March 11–17, 2018 —
It’s National Sleep Awareness Week! Sponsored by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), this special week Is a good time to focus on strategies for getting a better night’s sleep. I believe you need to build a good night’s sleep from the bottom up—starting with what you are sleeping on.
Think of your mattress and foundation as sleep equipment. As in any endeavor, the quality of your equipment matters. Tennis pros invest in just the right racket. Golfers on the PGA Tour care deeply about the clubs they use. I don’t recall a NASCAR driver winning a major race in a clunker!
According to the Better Sleep Council, if your mattress is more than seven years old, it’s probably time to consider a new one —or at least try some new mattresses to see if they feel more supportive and comfortable than what you are used to sleeping on.
With so many manufacturers and retailers today offering mattresses containing CertiPUR-US® certified foam, it’s easy to find a mattress (and topper and pillow) that will make you comfortable physically, but also mentally, by giving you the peace of mind that comes with knowing more about the products you bring into your home. Whether it’s made with conventional foam, viscoelastic (memory foam) or foam with gel, you’ll sleep better knowing the flexible polyurethane foam inside meets rigorous standards for content, emissions and durability. Certified foam is:
- Made without ozone depleters
- Made without PBDEs, TDCPP or TCEP (“Tris”) flame retardants
- Made without mercury, lead and other heavy metals
- Made without formaldehyde
- Made without phthalates regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission
- Has low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions for indoor air quality (less than 0.5 parts per million)
Find mattress-shopping advice here.
Once you get a new bed, be sure you spend enough time on it! NSF offers a bedtime calculator that allows you to figure out what time to go to bed based on how many hours you want to sleep and when your morning alarm will ring.
Being aware of the importance of good sleep is the first step to getting a better night’s sleep every night.
