Category: Lifestyle

What does your sleeping position say about you? When deep asleep, it’s the time when our defenses are down and our subconscious takes over. As experts in the Land of Nod, the SquareDeal Dreamologists decided to do a little sleuthing in the starry skies. (Okay, fine, we also wanted to write a funny blog involving constellations ). Our findings? The body language of sleep says a lot more than we might realize.

Cygnus: Stomach Sleeper with Arms Out or Up

Personality: If you rest in the position sometimes known as a free-faller sleeper, you’re probably not afraid of risk. You generally exude an air of confidence and fun. Often this brash behavior is a cover for nerves and anxiety, and you might be a little thin-skinned, especially in situations where you don’t have control.

Likes: Theme parks, start-up businesses

Dislikes: Organized feedback, surprise parties

Dreamologist tip: watch out for strain at the base of your spine from overarching. Try sleeping without a pillow, or add a pillow under your pelvis

Cassiopeia: Side Sprawl with Arms Outstretched

Personality If you’re a side sleeper with a tendency to stretch your arms above or to the front, then you’re most likely a pretty open, friendly person. Decisions may not always come to you quickly or easily, but you stick to them once made.

Likes: Pre-planned happy hours, new hires

Dislikes: Too many condiment options

Dreamologist tip: Watch out for head and neck support if you’re sleeping on the edge of your pillow.

Taurus: Side Sleeper Curled into Fetal Position

Personality: If you sleep on your side, curled into a ball, you’re in the same position—literally as about 41% of the world. This popular sleep position is often associated with a strong outer shell and a marshmallow heart. You might talk a tough game, but inside you’re sensitive and caring.

Likes: Black-and-white Judy Garland movies, salty snacks

Dislikes: Overenthusiastic huggers

Dreamologist tip: Watch out for back strain from bent knees. Try a pillow between your knees to alleviate pain.

Orion: Back Sprawl with Arms and Legs Outstretched

Personality: Sleeping with arms above your head, legs astance, you’re ready for whatever may come. An exposed position like this (not unlike when an animal shows trust by showing its belly) you’re probably a communicative person with an extroverted personality. You just might be the life of the party, and you’re generally an open book on most topics.

Likes: Singing badly in the shower, kicking off the sheets

Dislikes: Long periods of silence, possibly cheese

Dreamologist tip: Watch out for snoring and back pain. Try a pillow under your knees for extra support

Virgo: Back Sleeper with Arms and Legs Lying Flat

Personality: Arms and legs mostly straight down like a perfectly poised lady or well-trained soldier might mean that you’ve got high standards, strong morals, and a strong sense of duty. You might be a bit more reserved and have high expectations of others.

Likes: Regency romance novels, The Container Store

Dislikes: Bad grammar, people who don’t use their turn signals

Dreamologist tip: Watch out for snoring. Ensure your mattress and pillow firmly support your head and neck.

Gemini: Sleeping Side by Side

Personalities: Like the two twins Castor and Pollux bonded for eternity in the night sky, you and your partner have an unbreakable bond. You often sleep touching or entwined and have deep affection and loyalty for each other. Close-contact means you also enjoy mouthwash.

Likes: Long walks on the beach, mood music

Dislikes: Snapchat, twin mattresses

Dreamologist tip: Watch out for uncomfortable sleeping situations that wake you up with a kink in your neck. Consider snuggling for a few minutes, then assuming your most comfortable position for the rest of the night.

What do you think? Is your personality revealed by the sleeping stars? Are you another constellation we didn’t cover? Or do you just like to be comfy—whatever position that looks like? Tell us in the comments! ?

*Photos courtesy of StarDate

With the shelter-in-place orders keeping kids at home, it’s not surprising the new normal has sleep schedules in chaos. A good night’s sleep is crucial to healthy minds and bodies, so whether your area is slowly reopening or you’re still hunkered down with the fam, here are some fun ways to get the kiddos back on track towards a healthy sleep schedule:

Make a Bedtime Routine Photo Tutorial

Snap a pic of each stage of your child’s bedtime routine: bathtime, teeth-brushing, PJ time, book reading, potty break, etc. Then, print the pictures in order of operations and hang the photo at kid-level. Tip: Have fun with the photoshoot! Crazy jammies or bathtime gone wild make it exciting, not a chore.

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner

Working your way toward a more regular sleep schedule may be as easy as melatonin for dinner. Rice, sweetcorn, cherries, grapes, poultry, nuts, tomatoes, olives, milk, and oats all contain naturally-occurring melatonin, a hormone that reminds your body it’s time for sleep. Be sure they don’t chow down too close to lights out, or the full stomach could cause discomfort and unrest.

Start a Final Countdown

If their sleep schedule is significantly off, a drastic change may cause more stress. Instead, make lights off time a bit earlier each night. Try increments or 10 or 15 minutes over the course of a week or two until you reach their desired bedtime. Be sure to have them wake up 15 minutes earlier each morning, too.

Give Electronics a Siesta

Studies show turning off electronics about an hour before bedtime results in quicker and better quality sleep. Replace this time before bed with other fun, yet relaxing, activities such as reading, drawing, coloring, brushing the dog, or even listening to a kid-friendly audiobook or podcast.

Cue the Sleepytime Tunes

Make peaceful music something to look forward to before bed. Involve the kids with a family event: snuggle up with PJs, fluffy pillows, and a glass of milk as you create a Spotify playlist together. Here are some ideas to get started; we love Rockabye Baby for their David Bowie and Ed Sheeran lullaby covers.

Encourage Daily Exercise

Exercise can help kids conk out faster and more willingly, so be sure it’s a part of their daily routines. The CDC recommends children 6-17 get at least 60 minutes of moderate exercise a day, and several sessions of fun and developmental play for kids 2-5 years old. Fun fact: Pillowfights count as cardio!

Try the 4-7-8 Technique

This unique breathing technique is intended to help increase oxygen flow to the blood, reduce heart rate, and encourage relaxation. A guided breathing meditation (sound only), might also work.

Kids are all so wonderfully unique, so what works for one may not for the other. Feel free to try out one or two or a combination of these tips, and be sure to keep a comfortable sleep environment at all times—fresh sheets, a comfy pillow, and a cool temperature all highly recommended!

et owners have many decisions to make: which brand of food, how many walks per day, the best toys to buy—but we all know the most important question to answer:

Pets on the bed: yes or no?

Right?! The battle wages strong between pet owners who share the bed and those who say overnights are off-limits. So who’s right? Is it merely a case of personal preference, or does science have something to say about the matter?

Let’s look at the facts.

Team Snuggle Bus:

People who sleep with their pets appreciate:

Extra warmth. Save on utility bills and skip the fire hazard. A heated blanket has nothin’ on your pet’s higher body temperature.

Security. When your head goes down at night, vulnerability goes up. A pup at your feet can provide a sense of safety, especially for children and singles.

Companionship. Banish lonely nights with a furry-friend snuggle. The unconditional love of a pet is the perfect recipe for a good night’s sleep.

Stress-relief. Cat purrs have been scientifically shown to reduce blood pressure, while rhythmic snores and breathing of your pooch can reduce insomnia and help you relax. Fun fact: petting your animal releases oxytocin (responsible for mutual stress relief and well-being) in your brain and theirs.

Better health. Proximity to your pet may decrease risk of stroke and heart disease.

Team Oh Heck Meow:

People who prefer their pets off the bed cite reasons such as:

Dirty sheets. If your pet spends time outdoors, there’s a good chance dirt, bugs, and poo—along with the standard allotment of fur—might hit the pillow(top) alongside you.

Allergies. Year-round, allergies can be triggered by the various dust, dander, and pollen particles a pet brings in and leaves on the furniture and bedding.

Aggression. If an animal has a strong attachment to one pet parent, she may become aggressive when the other parent shares the bed. Similarly, some pets lash out when startled or squished in bed.

Sleep disruption. Let’s face it: pets do weird things in the wee hours, including scratching, snoring, digging, and general bed-hogging. All of these can impact the quality of your sleep.

The great divide. Pets are experts at sprawling on beds. If your cat or dog separates you and your partner, it may create a physical barrier to closeness and bonding at night.

Our vote?

At the end of the day (literally), comfort and happiness matter most. Whatever helps you enjoy your custom-made mattress—whether it’s pets on or off—is the team we support.

Do you get up in the middle of the night and move to the sofa because you are waking up uncomfortable in your mattress? This may be a sign you need a new mattress or it could be that you just need a little more cushioning for your pressure points at your hips and shoulders.

For many years it has been said a firmer mattress is recommended for your back. Today, the experts are concluding that a medium-firm mattress is better for easing lower back pain, especially for side sleepers. If you still love your mattress but want to add a plushier comfort layer you can add a mattress topper. A mattress topper is a thick cushion of padding that will cover your mattress.

A topper is loose to the mattress which allows it to mold according to your body to provide the ultimate luxurious comfort, supporting of your neck, back and various pressure points to get rid of uncomfortable pain and aches.

Whether you prefer memory foam, latex, feathers, polyester or wool, a mattress topper is a wonderful addition to your bed. If your mattress already has a decent amount of padding, such as a pillow top, a memory foam topper of about 2 inches would be recommended as a good topper. If your mattress is particularly firm or worn out, then a layer of latex or poly foam in the thickness of 3 to 4 inches is suggested to help aid you in a supportive comfort.

Contact us to find out more.