air to flow freely through the body and it stops any kind of stomach reflux. This is a popular position; around 60% of Brits fall asleep like this.

These are just three of some of the best positions to sleep in. Obviously another massive factor in how well you sleep is the mattress you’re sleeping on. If you’re in need of a new mattress then you should pay a visit to The Odd Mattress Company and see what offers they have. You may save yourself a packet and find the perfect mattress for you.

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Having problems? Don’t sleep on it, you may make it worse!

We all have our ups and downs in life but the best thing to do is to try and sort them out as and when they happen. One of the worst things that you could do is to leave it, not say anything to anyone and try and sleep it off on your new luxury mattress.

There’s research been carried out that shows that if you have problems in your day that you shouldn’t just leave them and sleep on them.

The researchers who carried out this investigation found that any bad memories or unpleasant experiences from that day should not be slept on as the memories and experiences stay more upsetting if we sleep on them immediately after.

There have been previous studies that showed that if you go to sleep then it will help to take the edge off something that is upsetting or traumatic or any negative emotions and also help you to view them from a more rational perspective.

Speaking about the investigation, Dr Rebecca Spencer who led the study said: “We found that if you see something disturbing, let’s say an accident scene, and then you have a flashback or you’re asked to look at a picture of the same scene later, your emotional response is greatly reduced, that is you’ll find the scene far less upsetting if you stayed awake after the original event than if you slept.”

So whether you’re sleeping on a brand new continental mattress or an old, odd sized mattress then you should really think about how you can avoid going to sleep immediately after a traumatic event.

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New Recycling Plant Lives off Old Mattresses

Mattress recycling isn’t really something that tops many recycling firms’ lists. However, that may be about to change. One firm in Nashville, Tennessee that originally started out as a college project has started mattress recycling and they hope to eventually move it into the mainstream.

Whether they are King or Queen sized luxury mattresses or just your bog standard children’s mattress they aren’t readily recycled and can at times be a pain to get rid of properly and have them properly recycled.

Well whether you have an odd size mattress or a normal sized one, they will now be victims of being recycled… Properly! Spring Back recycling in Nashville are a recycling firm that operate on a strictly non-profit basis and look to help previous convicts get back into the swing of normal life after their time inside.

On the website it states that they are a good, economic alternative to just dumping a mattress at a landfill site and letting it rot.

Normally people with old mattresses or beds will give them to other members of the family to reuse as mattresses and beds are never really in that bad condition that they need to be thrown out, and the fact that there is nowhere for them to go to be taken care of properly is probably another reason that they get handed down between friends and families.

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Snoring and Skipping Breakfast Could Increase Your Chances of Getting Diabetes

Are you a snorer? Do you never have time for breakfast in the morning? Well you could be at risk of getting type 2 diabetes, according to recent surveys.

Well if you’ve got a partner who is nagging you on a daily basis about your snoring then she may be on to something about you stopping it. It will benefit the both of you, she will benefit from the extra hours of sleep and you will benefit by lowering your chances of developing diabetes.

According to some recent research carried out by scientists at Yale University in America heavy snorers are 50% more likely to develop diabetes. Regardless of whether you sleep on a luxury mattress or just a normal one you will still snore and the scientists from Yale University found that the heavier the snorer, the higher the blood sugar levels thus meaning you’re at a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The same goes for someone who misses their breakfast. If you’re one of these people who is too busy to have some breakfast in the morning then again, you’re another one who, after a good, snore free night’s sleep on a continental mattress, is at a much higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes.

If you do skip breakfast in the morning then you will probably experience a drop in your blood sugar levels later on in the morning and then crave a sugary snack which in turn will lead to a sudden surge in your blood sugar levels and then over a period of time it will lead to the over-stimulation of insulin which then leads to diabetes.

So, if you’re a snorer you should look at doing whatever you can to stop it and if you’re a serial breakfast skipper then try getting breakfast as much as you possibly can!

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Resolutions to improve your sleep in 2012

With the New Year just a few days away, now is the time that many people start to think about making resolutions to improve their health and well-being in the upcoming year. With many of us finding that we simply don’t get enough sleep, here is the Odd Mattress Company ‘s recommended resolutions to help you sleep more soundly.

5. Cut the caffeine

Everyone knows that caffeine keeps you awake so it is recommended that you stop drinking tea and coffee between 4 and 6 hours before you go to bed, with those who are overly sensitive recommended to stop at least 8 hours before bed time (this could be about 3pm if you go to bed at 11pm).

4. Get into a sleep schedule

Having a routine will help your body clock adjust to sleeping at the right times. Many of us are guilty of staying awake until the early hours on weekends but getting into a cycle of going to bed and getting up at around the same time every day will help your body naturally fall asleep.

3. Relax and unwind before bed

Struggling to sleep due to worries is very common, so set yourself some time to chill out and relax (at least an hour is recommended) before you get into bed.

2. Getting temperature and lighting right in the bedroom

If your room is too bright, you’ll find it harder to drop off as your body is very sensitive to light and automatically wants to be awake when it’s light. Consider using an eye mask or getting new curtains to keep it dark, and make sure your room isn’t too hot or too cold.

1.  Invest in a new mattress!

One of the reasons you could be struggling to sleep is due to an uncomfortable mattress. It is recommended that you replace your mattress at least every 8 – 10 years, so if you’ve had your bed for longer than that this could be ruining your sleep. Invest in a new luxury mattress for 2012 and find yourself sleeping better sooner than you know it!

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Tips to get the kids to sleep before Father Christmas’ visit

‘Tis the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work like that and for many parents getting the kids to go to sleep on Christmas Eve can be very hard work as they want to stay up to see Father Christmas himself.

No matter how comfortable their bed and luxury mattress may be, when children are excited they often won’t go to sleep. Here are a number of tips from the Odd Mattress Company to help you get your children to go to bed when St Nick is on his way!

Stick to your normal routine.

It may be Christmas Eve and a very exciting time, but if you have young children that have a set bedtime routine make sure you follow it.

Don’t get them too excited

Watching Christmas films and listening to Christmas music is a great way to get everyone in the festive mood, but keeping it all in moderation should help to keep the kids calm and ensure they can nod off.

Use natural ways of inducing sleep

A hot bath and a warm drink before bed are great ways of relaxing and will encourage them to feel sleepier so you can get them to bed easier. It is also recommended that you feed them food such as cod, eggs, soya beans, cheese and sweet potatoes as these contain an amino acid which naturally encourages sleep.

Send them to bed early

Most children stay awake for a short time after they’ve been put to bed, and when they’re excited they’ll want to stay awake even longer. Combat this by putting them into bed half an hour earlier than normal as it should make them fall asleep at their usual time.

Set a time for opening presents

Telling the kids that they can only open presents at a set time will stop them from trying to stay awake all night or even getting up early. Between 6.30am and 8am are recommended as a good time to set.

These tips can help you get the kids off to sleep so Father Christmas has plenty of time to prepare and to ensure that no one is over-tired on the big day itself.

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23 December is officially the worst night’s sleep

Don’t be expecting to get a good night’s sleep tonight, as a study has found that December 23 is likely to be the night where we are most likely to lay awake in bed.

Research from Dreams Beds has found that 45% of us tend to stay up later in the week running up to Christmas, due to either partying or staying up late wrapping gifts and getting ready for the big day, and many people end up waking up earlier so they feel tired all throughout the daytime.

It’s not just Christmas prep that’s keeping us up late; many people are also missing sleep due to worries with the younger generation more likely to be kept up at night for this reason. The biggest concern this year is money, with worries about presents bought online not arriving in time also preying on many peoples’ minds.

The week before Christmas was described by 89% of people as “stressful and busy”, with only 7% saying they found it relaxing, so this could also be leading to the lack of sleep.

To make sure you get enough sleep over the festive period and beyond, investing in a brand new luxury mattress from the Odd Mattress Company can help you sleep soundly each and every night by making your bed so comfortable and inviting that you’ll want to go to bed early every night!

Each one of our bespoke mattresses is handmade using quality materials to give it a deep and luxurious feel, and additional fillings are available for those that want a bed that is just that bit more comfortable. Both standard and continental sizes are available, and extra length beds are also available to ensure you get the perfect mattress for your requirements.

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New study says gadgets DON’T disrupt your sleep

It has been believed that the rise in using mobile phones, tablet devices and laptops in the bedroom will disturb your sleep, but new research from Australia has found evidence that this simply isn’t true.

Researchers from the University of Sydney has found that there seems to be no major reduction in the amount of sleep people get a night now compared to how much sleep people have been getting in the past.

Data was taken from the Australian Bureau of Statistics between 1992 and 2006 to analyse changing sleep levels. In 1992, the average adult got 8 hours and 20 minutes each night and by 1997 this had increased to 8 hours and 33 minutes. The most recent data from 2006 found that the amount of sleep many people got had reduced slightly to 8 hours and 30 minutes, but there was no evidence that technology was having a negative effect on sleep levels.

The research was published in the Medical Journal of Australia and of the findings, report co-author Nicholas Glozier said: “Public health concerns over declining sleep duration do not appear to be warranted. The time allocated to sleep by Australian adults appears to have withstood the challenges of societal and technological change during this period”.

If you’re looking to get more sleep in the New Year, why not consider investing in a new bespoke mattress created to your exact specifications from the Odd Mattress Company? With both short and long mattresses available and the option to choose just how much filing you want in your mattress, the Odd Mattress Company can help you sleep soundly each and every night!

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