The first years of life are crucial to child development. And we're learning so much about how vital sleep is to brain development. There has been a lot of research into how to help your kids sleep better at night, and the scientific community is consistently learning new things. A research team led by Dr. Ze Wang at the University of Maryland conducted a study that involved nearly 12,000 volunteers between 9 and 10 years of age from across the country. Their research compared children who typically got less than the recommended nine hours of sleep to children who generally got nine or more hours of sleep per day. The study was conducted over a two-year period, and both groups were matched according to key factors like gender, household income, body mass index, and puberty status.  According to Dr. Wang, "Children who had insufficient sleep–less than nine hours per...

  Buying a new mattress for Christmas might not be the first thing that pops into your mind around this time of year, but it should be. Can you think of any other gift that will be used for eight hours a day, year after year? How many "morning smiles" will a new bed give you from a good night's sleep? A new mattress really is the gift that keeps on giving.    The Best Way to Watch Christmas Movie Classics These days, family traditions are hard to keep. If you want to create a new and everlasting Christmas Family Tradition, watch your favorite Christmas movie on The Family Bed by Taylor & Wells.     This bed is ginormous, and your whole family, including your furry friends, will be able to bond while everyone enjoys a favorite Christmas movie like Home Alone, It's a Wonderful Life, Rudolph the Red-Nosed...

  This really depends on how important a good night’s sleep is to you. If it makes no difference, why buy a mattress at all? Why not sleep on the floor, on a military cot, or get comfortable in a corn crib? After all, that’s how our early pioneers did it.  For everyone else, the average life span of a mattress is roughly 6 - 8 years. This depends on the type of mattress, the quality of the materials, the workmanship, the everyday use, and the routine of care. There are some things you can do to help make your mattress last longer, and yes, there are definitely some factors that will shorten its life.    Take a Short Quiz To See If Your Mattress Needs To be Replaced Does your mattress sag in the spot where you sleep most often or at the edge where you get out of...

  Yes, they do. Even though we cannot directly observe another being’s dreams, according to many studies, scientists agree that dogs and, in fact, most mammals have dreams. This is something you may have already noticed. If you watch your dog carefully as they sleep, sometimes you can see them moving their paws as if they’re running. Other times you may notice Rapid Eye Movement (REM), and this is one of the most telling signs of being in a dream state.   Snuggling With Your Dog Can Lower Your Blood Pressure It’s just one of the health benefits of interacting with a beloved pet. Studies show petting a cat or dog can lower your blood pressure. Pet owners generally feel calmer when they’re snuggling with their pets.       Petting an animal can also lower your heart rate. Pet owners know this already. No matter how stressful your day starts, the...

  Edge support on a bed is one of the least known factors of a good night’s sleep. Here’s why -- a firm yet comfortable edge on your mattress means everything stays where it should be, whether you’re sleeping, hanging out with the family, watching a movie, or even putting on your shoes. The technology and materials used to create the edge support make it one of the most important components of your mattress, and it is integral to the overall performance and durability.   Mattresses are not built the way they used to be, and that’s a good thing Today’s mattresses are designed with several specific components that work together. The strength and flexibility of the edge of the perimeter of the mattress are crucial to how well these components work. The edge needs to be sturdy enough to provide stability and yet pliable enough to make it comfortable....

  The main reason your mattress squeaks is old or damaged inner springs. And unfortunately, there’s no way you can fix a squeaky mattress. What can start as a small inconvenience often turns into an unbearable frustration. Squeak, squeak here. Squeak, squeak there, and pretty soon, you’ve got a squeak, squeak everywhere. Why torture yourself? It’s probably time for a new mattress. Do you have a squeaky mattress, squeaky box spring, or squeaky bed? If you don’t have inner springs in your mattress or box spring, it’s most probably your bed frame or the floor. For example, 100% memory foam mattresses or 100% latex mattresses do not use springs. However, it’s not always easy to tell if your mattress has springs inside. Hybrid mattresses use a combination of springs and other materials to provide support and comfort.     Why do springs squeak? Mattresses and traditional box springs use coiled...

  No matter how much we love a mattress, at some point, it's time to move on. The same goes for a favorite bed, although beds seem to last longer than mattresses. When you decide it's time, there are some simple tips to help you. There are even a few ways to help you figure out when that time has come. So here's a hint: if it's been seven years, it's time to think about it.       Have you gone nose blind?   When was the last time you stripped your bed and mattress of linens and smelled the mattress? I don't mean from across the room or when your freshly laundered linens are billowing over the mattress. I mean, sniffing your mattress up close. If even the thought of this scares you, take my word for it, it's time to get a new mattress.      ...

  Take care of your bedding, and it will take care of you. You already know this is true. Want to know how? Think about the best hotel you've been to. You walk in the room, and there it is – a big, beautiful bed that looks like it's ready for royalty. And when you get in, it feels even better than it looks. Ahhh, you feel like a million bucks. There's nothing like it. Right? Well, there could be. There's no reason why you can't enjoy the same feeling of luxury every night in your own home. It's not all about your mattress or your bed frame. Bedding and sheets are just as important. Depending on your budget, make sure you set aside enough to get the bedding that will make a difference.         Good quality bedding is worth every penny It's not like you buy...