Most of us don't give our mattress much thought, even though we spend ¼ of our lives sleeping on it! But, if you have had your mattress for 10 years, you've probably slept on it for about 30000 hours.

Ignoring your mattress can have adverse affects on the quality of your sleep and your wallet! Here are some tips on mattress care.

• Treat it like any other piece of fine furniture. Don't stand or jump on it!
• Turning your mattress regularly will help increase its life, ensuring you look after your investment. Turn your mattress every 2 weeks for the first 3 months or as instructed by the manufacturer. Thereafter turn it every two months. Some new mattresses don't need flipping. Check with the manufacturer's instructions.
• To protect your mattress from stains use a mattress protector, which, if soiled, is far easier to clean and cheaper to replace than a mattress is. It may be a condition of the warranty that you use a mattress protector.
• Treat spills and stains as soon as possible. Gently scrape away any soiling or mop away liquid from the fabric. Use upholstery cleaner or lukewarm soapy water as a general cleaning agent to remove the residue of the spill. Don't saturate the fabric or interior with water or other cleaning liquid. Dry thoroughly in the shade, away from direct heat.
• Keep your mattress clean and dry.
• Vacuum the mattress regularly (each time you change your sheets) using low suction to remove fluff and dust.
• Make sure you carefully read the warranty card that comes with your mattress. It will give you a basic guideline for maintaining your mattress. Proper maintenance and attention is the key to mattress longevity.
• Check that the legs and casters are tight on your base! Settling over time can affect the stability of your bed.

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Research cannot pin point the perfect number of hours that we need to sleep. Different age groups require different amounts of sleep and each individual has different ideal sleep requirements. So, while you may need a good 8 hours, the amount of sleep your partner needs to function at their best

So, how do we know when we are getting enough? Jim Horne from Loughborough University's Sleep Research Centre advises that: "The amount of sleep we require is what we need not to be sleepy in the daytime." It is therefore important to pay attention to your own individual needs by examining how you feel on different amounts of sleep. However, there does appear to be a minimum amount of sleep that most adults need to be healthy and productive, which is at least six hours every night. Children need significantly longer blocks of sleep time the younger they are.

The following table gives you a general guide on appropriate sleep times:

Most of us don’t give our mattress much thought, even though we spend about a ¼ of our lives sleeping on it! But, if you have had your mattress for 10 years, you’ve probably slept on it for about 30000 hours. At Bedshed, we recommend you change your mattress every 5 years.

You’ll also know you need a new mattress if you are noticing dips or lumps of if you wake up feeling stiff. If your night’s sleep leaves you with a backache you also know it is time to act!

Many customers also report that their preferences change as they get older. As your body ages you may appreciate a bed with softer padding to protect bones and pressure points. But this doesn’t mean that your bed should be soft or sagging. The underlying structure must support your body effectively.

Visit a Bedshed store and our Bedshed sales staff can assist you in finding a mattress that suits your current needs and budget.

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Are you bored of seeing the same bedroom interior? Here are some tips on how to turn your bedroom into a sanctuary from the stresses of daily life.

1. Let the natural light in! Allowing natural light to flow into your bedroom during the day will kill staleness and refresh your room on a daily basis.
2. Can’t afford a total bedroom makeover? Consider updating your linen or introducing a new colour through cushions and throws to enliven your mood and reflect the spirit of the new season.
3. Think about what makes you happy and provides you the greatest sense of luxury, tranquillity and peace. Is it silks, scented candles, lots of pillows, certain colours or feather doona’s, photos of friends and family or music CD’s? Whatever it is, introduce one or some of these elements to indulge your senses.
4. If your bedroom has adequate space for a seating area, select a comfy chair or chaise lounge that will entice you to curl up, relax, and read a good book.
5. Material quality will also affect how you feel. Consider the thread count of your linen. Thread count is the number of threads woven into one square inch of fabric. The higher the thread count, the smoother and softer the sheets will be.
6. If you have hard floors, consider a rug to create warmth and comfort.
7. If you have a small bedroom, a cleverly positioned mirror can make the room appear larger.
8. Declutter! Clutter can remind us of all that we have to get done in our daily lives. Re-organise clutter into the working zones of your home.
9. Consider repainting your bedroom. A new, fresh colour can give you a complete bedroom makeover and assist you in unwinding. Soft blues and greens are considered cool and calming colours. Earth and neutral tones like taupe and brown do the trick as well.
10. Avoid having computers or televisions in your bedroom. They can distract you and keep you awake.
11. Keep your bedroom tidy. A tidy room helps makes you feel calm and relaxed!

As the weather warms up and Summer is approaching, we find more customers telling us they find they “sleep hot” and can we help with a solution. The answer to this is yes!

Bedshed has a fantastic range of gel mattresses, pillows and other accessories to help you keep cool for the perfect night’s sleep.

What are the benefits of gel?

Gel technology is designed to provide you a cooler night’s sleep by lowering the skins temperature. The gel technology creates maximum airflow close to the sleeping surface which results in less heat build up and therefore a more temperature neutral sleep.

Not only does gel keep you cooler, it also offers other benefits including providing maximum pressure relief for the body and total conformity to ensure a restful, uninterrupted sleep.

How does gel actually work?

Gel mattresses were originally used in hospitals and medical applications where serious comfort and pressure relief was imperative. The amazing benefits of gel have over time been incorporated into mainstream products.

A gel mattress works by not only lowering the skins temperature, but as pressure is applied from your body the gel distributes the body’s weight which provides pressure relief for the body.

Have you ever woken up with pins and needles in your arms and legs? This can be caused by a reduced blood flow and results in you tossing and turning as your body is trying to maintain circulation. What this means is a disrupted sleep for you! Gel is designed to respond so blood flow is not reduced. This means your body doesn’t need to toss and turn as much resulting in a deeper, uninterrupted sleep.  

What to know more?

Check out your local Bedshed store who can show you our range of gel mattresses to help you get the best night’s sleep. Bedshed also has gel pillows and other accessories to complete your cooler, more comfortable sleep.

A mattress should be chosen based on comfort and your budget.

To find a mattress that's comfortable, simply try lying on as many as possible! Stores such as Bedshed are happy for customers to lie down and test  mattresses for comfort. Our Bedshed’s sales staff can assist you in identifying the features that make a mattress right for you.

There’s a lot of choice too, with many alternative manufacturers and styles. Each will incorporate a different combination of softness or firmness, fibre coverings, type of springs and density of foam or latex. Our sales staff can assist you in understanding these features and their corresponding levels of comfort for your body.

Here are a few tips to guide you:

• Obtain the mattress specifications such as fibres, springs, density of materials etc. You’ll quickly gain a sense of the features that work for you.
• To help you identify the comfort of alternative mattresses, wear comfortable clothes and shoes you can easily slip off. It’ is best to test out the mattress with your sleeping partner.
• When you’re deciding if a bed is too hard, too soft or just right, look at two major factors: the level of support which is provided by the internal spring unit and the comfort, provided by the padding. The spring unit supports your body frame, while the comfort system conforms to your body’s shape, cushioning it from the spring unit.
• Try to roll over. It will take a lot of effort if the bed’s too soft, and will feel uncomfortable on your hips and shoulders if it’s too firm.
• Mattress corners should have weight and substance, and edges should be firm and strong.
• When you roll around, the mattress shouldn’t creak, crunch or wobble.

Head on in to your local Bedshed store where experienced staff can assist you in finding the right mattress for you!

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What are the stages of sleep? There are two general states of sleep: (1) rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and (2) non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. 

REM sleep is unlike any of the other stages of sleep. In REM sleep, brain waves have a fast frequency and low voltage, similar to the brain waves seen in the normal awake state. Other characteristics of REM sleep include complete inactivity of the voluntary muscles in the body, with the exception of the muscles that control eye movements. Rapid eye movements are also observed during REM sleep. People who are awakened during REM sleep often report that they were dreaming at the time. About 20 per cent to 25 per cent of sleep time is REM sleep; in infants it can comprise about 40 per cent.

NREM sleep has traditionally been divided into four stages. However, new guidelines from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) have re-characterised NREM sleep as occurring in three stages, according to the pattern of brain electrical activity.  About 80 per cent of sleep is NREM sleep. If you sleep 7-8 hours a night, all but maybe an hour and a half is spent in dreamless NREM sleep. Sleep typically occurs in cycles that range from 90 to 120 minutes in length, with 4-5 cycles occurring during each night's sleep.

In the first half of the night, there is a transition from wakefulness into stage one NREM sleep, then to stages NREM two and three. Stages NREM two and three then reappear followed by the first instance of REM sleep. Cycles of stage NREM two and REM sleep alternate with each other for the second half of the night.

Read on next week as we will provide you tips on choosing the right mattress for you, so you can get the most comfortable, rejuvenating night’s sleep!

It’s amazing to think we spend around a quarter of our lives asleep.  While it’s a necessary part of our survival, few of us understand just how much sleep affects every part of our lives. Sleep has the ability to restore and energise our body and brain and can have a profound impact on our mood, health, body weight, perception, memory, thinking, reaction time, communication skills and creative impulses.

Despite the importance of sleep, many of us know little about it.  So, what is sleep? Sleep can be defined as a naturally recurring state characterised by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles. We all recognise when we feel tired and want to sleep.  And after sleep, we usually feel rested, alert and ready for action. Typically, a well-rested person shouldn’t feel unusually sleepy.  

Problem sleepiness may be associated with difficulty concentrating, memory lapses, loss of energy, fatigue, lethargy, and emotional instability. Feeling constantly sleepy when you’re awake can actually pose potentially serious consequences such as car or workplace accidents or errors.  In addition, stress, lifestyle factors or undiagnosed sleep disorders can cause sleepiness.    

The most common sleep disorders are sleep apnoea, insomnia, narcolepsy, and restless legs syndrome. Large numbers of individuals suffering from these sleep disorders are unaware of, and have not been diagnosed or treated, for their disorder.  If you feel that you may have any of these disorders, you should consult your GP to discuss treatment options.  If you simply feel that you have a few troubles maintaining a healthy sleep schedule, read our blog on “Tip’s for a Good Night’s Sleep”.

Your child’s bedroom should be their sanctuary. Like adults, children have a lot to deal with many in their busy day, so it’s important their bedroom is a safe haven to study, play, and fall asleep in.

Here are some tips on how to enhance your children’s bedroom environment and establish a good bedtime and sleep routine.

• Choose a relaxing colour and avoid using too many colours in the one room. Use various hues and shades of the same colour if possible for feature work.
• Lighting should be reminiscent of daylight during the day and soft and gentle in the evening.
• Let your child's bedroom reflect his or her interests and personality. Put some of their own artwork on the walls and any trophies or awards on a special shelf. Just be careful that bedroom decorations don’t become overstimulating.
• Organise children’s toys efficiently. This will help reduce clutter and disorder.
• Allow room around your child’s bed so they do not feel boxed in.
• Use minimal auditory stimulation in your child’s bedroom. Use “white noise” for soothing a child and blocking out household sounds. A fan or fish tank are good options.
• Allow a child to sleep with a night-light on. Night-lights help remind children they are in a safe bedroom. Choose a dim nightlight, with just enough light to let off a glow to see around. Too much light at night can interfere with sleep patterns.
• Create a bedtime routine that is calm and peaceful and allow plenty of time to work through this routine. For example, bath, pyjamas, teeth, story, hug etc. If a child is overstimulated before bed, they may not be prepared for sleep.
• Encourage your child to play in their bedroom during the day on their own, with friends and with you. If children are unfamiliar with their bedroom and only go in the room to sleep, they will not feel comfortable or safe at night.
• Reward good sleep. Make a "sleeping chart" to reinforce positive bedtime behaviour.
• Allow natural light and air into your child’s bedroom. Good air circulation improves the air quality and atmosphere of a room.
• When you purchase new bedroom furniture, make sure it meets today’s safety standards.
• Ensure toddler beds are equipped with bed rails.
• Position beds away from windows, heating vents, radiators, lamps, curtains or window-blind cords.
• Make sure your child is sleeping on a mattress suitable for their body.
• Buy bed linen that your child likes – they will be more inclined to want to go to bed!
• Children’s bed linen should be machine washable, soft and made from natural fibres. Pillow protectors protect kids from dust mites and other allergens. A quality stain-resistant mattress protector will not only protect against accidents, but many are hypoallergenic.

Related:

• Bedshed Kids Bedroom Furniture & Mattresses
• How much sleep do we need? (by age)

Do you have trouble getting to sleep or maintaining sleep throughout the night?  

Here are some tips to help you establish a good sleep routine...

• Firstly, a good quality mattress is essential. An inappropriate mattress leads to back discomfort, sleep discomfort and restlessness throughout the night. 
• Determine the right quantity of sleep for you.  Over a series of nights, examine how you feel after six, seven, eight or nine hours sleep and be aware of just how much sleep you really need to feel well-rested and ready to get up and go. As a rule of thumb, aim for at least six to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep every night.
• Establish a good routine. Go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time every day where possible.
• Sleeping on the couch before bedtime will create havoc with your bedtime sleep routine.  Avoid naps during the day and in the early evening to ensure you are tired when you go to bed.
• If you go through a period of time when you are not getting enough sleep, try not to become stressed - it only exacerbates the problem.  Sleep will come eventually, so try to relax.
• If you can’t get to sleep for an extended period (at least 30 minutes) get out of bed and do something calming and relaxing in a dim light until you feel sleepy.  Then, go back to bed and try again.
• Consider meditating or listening to gentle music for 15 minutes before bed.
• Don’t exercise directly before bed.  However, an exercise routine should help you get a good night's sleep.  Three to five exercise routines per week is recommended.
• Sleep in a dark, quiet and aesthetically pleasant room at a comfortable temperature.
• Allow a couple of hours for your food to digest before going to bed.  But don't go to bed hungry - an empty stomach can interfere with sleep.
• Herbal tea or other warm caffeine-free drinks before bed may help you sleep.
• Excessive alcohol consumption will interfere with your sleep.  While alcohol can seem to help you get to sleep, it can cause sleep disruption later in the night.  Avoid drinking alcohol at least three hours before going to bed.
• Turn off your computer at least an hour before bedtime. A bright computer screen can stimulate your brain.
• Keep the amount of light in your house low for a couple of hours before bedtime. Bright light at night can make us stay awake because it tricks the brain into thinking it is daytime.
• Try to deal with your worries and stresses before bedtime.  Or, keep a pad and pen handy by your bed to jot down reminder notes for yourself if your thoughts are burdened by things you need to do or address.