Healthy sleep, healthy growth with the new Sealy Singles range

Posted on June 11, 2021 by lionel

Sleep is fundamental to everyone’s health and happiness. And none more so than children. It has a huge impact on health, behaviour, happiness and mental development. The new Sealy Singles range enables children to get the quality sleep they need for healthy physical and mental development.

A good quality mattress can help prevent the development of scoliosis, kyphosis and spinal curvature. The Sealy team has developed beds made with the best criteria for optimal sleep, thanks to constant research and development, as well as collaboration and studies with orthopaedic surgeons all over the world.

When choosing a mattress for your child, take into account factors such as the filling, durability, and the use of hypo-allergenic materials.

Top features of the new Sealy Singles range:

Allergen Protect^TM – This material protects the mattress from common household allergies for a fresher sleep experience.
Zone Support – A high density foam area provides support in the centre-third of the mattress (the middle), providing additional support to the heaviest part of the body. This feature is particularly important for older (and taller) children.
Pressure Relieving Foams – StayTrue^TM comfort layers make up the foundation of the mattress’ comfort layers, providing additional support for growing bones.
Sealy Exclusive Double Offset Spring System – Originally designed by orthopaedic doctors, these springs are especially designed so that each spring operates independently of the other.
Sealy Singles are available in Medium, Firm and Plush comfort options

Click here to find out more about our range for children.

Protect your Sealy Singles mattress

Be sure to protect your child’s new bed with a Sealy mattress protector, fitted with a fully elasticised 4-way stretch skirt. This means it will fit easily and securely over your mattress, keeping fresh, clean and healthy for longer.

A Proudly South African product

When you invest in a Sealy Single mattress, you know that it is it is hand crafted to precision in Sealy factories right here in South Africa and is made with locally-sourced steel and other materials, as well as timber from sustainable local plantations.

Getting a good night’s sleep – the Sealy Effect – is essential for your child’s growth and development, and a comfortable bed can make all the difference. And let’s not forget, if your child sleeps well, so do you!

Choosing the best mattress for your child

Posted on April 7, 2021 by lionel

When your child is ready to transition from cot to bed, it’s time to start thinking about the best mattress to buy. A good quality mattress can promote brain development and physical growth from a great night’s sleep.

Initially, you might be able to convert your cot to a toddler bed, or you might buy a small toddler bed. However, when you consider that children between the ages 2 and 6 grown an average of 7cm per year, it might be more economical to buy a single, three-quarter or double sized bed upfront, giving your child space to grow into. Parents are sometimes tempted to use a hand-me-down bed for their growing child. In these tough economic times, it might be the only option. But if possible, rather invest in a new mattress specifically designed to support the growth of your child.

The Sealy guide for choosing the best mattress for your child

Choosing this mattress doesn’t need to be challenging, but it is important to make careful considerations. It’s best to do your research first to ensure you choose the right mattress. After all, if your child is sleeping well throughout the night, so are you!

After a full day of activity, children need sufficient rest at night so they can start the new day well rested. The best mattress for your child will:

Cushion their developing bodies
Keep the spine and bones aligned (an especially important thing to bear in mind concerning your child’s growth)
Provide a soothing level of comfort to help with relaxation
Reduce rolling and fidgeting, allowing your child to sleep more soundly
Be made with a breathable, easy-to-clean fabric ensure good air circulation, keeping the body temperature well regulated. This will help encourage deep sleep cycles that are necessary for better health and development

Choose a Sealy mattress to support your child

Sealy mattresses are orthopedically developed with exclusive Posturepedic Technology™, an interconnected spring system topped with foam and comfort layers, that will support your child’s ideal sleeping posture. Sealy Posturepedic Technology™ targets the heaviest part of the body, with reinforced support where your child needs it most.

Protect your investment with a Sealy mattress protector

Even if your child is toilet-trained, accidents may happen overnight, so the mattress you choose should be made with an easy-to-clean fabric. Even then, it’s advisable to cover the bed with a waterproof mattress protector. Sealy Posturepedic mattress protectors are manufactured with a fully elasticised 4-way stretch skirt, ensuring a secure fit to protect your mattress and prolong the life of your investment in your child’s sleep.

Our top tips for transitioning to the big bed

Now that you have found the perfect bed for your child, you need to get them in the bed. This can sometimes be challenging. Here are a few tips to get your child into the new bed.

Be patient. It may take a few days for your child to get used to their new sleep environment.
If you are worried about your child falling off the bed, install a rail guard or try placing a rolled-up towel between the mattress and base side edge. You can also put extra pillows and blankets on the floor next to the bed to cushion a fall.
New bedding. You’re probably already going to get new bedding for the bed, but get your child involved by letting them choose their big-kid duvet.
Introduce it early. Help them understand and anticipate the change.

Your child will need a quality mattress when transitioning to the big-kid bed. Choose the right mattress for your child’s needs and avoid using old mattresses. A good quality mattress can promote brain development and physical growth from a great night’s sleep.

Home school: Create the perfect study area

Posted on June 9, 2020June 8, 2020 by lionel

It looks like most students will soon be returning to school, after a lengthy lockdown and home study because of the Coronavirus pandemic. After being forced to home school children for several weeks, most parents will agree on one thing: Where possible, children need a dedicated study area to help them focus better.

South African blogger and creator of the Lovilee Blog, Karen Kelly, transformed her son’s bedroom into a study haven. “This literally changed the way we did things – with better light, better use of space and simply being organised… there was peace!” explains Karen in her latest blog post: How to get your child’s bedroom study ready and styling at the same time.

Karen is on to something. It’s important for children to have a dedicated area to focus on their work. A study space free of distractions will help your child enter into “study mode”. In her blog post, Karen shares some tips on creating a study-read bedroom and includes pictures of her son’s new study space. It’s totally inspiring and might just get your creative juices flowing!

The link between good sleep and grades

A comfortable mattress and sleeping area are also important for helping your child achieve good grades. To do well in school, children have to know how to focus and concentrate, but they also need to know how to problem solve and manage emotions. Good quality sleep is essential for all of these skills.

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), outlines the recommended hours of sleep per day for school children:

Children aged 6 to 12 years – 9 – 12 hours per day
Teens aged 13 to 18 years – 8 – 9 hours per day

Make sure your child’s mattress gives them the support they need. As well as keeping the spine and bones aligned, which is very important for a growing child, a good quality mattress will reduce rolling and fidgeting, allowing your child to sleep more soundly. Browse Sealy’s range of mattresses to find the best bed to support your child’s growing body.

Photo credit: Melanie Wessels Photography

When is it time to move your child into a big bed of their own?

Posted on February 12, 2019February 21, 2019 by lionel

Moving a сhіld from a соt tо a bіg bеd іѕ a bіg ѕtер in thеіr lіfе. It’s a mаjоr mіlеѕtоnе, and the timing of this move can sometimes be tricky.

Yоu ѕhоuld dо іt before уоur сhіld first fаllѕ оut of the соt, but unfortunately thе fіrѕt tіmе уоu find out your child can climb out of the cot is when they’ve already fallen! Keep an eye out for when your сhіld іѕ ѕtаndіng uр in the соt wаіtіng fоr you tо аrrіvе and check if they’re making аttеmрtѕ tо climb out.

Once уоur child dесіdеѕ gеttіng оut оf thе cot on thеіr own іn thе mоrnіng is a major gоаl, it’s seriously time to gеt them іntо a рrореr bеd. Yоu саn make the trаnѕіtіоn саrеfullу using bеd guаrdѕ or rаіlѕ.

These саn hеlр the сhіld stay in bеd whеn аѕlеер but gіvе thе сhіld a рlасе to climb dоwn frоm thе bed оn their оwn. If you don’t hаvе a bеd rаіl, thеn уоu can uѕе pillows оr еvеn tuck them іn with a ѕhееt аѕ thіѕ саn help them ѕtау іn bеd when thеу’rе аѕlеер. If уоu think a сhіld wіll wriggle thеіr way оn to the flооr, thеn уоu соuld рlасе сuѕhіоnѕ оn thе flооr аrоund the bеd. Most children аdарt quісklу tо a proper bed.

There аrе ѕеvеrаl tуреѕ оf bеd guаrd. Thе ѕіmрlеѕt tuсkѕ undеr thе mattress and has a ѕіdе ѕесtіоn. Look fоr full оnеѕ ѕо thе child will not bumр thеmѕеlvеѕ оn іt.

If уоur сhіld dоеѕn’t lіkе thе big bеd, thеn уоu саn try putting thеm bасk іn thе соt wіth the ѕіdе оff. Sоmе соtѕ allow you to do thіѕ аnd іt саn hеlр your сhіld gеt uѕеd to thе freedom оf bеіng able tо get in аnd оut оf bed оn their оwn.

Some реорlе lіkе tо move to a smaller bed first, instead of a regular single-sized bed. There аrе child bеdѕ аvаіlаblе that аrе shaped and thеmеd tо mаkе thеm very арреаlіng tо ѕmаll сhіldrеn. Whо wоuldn’t want a rасіng car bеd, or a рrіnсеѕѕ ѕtуlе оnе? A smaller bеd wіll also usually bе сlоѕеr tо the grоund and mау even hаvе a lір оn іt designed tо ѕtор children rolling out оf bеd. Whichever decision уоu make you ѕhоuld know thаt children adapt quісklу tо thеіr new bеd аnd іf thеу dоn’t, thеn ѕоmе еxtrа bеdtіmе trеаtѕ lіkе аn еxtrа-lоng ѕtоrу can hеlр them gеt used to іt mоrе quісklу.

Remember that a child’s growing body needs a good mattress – not a hand-me down. Have a look at Sealy’s range of single mattresses, to give your child the best possible sleep: Explore Sealy mattresses.

Tips and advice for moving your child to a big bed

Assess fоr rеаdіnеѕѕ

It’ѕ tempting to mоvе a tоddlеr to a big bеd thе minute they turn twо, but mаnу toddlers are not ready until closer tо 3 ½. Tоddlеrѕ can bесоmе very аttасhеd tо thеіr crib and thе associations wіth it (bеіng a bаbу and security). Idеаllу, thе best tіmе tо mаkе the trаnѕіtіоn іѕ whеn уоur сhіld аѕkѕ for it.

Try nоt tо ruѕh thе trаnѕіtіоn bаѕеd оn іnрut from оthеrѕ or external рrеѕѕurе. Tоddlеrѕ do knоw when thеу are ready tо move on. If уоu hаvе a toddler whо ѕlеерѕ wеll in his crib wіthоut muсh соmрlаіnt, don’t make a сhаngе. Try tо аvоіd еxсеѕѕіvе “bіg boy” or “bіg gіrl” tаlk whеn dіѕсuѕѕіng thе tоріс, аѕ this tеndѕ to аdd pressure tо thе ѕіtuаtіоn. Mеntіоn іt, point out beds аnd bеddіng, аnd wait fоr your сhіld tо ѕhоw signs оf rеаdіnеѕѕ.

Plасеmеnt

Cоnѕіѕtеnсу іѕ always еѕѕеntіаl when іntrоduсіng bіg trаnѕіtіоnѕ. Trу tо рlасе thе nеw bеd іn the same рlасе (оr аѕ close tо it аѕ possible) аѕ thе сrіb. Moving еvеrуthіng аrоund саn саuѕе stress fоr some toddlers. Trу to kеер thе room as ѕіmіlаr as possible. **Nоtе: Sоmе tоddlеrѕ like to wаtсh thе сrіb lеаvе thе rооm, but most bесоmе uрѕеt when watching the сrіb lеаvе.

Comfort іtеmѕ

Yes, уоur сhіld рісkеd оut a nісе nеw bеd and fаbulоuѕ nеw bеddіng…but it’s possible thаt hе wіll ѕtіll want hіѕ оld соmfоrt іtеmѕ. Cоvеtеd toddler blаnkеtѕ, loveys, a fаvоrіtе stuffed animal, аnd other соmfоrt іtеmѕ ѕhоuld аll mаkе thе trаnѕіtіоn. The mоѕt іmроrtаnt fасtоr іѕ thаt уоur сhіld fееlѕ ѕаfе and ѕесurе in hіѕ nеw bеd.

Rоutіnе

Thеrе’ѕ nothing lіkе a nеw mіlеѕtоnе tо throw a tоddlеr оff bаlаnсе. Mаkе sure that уоu hаvе a wеll-hоnеd bedtime routine long bеfоrе you mаkе thе сrіb to bed trаnѕіtіоn. Keep thе routine the ѕаmе, rіght dоwn tо thе numbеr of stories rеаd tо the соntіnuоuѕ music оr whіtе noise mасhіnе. Thе оnlу сhаngе should bе thе асtuаl bеd. Mаіntаіnіng consistency еnѕurеѕ safety аnd соmfоrt for your child. Try nоt tо trаvеl untіl уоur child has trulу аdjuѕtеd tо thе nеw bed.

Bооkѕ

Bооkѕ аrе аlwауѕ a gооd idea whеn рrераrіng a сhіld fоr a bіg transition. “Bіg Enоugh fоr a Bеd” (Sеѕаmе Street) bу Aррlе Jоrdаn аnd “Your Bіg Bed” bу Rita Bergstein аrе grеаt books fоr tоddlеrѕ preparing tо mаkе the transition.

Other ideas include getting creative with nеw bеd раrtіеѕ аnd ѕсrарbооkѕ оf thе сrіb days…only you can truly knоw what wіll wоrk fоr уоur сhіld. Lеѕѕ fаnfаrе оftеn wоrkѕ the bеѕt.

How much should the tooth fairy be leaving behind while your child is sleeping?

Posted on October 9, 2018January 21, 2019 by lionel

Losing a first tooth is a remarkable milestone. It is so remarkable in fact that left unchecked it can create a swell of ‘proud parent feelings’ that may result in a very generous but unsustainable contribution from the tooth fairy (or the equally dashing tooth mouse).

Now the problem with leaving a few fat notes next to your sleeping child is that there will be more teeth to come and usually a younger sibling or two will be paying close attention to what the ‘going rate’ is for milk teeth.

Parents are remarkably creative creatures and I have heard rumours of payment being delayed due to the tooth not being clean enough or not presented in an acceptable fashion… although the actual issue may have been a forgetful tooth fairy or a tooth mouse out of change.

Of course the other difficult decision once the money is out the way is what to do with said milk teeth. Do you throw them away in the bin? Or does this classify as medical grade waste? Holding onto these little souvenirs of childhood can be equally cumbersome especially if discovered in your jewelry box by their original owner a few years later.

The good news is that when your child does fall asleep on their Sealy it is highly likely that they will stay asleep while you creep around their room in the dark taking part in one of the most exciting celebrations of a child’s imagination.

However you choose to do it, enjoy it. For the days are long, but they years are short.

For more information regarding when your child may need their own mattress go here.
Discover the Sealy Cot Mattress range here

Are tonsils to blame for my child’s snoring?

Posted on March 8, 2017 by lionel

Snoring is a sleep destroyer- for the snorer as well as those sleeping (or trying to sleep) nearby. Kids that snore are given the medical label of ‘Obstructive Sleep Apnea’ or ‘Sleep Disordered Breathing’. Whatever, you call it, these kids are not sleeping well and a sleep-deprived kid is likely to be a grumpy, sickly, miserable kid, prone to tears and skipping school. They are definitely not living their best life.

Enlarged tonsils and adenoids is the number one cause of snoring and sleep disruption in children. Tonsils and adenoids are clusters of lymphoid tissue that help to provide immunity for young children. The tonsils are found at the back of the throat, whilst the adenoids are found at the back of the nose. If the tonsils become too large, they will block the flow of air through the nose and mouth.

If this is found to be the case, then the first line of defense against snoring (recommended by the American Academy of Paediatrics) will be surgical removal of both the tonsils and adenoids under general anaesthesia (1) as the effectiveness of this procedure to reduce snoring and reduce excessive daytime sleepiness has been confirmed in many studies (2).

However, surgical removal of the tonsils and adenoids is not only linked to better sleep but also better behavior. Unlike sleep-deprived adults who slow down, sleep-deprived kids become hyperactive and wired and struggle to focus on one activity. This can lead to snorers being incorrectly labeled as having ADHD and underperforming at school.
Interestingly, in another study (3), children with an ADHD diagnosis who underwent surgery to remove their tonsils and adenoids, no longer fit the description of this diagnosis one year later.

Bottom line: If your kid is snoring, they need intervention to sleep better.

Are you a grown up snorer? 30% of women snore and need medical intervention

Are you concerned that your weight may be causing you to snore?

References:
1. Treatment Outcomes of Adenotonsillectomy for Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Prospective Longitudinal Study
Yu-Shu Huang, MD
Christian Guilleminault, DM, MD, DBiol
Li-Ang Lee, MD
Cheng-Hui Lin, MD
Fan-Ming Hwang, PhD
2. Sleepiness in children with obstructive sleep apnea improved on two commonly used sleepiness questionnaires following adenotonsillectomy treatment. Effect of Adenotonsillectomy on Parent-Reported Sleepiness in Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Shalini Paruthi, MD, Paula Buchanan, PhD, Jia Weng, MS, Ronald D. Chervin, MD, MS, Ronald B. Mitchell, MD …
3. Effect of adenotonsillectomy on nocturnal hypoxaemia, sleep disturbance, and symptoms in snoring children
J.R. Stradling. Author links open the author workspace. MDOpens the author workspacea. Numbers and letters correspond to the affiliation list. Click to expose these in author workspaceG. Thomas. Author links open the author workspace. RSCNa. Numbers and letters correspond to the affiliation list. Click to expose these in author workspaceA.R.H. Warley. Author links open the author workspace. MDa. Numbers and letters correspond to the affiliation list. Click to expose these in author workspaceP. Williams. Author links open the author workspace. BSca. Numbers and letters correspond to the affiliation list. Click to expose these in author workspaceA. Freeland. Author links open the author workspace. FRCSb

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/014067369090068G

Nightlights – A do or a don’t?

Posted on December 20, 2016 by lionel

Nightlights are one of the best sleep interventions for children who fear the dark, but doesn’t having a light on actually prevent a child falling asleep? Artificial light, in particular, can delay melatonin production (which in turn delays sleep onset) so is a nightlight, a sleep ‘do’ or a sleep ‘don’t’? This blog hopes to shed some light on the matter.

1. Getting enough daylight means better sleep at night. Find time for your child to play outside during the day, open the curtains if they are playing inside and make sure they take their nap in a naturally-lit place to differentiate their day sleep and their night sleep. Their brain needs to know when it is day and when it is night.

2. Use a red nightlight. Scientists recommend using a light that is 25 watts and glows red. This is apparently less disruptive to melatonin production than bright white and blue light rays. Visit a lighting or hardware store to find one that works in your light fitting.

3. Avoid artificial light from other sources. It is recommended that children avoid screen time in the last four hours before their bedtime. This means you will need to get them off the couch and playing indoor games such as puzzles, drawing, crafting and card games. Turn all bright lights off in the 30 minutes leading up to bedtime and allow for 15 minutes in bed with the red nightlight on before your child is expected to fall asleep.

Alternately, empower your child with a handheld torch that they can sleep with and turn on whenever they feel afraid. This may mean less fear and greater chance of sleepiness – a combination that is good for all.