Sleep like a baby

Sleep like a baby…

Here at Tonrose, we don’t ‘just’ supply bedding, we’re interested in the science of sleep. The way we see it, if we can work out what helps you nod off, we can improve our products even further to give you the best night’s sleep possible.

We all know how precious sleep is, and when a baby arrives on the scene, slumber for both the parents and the new-born can become more and more elusive!

So what can you do to improve the quantity and quality of the shut-eye you and your new family get? Babies wake in the night for all sorts of reasons. Be assured that you are not alone!  About a quarter of children under five in the UK have sleep problems, in particular: refusing to go to bed or waking in the night, and the two often go together.

As your child grows and develops it's important to sort out any sleep difficulties, because it can put pressure on relationships between you and your partner, and even between you and your child.

There are different sleep strategies, from crying it out at one end of the spectrum to co-sleeping at the other. It all depends on which solution works best for you and your family.

The following tactics can help your baby to sleep well from as early as six weeks. Always remember, whichever approach you take, you must be consistent and stick to it at all times!

·      Give him/her a chance to fall asleep on her own with no fussing or nursing
·     Set a bedtime routine and stick to it!
·     Give her a security object, such as a baby blanket, stuffed animal or soother.
·     Let him/her out. This is suitable once your baby is four or five months old. If she's crying  after you've put her down, go to her, pat him/her gently and tell him/her everything's fine, but that it's now time to go to sleep. Be gentle, but firm. Leave the room. Wait for a set interval, anything from two to five minutes, then check again. Do this repeatedly until he/she falls asleep, extending the time between each visit.


Recommended sleep patterns for babies:-

Age	Night-time Sleep	Daytime Sleep	Total Sleep
1 month	8½	7(3 naps)	15½
3 months	10	5 (3 naps)	15
6 months	11	3¼ (2 naps)	14¼
9 months	11	3 (2 naps)	14
12 months	11¼	2½ (2 naps)	13¾
18 months	11¼	2¼ (1 nap)	13½
2 years	11	2 (1 nap)	13
3 years	10½	1½ (1 nap)	12

Could you be allergic to your bed?

We all see our bed as a place of refuge; a place to relax and recuperate after a hard day’s work. A safe haven of comfort, warmth and security. But is your bed as safe as you think it is?

Research has shown that over 12 million people could be allergic to something rather sinister that lurks in all beds… dust mites. An average bed has over 2 million of these little critters. They feed off your dead skin and set up home in your bedding.

59% of allergy sufferers said that their symptoms were worse in the bedroom. A shocking revelation that illustrates just how rampant these mites are is that your pillow will double in weight over a six month period due to the faeces they produce! A female can produce up to 100 eggs in her 10 week lifespan, taking over your bed in a matter of days.

Chris Kingsford of Tonrose linen advises that pillows should be changed at least once a year and all bedding should be washed once a week at 60°C. He adds, “The thought of these creatures in your bed is rather unpleasant, but there’s no way of preventing them. Buying good quality ben linen means it can be washed time and time again to get rid of the mites. Washing only goes so far though, and we agree with Allergy UK’s advice that bedding should be replaced frequently.” 

So what’ll it be: party in your bed tonight with 2 million mites on the guest list? I’m ordering new pillows as I write…