Stress-Free Sleep and Your Mattress
Labor Day Origins
Remember when our moms used to tell us we couldn’t wear white after Labor Day? There’s also a rule that all pools close the day after Labor Day. People say that Labor Day is the last boating day of the season. Who makes these rules anyway and do they really exist? While it’s true that Labor Day is a day off work to celebrate all the hard days you’ve put in over the year. But it’s so much more!
Labor Day signifies change. Change from what? you might ask. Here’s a list:
- Back to school
- First day of autumn (though there’s some debate about the actual equinox date)
- Turning from summer mentality to fall activity
- Wardrobe switches
- Celebration of past work well-done and looking toward the future with new goals
- Labor Day sales
Labor Day is less about the actual date (unlike Christmas and fourth of July) and more about falling on a Monday. This is to give those who labor in the workforce an extended weekend and a chance to travel or be on a staycation. Typically, Labor Day is the first Monday in September, with the exception of 2026. Labor Day is unique to America. We focus on American workers who have contributed to the strength and wealth of our great nation. Americans love to celebrate, and Labor Day is no exception. We throw parades, attend picnics, go to the lake, shop sales, shoot off fireworks, spend time relaxing at home, or host family barbeques. It’s our way to show our gratitude for the freedom, innovations, and affluence we enjoy while living in this country.
Here are some interesting facts about the how Labor Day began:
- The first Labor Day happened in 1882.
- Rather than a paid day off, the first Labor Day was a parade in New York to celebrate unions and the people who had worked hard to start them.
- Workers who attended the parade lost that day’s wages.
- Over 20,000 people showed up to celebrate.
- Unions in other states hosted similar parades.
- For the next five years, many other states made Labor Day an official holiday.
- In 1894, President Cleveland signed an act making Labor Day an official federal holiday.
Work Hard, Play Hard Mentality
With work comes the inevitable effects of stress in our lives. There are several types of stress your body might endure, such as acute stress, frequent stress, and chronic stress. Even good stress can tire our bodies out physically and mentally. In this article, “Learning About Stress and It’s Effects,” the author writes that “according to the National Institute of Health, ‘stress is a physical and emotional reaction that people experience as they encounter challenges in life.’ Stress isn’t bad for you. Instead, it’s your body’s way to guard you. It can help you stay energetic and alert. In an emergency, stress can give you additional strengths to defend yourself” (Torris, 2023).
While we all enjoy those days where we work hard to create, innovate, and build something new, it’s no surprise when we go home feeling aftereffects to our bodies. This is not unlike the aftershocks of a storm. Only these aches and pains are acutely personal. Unless we learn how to deal with stress effectively in the moment, we hold that pressure in our bodies. Everyone experiences stress, which can lead to feelings that overwhelm us.
Take a quick assessment of how you feel when you get off work at the end of the day. Here are some signs that your workday might be affecting you more than you realize. Note that we are not doctors and cannot make these assessments for you. If you suspect stress is affecting you, your body, and your mind in a detrimental way, please see a health professional to make changes to your life.
How are you feeling? Here are some symptoms to determine if you are in acute stress:
- Feeling irritable
- Experiencing mild to full-out anxiety
- You are short-tempered
- Overwhelmed is an understatement
- Fear, worry, or depression plague you
Stress can also manifest in the form of physical body aches. Take a moment to acknowledge your body. Do you have any of these symptoms? If so, you might be experiencing frequent stress:
- Tension headaches
- Back pain
- Jaw pain
- Loss of appetite
- Indigestion when you eat
The outcome of staying in stress for long periods can create bigger health issues than we expect. If you notice a decline in your health, check out these conditions that can determine if your body is in a process called chronic health stress:
- Heartache
- Stroke
- Violent outbursts
- Suicidal thoughts
The Sleep Solution
In the meantime, we might have a solution for you! Sleep is a highly underrated solution to the problem of stress. Getting a good night’s sleep following your circadian rhythm—a sleep pattern that is optimal for your body, including getting the right number of hours of sleep at night—can not only heal and restore your body, but it can also lower your stress levels in the following ways:
- Regulates your mood
- Creates a calm inside you
- Decreases your anxiety
- Clarifies your judgement
- Enables you to make good decisions
- Enhances your focus and concentration
- Improves your body’s ability to regulate your emotions
- Decreases your cortisol levels
That’s all great, you may say, but what if stress is causing me not to sleep? That’s common. According to American Psychological Association, “American adults report sleeping an average of 6.7 hours a night—less than the minimum recommendation of seven to nine hours (This recommendation comes from an article in the National Sleep Foundation,” (Suni, 2024).
For eight self-care lifestyle modifications that can help you sleep better this year, check out this blog post, “How to Take Better Care of Yourself in the New Year.” In addition to those suggestions, here are some hacks to create a habit of sleeping better:
Hack #1 – Regulate your daily sleep. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day creates a pattern that your body will eventually learn to thrive on. If we are lucky, we can tailor this to our circadian rhythm. However, jobs and responsibilities might get in the way of your natural rhythm. Only you know the number of hours you need for daily success. Prioritize that number of sleep hours and train your body accordingly.
Hack #2 – Create a calming nightly routine. Turn off the TV and electronics at the same time every night to detox from the screen before bed. Dim the lights. This will be a visual clue to your body that it’s time to change gears and relax into your nightly routine. Play slow, relaxing music to cue your body to what is coming next.
Hack #3 – Meditate or initiate deep breathing mantras. Meditation is known to calm our racing minds, lower our heart rates, and relax our nervous systems. So often, when we lay down to sleep, our minds race with all the things we need to do tomorrow. Those things can wait. Bedtime should be about prioritizing you by restoring and healing your body.
If you’ve tried all these tricks and you still can’t get a good night’s rest, it might be time to change your mattress. You’re in luck! Labor Day Sales are the most affordable way to make a purchase that will enhance your sleep habits, boost your health, and ultimately change your life.
Why Labor Day Sales?
At Beautyrest Sleep Gallery, we honor hard-working women and men in the workplace who are building our future America into the place where we want to raise our kids, grandkids, and families. We place a special emphasis on hard workers because our lives are better because of you. The least we can do is offer sales on a quality product that will make your lives more comfortable. This is why you’ll see Labor Day sales on mattresses. A mattress is a deeply personal space that allows you to embrace your work-hard, play-hard life and live it to your optimal potential.
Sleep Well This Labor Day, Wake Up, and Be Happy
Embrace a new, stress-free lifestyle with Labor Day sales this year to get an amazing mattress at an affordable price. Start here to view our mattresses. We have a wide selection to meet your needs. Stress-free sleep is just a perk of our mattresses. Above all, we want you to relax, sleep well, wake up and be happy with Beautyrest Sleep Gallery.
References:
Suzanne Torris. (April 1, 2023). “Learning About Stress and Its Effects.” Vail Health Foundation.
“Sleep and Stress.” 2013. American Psychological Association.
Eric Suni and Dr. Abhinav Singh. (May 14, 2024). “How Much Sleep Do You Need?” National Sleep Foundation.
James, Ursula. (January 29, 2024). “How to Take Better Care of Yourself in the New Year.” Sleep Gallery.biz.