Health is wealth, and don’t take sleep for granted

MANILA, Philippines - Consider this: there are so many things people do in bed — resting, reading, watching TV, or probably even something intimate. Not to mention that people spend a quarter of their lives sleeping.

“Many things that we take for granted are affected by sleep,” Dr. Raymonde Jean, director of sleep medicine and associate director of critical care at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City, said on huffingtonpost.com. “If you sleep better, you can certainly live better. It’s pretty clear.”

Sleep does make you feel better, but its importance and benefits can’t be quantified or measured. Adequate sleep, health.com explains, is a key part of a healthy lifestyle, and can benefit the heart, weight, mind and more.

To have a good night’s sleep, choose a mattress brand that’s known for comfort, style and durability. Uratex Premium Mattresses might just be the answer to your needs.

Scientific studies, as cited by longevity.about.com, state that sleep reduces stress: “When your body is sleep-deficient, it goes into a state of stress. The body’s functions are put on high alert which causes an increase in blood pressure and a production of stress hormones. Higher blood pressure increases your risk for heart attacks and strokes. The stress hormones also, unfortunately, make it harder for you to sleep.”

For those with certain issues with their back when going to sleep, there is the Uratex Therapoint Mattress, a superior-grade, high-resilient foam where comfort and support is at a perfect balance so you enjoy deep, sound sleep every night.

The Therapoint Mattress uses the Coolmax Technology Mattress cover, a high-performance fabric that dries fast compared to other mattresses. Coolmax minimizes tiredness caused by perspiration during sleep and maximizes sleep quality.

For the extremely active, the Uratex Senso Memory Foam Mattress is the best gift. Say goodnight and goodbye to pains in the back, neck, shoulder, leg, joints, headaches, muscle aches, sciatica, bed sores, pressure points, numbness, stress, fatigue and insomnia.

It’s made of high-quality memory or visco-elastic foam originally developed by NASA to reduce extreme pressure on astronauts during takeoff. This is particularly good, according to naturalsleep.org, for athletes who need enough sleep to improve physical performance.

For kids’ maximum protection from germs and the most relaxing sleep, there’s the Uratex Purifoam (left), while the Uratex Premium Touch Viscoluxe Memory offers advanced and combined pocket-spring system and body-molding memory foam for soothing indulgence.

The site states: “Sleep is highly rated on an athlete’s agenda, at least those who understand the benefit of it. During sleep muscle tissue is rebuilt and strength gains are set into stone. In addition, the release of growth hormone during sleep also exerts an additive effect on recovery and performance enhancement.”

People know by now that beauty sleep is not altogether an urban legend. Fitnessmagazine.com explains: “You know recovery is just as key as working out when it comes to keeping your body toned; the same goes for your skin. Overnight, skin cells regenerate and facial muscles that create lines relax,” says Dr. Rubin Naiman, a sleep specialist at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

So what now is the perfect gift for the beauty-conscious and the fashionista? Trapunto by Rajo Laurel. Exclusively designed by one of the country’s most creative minds in the world of fashion, Trapunto offers a new level of luxury, support and comfort, with its contoured cut and knitted fabric cover that provides a soft, plush feel that brings a cool and relaxed sleeping experience.

Both foam and cover are treated with Sanitized so you are assured of effective protection against bacteria, fungi, dust mites, mold, mildew and odor. Being a three-zone mattress, Trapunto ensures superior support in the shoulder, lumbar and hip areas, making sure that you have that supermodel poise all day.

The Pediatrics journal found out in a 2009 study “that children aged seven and eight who got less than about eight hours of sleep a night were more likely to be hyperactive, inattentive, and impulsive.”

The journal Sleep, meanwhile, found in a 2010 study that “Children between the ages of 10 and 16 who have sleep disordered breathing, which includes snoring, sleep apnea, and other types of interrupted breathing during sleep, are more likely to have problems with attention and learning that could lead to significant functional impairment at school.”

In short, kids must not be neglected. For their maximum protection from germs and the most relaxing sleep, there’s the Uratex Purifoam. Millions of Filipino children suffer from allergies caused by dust mites or harmful microorganisms found at home.

Purifoam by Uratex has been especially designed to help address this problem and satisfy the need for a mattress that offers protection against allergy-causing microbes.

And for couples who wish to upgrade their mattress, consider the Uratex Premium Touch Viscoluxe Memory with its advanced and combined pocket-spring system and body-molding memory foam for soothing indulgence.

Sensitive to body heat and weight, the memory foam gently conforms to body contours to relieve pressure points and create a comfortable cocoon-like feel. The pressure-free sensation allows the joints and spine to be in natural alignment.

Overall, the mattress brings about an all-over feeling of relaxation and a comfortable sleep with less tossing and turning, perfect for hardworking, corporate-driven individuals who lead a sedentary life in the office.