Sleep and Good Grades: How these Two Work Together

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Making the decision whether to sleep or to spend a few more hours prepping for the exam is one of the most common dilemmas among students. Cutting back on the zzz’s seem to be the most logical solution for extra hours of preparing for an examination, making students look like zombies by the time they get to school on the day of the test. Some see this as a rite of passage, as all students who wish to achieve great things should learn how to sacrifice hours of slumber as a sign of working hard for their high marks.

However, did you know that sleep is also a vital element in getting good grades? According to a study comducted by the KU Leuven and Ghent Universities of Belgium, a good night’s sleep tend to help wield better test results than getting a small amount of zzz’s. The research surveyed 621 first year students about their sleep schedule and compared it to their exam results, with considerations about their study habits and socio economic backgrounds. Turns out, those who were able to sleep for at least 7 hours nightly during the exam period get marks that are at least 10% higher than those who get less sleep.

Sleep has a great impact on brain function as it is the time your body uses to store all the information it has received and process during the day. When you rest in the evening, your body makes use of the down time to memorize data, and how much sleep you get determines how well you acquire and retain knowledge. Sleep also affects your metabolism and the regulation of your energy expenditure, which accounts for alertness and receptiveness during the day. Without enough sleep, not only will you not be able to process information properly, but you’re also more likely to be less focused during the day, which can, in turn, impact grades on a large scale. This is why sleep is highly essential if you want to move forward with your academic career. A healthy sleeping habit will not only make you healthier, but will also help you boost your grades as well.

Aside from getting a proper amount of sleep, most experts also suggest that students learn how to manage their time better. As we all know, it’s not just studying that causes a student to lose sleep. There are also a lot of extra curricular activities – from clubs to hobbies and even social obligations – that students need to attend to, but can also take up a lot of their time. Better time management will not only allow a student to do everything they want to do, but also get their much needed sleep as well.

Salem Beds with a Little Extra

Whether it’s for your kids, for a guest room, or for your own personal use for practical reasons, like storage, frequent impromptu slumber parties, or as a way of saving space, owning a bed with a little extra will not hurt. If you’re looking for some beds with additional storage or an extra bed, here are some of our top suggestions you should look into.

Clouds

 Want to sleep in the clouds? Well you’re in luck, because our Clouds can help you do that, literally. This soft firm spring trundle bed offers two mattress in one package. Perfect for small spaces, kids’ bedrooms, and as guest beds, the Clouds come with a 2 year warranty and the S-Gard feature, which is Anti-Dustmites, Anti-Bacteria, and Anti-Fungi guaranteeing hygiene and good health.

Sea

A popular option for kids’ bedrooms, the Sea is a soft firm spring bed that can cater to your little one’s needs. Designed with two drawers underneath the mattress, it offers extra storage without sacrificing the comfort of your child. With a built in headboard, it will definitely complete your bedroom without a fuss. The Sea bed also comes with a two-year warranty and S-Gard for hygiene and cleanliness.

Sky

Much like the Sea bed, Salem’s Sky bed is a storage savvy soft firm spring bed that comes with two drawers. It also comes with a 2-year warranty and the S-Gard feature.

If you’re more picky about your mattress, we also have a few bed boxes that will suit your needs.

Orlando Bed Box

The Orlando bed box is a lot like the Sky bed, offering two drawers integrated into its base. The main difference, however, is that you can change the mattress on top of it to suit your comfort needs and preferences. Our line of ordinary spring mattresses are designed to fit the Orlando, as well as the Osmond bed boxes.

Osmond Bed Box

The Osmond bed box is a nifty trundle bed that is a lot savvier than your regular pullout bed. What makes it so special is that its trundle can isn’t attached to the base of the main bed box, but comes as a second, lower level bed box with wheels. This allows more flexibility and easier storage.

Highly recommended for children, solo sleepers, dorm rooms, or for guest rooms, these practical beds can easily complete the practicality of your home. Available in various sizes, you can find these trundle and pull out beds at a Salem bed retailer near you.

Why You Should Never Sleep With Your Contact Lenses On

Contact lenses are generally easy and convenient solutions for people who have bad eyesight. As glasses are not exactly always the best solutions if you have to wear thick lenses for higher prescriptions, a pair of contact lenses are the easy alternative. However, there are several important reminders when it comes to wearing contact lenses. One of the most notable is to never sleep with them on.

According to Dr. Rebecca Taylor, spokesperson of the American Academy of Opthalmology, wearing contact lenses while you sleep is “not ideal for oxygen exchange.” As it works, your cornea needs oxygen for nourishment, but when your eyes are closed when you’re asleep, it gets its necessary lubrication and nourishment from your accumulating tears and the fluid known as the aqueous humor. While awake, contact lenses are designed to move around a little bit so oxygen can be received by the cornea, but when you’re asleep, the space between your cornea and eyelids gets cramped, making it impossible for oxygen to enter. As Dr. Taylor puts it, “it’s like having a plastic bag over your head when you sleep,” if you nod off with your contact lenses still on.

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While this may not sound too threatening to some, there are several dangers to wearing contacts to sleep. Swelling, itching, and additional blurred vision can occur after leaving your contacts on overnight, but this is just the least of your worries. Abrasions are highly likely to be incurred, which can really be painful and even damage your eyesight further. Infections can also easily take place, as even microscopic abrasions could introduce parasites to the eye.

From here, it’s all up to the wearer whether the infection will worsen, as proper caring, like regular cleaning and removal of the contact lenses could help minimize the problem. However, issues can also fester and become a bigger problem with poor hygiene. Corneal ulcers caused by bacteria and fungi can be severely painful and alter your vision, albeit treatable. Another issue, like in the case of the student who became blind after wearing her contact lenses for six months straight, involves acanthamoeba, a single-cell amoeba present in dirty water, soil, swimming pool, dust. This particular parasite can burrow and breed into the eyeball if the conditions are right and damage eyesight completely. While the case is a severe example, it doesn’t take away the fact that it can happen.

With today’s technology, it’s not impossible to find special contact lenses made for extended use. You should still check with your doctor, though, whether sleeping with these eye accessories on is ideal for your situation. However, taking some extra precautions in caring for your eyes will not hurt anyway, so taking off your contacts before you doze off may just be a more ideal practice.

Avoiding Sleep Disturbance: How to Deal with Noise

Waking up naturally is one of the best things you can experience. Being able to open your eyes slowly to a stream of sunshine touching your face without scrambling to reach for the noisy alarm clock can really start the day nicely, as you’re not rudely jolted to wakefulness by a loud sound. As waking up is also an important part of sleep, being able to do this naturally can be highly beneficial to many. Being able to wake up naturally will help you energize your body properly, allowing you to stay awake throughout the day and avoid getting sluggish and feeling drained in the afternoon.When it comes to waking up naturally, the biggest enemy that you can find is the noise present in your surroundings. While mornings are naturally calm in most areas, there are also those neighborhoods that get to experience a loud clank, thud, or hum as soon as the sun goes up. These sudden sounds that can measure up to 100 decibels or more can easily shake you awake no matter how sleepy you are, especially if you’re already in a delicate sleep stage. This, in turn, can work like an alarm clock and effectively bring you to wakefulness. However, you’ll most likely start your day irritated and in a foul mood.So how do you avoid getting rudely awakened by the noise that usually disrupts your sleep in the morning? Here are some tips.1. Dampen the sounds that come from the outside of your bedroom.

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There are a few tricks how you can tone down the sounds that come into your bedroom. Some of which include installing some acoustic tiles on your wall, placing a thick book case or cabinet against a shared wall, or hanging some heavy curtains against your windows. It all depends really on how the sounds enter your bedroom and how much muting you wish to do. You can also try using some sealant, if you have drafts within the house, or replace doors and windows to perfectly cover the openings and muffle the noise from outside.2. Cover it up with some ambient noise.

If you can’t sleep in dead silence but are still too jumpy for random noises, playing some ambient noise is a great way for you to fall asleep. It can be sounds that can range from actually relaxing ones like ocean waves, humming crickets, or white noise – anything that will relax you and lull you to slumber. If you’re not a big fan of these options, you can opt for a running fan or the low hum of your air conditioning as well.3. Put down a rug, carpet, or some soft tiling material on your floor.

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Those who live in a building can also be disturbed by sounds traveling up, while others have roommates with very heavy feet, creating loud sounds with every step they take. If this is the very cause of your problems, laying down some rugs, carpets, or some flooring solution could help you muffle the sounds better.4. Deal with the cause of the noise calmly and effectively.Sometimes, the cause of the noise is something you can actually do something about. If you can only talk to the people involved, you can actually settle on an agreement that will benefit both parties. For example, you get rudely awakened by your upstairs neighbor’s heels so early in the morning. Asking them kindly to stop walking around their apartment with some shoes on can easily solve your problem. Or if your neighbors are doing some construction work in their yard, you can ask them to do the drillings and other noisy tasks a bit later on during the day so you don’t have to be woken up by something so loud so early in the morning. Just remember to ask nicely and be diplomatic in such situations. While losing sleep can really get on people’s nerves, it is also a lot easier to resolve an issue if you go about it in a decent manner.

 

By preventing random noises from jolting you awake, you can ensure that you get to complete your sleep cycle and get quality shuteye. These tips, combined with a quality Salem bed, can ensure undisturbed sleep and a good night’s rest.

Design Highlight: Bedrooms with En Suite Bath

A lot of people look for ways how to make their bedrooms become even more special. While some are happy to have their bedrooms as their ultimate refuge from the issues of their everyday lives, there’s no harm in trying to boost the room’s function and purpose. This is why some try to increase its ability to help them unwind by including an open bath right inside their bedrooms.

While some people relax easily in a nice comfortable bed, soaking in a warm bath before hitting the hay can be another way to loosen up after a long day. This is why some folks like to have their private baths right next or even inside their bedrooms. The convenience and proximity, not to mention the visual interest a tub or a walk in shower can create is enough to convince a good number of modern homeowners to cozy up and have their baths within arm’s reach.

We’ve rounded up some of the best examples of these spaces to inspire and tickle your fancy.

Modern Bedroom by South East Architects & Building Designers AR Design Studio Ltd

Industrial Bedroom by Mirabel General Contractors Les Collections Dubreuil

Contemporary Bedroom by Nashville Interior Designers & Decorators Amelie de Gaulle Interiors

Modern Spaces by Los Angeles Architects & Building Designers Jamie B. Myer Architects, Inc

Modern Bedroom by Santa Monica Architects & Building Designers Kanner Architects – CLOSED

Contemporary Bedroom by Other Metro Architects & Building Designers Nico van der Meulen Architects

Contemporary Bedroom by Toronto Architects & Building Designers BOXWOOD ARCHITECTS

Modern Bathroom

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If you’re not too keen on placing a sink and a tub right next to your bed for the fear of getting everything wet, you can also opt for a more traditional set up and create a definite division between your bedroom and ensuite bathroom. It can be made using solid wall or with glass, to create a more seamless transition.

 
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Frosted glass can offer more privacy, if you don’t like the idea of an aquarium-like ensuite bathroom.

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Curtains are also excellent in creating some privacy while spending some time in the tub.

Combined with a luxurious Salem mattress, ensuite bathrooms can really create the coziest places there is. If you’re worried about the humidity, though, installing a good ventilation system will help you out greatly.

Giving Your Overnight Guests a Good Night’s Sleep

With the weather finally cooling down and the holidays slowly approaching, you may find yourself preparing for some loved ones to visit your home for a few nights or so. This means readying the spare bedrooms, recounting the sheets, and cleaning the whole house. It also means prepping the household members for the people who are staying over.

What a lot of homeowners tend to worry about hosting overnight guests, though, is whether they can help their visitors get a good night’s sleep. While fretting about their overall stay is a natural thing, how they sleep during the time they’re under your roof is also something to think about, as it can also make or break their stay. Lack of sleep while away from home can easily add stress and anxiety, making it difficult for some to enjoy their out-of-town trip, so ensuring that they still get a full night’s rest would be something a good hostess will fuss about.

So, how do you ensure that your overnight guests get a good night’s sleep while staying in your home? Here are some expert tips.

1. Get a good mattress.

Some people opt to just use their old mattresses for their guest room, as they’re not exactly used often. However, this may not exactly be the best move. Old mattresses can be lumpy, saggy, and overall uncomfortable, making a not so cozy overnight rest.

What you can do is to get a nice, affordable mattress instead. It can be a sofa bed or an actual bed mattress, depending on the size of the room and how you intend to use it when it’s not occupied by a guest. There are several comfortable Salem mattresses that are very affordable that you can use for your guest room, so you don’t have to worry about where you can get some.

2. Get your guests familiarized around the house.

A quick tour around your home is extremely necessary as soon as your guests arrive at your place. You will want them to know where the bathroom and kitchen is, as well as where they can get extra blankets or towels. This will help them feel more at home, independent, and at ease, so they don’t have to bother you with their every need. You will also benefit from this largely, especially in case of personal emergencies in the middle of the night.

Explaining your home’s little quirks is also an essential hostess task. Most homes have these little weirdness in them, as a sign of being lived in that homeowners tend to overlook them sometimes. Being a good host, you should know that getting them acquainted with a weird turning doorknob or the need to push the shower’s dial so the water will rush out will help their stay become a little easier and a bit more comfortable.

3. Share with them your plans for their stay. Always allocate a down time for some rest.

If you’re planning to take them around to explore your town and its wonders, make sure to let them know that you have plans. They might want to include a few places they find interesting or they may want to tweak your schedule a little bit so they can sleep in more. Waking them early unannounced can damage moods and may ruin a trip completely.

Creating downtimes are also very important, as you don’t want to exhaust your guests. Sure, your city may be a fun one with lots of sights to see, but if they’re so tired, they wouldn’t even get to enjoy it. As for their sleep, they may be able to fall asleep from being so tired after a long day, but is that really how you want them to spend their time while in town?

4. Inquire about important preferences and details about your guests.

Are there any particularities your guests have, checking it in advance is highly important. Preparing for  these things are highly important, especially if you want them to have a good night’s sleep. If they’re allergic to pet dander or flowers, you can be sure to clear the guest room from these triggers and ensure that they can spend their nights in your guest room free of running noses and puffy eyes.

5. Make them feel like they’re a part of the household to a certain point.

Letting your guests help out in some of the household chores, even if it’s just washing the coffee cups they’ve used or chopping some ingredients while you cook dinner, can really help them feel more at home and at ease in your humble abode. This can also help them relax a little bit and fall asleep easier at night, knowing that their stay isn’t a burden to you.

 

The trick in becoming an excellent host to overnight guests lie in your ability to make your guest feel at home within your humble abode. If you can ensure that they also get a good night’s sleep on top of being welcoming and hospitable, then you can really say that you’ve done a great job at it.