Just what is the right amount of sleep one should get every night? Once again the magic number seven seems to be the right amount according to the health journal, SLEEP.

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“New research indicates that sleeping could make you smarter”

Recent studies by researchers in the United States have found a link between good sleep and mental improvements. Find out more about how you can sleep your way to success!

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“Secret to a Good Night’s Sleep is in the ‘Waves’”

Ever wonder why some people wake up to the sound of a passing car while others could sleep through a hurricane? Find out why in this report citing research published in Current Biology.

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This month, Los Angles Magazine wrote a feature story on me and we talked about the history of Sit ‘n Sleep, how we’ve persevered during hard times and our TV and radio ads.

To read the entire story, click here >>

"You're killing us, Larry!"

We’ve been talking a lot about dust mites on our television and radio commercials of recent, and these little guys have been getting a lot of attention ever since. These days when I’m approached on the street, I’m asked about them just as often as I’m asked about my accountant, Irwin. So, to further educated the people of So Cal on sleep health, here’s some answers to the questions I’m most frequently asked about the little critters in our ads and, most likely, in your bed.

What are dust mites?

Dust mites are microscopic bugs that are closely related to spiders and live on dead skin cells shed by humans and other animals. Dust mites are quite tiny but can be visible to the naked eye when on a dark background. A typical house dust mite measures 420 micrometers in length and 250–320 micrometers in width. Both male and female adult dust mites are creamy blue and have a rectangular shape. Dust mites live approximately 10 to 19 days and a mated female can live up to 70.

How do they affect my allergies?

Dust mites by themselves aren’t very harmful to a person’s allergies, but their droppings are. Many people are genetically predisposed to being allergic to dust mite droppings whereas others can become allergic after prolonged exposure. According to Darryl C. Zeldin, acting director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Services, 18% to 30% of Americans are allergic to dust mites’ waste products. According to the Mayo Clinic, dust mite proteins cause an inflammation of the nasal passages (allergic rhinitis), causing sneezing, runny nose and other symptoms. Dust mite proteins also cause asthma which inflames and contracts the airways and can cause serious health issues.

Why do they like sleeping in MY bed and pillows?

Dust mites live off of skin cells shed by humans as well as their body oils, perspiration and saliva. Home furnishings, including mattresses and pillows are the perfect place for dust mites to take residence and reproduce because of the ample food supply. Dust mites especially love mattresses and pillows because they thrive in warm and humid environments. A typical used mattresses can have anywhere from 100,000 to 10 million dust mites living inside. In eight years, the average mattress will double in weight due to the accumulation of skin cells, body oils, dust mites and their droppings.

How can I eliminate dust mites?

If your mattress is over eight years old, it’s most likely infested with dust mites and should be replaced. Dust mites can be managed by washing your sheets once a week, vacuuming your mattress and replacing your pillows every two years. A mattress protector can keep skin cells, body oils and secretions from accumulating in your bed, reducing the dust mites’ food supply. Latex mattresses are naturally resistant because of their density and hypoallergenic make-up and have been found to relieve the symptoms associated with dust mite allergies.

Click here to learn more about hypoallergenic latex mattresses

The Huffington Post

The Huffington Post has a sleep section “so big it needs its own page.” Whether you’re looking for funny photos of people caught napping in a bizarre place or hard-hitting articles on how “Too Little Sleep Could Kill You,” this section of The Huffington Post has something for sleep enthusiasts everywhere.

Here are a few articles to whet your appetite:

The Huffington Post … Monday, May 24, 2010

“The Link Between Sleep and Weight Loss”

Michael Breus, Ph. D, makes the connection between your sleeping habits and how much you weigh.

Click here to find out more >>

The New York Daily News … Wednesday, May 5, 2010

“Too little sleep could kill you: Premature death risk goes up for those who get less than 6 hours”

A team of researchers from the UK and Italy found that a lack of sleep is related to premature death.

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The Huffington Post … Tuesday, June 1, 2010

“Dick Cavett on the Mystery of Dreams”

Anne Hill, author of “What to Do When Dreams Go Bad” gives her thoughts on talk show host Dick Cavett’s recent blogs about dreams.

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As Americans, we firmly believe in the phrase, “You snooze, you lose” like it’s a national motto. We love cities that never sleep and live in a country that rocks 24/7. As a collective we’ve been burning that candle at both ends for decades. In this article, you’ll learn the price that sleep deprivation costs Americans.

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The Dallas Morning News … Monday, May 17, 2010

“Teens who don’t get enough sleep might be at risk for obesity”

Studies have shown a connection between lack of sleep and higher body mass index in adults and children, but that relationship may hold true for teens as well.

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ABC2News.com … Tuesday, May 18, 2010

“Helping Kids Get Well Rested”

Kim West, known as the Sleep Lady, has written several books and has shown thousands of tired parents all over the world how to recognize their child’s important cues and behaviors to help create healthy sleep habits. Here she shares a few tips for helping kids get a good night’s sleep.

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ABC4.com … Wednesday, May 12, 2010

“Work shift disorder puts health at risk”

Thirty percent of workers are on the job during non-traditional hours. These shift workers face a disorder doctors say can put their lives at risk.  It’s called Shift Work Sleep Disorder, and they say it causes accidents and can make problems with insomnia, sleep apnea and heart disease worse.

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JOE.ie … Tuesday, May 18, 2010

“App of the Week: Sweet Dreams”

LexWare has released the coolest app yet! The Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock ensures you get the most effective night’s sleep possible by only waking you during your lightest sleep cycles.

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In a continuing effort to educate the public on the benefits of a healthy night’s sleep, we’re sharing these recently-published articles to keep you up to date on the latest in sleep news.

Examiner.com … Wednesday, April 7, 2010

“Buying a new mattress can be daunting”

In a world that is filled with hype, sales pitches, and choices what is a body to do? What mattress is best for each individual body type? In this article, you’ll learn some important mattress buying basics.

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Reuters U.K. … Friday, April 9, 2010

“People get hungrier when they’re starved for sleep”

In a recent study, researchers found that normal-weight young men ate a Big Mac’s-worth of extra calories when they’d gotten four hours of sleep compared to when they slept for a full eight hours.

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WebMD … Monday, April 10, 2010

“The Best Mattress for a Good Night’s Sleep”

With so many mattress options out there, how can consumers choose the perfect mattress for their body type and budget? With the help of the American Physical Therapy Association, WebMD shares some mattress buying pointers.

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The Sun Daily … Friday, April 9, 2010

“Sleep right”

Raymond Tan breaks down why sleep is so important to our overall health and how it restores and repairs the body and mind.

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Metro.co.uk … March 30, 2010

“Sleep problems: How to get a good night’s shut-eye”

The average Brit is getting just over five-and-a-half hours of sleep each night. Considering the stresses of modern life and the politics of bed-sharing, what can they do about it?

Click here to read this article >>

As So Cal’s leading experts in sleep health, the folks over here at Sit ‘n Sleep have put together a list of ways you can cut down on your indoor allergy exposure so you can breathe freely inside your home.

Get a Mattress and Pillow Protector

By covering both your mattress and pillows in casings, you can reduce the amount of allergens in your bed. Inside every mattress and pillow there can be millions of microscopic dust mites living off your body oils and dead skin cells. These pesky little guys’ droppings are terrible for allergy sufferers. Quality waterproof and breathable casings can cut off their food supply, keep you out of contact with these little critters and keep your bedding clean as well. You spend a third of your life in your bed; it should be the first place you start when creating an allergy-free environment.

Wash ‘Em Every Week, Replace it Every Eight

Once a week, throw your pillows, sheets, bedspreads and blankets into the washing machine on the hot water setting. Hot water over 140 degrees will kill off any bacteria or dust mites that cause allergy disturbances. Also, if your mattress is over eight years old, it’s time to get a new one. Older mattresses can house millions of dust mites, creating an unhealthy sleep environment.

Clear the Carpets, Clear Your Sinuses

Although carpets may be comfy on your feet, they can contain up to 100 times more allergens than hardwood floors. Mold, pet dander and dust mites all love to take residence in your carpet and aren’t going to be evicted by vacuuming alone. If you don’t have hardwood floors beneath your carpet, be sure to vacuum at least once a week, ideally with a HEPA filter vacuum.

Ventilate the Bathroom

Mold spores tend to accumulate in the bathroom if it’s poorly ventilated. Be sure to leave the bathroom window open in order to curb mold growth. If you see any black, moldy patches in your shower, sink or toilet, carefully scrub them with bleach for a clean, allergy-free bathroom.

Close the Doors and Windows in the Living Room

Although you want to get proper ventilation in the bathroom, in your living room, bedrooms and kitchen it’s actually best to keep the windows and doors closed during the spring and summer months. This will prevent pollen and other allergens from making their way into your home, greatly improving air quality.

A Possible Contest Winner

I’ve seen lots of stains, exposed springs and mattresses flattened on one side by the weight of their owners. I’ve also seen gaping holes and frayed corners caused by bored or angry pets. I’ve even seen a mattress cut in half by an angry spouse. Then it hit me. Is there a mattress out there that’s so bad, so disfigured, so awful it could actually be… the worst mattress in Los Angeles?

LINK: L.A.’s Worst Mattress Contest

What would it look like? How bad could it be?

How could a person still be sleeping on it? And wouldn’t that person’s life be transformed in a wonderful way if they could get a brand new mattress and get a restful night’s sleep? That’s why I decided to launch our Sit n’ Sleep Worst Mattress Contest. If you’re unhappy with your current mattress and live in Southern California, simply show me what it looks like on a short video, and you could win a luxury replacement mattress and … a shot at $100.000.00!

You can qualify in four categories: If your mattress is ripped, discolored, the springs are bulging out and it looks like it barely survived a prison riot, you can enter it in our WEAR and TEAR- category. If you remember sitting on your mattresses and watching the first lunar landing or you bought your mattress and raced home to watch the Nixon resignation, you might want to enter it in our OLD- category. If your mattress has peaks and valleys and looks like a baby elephant uses it for naps, you’ll want to enter it into our SAG- category. And if your mattress has seen more wine stains than a Napa Valley dry cleaner, you might want to tell us why, and enter it into our -STAINS- category. Five of you will each win a beautiful, high-end replacement mattress. And the one with the worst overall mattress will win $100,000.00!

So now’s the time to strip the sheets off your bed and take a cold, hard look at what you’ve been sleeping on. You might be horrified by your mattress.  And it just might be worth quite a bit of money.

To enter the contest, visit the Worst Mattress Contest Website.

Here at Sit ‘n Sleep, we’re thrilled about the launch of our brand new website.  At the new Sit ‘n Sleep.com, our customers nowhave the ability to easily compare, research, and browse through our extensive online selection of quality mattresses.

We hope you’ll head over to sitnsleep.com, do some comparison shopping, get some sleep tips, or even buy a mattress online. The process couldn’t be easier.

L.A.’s Worst Mattress Contest: Happening Right Now!

We’re giving away five luxury mattresses to the winners of our “L.A.’s Worst Mattress” video contest. First prize is a $4999 Kingsdown 800. Four runners up will receive a luxury mattress worth anywhere between $1500 – $3900.  All five winners will get a shot at our $100,000 drawing in November! Learn how to submit your video for L.A.’s Worst Mattress Contest.

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