What Moms Want for Mother’s Day: Sleep (we’re pretty sure)
This mother’s day, as you think about how to thank the maternal figure in your life for all they do, consider the one thing they haven't gotten enough of since you were born: sleep.
For moms, threats to sleep are everywhere. A recent study of 3,000 women found that each child increased the odds of insufficient sleep by 50 percent.
As parents know, there’s no way to get lost sleep back. Making things worse, getting caught in a cycle of insomnia can get worse when you can’t stop thinking about how little sleep you’re actually getting. That same study found that the only common factor linked with insufficient sleep was having kids in the house. And unfortunately, naps aren’t necessarily a reliable option for moms (or dads, but right now we’re all about mom).
The situation is all too common. The CDC estimates that 50-70 million adults in the U.S. – about 10-25 percent – have chronic sleep and wakefulness disorders. It’s not surprising. In our 24/7 culture of round-the-clock news, it can be easy to get distracted from focusing on sleep.
One option for helping moms take back the night is Gravity Blanket, which is formulated to reduce stress and promote deeper REM cycles. Our weighted blankets are designed to be 7-12 percent of your body weight, making them a reliable way for all types of moms to fight back despite the challenges they face.
If the moms in your life are having sleep problems, here’s a little intel on other ways lack of sleep may be impacting their daily life.
Physical health
Poor sleep can have a dramatic effect on our physical health. It has been linked to increased calorie consumption, weight gain, weakened immune response and an elevated list of chronic conditions like stroke, heart disease and Alzheimer’s.
Cognitive performance
Lack of quality sleep at night has been linked to concentration and memory problems during the day. Sleep loss can even derail the process of memory consolidation and the development of new brain tissue.
Emotional well-being
Feel edgy after a night of not-great sleep? You’re not alone. After sleep deprivation, our brain’s emotional centers are 60 percent more reactive. Poor sleep also has a direct correlation to anxiety and depression, studies show.
Bottom line: moms deal with a lot, more than we probably realized as kids, and they do it for us.
Moms are (one reason) why we invented Gravity Blankets. The blankets are a new weapon for insomnia sufferers, using deep touch pressure simulation to recreate the feeling of being held or hugged. FYI moms love hugs. But more importantly, this sensation has been shown to aid in the release of serotonin and melatonin, two sleep-promoting hormones.
The end result is that you fall asleep faster and more deeply and are able to enjoy life more. We have a multitude of products fitting including fashionable duvet cover designs that moms will love as well as weighted eye masks.
If a good night’s rest if what you are considering sharing for Mother’s Day, we hope you’ll consider a Gravity Blanket. Our moms use them, and they’re super proud of us.
Use the code MentalHealthMatters to save 15% on one this Mother's Day, and we'll donate an additional $10 to mental health research.
