Bed-sharing among family members has been a centuries-old practice driven by economic necessity, cultural traditions, and practicality. Ancient cultures valued communal sleeping as a way to foster closeness and strengthen bonds within families. Living and sleeping in close quarters brought families together both literally and figuratively.  During the medieval period, cramped living conditions made bed-sharing more of a necessity. Entire families, including servants, slept in the same room on beds or raised pallets. As living standards improved in the 18th and 19th centuries, individualized sleeping arrangements started to emerge, and this gave birth to the “master bedroom” concept. In the 20th century, home builders accommodated the trend of individualized sleeping with multiple bedrooms for a single family. In some ways, a separate bedroom for each family member became a symbol of wealth. Ever since, society has continued to progress.     What Cell Phones and Separate Bedrooms Have In Common How many...

  The results are in. We have the receipts. Getting enough high-quality sleep is essential to our physical and mental health. Period. No one can be sure when or how we became careless about sleep, but we must come to our senses. Sleep deprivation and poor sleep can catch up to all of us, regardless of age.    Conditions Linked to Poor Sleep According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, insufficient sleep has been connected to several chronic diseases:   Diabetes Insufficient sleep is a contributing factor to an increased risk for the development of type 2 diabetes. The amount and quality of sleep are considered predictors of Hemoglobin A1C levels. This is recognized as an essential marker of blood sugar. In addition, type 2 diabetes can itself be a contributing factor to a list of other conditions with severe consequences.      Cardiovascular Disease In simple terms,...

  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...

  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 moment...

  Finally, there's a definitive answer. Blue light before bed is bad for sleep. Blue light makes it harder for us to fall asleep, and it affects certain parts of the human brain in such a way as to degrade the quality of our sleep. We all know how important sleep is to our physical health, ability to handle stress and mental health. So, especially these days, it makes good sense to make small changes to promote healthy sleep. But unfortunately, the effects of blue light diminish our ability to receive the therapeutic benefits of a good night's sleep.     Are you having trouble sleeping?  Ask yourself about your sleep habits here.   Do you have a consistent bedtime? Do you have a sleep routine? A sleep routine is a set of consistent things you do every evening as you approach your bedtime? It can be anything. For example,...

  As if... As if by this age someone needs to explain how to keep your comforter clean. Nonsense. Obviously, you’d pass the UV light test with flying colors, right? “What’s that?”, you say. You’ve watched enough crime dramas to know, haven’t you? That’s when the forensics special agent comes into the hotel room with a UV blacklight flashlight to scan the bed to see if the perpetrator left any “traces” behind. “Oh, that UV light test”, you say. See, as we thought, there’s nothing to worry about. So, stop reading this article now and send a link to your teenagers or someone else who might be shocked at what they see on their comforters. You just sleep tight tonight.       Dust mites, bed bugs and other little creatures that might be sharing your comforter   We’re not even talking about the whole world of things you need...

Studies show peaceful and restful sleep is more important to children than any other age group. Proper mental and physical growth in children occurs in large part during sleep. The quality and duration of their sleep also impacts their general health, well-being, and energy levels throughout the day for sports, studies, and emotional development. It is during their all-important sleep that their bodies develop fastest, from bones to hormones, brain cells to physical makeup. Of course, kids being kids, they can fall asleep just about anywhere. But should they? Once you realize how crucial the quality of their sleep is to their development, you can do so much to help your child. “Hand-me-downs” and “old-school” mattresses don’t cut it anymore and they don’t come close to providing the comfort and support of today’s quality mattresses.     If you are a parent looking for the best mattress options for your...

  Everyone needs sleep. Sleep is essential for immune functioning, improved cognitive performance, and for the formation of new memories.    Still, we struggle with getting enough quality sleep every day. It is estimated that more than 50 million Americans battle with chronic sleep disorders every year, while nearly 20-30 million will suffer with intermittent sleep issues of some kind during the same amount of time.    Stress is the number one cause for sleepless nights. Spending the night tossing and turning on top of a small, outdated mattress, only makes matters worse. The last thing people need, especially during times of high stress, is to be even more stressed out from not getting a good quality night sleep on their old, worn-out mattress.           Challenges like having an active family, a demanding job, going to school full time, or even coping with a disability, getting...