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You’ve been down to Simmons Mattress Gallery in Coquitlam and have picked out a perfect NxG series mattress from Beautyrest. You went with the ‘drop top‘ design. It’s been years since you’ve had a comfortable mattress and you can’t wait to try it out.
But now you are left with the dilemma of how to dispose of your lumpy old bed.
Here are a few options to consider:
1.You could donate your mattress to charity, but unfortunately most organizations, like the Salvation Army, are now refusing to accept used mattresses.
2. You could take the opportunity to clear out some other junk in your living space and package it all up for a junk removal company. 1-800-GOT-JUNK provides a free estimate and charges by volume, not by time.
3. For a greener option, you could look into the services of a mattress-recycling centre. Mattressrecycling.ca charges $14 per mattress for drop-off recycling, but adds a hefty fee for mattress pickup. They claim to repurpose 90% of the materials found in your retired mattress. These materials are then sent to local companies or secondary recyclers.
4. Lastly, you could use the ever-popular Craigslist. There are hundreds of foreign students looking for quick and cheap apartment furnishings in and around the Lower Mainland. Just make a short add describing the dimensions of your mattress, with a quick note that the offer is for pick-up only. You may also want to stress the cleanliness of the mattress and, because of the recent bed bug epidemic, you may want to quickly note that the mattress is free from creepers.
Good luck and enjoy your new bed from Simmons Mattress Gallery.
In an earlier blog, “From the Moon to Your Room,” we discussed the origins of memory foam. Memory foam was originally created by NASA to provide cushioning for high impact take-off and landings. Since then, it has been adopted by the mattress world, providing a top surface of comfort and heat dissipation.
Simmons Mattress Gallery is proud to offer memory foam as a topping layer on a number of its luxury mattress lines, passing on the innovations of NASA to the average citizen.
But you may wonder how memory foam works in a gravity free environment. Well, the foam only provides cushioning when the shuttles are entering or leaving the earth’s atmosphere.
Astronauts are not supplied with cozy Beautyrest mattresses for sleeping. Instead they use sleeping bags. Once inside the bag, the astronauts need to secure themselves to the shuttle or space station wall. If they didn’t, they could spend the night slowly bouncing around the cabin, which would result in no rest at all.
Dreaming of a Beautyrest
Increased sunlight is another factor that astronauts need to contend with while sleeping in space. The sun rises and sets approximately 16 times each day, as the shuttle or station orbits the earth. Blocking out this sunlight is important for the astronauts to receive a full eight hours of rest. This helps them maintain a 24-hour schedule.
With all the racket from the air filters and fans on board, astronauts tend to use earplugs to drown out the excessive noise. They also are encouraged to use chemical sleeping aids.
Administrators back on earth monitor the astronauts’ sleep. These individuals also wake the astronauts when their sleeping cycle is completed. They use either music, usually employed on the shuttles, or an alarm, used on the International Space Station.
And if you’re wondering if astronauts dream in space, the answer is yes.
(They probably dream of their beds back home)
So next time you are having trouble falling asleep, open the window, look up at the sky, and think of the astronauts strapping themselves in for a little shut-eye. We have it pretty good. Enjoy your sleep and be thankful for gravity.
“‘. . . and clover, over and over / Crimson and clover, over and over. . .’
The sweet melody of Tommy James and the Shondells suddenly fills my bedroom. It’s 6:45 and it’s time to rise and shine. Well, at least rise.
There will be no visible shine until after a shower and two cups of coffee. And even then it will be more of flicker than a shine.
My clock radio has been performing its duties since the mid 90’s, a solid timepiece with a speaker as scratchy as an apartment intercom. But it’s not the sound quality that saves it from the trash; it’s the little clock’s reliability.
It’s never failed me. Not once. I may have forgotten to set it and for that I take full responsibility. But when I have punched my desired digits, it’s executed its task beautifully.
Some of you may rely on a significant other for a morning nudge. But I warn you, be careful, human error is unavoidable. She may promise you that she’ll pull off the sheets right at 7:00, but if her sister calls from New York and they get chatting, you might become an afterthought. Try explaining to your boss how Liza’s new man made you miss the performance meeting.
Then there are those of you who sleep with the curtains open to the east, ready for the sunrise to wake you softly from your slumber. This method is fairly inefficient, especially in the cloud cave of Vancouver. But if your granola can wait, who am I to tell you to abandon your faith in Ra.
And then there are the ‘lucky’ few of you who are able to wake naturally, right at the desired time. To you, I offer my condolences. For you, my friend, are the product of unconscious stress. Your body releases a hormone called adrenocorticotropin, as a product of your anxiety. You may feel privileged to be free of an alarm, but your nervous nature has your internal clock in a full mount. Try releasing some of that stress to free you from subconscious submission.
No, the best way, I figure, is to partner with a simple bedside box. You set it and forget about it; confident it will perform its task in the morning.
Just remember to add a nine-volt battery in case the power fails.”
Old Faithful
“Expect an increased chance of showers.”
With relatives or friends in town, you may be looking for activities around the city to fill in time between Olympic events. Unfortunately, the standard Seawall walk, Grouse Grind and trip to Kits Beach are out of the question due to the weather. As local resident and tour guide, it is now your responsibility to find engaging activities at indoor locations.
Galleries are always interesting and the Vancouver Art Gallery is one of the best art museums in the country. From the west coast Emily Carr collection, to the anatomical sketches of Leonardo da Vinci, the VAG is a must see.
The Museum of Anthropology is another great option. Located out at UBC, the museum currently has a special exhibition highlighting cultural boundaries. The exhibit is entitled Border Zones: New Art Across Cultures, and features a dialogue through art between twelve different artists. The exhibition is being presented by the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad and is the inaugural expedition for the museum’s Audain Gallery.
If there are little ones in the crowd, you might consider the H. R. MacMillan Space Centre. The centre has numerous interactive booths that will have the kids entertained for hours. The planetarium theatre, which is located above the centre, is currently screening five different programs throughout the day: “Our Vanishing Sky,” “Galileo,” “Harold’s Solar System,” “Nightwatch,” and “Sky Stories.”
These three sites are excellent time fillers, but there is one remaining gallery that trumps them all, the Simmons Mattress Gallery. With two locations in the Lower Mainland and one in Victoria, Simmons Mattress Galleries are easy to find. Inside you will discover a showcase of the finest mattresses you will ever set your eyes on. This is an interactive exhibit, so feel free to stretch out on any of the beds. The gallery staff is especially trained to handle all your mattress questions from motion separation to power foundations.
So bundle up and bring your guests down to a Simmons Mattress Gallery for a cultural sleeping experience you can enjoy for years.
- Simmons Mattress Gallery: http://www.simmonsmattressgallery.ca
- The Vancouver Art Gallery: http://www.vanartgallery.bc.ca/
- The Museum of Anthropology Cultural Exhibit: www.BorderZones.ca/
- H.R. MacMillan Space Centre: http://www.hrmacmillanspacecentre.com/
The most romantic day of the year is upon us and Cupid has a message for you: “Flowers, candy and candles may set the mood, but it will be your mattress that supports the passion.”
When the wine is done and you’ve caught a cab back home, the action will inevitably move to the bedroom. Your bed will provide the setting for the evening’s physical activities.
We at Simmons Mattress Gallery want to make sure that you are properly equipped with a mattress suitable for fulfilling your desires.
If you intend to stage your exploits on an older mattress, you are probably neglecting you and your partner’s comfort. Worn coils make for lumpy mattresses. No one wants to lie on lumps and discomfort is an unneeded distraction. We want your head in the game, not focused on the bumps in the bed.
Buying a brand new Simmons mattress ensures comfort. Our unique non-flip pocket coil design cradles your body’s weight. With an even surface of comfort, you will be able to roll seamlessly from one side of the bed to the other.
As well, old noisy springs are romance killers. They may seem amusing some nights, but really, besides being uncomfortable, they offer an unneeded soundtrack to your intimate moments. You want to be able to express yourself with your voice not a creak.
Finally, for the more advanced frolickers, our mattresses will supply the support needed for any position your imagination can conjure.
We may not be able to light the candles or write you a poetic verse, but we can outfit you with a mattress that will provide the comfort, silence and support needed for your bedroom adventures. Be safe and enjoy your nights on a Simmons from Simmons Mattress Gallery.
Helicopter fly-bys, intoxicated Russian super-fans, midnight sirens downtown, and a light show that shines right in your window; It’s hard to get a good night sleep these days. The Olympics have brought the world to our doorstep, but they have also brought a host of disruptions (we won’t even touch on the traffic).
A billion people will be watching from around the world, but here in Vancouver, life goes on as usual. You still need to be at work by eight, the dog needs to be walked at 6:30 in the morning and your boss still needs those numbers by Friday. There never seems to be enough hours in the day to get some decent rest. Add on the maelstrom that is the Olympics and those few precious hours become more valuable than any gold medallion.
When you finally get a chance to lie down, you need a mattress that will let you sleep soundly through the night. Simmons mattresses are specifically designed to offer you maximum comfort, while eliminating movement disturbances from your significant other. Our pocket coils react individually; cradling your body, while the rest of the mattress remains unaffected. With each move in the night, the coils respond, keeping you cushioned with comfort.
Sleeping on a Simmons is always the best option for securing your rest, but with the Olympics and the chaos that accompanies it, we would implore you to invest in a mattress intended for a disturbance free sleep.
Our city’s arms are open to the world and at Simmons Mattress Gallery our doors are open to you. Come in and choose your perfect Simmons mattress today.
The PVR changed the way we watch television. The I-pod changed the way we collected music. The slapchop changed the way we… cut up vegetables. And memory foam changed the possibilities for a comfortable sleep.
But like a number of inventions of its time, memory foam was not originally designed for the purpose we now use it for.
Memory foam was first produced by NASA, in 1966, under the label ‘Temper Foam.’ This foam was designed specifically for the seat cushions in space shuttles. The purpose of the foam was to add a shock layer for the astronaut’s posteriors during take-off and landing.
Since then, a number of companies have adopted the foam to add comfort and safety to their products. Originally too expensive for consumer use, the foam has now shown up in helmets, in veterinary clinics, in wheel chair padding and most importantly, on the top of our beds.
Two reasons for memory foam’s widespread use are its ability to eliminate pressure points and its ability to increase blood circulation. These two features make it an ideal surface for sleeping on.
The medical world was one of the first fields to use the foam on top of a mattress. Patients with mobility issues are supplied the foam to prevent issues that arise from sleeping on a firm mattress; like stiffness and pressure sores.
By reacting to body warmth and weight, the foam also offers a cushioning that dissipates heat. This is excellent for individuals who are easily disturbed by temperature increase.
With new improvements to the foam’s composition, recovery time has increased, resulting in quicker adjustments to your natural movements in the night. Your body’s contours are consistently supported with a comfort level that only the best astronauts are accustomed to.
With NASA’s technology, Simmons Mattress Gallery offers memory foam as a luxury feature for some of our finest mattresses. Using Visco and Latex foam, our Beautyrest line is enhanced beyond the comfort supplied by our innovative pocket coil design.
Come try our Beautyrest Black series or our Beautyrest NxG mattresses and experience all the benefits of memory foam with added support right to the edge of your bed.
We may not be able to take you to the moon, but we can top your bed with the finest foam in the business.
Visit a Simmons Mattress Gallery near you to feel the difference memory foam provides.
Ask your friends what their number one advice is for relationships. Half of them will tell you: “Don’t go to bed in the middle of a fight.”
It’s good advice, for a number of reasons.
First, going to bed without a resolution prolongs the argument. The problems are still there in the morning. Your bed, no matter the make, is not a magic pad that eliminates the issues of your disagreement.
Secondly, going to bed angry means neither of you will get the rest you deserve. Sleep is intended to give your body time to recuperate from the day’s activities and mental stimuli. If you are both upset about what has been said, your body and mind will not be able to relax. You will wake up just as tired as when your head hit the pillow. Tired people are cranky and are often unwilling to discuss issues in rational terms. The morning after a restless sleep is not an appropriate climate for discussion.
Thirdly, you are on a mattress. Why not resolve the argument so you can enjoy the other activity that mattresses supply the setting for.
At Simmons Mattress Gallery we want you to enjoy our product. There is no enjoyment in sharing a mattress with someone you are fighting with. So listen to the advice of your friends. Spend the extra time before you fall asleep resolving the issues of your argument. You will thank us.
Stress and exhaustion are a difficult cocktail mix to swallow. Turning off your brain for a full eight hours of sleep may at times seem nearly impossible. The easy answer to this problem may come in the form of a capsule or pill, a small, easily accessible drug to knock you out.
But before you start popping pills to induce sleep, you should be made aware of the possible problems with prescription and non-prescription sleeping aids.
The most serious concern is developing a dependency to an artificial stimulant. The more you use a drug to fall asleep, the more your body will crave that easy answer.
As well, over time, the effectiveness of any drug wears off. This will force you to increase the amount your body needs to achieve the initial results that the pill offered.
Another concern is having prescription or non-prescription drugs lying around your house. Sleep medication can be deadly for children who might mistake the pills for candy. Keeping your pills locked in a medicine cabinet is imperative. If you do not have a safe place to store the drugs then you should not be bringing them into your house.
If you are still planning on using a chemical stimulant to induce sleep there are a few guidelines you should remember:
1. Always follow the directions supplied by the manufacturer or pharmacist.
2. Make sure your doctor and a family member or partner is aware of the drugs you are taking.
3. Never mix sleeping pills with other pills or beverages such as alcohol that slow the nervous system.
4. Never operate machinery or drive a vehicle after taking a sleeping pill.
Finding alternatives to prescription and non-prescription drugs may be the best option for your body and your family. Simple products like chamomile tea have long been known to induce sleep. Reading before bed can also help your mind slow down to a pace that is ready for rest.
Another great option is a quick yoga stretch. Yoga works on both your mind and your body. Prolonged stretches help create a state of relaxation appropriate for sleeping.
But the best alternative is comfort. If you are not comfortable when you lie down after a hard day, then you will never receive the rest you need. A new mattress may be the key ingredient to fixing your sleep anxiety.
At Simmons Mattress Gallery, we will work with you to find a mattress that provides you with the most amount of natural comfort possible. This will put your body and mind in a state appropriate for extended sleep.
Don’t become dependent on a pill for your rest. Fall asleep on a Simmons with no added side effects and wake up refreshed.
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The Peanut Gallery