Humorous Sleep Quotes

Laugh and the world laughs with you; snore, and you sleep alone!"

-Anthony Burgess

"The amount of sleep required by the average person is five minutes more."

-Wilson Mizener

People who say they sleep like a baby usually don't have one."

-Leo J. Burke

"I love sleep. My life has a tendency to fall apart when I'm awake, you know?"

-Ernest Hemingway

"The bed is a bundle of paradoxes: we go to it with reluctance, yet we quit it with regret; we make up our minds every night to leave it early, but we make up our bodies every morning to keep it late."

-Charles Caleb Colton

"There is no hope for a civilization which starts each day to the sound of an alarm clock."

-Unknown Author

"Sleep is the most moronic fraternity in the world, with the heaviest dues and the crudest rituals."

-Vladimir Nabokov

"People who snore always fall asleep first."

-Unknown Author

"I'm not asleep... but that doesn't mean I'm awake."

-Unknown Author

"A day without a nap is like a cupcake without frosting."

-Terri Guillemets

"Some people talk in their sleep. Lecturers talk while other people sleep."

-Albert Camus

How Much Sleep Do We Need?

Sleep is the period of rest in which the sleeper loses awareness of his or her surroundings. It is when all of a person's activity decreases and muscles relax. The heartbeat and the breathing rate slow down. During the first two to three hours of the sleep, the brain sends out larger and larger waves. This is when a person goes through a dreaming period. After the dreaming period, the brain sends out small, fast waves causing the person to be awake.

Sleep is very important in the well being of all living things, especially for a healthy human being. Sleep rests the brain so it can replenish itself for the next day's activities. A human being sleeps an average of seven to eight and a half hours a day. At least 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep is recommended. Six hours of refreshing, uninterrupted sleep is preferred over 10 hours of disturbed sleep. If a person sleeping is interrupted, the brain will become active. This prevents the brain from replenishing itself.

The time recommended for sleep varies with age. Seven to eight and a half hours of sleep is the time for an average adult. Children require more sleep than adults do. Babies recommend sleeping 15 hours a day. Kids ranging from ages 4 to 10 are recommended to have 9 to 13 hours of sleep. Children getting enough sleep will help them stay healthy in their growing process. On the other hand, elders at age 60 may only need 7 hours of sleep. There are many variables when it comes to "getting enough sleep". It varies and depends on age, special medical conditions, and how active you are.When you think of how much time you spend in bed (probably 1/3 of your life!), spending money for a quality mattress is really an investment in your health. More and more research is showing that sleep quality determines affects all aspects of our waking life.  Sleep is irresistible and we inevitably surrender to its temptation. Sleep is a periodic, natural, reversible loss of consciousness that might have served an adaptive role in our ancestors' survival. When darkness made travel treacherous, our ancestors were more likely to leave descendants when asleep and out of harm's way.

Sleep also serves us in other ways. It helps us restore and repair brain tissue by giving resting neurons time to heal. Sleep also enhances memory. During REM sleep, the stage of the sleep cycle during which vivid dreams commonly occur, we sift, sort, and file the day's experiences in our memory. It promotes creative thinking; sleeping on a problem, we may gain insights on the solution more readily than those who stay awake. Last but not least, sleep helps in the growth process. During deep sleep, the pituitary gland is found to release a growth hormone.While it stands to reason that we will be more effective and efficient if we are well-rested, studies are also showing that a well-rested person is also calmer during waking hours and is generally more evenly tempered.

Given this much, we now know why we sleep. The average adult sleeps 7 to 8.6 hours a day. Children sleep more than adults; they spent about 10 hours a day sleeping. Newborns, however, may sleep for nearly two-thirds of their day. There is an age-related difference in average time spent sleeping. As a person ages, they require less sleep. The elderly only spent around 6.5 hours a day sleeping.

The amount of time spent sleeping may be genetically influenced. Deprived of sleep, we run the risk of fatigue; depressed immune system; impaired concentration, creativity, and communication; irritability; and deteriorated performance. In the long-run, sleep deprivation may contribute to obesity, hypertension, and memory impairment.While it stands to reason that we will be more effective and efficient if we are well-rested, studies are also showing that a well-rested person is also calmer during waking hours and is generally more evenly tempered.

Good Night and Good Sleep
Da Maui Mattress Man

Your Preferred Sleep Position And The Best Mattress For It

****PLEASE PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO THIS IMPORTANT NEWS!***If you learn anything from me in these blogs please learn this:

Any mattress that helps a person sleep well, so that he or she wakes feeling rested and refreshed, and without pain and stiffness, is the best mattress for that individual.

While it is important that your mattress gives a reasonable, level support for the spine, personal preference and comfort is the bottom line when selecting a mattress. Most people want a mattress with a firm core that gives their spine more support.  It is believed that a mattress should provide support for the spine at all points and keep it in the same body position as good standing posture whether the person is laying on their back, side or stomach.  While there are no absolute rules, there are a few general guidelines about sleeping positions that are most comfortable for the spine:

Back sleepers can benefit from a mattress with a firm core (innerspring or foam) with less cushion often called "Firm" or a medium amount of cushion called  "Plush."  When sleeping on your back you may want to tuck a small pillow underneath the back of the knees.  This will completely unload the stress on the spine and allow for the natural curve of the lower back.

Side sleepers can benefit from a mattress with a firm core and a medium amount of padding called"Plush" or the maximum amount of padding often called "Pillow Top" or "Euro Top."  Side sleepers can benefit from a lot more cushion so that when pressure points such as hips and shoulders are pressed against the mattress, they have enough cushion to keep from reducing blood circulation and causing aches and pains.  On the least cushioned mattresses side sleepers are vulnerable to tossing and turning to find a comfortable sleep position.  When you are tossing and turning, you are not sleeping nor entering into REM sleep for the most restful and rejuvenating sleep.  In addition, side sleepers will often wake up stiff and sore because their muscles have been at work all night long trying to hold their body in a comfortable postion on a hard surface rather than fully relaxing into the padding, thus allowing their body to fully relax and rest in order to prepare the way for REM sleep. For people who prefer sleeping on their side, it might be helpful to place a pillow between the knees to help keep stress off the hips and lower spine.

Stomach sleepers often prefer a mattress with a firm core that is Firm or Plush so they don't feel like their is an arch in their back while they are sleeping.  For many stomach sleepers, Pillow Tops seem to contribute to the feeling of an arched back.  Stomach sleepers can sometimes benefit from placing a flat pillow beneath the stomach and hips in order to reduce pressure on the spine.

The key is to learn to sleep in positions that are most posturizing and natural to the body.  For example, some stomach sleepers lay in a position that puts a twist in the lower spine.  It is sort of a side/stomach sleep position that puts an unnatural pressure on the spine during sleep that can contribute to aches and pain in the morning. People who prefer this position might want to learn to sleep in a way that allows the spine to rest more naturally through the night. Some side sleepers might have to learn to sleep without their arm under their head by purchasing a high loft pillow and allowing their arm to be lower then their shoulder.  This will take pressure off the rotator as well as allow the spine to find a more naturally posturizing position that will reduce aches and pains in the morning as well as ensure the deepest sleep.

Sleep comfort is a matter of personal preference. But it is wise to make sure that while sleeping in your preferred sleep position you have a mattress that gives the maximum benefits for that sleep position, and you learn to adjust so that you rest in positions that are most natural to the spine and the joints.

Good night, and good sleep
Da Maui Mattress Man

How To Know When You Need A New Mattress

Contrary to popular belief, your mattress is the most important piece of furniture in your home. No, that Hi-Def TV or that Front Loading Washing Machine are not the most important, For most people, no iten in your home will get more use. We spend approximately one third of our lives in them.  No other piece of furniture contributes so directly to your health and well being.  Mattresses are used every night and, although they are made for constant wear and tear, they do eventually wear out. A worn-out mattress leads to restless sleep and discomfort over time. Know when to replace your mattress so that you can enjoy a quality rest. Look for the indications that a mattress should be replaced:

1.  Evaluate your sleep.  No matter how new a mattress is, it needs to help you get a good night's sleep.  You should feel well-rested and energetic in the morning after a full night's sleep, not tired and sore.  If your body aches and you feel unrested when you get up, it might be time for a new mattress.

2. Remove the sheets and visually inspect the mattress.  Look for a valley in the area where you sleep.  A sag in the mattress where you sleep is a sign that the springs are giving away or the comfort foams are unevenly compressed.  Uneven support from your mattress can lead to pains throughout the body.

3. Look for signs of sniffling and sneezing after you get in or out of the mattress. You've probably heard the stories that a mattress can double in weight in years because of skin cells and dust mites that set up residence to eat them. Whether or not that is true, the fact is that mattresses can be full of those critters and their waste which can lead to allergies and asthmatic responses.

4. Consider whether you sleep better everywhere else. If your hotel bed on your last trip had you feeling better than ever, you may want to take a second look at what you've got at home. Keep track of what you like about your bed away from home. If you've always thought that you liked a hard bed when in fact you sleep better on a softer one, you can make the change when you go mattress shopping.

Never forget that you body needs a restful night's sleep in order to be fresh for the day ahead. the effects of poor sleep can have negative effects on memory, cognitive skills, digestion and potentially many other functions.  A mattress that is worn out or poorly suited to your needs can cause you to lose valuable sleep.  To the contrary, sleeping on the right mattress can help you sleep better, feel better, and function better for a better quality of life!

Da Maui Mattress Man

Why Sleep Is So Important And What Happens When You Don't Get Enough

10 Things to Hate About Sleep Loss

By Camille Peri
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

You know lack of sleep can make you grumpy and foggy. You may not know what it can do to your sex life, memory, health, looks, and even ability to lose weight. Here are 10 surprising -- and serious -- effects of sleep loss.

1. Sleepiness Causes Accidents

Sleep deprivation was a factor in some of the biggest disasters in recent history: the 1979 nuclear accident at Three Mile Island, the massive Exxon Valdez oil spill, the 1986 nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl, and others.
But sleep loss is also a big public safety hazard every day on the road. Drowsiness can slow reaction time as much as driving drunk. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that fatigue is a cause in 100,000 auto crashes and 1,500 crash-related deaths a year in the U.S. The problem is greatest among people under 25 years old.
Studies show that sleep loss and poor-quality sleep also lead to accidents and injuries on the job. In one study, workers who complained about excessive daytime sleepiness had significantly more work accidents, particularly repeated work accidents. They also had more sick days per accident.

2. Sleep Loss Dumbs You Down

Sleep plays a critical role in thinking and learning. Lack of sleep hurts these cognitive processes in many ways. First, it impairs attention, alertness, concentration, reasoning, and problem solving. This makes it more difficult to learn efficiently.
Second, during the night, various sleep cycles play a role in “consolidating” memories in the mind. If you don’t get enough sleep, you won’t be able to remember what you learned and experienced during the day.

3. Sleep Deprivation Can Lead to Serious Health Problems

Sleep disorders and chronic sleep loss can put you at risk for:

• Heart disease
• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Irregular heartbeat
• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Diabetes

According to some estimates, 90% of people with insomnia -- a sleep disorder characterized by trouble falling and staying asleep -- also have another health condition.

4. Lack of Sleep Kills Sex Drive

Sleep specialists say that sleep-deprived men and women report lower libidos and less interest in sex. Depleted energy, sleepiness, and increased tension may be largely to blame.
For men with sleep apnea, a respiratory problem that interrupts sleep, there may be another factor in the sexual slump. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism in 2002 suggests that many men with sleep apnea also have low testosterone levels. In the study, nearly half of the men who suffered from severe sleep apnea also secreted abnormally low levels of testosterone during the night.

 

5. Sleepiness Is Depressing

In a 1997 study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, people who slept less than five hours a night for seven nights felt stressed, angry, sad, and mentally exhausted. Over time, lack of sleep and sleep disorders can contribute to the symptoms of depression.

The most common sleep disorder, insomnia, has the strongest link to depression. In a 2007 study of 10,000 people, those with insomnia were five times as likely to develop depression as those without. In fact, insomnia is often one of the first symptoms of depression.

Insomnia and depression feed on each other. Sleep loss often aggravates the symptoms of depression, and depression can make it more difficult to fall asleep. On the positive side, treating sleep problems can help depression and its symptoms, and vice versa.

6. Lack of Sleep Ages Your Skin

Most people have experienced sallow skin and puffy eyes after a few nights of missed sleep. But it turns out that chronic sleep loss can lead to lackluster skin, fine lines, and dark circles under the eyes.
When you don’t get enough sleep, your body releases more of the stress hormone cortisol. In excess amounts, cortisol can break down skin collagen, the protein that keeps skin smooth and elastic.
Sleep loss also causes the body to release too little human growth hormone. When we’re young, human growth hormone promotes growth. As we age, it helps increase muscle mass, thicken skin, and strengthen bones.
“It’s during deep sleep -- what we call slow-wave sleep -- that growth hormone is released,” says Phil Gehrman, PhD, CBSM, assistant professor of psychiatry and clinical director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine program at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. “It seems to be part of normal tissue repair -- patching the wear and tear of the day.”

7. Sleepiness Makes You Forgetful

Trying to keep your memory sharp? Try getting plenty of sleep.
In 2009, American and French researchers determined that brain events called “sharp wave ripples” are responsible for consolidating memory. The ripples also transfer learned information from the hippocampus to the neocortex of the brain, where long-term memories are stored. Sharp wave ripples occur mostly during the deepest levels of sleep.

8. Losing Sleep Can Make You Gain Weight

When it comes to body weight, it may be that if you snooze, you lose. Lack of sleep seems to be related to an increase in hunger and appetite, and possibly to obesity. According to a 2004 study, people who sleep less than six hours a day were almost 30 percent more likely to become obese than those who slept seven to nine hours.
Recent research has focused on the link between sleep and the peptides that regulate appetite. “Ghrelin stimulates hunger and leptin signals satiety to the brain and suppresses appetite,” says Siebern. “Shortened sleep time is associated with decreases in leptin and elevations in ghrelin.”
Not only does sleep loss appear to stimulate appetite. It also stimulates cravings for high-fat, high-carbohydrate foods. Ongoing studies are considering whether adequate sleep should be a standard part of weight loss programs.

9. Lack of Sleep May Increase Risk of Death

In the “Whitehall II Study,” British researchers looked at how sleep patterns affected the mortality of more than 10,000 British civil servants over two decades. The results, published in 2007, showed that those who had cut their sleep from seven to five hours or fewer a night nearly doubled their risk of death from all causes. In particular, lack of sleep doubled the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

10. Sleep Loss Impairs Judgment, Especially About Sleep

Lack of sleep can affect our interpretation of events. This hurts our ability to make sound judgments because we may not assess situations accurately and act on them wisely.
Sleep-deprived people seem to be especially prone to poor judgment when it comes to assessing what lack of sleep is doing to them. In our increasingly fast-paced world, functioning on less sleep has become a kind of badge of honor. But sleep specialists say if you think you’re doing fine on less sleep, you’re probably wrong. And if you work in a profession where it’s important to be able to judge your level of functioning, this can be a big problem.
“Studies show that over time, people who are getting six hours of sleep, instead of seven or eight, begin to feel that they’ve adapted to that sleep deprivation -- they’ve gotten used to it,” Gehrman says. “But if you look at how they actually do on tests of mental alertness and performance, they continue to go downhill. So there’s a point in sleep deprivation when we lose touch with how impaired we are.”

 

A Good Night's Sleep Requires A Good Mattress

Glad you found me!  I hoped you would.  I sell mattresses for America's Mattress in Kahului, Maui, Hawaii. Yes, you heard me right- Maui! - because someone has to do it ;)  No matter where I have visited during my international travel experiences over five continents, Maui No Ka Oi! (Maui is the best!). Living in Hawaii is the closest place on the planet to living in paradise and I LOVE being here!!

But even in paradise, life can be less than the best if you don't get a good night's sleep.  I have had my share of sleep issues over the years and finally got a premium mattress set 5 years ago.  OMG! What a difference it made for me!! I sleep so much better. Now I am refreshed and rejuvenated every day. Fortunately, the mattress my wife and I have is "just right!" (Goldilocks has nothing on us!!) What a difference it has made in my life! Now I have more energy and function much better at home and at work.  I didn't realize how much I had cheated myself in years gone by. Sleep rocks!.... and now I'm finally getting enough to make my experience in paradise all that it should be.

I didn't realize what a difference a really good mattress can make for great sleep.  Now that I am a mattress man I want to invest myself in learning how to guide people who come to America's Mattress to find the one that is "just right" for them (Goldilocks didn't "settle" and neither should you).  I am striving to become a sleep specialist and would like to have the privilege of serving you if you ever visit our store at 425 Koloa St. in Kahului, Maui near that famous local restaurant Da Kitchen..  Please ask for Dale (that's me, and yes, I have a real name!). I will be totally focussed on how I can help you sleep better.  I have learned much about how to guide people in the selection of the right mattress and hope to apply it to you for your best sleep ever so that soon you will enjoy life in our Maui paradise even more!

In the days ahead I will write about everything I can related to sleep, from sleep positions to mattress types in order to offer ideas for you to consider as you find a good mattress to help you get a good night's sleep.  Sleep affects everything and you're not really healthy until your sleep is healthy. So let's all get focussed on our best health!  Keep checking in because I have some really good stuff to share with you.

Feel free to write me and tell me what works for you.  I want to know.  Good night and good sleep!

Da Maui Mattress Man