Give Yourself the Gift of Wellness This Black Friday!

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday just around the corner, most of us are scurrying to make our holiday lists, check them twice, and trying to decide on the perfect gift for our loved ones. Who are you missing on your gift list? Well, you of course! This holiday season, the time of gratitude, quality time and cozying up in your pajamas, why not give yourself a gift that will lower your stress and anxiety, ease chronic aches and pains, and increase your overall wellness?

When we think health, most of us prioritize exercise and diet. We neglect the third major pillar of health; sleep. Now in particular, the COVID pandemic has wreaked havoc on our anxiety levels which then interfere with our sleep patterns. In the last two years, there have been drastically increased rates of anxiety, stress and insomnia. When we’re anxious and stressed, we need quality sleep even more. When anxiety interferes with our sleep, we wake up feeling even more anxious and then again, we can’t sleep well. It’s a vicious cycle. As we continue to try to make sense of this ongoing crisis, it’s important that we give ourselves the right sleep accessories to maximize our nighttime routine.

Statistically, the average American sleeps less than 6 hours a night, but our bodies require 7-9 hours per night for optimal physical and mental function. When we sleep well and we sleep enough, we lower our risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, as well as decrease our chances of anxiety, depression and poor cognitive functioning. So, what does it mean to have a good night’s sleep?

In today’s market, there are so many products out there with the sole purpose of improving sleep and wellness. Quality beds and sleep accessories are one of the best ways to invest in yourself and your health. Most likely, it’s the reason why we’re seeing weighted blankets pop up all over the place. Weighted blankets add a new level of comfort to the sleeping experience making them a must-have this season. Ghostbed’s weighted blankets are known to lessen anxiety by creating a sensation of your body being grounded. This grounding may reduce stress hormones (think fight or flight response) and allow the body to settle into those feel-good hormones. Ghostbed uses premium and eco-friendly glass beads to provide weight while comfortably conforming to your body.

Another key to a good night’s sleep is reduced sensory stimulation. Our waking bodies are constantly taking in stimulation via sound, sight, smell, taste, touch and movement. When our bodies switch to sleep mode, our breath slows down and gets deeper, our heartbeat begins to slow and our muscles relax. Unfortunately for many of us, it’s difficult to achieve this level of relaxation on our own. Ghostbed’s weighted blanket induces a deep touch pressure that balances our nervous system. This deep touch stimulation is similar to a form of compression used to heal the body of aches and pains. Compression increases blood circulation, with the goal of re-oxygenating blood and reducing sore muscles. Other sleep accessories, such as Dreamcloud’s premium pillows can offer support to your stiff neck and shoulders muscles. Body compression combined with a solid neck support relaxes your body and releases bothersome pressure points.

According to sleep experts, our sleep environment is one of the biggest keys to a restful sleep, and a comfortably cool room is the ideal sleep situation. On average, the room temperature should be between 60 and 75°F. If we are too warm, it will most likely take us out of that deep sleep mode. Deep sleep is the part of the sleep cycle that repairs our cells and consolidates our memories. Another benefit to Ghostbed’s weighted blanket is its cooling effect. They are made of breathable fabrics that are moisture absorbent, to assist your body in regulating its cool temperature. If you’re looking for the full-body cooling experience, you might be interested in expanding your sleep accessory collection to include Nectar’s cooling memory foam pillow. In addition to the cooling function, you can adjust the pillow’s firmness to your preference. Instead of constantly flipping your pillow over multiple times a night so you can nestle into the colder side (yeah, yeah, we all do it!), cooling pillows keep your head and neck cool without the constant fidgeting. A cooler body and head means a deeper sleep!

Sleep is vital for our health. While it is the most neglected form of self-maintenance, there are many steps you can take today to upgrade your sleep sanctuary and begin to nurture your sleep routine. Sleep accessories, such as weighted blankets, cooling products and memory foam pillows can be a great way to invest in your wellness this holiday season. After the whirlwind of the last two years, we all deserve the gift of comfort and health. Take advantage of this year’s Black Friday sales to cozy up your bed, melt away your stress, ease those tense muscles and practice some much-needed self-care!