We specialize in making your bedroom dark, quiet and comfortable so you can sleep better every night. Click on the links below for recommendations on how to make your bedroom:
Why do we focus on "dark, quiet and comfortable"? The National Sleep Foundation determined that the ideal sleep environment is one that is "dark, quiet, comfortable and cool" (and we're not going to sell air conditioners). See their articles on The Sleep Environment and Healthy Sleep Tips.
Dark
Darkness is key, since it is required for the body's circadian rhythm, or "body clock", to function properly. Humans need a balance of light and darkness each day for optimal sleep. As soon as the first hint of light penetrates the eyelids in the morning, the body stops producing melatonin, the body's main sleep-inducing chemical (sometimes called the "Dracula of hormones" because it is only produced at night). The morning's first light literally sets off a chemical reaction that brings the body out of sleep. Thus, one of the most common sleep problems is being awoken early by morning sunlight (we recommend sleep masks and blackout liners to help). However, some people have the opposite problem, especially in northern latitudes or among shift workers. Their problem is that they can't get enough natural light from the sun when they're supposed to wake up. Therefore, they feel extra groggy when they start their day. Some people even suffer from an extreme version of this called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or "SAD", which is sometimes dubbed the "wintertime blues" because it typically occurs more frequently in the winter months when sunlight is at its annual minimum. Jet lag is also a form of disruption to the body clock, and sleep problems are common among those who suffer from it. In fact, the National Sleep Foundation says, "light...is the most powerful regulator of our biological clock." It is for these reasons that we also sell light therapy products. They help people wake up, combat SAD, and even sleep better by restoring a more natural sleep cycle. To sleep best, people need to get a healthy dose of sunlight (or other bright light) during the day (some people use light therapy boxes for a few hours in the evening). So bright light not only helps us wake up, it also helps us fall asleep.
Quiet
Quiet is also critical. It is probably one of man's most basic instincts to awake upon hearing loud noises at night. If cavemen did not develop such an instinct we probably would not be around today. Sudden and/or loud noises at night evoke a primal fear of being attacked. Unfortunately, although we no longer live in caves, our body still reacts with its instincts and wakes us up. We recommend using earplugs or sound conditioners (or white noise machines) to block out distracting noises.
Comfortable
Comfort is equally important for many people. A bad pillow, a stuffy room, or uncomfortable bedding and/or sleepwear can spell doom. Comfort can be even more elusive while traveling in a cramped airplane. For travelers, we offer specially designed pillows, sleep masks and sound conditioners (and we also recommend earplugs). Menopause makes sleep highly difficult due to the discomfort associated with hot flashes. For this problem, we recommend moisture-wicking sleepwear and/or moisture-wicking sheets. These products can also be helpful for anyone who "sleeps hot", or who always seems to feel hot and/or sweats when sleeping. Using these products can eliminate your waking up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat.
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