Country Music Fans Can Bid on One-of-a-Kind Counting Sheep

Serta and City of Hope are offering Country Music fans a rare opportunity to bid on a special, large Serta Counting Sheep plush toy autographed by some of Country Music’s hottest stars!  Serta’s large display Counting Sheep are rarely sold to the public, and this is the first sheep in the herd to rub hooves with Nashville’s elite! 

This adorable #60 Counting Sheep is a special Serta Anniversary Edition measuring 30″ high.  All profits go to City of Hope. All profits go to City of Hope to aid in the continued fight against cancer.  CLICK HERE to learn more and bid on this one of a kind Counting Sheep.

Serta Aims to Get 1,000 Counting Sheep Adopted in April!

Earlier this year, Serta joined forces with City of Hope to raise funds for cancer research with our Adopt-a-Sheep for the Fight Against Cancer™ program.   This unique program is raising funds for City of Hope through the sales and distribution of a special, limited edition #60 Serta Counting Sheep plush toy.  And, there’s many special things about #60.  She carries an “Adopt-a-Sheep” seal and the City of Hope logo; she has a purple bow collar and is the only Counting Sheep in the entire herd with lavender eyes.  Yes, she is truly a collector’s item!

#60 is a collector's edition Counting Sheep plush toy!

We’ve made it fun and easy to get involved with this wonderful program – and we need your help in getting 1,000 #60 Counting Sheep adopted in April.  First, simply buy your #60 Counting Sheep plush toy online HERE.  All profits from your purchase go to City of Hope.  Next, when your #60 arrives to your home, it will be packaged with a special card carrying a unique registration code and instructions on how to officially “adopt” your #60 online.  At our Online Adoption Center, you can select a unique name for your Counting Sheep and dedicate your adoption to a loved one touched by cancer.  We will place a “virtual” version of your sheep in our Herd for Hope and give you access to exclusive Counting Sheep content, including computer wallpaper customized with your Counting Sheep’s name and date of adoption.  Last, spread the words to your friends and family with our easy Facebook sharing widget from the online adoption center.

CLICK HERE to visit the City of Hope website.

Serta Brings Gel Memory Foam Technology to Innerspring Mattresses

Sleeping on an innerspring mattress is about to get cooler with Serta’s new iSeries mattress technology.  For the first time, Serta has combined its revolutionary Cool Action™ Gel Memory Foam with its most advanced innerspring to-date, the Duet™ Coil Individually Wrapped Coil-in-Coil Support System.   This breakthrough technology offers a new solution for mattress shoppers interested in the benefits of Cool Action Gel Memory Foam, while preferring the support of a traditional innerspring mattress.

Serta’s Cool Action Gel Memory Foam was introduced in 2011 with the iComfort® Sleep System, offering mattress shoppers an alternative to ordinary memory foam mattresses.  This unique material is made with Serta’s exclusive MicroSupport™ gel, which is infused into premium memory foam for up to seven times more cooling comfort and up to two times more support than ordinary memory foam.  Serta’s new mattresses with iSeries technology combine Cool Action material with the Duet Coil Support System, which is uniquely designed to respond to each sleeper’s body for balanced comfort and deep, postural support.

“Serta’s iSeries technology really offers mattress shoppers the best of both worlds,” said Andrew Gross, Serta’s senior vice president of marketing. “Now, those who have heard all of the buzz around iComfort and want to experience our Cool Action gel memory foam have an option in the innerspring category.  Plus, these new mattresses are designed to work with our Motion Perfect Adjustable Foundation, offering a totally customizable sleep experience with an innerspring mattress.”

Serta’s iSeries technology is now available in new Perfect Day® mattresses and will soon be available in Trump Home™ mattresses across the United States.  Serta offers a variety of mattresses with iSeries technology, ranging from ultra-plush pillow top models to traditionally firm models.  Suggested retail prices range from $1299 – $2499 (Queen mattress plus standard foundation).  Visit www.serta.com to find a retailer near you.

5 Tips to Spring Up Your Sleep

Spring is officially here!  This is a great time of year because it’s full of so much promise of things to come.  More hours of sunlight are inviting us to live a little more each and every day.  Warmer air is hinting at the summertime ahead.  We are slowly coming out of our “winter comas” and feeling more inspired to clean up and renew our lives.

Now, we all know how important a good night’s sleep is to our overall health and wellbeing.  So, why not Spring Up Your Sleep this year, and treat yourself to more restful nights for more energetic days?  Here are 5 helpful tips to help you renew your sleep this season:

1. Zen Your Bedroom.  Keeping your bedroom clean and clutter free will help reset your mind and body when you lay down at night.   Take inventory of the items in the room and ask yourself what can be removed to create a more peaceful atmosphere.  Have a television in your bedroom?  Now is a good time to take a “test run” for one week without the tube in your boudoir and see if you sleep better.  Plus, don’t forget to give the entire room a thorough Spring-cleaning, removing all dust build up from the winter.
2. Mind the Sheets & Pillows.  Your bed’s décor can help set a restful mood when you retreat to your bedroom at night.  However, selecting the wrong sheets and pillows can also ruin a good night’s sleep.  If it’s been a long time since you’ve upgraded your bedding, now is the time.  Soft, breathable sheets and premium, supportive pillows can spruce up the appearance of your bed AND the quality of your sleep.
3. Put Down the Wine.  Well, at least within the hours before bedtime.  Studies show that consuming alcohol in the hours before bedtime can negatively impact quality of sleep.    While its affects may calm you and help you fall asleep, alcohol can also cause you to wake up more during the night.  This will leave you feeling sleepy, and not to mention pretty cranky, the next day.  So, save the wine for happy hour instead.
4. Have a Heart-to-Heart with Fluffy.  Pet parents often find themselves sharing their bed with their “fur babies”.  It can be tough to turn down those puppy dog eyes, but sleep and pet experts alike will tell you this is one bad habit that you need to break.  First, letting your pet sleep on your bed blurs the lines of bed “ownership”, and your four-legged friend can quickly become territorial.  Second, you deserve more room to stretch while you sleep, and your pet doesn’t understand those boundaries.  Why not make everyone happy and buy Fluffy his or her own Serta pet bed, while you sprawl out comfortably on yours?  
5. Pull Back the Covers and Say Hello….to your Mattress.  When is the last time you thought about this big rectangular piece of furniture?  You are spending 1/3 of your life on it, so now is a good time to reintroduce yourself and see if its meeting your needs.  Are you experiencing any of the following problems with your mattress?

• A valley has developed in the section of the mattress where you sleep
• Sagging across the middle third of the mattress or along the sides makes you roll toward your partner
• The mattress makes creaking noises
• Soft, non-supportive edges are a sign of edge breakdown
• You’re waking up sore or stiff in the morning
• You’ve developed recurring back pain
• Your current mattress is 7-10 or more years old

If you answered “yes” to one of more of the above, it’s probably time to shop for a new mattress.  That may not sound like a whole lot of fun, but Serta can make it a little easier for you.  Check out our interactive Mattress Selector, where you can answer a short set of questions and we’ll recommend some great Serta mattresses for you.

What are your best tips for improving sleep this spring?  Email us at SertaFBHelp@gmail.com and we just may publish your tip on Facebook!

Why is it so Hard to Adjust to Daylight Savings Time?

Daylight Savings Time is here!  That means longer days with more sunlight and the promise of spring.  Yet, many people struggle to adjust to the time change and feel sleepier than normal at odd times of the day.  Why is this?

We did some basic research online to shed a little light on this mystery.   It turns out that it just takes a one-hour time change to mess with our circadian rhythms and our “body clocks”.  So, when your alarm went off this morning, your brain knew it was time to get up but your body didn’t get the memo.  And, when you get home tonight, your brain will be delighted that it’s still light outside, but your body will be confused about what time it really is.  In several days time, brain and body should meet up and get on the same page.  But, what to do until then?

Check out these tips from the National Sleep Foundation on everyday sleep habits that can ease the time change and help us sleep better every night: 

1. Go to sleep and wake at the same time every day, and avoid spending more time in bed than needed.
2. Use bright light to help manage your “body clock.” Avoid bright light in the evening and expose yourself to sunlight in the morning.
3. Use your bedroom only for sleep to strengthen the association between your bed and sleep. It may help to remove work materials, computers and televisions from your bedroom.
4. Select a relaxing bedtime ritual, like a warm bath or listening to calming music.
5. Create an environment that is conducive to sleep that is quiet, dark and cool with a comfortable mattress and pillows.
6. Save your worries for the daytime. If concerns come to mind, write them in a “worry book” so you can address those issues the next day.
7. If you can’t sleep, go into another room and do something relaxing until you feel tired.
8. Exercise regularly, but avoid vigorous workouts close to bedtime.
9. If you are experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness, snoring, or “stop breathing” episodes in your sleep, contact your health care professional for a sleep apnea screening.

(The content above is owned by the National Sleep Foundation and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of the National Sleep Foundation.)

Did you see tip #5?  That’s right, we often overlook the role our bedroom environment – including the mattress – plays in the quality of our sleep.    This is why Serta and the National Sleep Foundation recently partnered to conduct a national poll about the bedroom environment.  We’ll have the results to share with you in the coming weeks – plus an exciting contest where you can nominate someone in your life to win a new mattress.

Until then, we hope you find these tips helpful, and remember that you can always learn more about Serta’s partnership with the National Sleep Foundation and our new Perfect Sleeper mattresses by visiting http://bit.ly/perfectsleeper.

Serta Celebrates Sleep Awareness Week

Happy Sleep Awareness Week!

It’s our favorite time of year!  Serta is proud to promote Sleep Awareness Week, an annual public education and awareness campaign from our friends at the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) that promotes the importance of sleep.

All week long we will be promoting sleep, beginning with the announcement of the NSF’s annual Sleep in America poll results, and ending with the clock change to Daylight Savings Time, when most Americans lose an hour of sleep.

The National Sleep Foundation Reveals this Year’s Sleep in America Poll

This year’s ‘Sleep in America’ Poll reveals how sleep, or lack of sleep, directly impacts America’s transportation workers, including airline pilots, railroad workers, truck drivers, bus drivers, taxi and limo drivers.  Learn more with ‘Sleep In America’ poll results HERE

The results of this poll got us thinking about how important sleep is to work performance and quality of life for all of us.  Whether you are an airline pilot, taxi driver, office professional, teacher, doctor or stay-at-home mom, how well you sleep impacts how well you perform throughout the day.

Follow the #sleepawareness conversation on Twitter @SertaMattress and Facebook page or check back here throughout the week for insights and tips for a better night’s sleep.

This week, we are committed to sharing some great sleep tips with our fans on Facebook and Twitter.  We’ll explore some of the best music, movies and books to aid in better sleep as well as how switching to Daylight Savings Time impacts our sleep.  Follow us to stay up to date and to share your favorite sleep tips in return.

Could you need a new mattress?

Finally, in honor of this Sleep Awareness Week, we are shedding light on the role a mattress plays in the quality of sleep. Do any of these 5 common sleep problems impact how well you sleep at night?

1. Tossing & Turning
2. Lack of Support
3. Sleeping Too Hot or Too Cold
4. Partner Disturbance
5. Mattress Sagging or Roll-Off

If so, then it’s probably time to consider a new mattress.   Yes, we know that mattress shopping can be intimidating.  That’s why we’ve engineered  The New Serta Perfect Sleeper, with input from the National Sleep Foundation to help address all 5 of these common sleep problems.

Watch the video to learn more, and be sure to join us on Facebook and Twitter all week for more helpful sleep tips!

Learn about the Serta Perfect Sleeper

Couples Sleeping Separately: Bad For the Relationship?

Happy Valentine’s Day!  What better way to send your love than with an adorable Serta Counting Sheep Valentine?  Visit us on Faceook and click on the Sheep Valentines tab to choose your favorite and share with friends.  Each Counting Sheep Valentine is tagged with a message about Serta’s Adopt-a-Sheep for the Fight Against Cancer Event, going on now to raise funds for our friends at City of Hope.  Find us at www.facebook.com/sertamattress.

Now, in honor of Valentine’s Day, we ask an age-old question – is sleeping separately really bad for the relationship? 

The bed: for many, it’s a sacred private space that symbolizes union and intimacy.

But sharing a bed seems to be falling out of favor with some, as more couples choose to go their separate ways at night. In fact, a 2005 National Sleep Foundation poll found that nearly one in four American couples sleeps in separate beds or separate rooms. And the National Association of Home Builders says that by 2015 it expects 60 percent of custom-built homes to have separate master bedrooms.

That may sound decidedly unromantic, but many people have a good reason for splitting up after dark. Sometimes one partner’s nighttime behaviors – loud snoring, sleep talking, restless movements and so forth – are too disruptive. In other cases, the “fit” between the couple’s sleeping habits is the problem. Maybe one person is a light sleeper and the other has a penchant for stealing covers. Or one partner loves to snuggle with the kids in the wee hours while the other can’t get comfortable amidst all the little elbows and knees. Add in conflicting sleep times, differing work schedules and TV habits or electronics and you can see why some partners give up.  Just because a couple chooses to live happily ever after doesn’t mean their nighttime personalities are a perfect match.

Couples come up with different arrangements: two beds in the same room will do the trick for some, while others head for completely separate rooms (especially in the case of loud snoring). Sleep is a fundamental biological need and the bottom line is that we do what’s necessary to protect it.

But are separate beds a sign of a distant relationship? Some couples say bed is a place they connect, talk about the day, share feelings and so on; in the midst of busy schedules and family life, beds can feel like a personal haven. And we know that physical affection – holding, cuddling and intimacy – is an important part of healthy relationships. Our brains release bonding chemicals like oxytocin when we touch each other lovingly. For a couple pulled in different directions by day, sharing a bed might be one of their only sources of physical contact.

Only you and your other half know if sleeping separately is the right plan. But if you want to stay under the sheets together, it’s important to talk and problem solve. If snoring is the issue, consider adjusting your head or body position, avoid alcohol before bed and invest in earplugs. Decide on the rules of the bed, such as if and when pets or kids are welcome.  Make sure the mattress and pillows are comfortable for both of you and negotiate things like bedtime schedules to give each person the best chance at rest.  Remember, couples spend a third of their lives in bed, so it’s well worth a dedicated discussion and some fine-tuning.

Sleep Cooler this Holiday with Serta’s Cool Action Gel Memory Foam

Let’s face it – the holidays are as stressful as they are joyous.  Why not treat yourself to the gift of better sleep this holiday with a new iComfort Sleep System?  Our new sleep system features our revolutionary Cool Action gel memory foam – the world’s very first memory foam infused with our MicroSupport gel for a cooler and more supportive memory foam.

So…what makes this Serta exclusive technology different? 

Infused, not Coated with Gel – Using a proprietary process, our MicroSupport gel is actually infused directly into our exclusive premium memory foam. This gives our Cool Action™ material a unique combination of superior comfort, support, breathability and durability. Meanwhile, other “gel” memory foams are simply coated with a thin layer of gel over ordinary memory foam.

More Gel in a Richer Foam – Unlike other “gel infused” foams in the marketplace, we infuse our Cool Action material with up to 200% more gel. We also use an exclusive formulation of our premium, open-cell memory foam technology that is up to 25% denser than other products in the marketplace. This results in a richer, more premium feeling finished product with added support and durability.

It’s also a great time to shop because we are giving away two free iComfort Scrunch pillows with qualified iComfort purchases until January 2nd.  These super comfortable pillows are made with the same Cool Action gel memory foam – so your head and neck get the same cooling comfort and support that your body gets throughout the night.  Get details and find participating retailers here.

The iComfort Sleep System by Serta