Hurry up and go!
Doesn’t that seem to be today’s mantra among adults? Even in the middle of a pandemic, we feel pulled in a million different directions. Technology is supposed to make us more efficient but it requires more output from us in the same amount of time. As parents, we’re already getting less sleep because of our children’s needs. Add onto that taking care of the house, family, getting all of the household chores done, running errands, being a good friend, boss, employee, co-worker, sibling, partner, etc. PLUS a demanding work schedule, it’s a miracle we’re functioning at all most days!
We’ve talked about newborn, toddler and teen sleep habits, but what about us? Who’s responsible for taking care of everyone? We are! If we don’t set a good example of what healthy sleep habits look like for our kids, then we can’t expect them to follow through with them. More importantly, if we don’t set aside time for ourselves to make sure we get enough sleep, everyone suffers, including us!
We want to take some time to remind ourselves (and you) to take care of yourself. This is a go, go, GO society that’s demanding of our time, emotion and energy. We’re on this journey with you and are experiencing the same throes of parenthood, trying to juggle it all and we know how hard it is, and trust us when we say you’re doing an amazing job!
While sleep might not be as critical for adults as it is for babies and their constantly developing brains, it’s still incredibly important for a myriad of reasons. According to the 2020 Sleep Poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, “Americans feel sleepy on an average of three days a week, with many saying it impacts their daily activities, mood, mental acuity, productivity; and more and 62 percent of Americans say their response to feeling sleepy is to shake it off.” Here are some of our motivating reasons to get a few more winks at night:
- It improves concentration and productivity
- Reduces your risk of heart disease
- Leads to better, healthier food choices
- Helps you exercise and maximize your athletic performance
- Improves your immune system
- Reduces the risk of depression
Tips for Better Sleep
The NSF recommends 7-9 hours of sleep for adults aged 18-64 and 7-8 hours for older adults aged 65 and over. Characteristics of a good night’s sleep include waking up feeling refreshed, alert, and able to be fully productive throughout your waking hours. The NSF’s Sleep Health Index® score – based on measures of sleep quality, sleep duration and disordered sleep – is worse among people who report having more sleepy days. In the 2020 Q1 Sleep Health Index, sleep quality, rated 64 on a scale of 0-100, was below average compared to prior Indexes.
The good news is that the NSF put together some simple and effective sleep tips to help you (and your loved ones) get a better, healthier night’s sleep.
- Have a consistent bedtime routine to help your body wind down and get ready to sleep.
- Set your bedroom temperature between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit to promote for optimal sleep.
- Expose yourself to sunlight in the morning and avoid bright light in the evening. This helps keep your circadian rhythm in check for better sleep.
- Use ear plugs or white noise machines to silence any distracting noises that can disturb your sleep.
- Your body needs time to shift into sleep mode, so spend the last hour before bed doing a calming activity such as reading.
- For optimal sleep, use blackout curtains to block out light and keep your room dark.
- It’s during sleep that your muscles recover and repair themselves, so make sure you get enough sleep.
Not mentioned but a tip we use and have found success with is:
Invest in a comfortable, breathable, healthy mattress. Most people sweat while they sleep and most mattresses absorb all of that sweat over time. That’s why all of our mattresses come covered in our organic, moisture-wicking, antimicrobial and hypoallergenic covers to help you sleep better and your mattress last longer.
Still unsure? Read what some parents had to say about their experiences before and after using Nook’s safe and breathable mattresses.
“We love Nook! Duke was born at 27 weeks, spent 78 days in the NICU with the most severe brain bleed possible and was diagnosed hydrocephalus. When I found out about Nook’s truly breathable mattresses & products, I was HOOKED! But then to learn they’re also antimicrobial-amazing...hello germ police!!! And my son has terrible reflux! So knowing they wick away moisture too & that his spit up won’t ruin the mattress core, is a plus! To top it all off with being organic & non-toxic, I mean you can’t beat Nook. They’re a company that’s doing right for our kiddos & us as parents/families! Thank you Nook for keeping my little man safe & healthy and for keeping this mama sane after a journey filled with lots of worry to get where we are today. 🧡 With all our love, Duke & the Birtwistle family”
"This is the third mattress I bought from Nook. 2 crib mattresses and now a twin. The twin did not disappoint! I love that there is no smell, I love the cover , and that it is a thick beautiful mattress. It gives a great look in my son’s room and I am not anxious about what’s inside the Mattress. Thank you! - M. C."
"We have absolutely loved our Pebble twin mattresses! We have 2 of them. Both of my girls, ages 9 and 7, use the twin mattresses. They have always loved the comfort of the mattress and it has been one less thing for me to worry about as far as their health and sleep is concerned. The cover is easy to remove and wash. I recommend this mattress to all of my mom friends whose kids are transitioning out of cribs. - Ionna B.
"I've been looking for non-toxic mattresses for my kids and Nook sleep system came up on my search. My first purchase was the Nook pebbles stokke crib mattress and I loved it so much that I bought the twin size when my older kid made a transition to the regular bed. His sister is enjoying the nook crib mattress now, by the way. Not only are these non-toxic, organic and eco-friendly but are also the most comfortable mattress ever! I often fall asleep next to my son right away when I'm trying to put him to sleep. 😅 - Melissa S."
"Best sleep for parents! Ever since we bought our pebble mattress 18 months ago we've ALL been sleeping like a baby. Now that we have our second child, we can't wait to buy the twin mattress for our toddler! Thank you Nook! - Arturo E."
"So cozy and a massive anxiety relief for Mom! Our 5 month old rolled over and started sleeping not just on her belly but basically face planted. I had 2 nights of not getting any sleep at all watching her like a hawk to make sure she wasn’t suffocating herself and bought the Pebble Pure at 3am and overnighted it. Our little girl fell in love with her Pebble Pure mattress immediately. It’s so cozy I want one for myself and I feel so much better because you can literally smash your face in the mattress and still breath. Being a crazy new mom I tried it myself and breathed just fine! Plus you can feel good about the materials your baby is breathing all night long. - Lauren C."
