In an ideal world, we should spend one third of our lives sleeping, but for many people eight hours of sleep each night is out of reach. Whether its because of long work hours, insomnia, small kids, or just too much stress, chances are we know and love at least one person who needs more sleep. So, this year, give that person the gift of sleep.
Whether your budget is big or small, you should find something here for the sleep lover in your life –
Gifts for better sleep
- Calming herbal teas. Did you know that sipping a cup of herbal tea before bedtime could help you sleep better? Peppermint tea and camomile tea are said to help calm anxiety. You will find a selection of calming blends in the tea aisle at your local grocery store or visit any of the upmarket tea stores popping up in many shopping centres. If your sleep lover is also a tea lover, put together a pretty box with a selection of calming teas.
- Bath fizz balls. A bath before bedtime helps to calm the mind and prepare the body for sleep. Good quality fizz balls, also known as bath bombs, will soften and cleanse the skin and usually have aromatherapy benefits too. We love the Fizz Stardust bath bomb from Rain Natural Skincare, for R65.
- Eye pillow. Also known as a dream pillows, this is a little pouch filled with various soothing ingredients like flax seed and aromatherapy oils, which you place over your eyes and forehead for a deeper sleep. The Earthway Infusions Eyepillow has lavender essential oil in it, which is known for its calming properties. Get it for R77 from Faithful to Nature.
- Play dough stress ball. Who says play dough is just for kids?! (Although this is a great gift idea for children too.) When you play with an aromatherapy play dough ball, you engage your senses of smell and touch. It’s great for calming stress and anxiety before bed. Aromadough has a whole range of aromatherapy play dough balls, but when it comes to a good night’s sleep, we recommend the Festive Sleep Stress Ball (R95) which has sweet orange, neroli and lavender essential oils.
- Pillow. Most people underestimate the value of a good pillow when it comes to good quality sleep. We manufacture a range of Sealy pillows, including our innovative Gel pillows. There’s the My Coolsmart Gel Pillow, which has a refreshing gel layer that reduces heat buildup, and the My Gel Pillow, which is made with gel-infused memory foam. Both pillows are made with adaptive memory foam and covered with Tencel material, which provides good moisture control and is naturally breathable and cool.
- Weighted blanket. Imagine wrapping yourself in a blanket and feeling as though you’re getting a big hug. That is what weighted blankets do. Weighted blankets are heavier than normal blankets because they are filled with a heavier material, such as pellets. They help to calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety and insomnia. Weighted blankets from Pretty Special come in toddler, child, adult and extra-large sizes and range in price from R600 to R1500.
- Himalayan salt lamp. These lamps are said to help boost mood, improve sleep, ease allergies and clean the air, however there is little scientific proof to support those claims. If they are true – bonus – if not, at the very least a Himalayan Salt Lamp will soften the lighting in a room, which helps encourage a more relaxed mood. These are fairly easy to find. Salty Sistas has a great collection, ranging from R250 to R2450.
The ultimate gift for people who need more sleep: A new bed
If you’re looking for a long-term investment that will reap rewards for many years to come, then consider investing in a new bed this year. Sleep is an important factor of a healthy lifestyle but unfortunately most people sleep on a mattress past its expiration date or to have a low-quality mattress to begin with. Having the right mattress can make all the difference with feeling more energetic, as well as keeping you healthy.
Through constant research and development, and collaboration and studies with orthopaedic surgeons all over the world, the Sealy team has established the best ‘criteria’ for optimal sleep. Building upon the recommendations of these world class orthopaedic surgeons, Sealy constructs mattresses with unique spring systems for body support, topped with foam and comfort layers with pressure relieving properties – meaning the body is in its natural position to fully relieve muscular tension. This is known today as Sealy’s exclusive Posturepedic Technology™, which targets the heaviest part of your body, with reinforced support where you need it most. Only Sealy with exclusive Posturepedic Technology™ mattresses give you deep-down push back support for exceptional all-over comfort.
Sealy Posturepedic Technology™ supports your sleep by providing:
- Pressure relieving comfort for undisturbed sleep: from Ultra-Plush to Extra-Firm, built with premium materials.
- The support you need: deep-down orthopedically correct push-back spring system, surrounded with a superior edge support system.
- A system where everything works together to give you the same great comfort and support for a long time: extra durability that repays your investment day after day.