Your Back to School Mattress
Paper, scissors, crayons, and glue… oh my! It’s that time of year again. Back to school! You are up to your elbows in school supplies, juggling grade school and middle school supply lists for each of your young ones… Or maybe, you are a college student shopping for yourself. Whatever your family situation, your mattress can play a vital role in this life transition. If you anticipate having a hard time getting back on a school sleep schedule, check out this blog Back to School Sleep Preparations. Someone in your house is likely transitioning to a new grade, maybe even a new physical school location. Now is not the time to let your mattresses fall off your to-do list. Your mattress can give you a fresh new start in more ways than one.
In the same way you have to buy your kids a whole new wardrobe and size up their shoes, it’s worth considering a new mattress that better fits a growing body. Check out this article Beauty Rest as Your Life Cycles. It might be obvious when it’s necessary to go from a crib to toddler bed to a twin “big girl” or “big boy” bed. But when is the best time to upgrade your child to a bed that will suit them as they grow into a teenager? If your kid has inherited family mattress hand-me-downs, maybe it’s time to consider the benefits of finding something specifically suited to him or her. Let’s take a look at the benefits of a fresh new back-to-school mattress.
Sleep and Learning
“Turn off that light and go to bed!” Did your mom ever gripe at you for staying up too late on a school night? How often have you done the same with your own kids? It turns out, that is wise advice. There is a correlation between sleep and the ability to learn, retain the knowledge, and recall it when it is necessary. In fact, some would argue the best thing to do the night before a big test is not to cram until 2:00 a.m. The best thing to do is get sleep. Let’s take a look at how sleep can improve important brain functions in you and your child.
- Memory: “Sleep actually helps students learn, memorize, retain, recall, and use their new knowledge to come up with creative and innovative solutions” (Cappello, 2020).
This information can be found in an article from the Chronobiology and Sleep Institute titled, “The Impact of Sleep on Learning and Memory.” According to Capello, “Sleep improves memory retention and recall by 20 to 40 percent.” The next time your teenager wants to stay up all night studying for a big test, you can tell them with confidence the best thing they can do to be prepared is, “Go to sleep!” - Energy Levels: A good night’s sleep can conserve energy and restore it. Check out this article, “Sleep Satisfaction and Energy Levels.” “Sleep is needed for energy conservation, restoration of our tissues and cognitive function, emotion regulation, and immune health” (Pacheco and Rehman, 2023). Some kids wake up with what seems like a boundless supply of energy while others have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning. While it’s true, some of that is nature vs. nurture, you can ask yourself the following questions:
- Did your kiddo get enough sleep the night before?How much do genetics play into your child’s energy level?
- What is the natural circadian rhythm of your child(ren)? Obviously, a child who has more energy at night is going to have more trouble getting up in the morning. Whereas a morning person will jump right out of bed.
- It’s all worth exploring. Why not give your kid the best possible chance of getting enough sleep? A mattress that fits his or her body is a worthwhile investment into the success of your school-aged child.
- Focus: We all know the ability to pay attention for long periods of time is vital in this quick-paced world. Staying focused is a big key to learning. “Not sleeping or getting enough sleep can lower your learning abilities by as much as 40 percent” (Pacheco and Rehman, 2024). You can find this information and more in this article, “How Memory and Sleep are Connected.” “Other potential cognitive impacts include trouble learning and focusing, reduced decision-making skills, and poor emotional and behavioral control.” (Pacheco and Rehman, 2024).
Sleep and Mood
“You’re grumpy! I’m not ever letting you have a sleepover again!” Do you remember those words from your childhood? Or maybe you’ve said them to your children. Well, there is a correlation with your children’s sleep, their mood, and their emotions. Sure, hormones also play a big part in mood and emotions, but let’s switch gears and talk about what we can control. In particular, the role sleep and their mattress plays in facilitating a good night’s sleep.
We all know the positive effects sleep has on the body. Studies show that sleep deprivation or poor sleep quality affect us in negative ways, which causes:
- Emotional sensitivity to outside stimulus
- Inability to cope with stress
- Stress that may result in health issues
- Harder time regulating emotions
- Misinterpreting emotions
Answers to Student Sleep Dilemmas
If lack of sleep is the problem, the answer is simple. Sleep more. How can you take an active role in helping your kiddos sleep? A good suggestion would be to regulate your child(ren)’s sleep schedule as much as possible. Start winding down in the evening hours before bedtime. Create a calming nightly routine. Go to bed at the same time every night. Get up at the same time every day. If your child is of the right age, make sure he or she naps in the middle of the day.
Speaking of bedtime, has your child ever complained about when they have to go to bed at night? According to the article “Sleep and Health” by the CDC, here are the number of hours your child needs to sleep each night:
- 6 to 12 years old = 9 to 12 hours per 24-hour timeframe
- 13 to 18 years old = 8 to 10 hours in a 24-hour timeframe
Sleep Well as You Transition Back to School. Wake Up and Be Happy
The best solution for hyping your child up to go to bed at night? A new mattress might be the best answer yet! Don’t forget back-to-school sales for mattresses. Take a family trip to your local Beautyrest Sleep Gallery to chat with a mattress expert or start by shopping online. Getting the right amount of sleep is vital to your student and to you, a hardworking mom or dad. Give the gift of sleep, learning, focus, and a good mood to your student and to you. Relax… wake up and be happy at Beautyrest Sleep Gallery.
References:
Kelly Cappello. December 21, 2020. “The Impact of Sleep on Learning and Memory.” Med.upenn.edu.
Beautyrest Sleep Gallery. April 12, 2024. “Mattress for Every Milestone.” Sleepgallery.biz.