Soaring Heart Natural Bed Company is very proud to announce that we have partnered with the Charter for Compassion International, an organization devoted to promoting a “cooperative effort to restore not only compassionate thinking but, more importantly, compassionate action to the center of religious, moral and political life.”
When it comes to our children, it is safe to say that we are cautious and careful.
We are careful to ensure that if something can be put in their mouth, it cannot be swallowed. We studiously cover all outlets and sharp corners and read all the labels on their food. Their medicines are thoroughly researched, as are their sleep routines, and their care providers.
Why then, with all this caution, do we still let our babies sleep on mattresses made from petroleum and under blankets made entirely of synthetic material?
What could be more fun than kids and pillows? Once again the kids at Seattle's Fred Hutch School (supporting kids and their families during cancer treatment), have proven that there's nothing like building pillows to bring a smile to your face!
Freshman year of college is an exciting time. All the planning, campus visits, applications, and waiting for acceptance letters is over. The choices have been made and a very interesting future, new friends and amazing experiences lie dead ahead.
As does dorm life.
Good news for everyone sick of "greenwashing." The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) is cracking down on the mattress industry as a whole--and Essentia Natural Memory Foam, EcoBaby, and Relief-Mart in particular--for unsupported claims that their mattresses are organic, VOC (volatile organic chemicals) free, all natural, non-offgassing, odorless, etc.
Viniyoga is a wonderful tool if you are suffering from sleep disorders, chronic stress, or just have a tough time unloading your mind of worries before bed. Viniyoga Yoga is a great natural tool that will help you achieve a restful, refreshing night's sleep.
"I love my towels," Catherine--our Marketing Manager--gushed when I asked her what product she was currently most excited about, "They're so absorbent." And she would know, it's like the Brady Bunch over there at casa Catherine. With six children, spanning the years of college to motherhood, rotating through the house during the year, you could say Catherine has given these towels a trial by fire.
"Coffee? I don’t need no stinkin’ coffee!” One very awake blogger’s review of the Sonic Boom Alarm Clock.
It isn't unusual for customers to ask us our opinion on various sleep products--special alarm clocks, sleeping aids, herbal remedies, sound nullifiers, eye-masks...
At Soaring Heart Natural Bed Company, we firmly believe in designing products with cradle-to-cradle lifecycles. Traditional mattress manufacturers design products with linear lifecycles...
A few weeks ago, Soaring Heart Natural Bed Company had the privilege of working with some very dedicated volunteers during our company's quarterly Charity Pillow Build. Together we made 80 natural and organic shredded latex pillows that are going to a summer camp started by Dr. Stanley Stamm to benefit young patients suffering from serious illnesses at Seattle Children's Hospital. This week-long sleep-over camp near Mt. Rainier gives kids the chance to go fishing, ride horses and take part in other typical camp activities they might otherwise miss.
It's a wonderful place doing important work, and Soaring Heart is proud to give these children a comfortable night's sleep after a full day of summer activity.
Here is Mike Schaefer, Soaring Heart Natural Bed Company owner, with more information on Soaring Heart's charity pillow build.
For further information on Soaring Heart Natural Bed Company's philanthropy and for ways you can help, go to the Soaring Heart Gives Back page in our About section.
I just watched a very interesting interview with Jamie Corroon, a Naturopathic Doctor at Bastyr Center for Natural Heath (below). In the interview he discusses how lack of sleep affects our bodies. Now, as someone who has trouble sleeping, my interest was naturally peaked.
You won't be surprised to hear that sleeping six hours or less is not good. Some not-so-pleasant side effects of sleep deficit that you might see reflected in your health include weight gain, irritability, hypertension, and an increase in anxiety and other mood disorders.
Luckily, Mr. Corroon has some helpful tips on how to get to sleep, stay asleep, and buck some of those bad habits such as eating late. One of Bastyr’s recommendations—and of course, we at , Soaring Heart second it—is to use natural and organic bedding, as sleep hygiene is just as important as sleep habits.
If you want to learn more about sleep hygiene as well as helpful, healthful sleeping tips, subscribe to our blog and/or "Like" us on Facebook. There are many articles on and tips about having a great night's sleep. Start with these two:
LIVING NATURALLY: BETTER SLEEP, BETTER ENERGY - BASTYR UNIVERSITY
A lecture from Bastyr University; Living Naturally: Better Sleep, Better Energy.
GUEST BLOG: CHANGE YOUR SLEEP. CHANGE YOUR LIFE
Some helpful tips to fall asleep faster an stay asleep longer by guest blogger and Authorized Teacher at Sounder Sleep System,® Becci Parsons.
About a month ago, a friend remarked on the irony of my working at a mattress company. The irony comes from the fact that for my entire life I have struggled with a sleep disorder. I decided to write a blog post about it after posting a New York Times article about ADHD and sleep disorders to our Facebook page yesterday.
I have had trouble sleeping my whole life. Like a good movie villain, I just won't go down. It quite honestly takes hours. As soon as I'm in bed, and all the usual daily stimulation is gone, my brain goes into hyper drive and I'm still trying to find the off switch. No matter how tired I am, I still lie there for at least an hour—essentially just waiting to fall asleep while visions of everything my admittedly-odd psyche can dream up dance in my head. So, I have gotten used to being tired all the time; it is basically my natural state now and I don't even realize it. My tired is everyone else's (save for my fellow sufferers) exhausted.
Now, most sleep disorders are the symptom of something larger, so you can't just cure them; but you can manage them. I've tried eight billion different tools and techniques (I'm being a little hyperbolic) but—you knew it was coming—a new mattress made a big difference. I won't lie to you and say that after one night all was fixed--that I fell asleep immediately and leapt, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, out of bed the next morning like a newborn fawn. I did, however, feel more rested and waking up wasn't quite so excruciating.
Over time this has improved even further. I still don' t sleep much--a new mattress won't change that-- but when I am asleep, I stay that way and feel more revitalized the next morning. It has become easier for me to wake up and the AM stress I had become used to over the years is essentially gone. I now—for the first time in my life—am confident I will wake up when I am supposed to wake up.
This might sound pretty small, but for me it's huge.
