Good Night's Sleep: Top Wellness Priority for Women
Third Annual Better Sleep Council Stress & Sleep Survey Finds Respondents' Beliefs and Actions at Odds

ALEXANDRIA, VA, May 1, 2004— According to the Better Sleep Council’s (BSC) third annual stress and sleep survey, women identify getting a good night’s sleep as their top priority for personal wellness. Twenty-seven percent believe sleep is more important to wellness than eating a balanced diet (24%) and exercising 30 minutes a day (19%).

However, while they say it’s key to wellness, a good night’s sleep is just a dream for many women. In terms of what they actually do, women ranked getting a good night’s sleep third (16%) behind eating a balanced diet (22%) and exercising (26%). In fact, while 45% of women say they feel most energized after a good night’s sleep, only 16% say that they are likely to sleep more to improve their overall wellness.

“This misalignment is leaving women exhausted,” notes Mary Lo Verde, health and wellness expert and author of I Used to Have a Handle on Life But it Broke. “We wear our fatigue like a badge of honor. As women we need to accept the fact that we won’t get it all done; respect ourselves and our bodies enough to make sleep a priority; and maximize our chances of a good night’s slumber by evaluating our sleep environment—including our mattresses. Survey results also validate the important role a mattress plays in the overall quality of sleep.”

“We found a direct connection this year between sleep deprived women (60%) and their desire to purchase a new mattress,” observed Nancy Shark, executive director of the Better Sleep Council. “We encourage consumers to evaluate their sleep habits and current mattresses, before exhaustion, back pain, or other potential avoidable aliments begin to impact their personal wellness.”

Recognizing the important role sleep and a good mattress plays in quality of life, the BSC encourages women to take the time during Better Sleep Month this May to evaluate their sleep habits and sleep environment. The BSC has developed Ten Tips to help consumers start every day with a good night’s sleep.

1. Give yourself "permission" to go to bed. As hard as it may be to put away your "to do" list, make sleep a "priority." You'll thank yourself in the morning.

2. Unwind early in the evening. Try to deal with worries and distractions several hours before bedtime.

3. Develop a sleep ritual. Doing the same things each night just before bed signals your body to settle down for the night.

4. Keep regular hours. Keep your biological clock in check by going to bed around the same time each night and waking up close to the same time each morning – even on weekends.

5. Create a restful place to sleep. Sleep in a cool, dark room that is free from noises that may disturb your sleep.

6. Sleep on a comfortable, supportive mattress and foundation. It's difficult to sleep on a bed that's too small, too soft, too hard, or too old.

7. Exercise regularly. Regular exercise can help relieve daily tension and stress – but don't exercise too close to bedtime or you may have trouble falling asleep.

8. Cut down on stimulants. Consuming stimulants, such as caffeine, in the evening can make it more difficult to fall asleep.

9. Don't smoke . Smokers take longer to fall asleep and wake up more often during the night.

10. Reduce alcohol intake. Drinking alcohol shortly before bedtime interrupts and fragments sleep.

Spokespersons from the Better Sleep Council and Mary Lo Verde, are available for comment regarding the importance of getting a good night’s sleep and the role a proper mattress plays. Please contact Katie Fouts at 202.828.8828 or foutsk@fleishman.com for more information.

For information on how to live a more balanced lifestyle visit www.maryloverde.com