12 Do's and Don'ts for a Successful Les types de lits gigognes

[Luu Babette]

Across the United States and elsewhere, new charities are forming with a new focus-- to deliver beds, mattresses, bedding, and other bedtime supplies to underprivileged children. Sleep is proven to be a vital The original source daily necessity for health and well being. And it's not just about quantity. Research shows that quality of sleep is as important, and possibly even more important, than total number of hours spent sleeping.

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Children and adults who do not get regular sleep of high quality and appropriate quantity suffer physical, mental, and emotional effects. Tired minds do not process information well. For adults, this means poor work performance. For children, being overly tired makes it very difficult to absorb and learn new information. Many situations that present as learning problems can actually be tracked back to lack of quality sleep.

It is important for parents and guardians to help children get to sleep at a routine bedtime every night and to help children remain comfortably asleep. During sleep, the brain processes what it has recently learned and encountered. Children and adults who regularly wake up multiple times at night are deprived of valuable brain processing time.

To help children achieve quality sleep and establish healthy sleep habits, adults need to help children establish consistent bedtime routines and ensure that the nightly routine is followed every evening. A warm bath is great way to signal the body and mind that the day is done. Comfortable pajamas that meet safety regulations are also very important to sleep success. Nightly story time and book reading with an adult is popular way to end the day, and often opens lines of communication for children and adults to talk about the day, and make plans for the next day. From there, it's lights out, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite.

That is where bed donating charities come in. Organizations like Build-a-Bed literally build beds and top them with new mattresses that are usually donated by mattress stores. Comfortable bedding for use on the bed goes into a "bedtime bag", along with teddy bears, books, night lights, pillows, sheets, and any other bedtime related items that have been donated by area merchants.

The beds and bedtime bags are then given, free of charge, to underprivileged children with the intention of helping them have more relaxing bedtimes and more comfortable beds to help them stay asleep. In effect, these organizations are not simply doing a helpful thing, they are investing in the future of the children to whom the beds, mattresses and supplies are given. By giving the gift of good sleep, they are giving the gift of more alert thinking and the ability to better perform in school.

Futon beds are perfect for students living in dorm rooms, single people in cramped apartments and homes, and for kids - and they can also find a spot in the den as an extra bed for sleepovers and unexpected guests during the holidays. Futons are similar to sofa beds, but they are much more compact and easier to set up, and they are far less expensive. The futon itself serves as a sofa or couch when the bed is not in use.

Away at College

Most dorm rooms or apartments for students are small and serve the purpose of just sleeping, eating and showering. Since there is limited space in these living quarters, futon beds serve double duty as providing a place to sit and relax as well as a spot for sleeping. They are extremely popular with the college crowd for these reasons - and because college kids are still "kids" - it is a good choice as an inexpensive piece of furniture that can handle a harsh beating under the wrong conditions - kids living on their own, unsupervised. Most are so cheap that if they last just a few semesters, your money was well spent.

Apartment Living

When you live in an apartment, you're always on the prowl for inexpensive and compact pieces of furniture. They fit the bill perfectly. You can easily turn a one-bedroom apartment into a two-bedroom apartment by placing a futon bed in the living room. And if you have guests, voila! It lets out easily for your guest to lounge comfortably at night.

In the Den

Placing a futon in the den, living room, or other area of the home for overnight guests to use is a smart move. Futons are far more comfortable than other alternatives - such as those irritating blow up mattresses. Your guest will sleep in comfort and be much appreciative of your effort.

Buying Them

You can find futon beds at most furniture stores, big box retailers, and online. Many online retailers will offer you great deals - and some of them will even ship them free to your location. When purchasing your bed, be sure to look for one that is solidly constructed and that features easy set up instructions. Optimally, you want to buy your bed pre-assembled, but this is often not the case. Nevertheless, a screwdriver and a bit of know-how around the tool box are about all you'll need to easily assemble your bed right out of the box. They typically come with a futon mattress, although some do not and you might need to purchase it separately. Look for them with plush mattresses that can stand up to being folded (and then sat on) repeatedly.