Penticton Home Show

We were down at the Penticton Spring Home Show this past weekend and had a very good time. The show was surprisingly well attended. definitely better than what we had thought it would be, which is always a nice surprise. particularly if you consider our last show was the Spring show at Prospera Place in Kelowna and coincided with the last weekend of the Olympics. Not very good planning on our part.

One common theme I kept hearing at both shows, was the number of people who have purchased a mattress in the past several years and perhaps invested a significant amount into the mattress, and are now very unhappy with the quality of sleep the mattress is delivering. We too have experienced this. A number of years ago we attended a wedding in Winnipeg and loved the mattress we slept on at the Fort Garry Hotel. Later that year we purchased a double-sided, pillow top mattress from a national chain, the mattress was heavenly. For about a year and a half. And then we noticed, that despite flipping the thing monthly and spinning it 180 degrees, that there were body impressions where we slept and the mattress was no longer comfortable at all. I remember waking in the middle of the night, going to the biffy and then it was a deliberate motion to lie down on my side that didn’t hurt. The pressure points I was experiencing were unbelievable.

Now, I can assure you this will not happen on an intelliBED but it sure is difficult to convey that to people because they have heard it before and look at what the are stuck with today. My personal experience is that after 2 years on our current intelliBED mattress, there is no sign that it has even been slept in never mind body impressions. I was recently back in Calgary and there is an 8 yr old mattress there at Head Office that the only way you can tell it is an experienced mattress is that the top stretch nit is looser than a new one. Other wise it still looks and feels terrific.

The only thing that interrupts my sleep nowadays is my 2-year-old. But he’s just so darn cute I think I’ll put up with the occasional kick or punch to the head from him.

Fight fatigue at Work

Below is an article from Sleepy News.

A growing epidemic in this day in time, is drowsiness at work. This is a common occurence among America’s workforce due to the fact that we are generally over-worked, over-stressed and over-booked in our daily lives. A life lived in overdrive can certainly lead to some level of exhaustion, especially if we are not getting the sleep we need.

Falling asleep at work is, as you know, a big no-no. Not only can this get you in deep trouble with your boss, but it can have a detrimental effect on your health, safety, and productivity at work. If you find yourself dozing off while you’re on the clock, take solace in the fact that there are ways to help fight the fatigue and regain your professional composure:

- Instead of combating the afternoon lull with caffeine – a tactic that creates the illusion of efficiency and alertness, but actually “borrows” energy from your life force that you didn’t have in the first place – try taking a 5 minute power nap! Even a brief rest can reduce stress and help you relax, which can give you the increase in energy you need to complete your tasks of the day.

- Take a walk around the block. By removing yourself from the confines of your office by getting out into the sunlight and fresh air, you give your body an instant boost. Even if you only have 10 minutes to spare, taking a brief stroll outside will help clear your mind, alieviate your anxieties and get your blood pumping – all of these will help you feel more alert and alive.

- If napping during the day isn’t an option, an alternative is meditation. It gives your body a rest and produces slower brain waves that are similar to sleep. This period of restful awakeness will provide some of the same benefits of napping without the shuteye.

- Prevent the battle of fatigue by getting at least eight hours of sleep every night. Skip the after-work drinks and the night out with the boys! During the week, it’s best to rest your weary head in bed – especially after a gruelling day at the office. This will give you the stamina to keep up in the days ahead, while keeping your mind fresh and focused.