Do Plants Belong in the Bedroom?
Houseplants are back in a big way. Not only do they look great and add colour, they come with a lot of natural benefits to you, your family, and the space that is your home. Find out why you want them, and a list of great plants to keep in your bedroom.
10 Bedtime Hacks to Beat the Heat
It’s that amazing time of the year again where Australia and the giant flaming ball of gas in the sky we call the Sun decide to get a little bit closer. Summer is the season for celebrating, but one thing which we don’t often celebrate, is not being able to get to sleep. Unfortunately, summer in Australia (and a lot of places) means poor sleep is a reality for a lot of people. Rather than suffer, we’ve come up with some little tips to help you beat the heat for a good night’s sleep.
1. LESS IS MORE
This one is pretty simple, but if you’re not already doing it, sleeping with as little clothing as possible is a sure-fire way to help shake off some heat. If you can’t turn down your PJ’s just yet, make sure they’re loose and lightweight and stay away from synthetic fabrics.
2. FREEZE YOUR BEDDING
No, really. Sticking your sheets in the freezer before bed is a very clever way to make your bed more welcoming on a hot night. We recommend putting them in a bag or container to avoid mixing them in with other frozen treats. Please remember to take them out of the freezer before attempting to sleep on them.
3. SLEEP LIKE AN EGYPTIAN
If the 1986 smash hit isn’t stuck in your head now, then this next tip is a great way to get you cool and calm. The Egyptians used to wet their blankets before jumping into bed to help keep things cool. While we wouldn’t go that far, taking a wet towel or cloth to bed with you is life changing, just make sure you don’t soak your mattress!
4. FROZEN HOT WATER BOTTLE
Leave the kettle alone and instead fill one of these bad boys with water and freeze it. Having an ice cold cuddle buddy is killing two birds with one stone, so why not?
5. HIT THE SHOWERS
Having a cool shower/bath before bed is another easy way to drop the mercury. You can take it one step further though, and use your skin to your advantage. Apply cold packs to areas like your wrists, neck, groin, armpits and back of the knees as these areas circulate blood close to the surface and henceforth help cool you down quick smart. Likewise, your feet are really good at losing heat, so soaking them in cold water for 10 or so minutes is a surprisingly good way to chill out.
6. MACGUYVER YOUR WAY OUT
Time to think outside the box? MacGyver your way through the heat with a couple of neat tricks. You can make a makeshift air conditioner by placing a shallow dish full of ice in front of a regular fan. Similarly, if you’ve got the window open and a breeze coming in, hang up a wet sheet to cool down the incoming air. Alternatively, if your fans are just recycling hot air you can face them out the window and send the hot air on its way. If things are dire, a spray water bottle and fan are a match made in heaven.
7. CHOOSE THE RIGHT MATERIALS
Your sheets can make quite a big difference at regulating temperature, and it’s generally accepted that cotton is the way to go for sleeping cool. By the same token, mattress composition and your bed base are imperative in reducing heat retention.
8. DRINK MORE WATER
It’s essential to life and excellent at helping you sleep. Make sure you’re getting in plenty of water throughout the day to keep you hydrated and cool during the night. Dehydration is actually a common reason for being unable to get to sleep, so this rule applies all the time. Take a cool glass to bed with you in case you wake up hot.
9. TAKE UP THE ENTIRE BED
Your partner probably won’t like this, but taking up as much room as you comfortably can helps shed some excess heat from your body. Basically, you want to reduce skin contact, whether it’s with yourself or your bed buddy.
10. AVOID HOT STUFF
Sounds simple, right? This might mean making some sacrifices, however. Exercising before bed, for instance, is just going to warm your body up and make getting to sleep a nightmare. Moreover, hot food, drinks and environments will all scare the sand man away for longer than you’d like.
Sleepy Hints for Your Next Flight
Planes are great for getting us to where we need, or want to go. Whether it’s a vacation, visiting family or a unique work opportunity, catching a plane is something to get excited about. Staring mindlessly at the seat in front of you for 10 hours, however, is quite the opposite. Instead, most people opt to sleep for as much of the flight as they can. Aeroplanes are not Macoda mattresses though, and they weren’t designed for quality sleep. Thankfully, there are some things you can do to get some shut-eye on that red-eye.
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Location, location, location
While you might not want to fork out a small fortune for First Class, when possible it might pay to invest in some better seating. Window seats are the go to; you have something to lean on if you prefer that, and, AND, you have total control over the lighting in your immediate area. Where possible, it’s recommended that you recline your seat as much as possible, comfort and neighbour relations permitting.
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Dress for the occasion
Leave your tight jeans and designer boots at home. Get serious about your sleep and bring out your favourite oversized shirt and track pants. A good way to shield yourself from light (and a neighbour set on small talk) is a hat you can pull down over your face. A good pair of socks is also essential here. Whatever you go with, just make sure it’s loose and it’s comfortable.
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Manipulate your environment
When you’re sharing a flight with hordes of strangers, this one might seem impossible, but there are a few things you should do to help drift off peacefully. Light, to no one’s surprise, will not help you sleep. Try avoiding or minimising light prior to bedtime, including (sorry) light from phone, tablet or TV screens.
Ever slept through the noises made by an infant suffering from Airplane ear? Probably not, right? There’s a score of noises on a busy flight that will ruin your chances of sleeping, so it is imperative that you have other options. Noise cancelling headphones or earbuds are winners, but if worse comes to worse, airplane headphones plugged into a soothing station or playlist will make a world of difference.
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Boozy Bedtime
There’s nothing like a nightcap to help win sleep over to your side, right? Wrong.
It might seem like the perfect solution, but be warned – it doesn’t work that well, your sleep will be shorter and low-quality. You’ll also get dehydrated and wake up with dry mouth (Maybe a headache too).
Instead, choose water. Stay hydrated and keep that body in check. Obviously getting up to use the toilet every half hour is not ideal, so don’t overdo it.
Good luck and sweet dreams!
Breaking 'Mondayitis'
If Monday was a person, most of us would “forget” to send it a Christmas card. Heading back to the daily grind after a weekend of relaxation or excitement is, understandably, something that people don’t look forward to. ‘Mondayitis’ is something we've all dealt with, but can we do something about it?
Here’s what we came up with.
1. Preparation is Key
Let’s assume that you love your job and everything that comes with it, but the idea of having to spring out of bed, shower, get dressed, organise a decent meal and sit in traffic for 30 minutes doesn’t do it for you. It’s time to help you, help yourself and get ready for Monday before Monday. Have a go at organising your work schedule for Monday on the Friday before, do little things like sorting out your outfit the night before, having a shower before bed and getting any meal prep out of the way.
2. Get Excited
A good weekend generally translates to a bad Monday. But what if Monday’s could be fun too? Instead of focusing on the week of work or study coming up, make an effort to introduce some excitement into the week. Give yourself something to look forward to, whether it’s a treat you know you’ll enjoy after work on a Monday, a midweek movie or catching up with friends. There’s no reason your 30 minutes in traffic or your breaks can’t be amazing either; find something to make those spaces enjoyable and your Mondayitis will melt away.
3. Consistency is (also) Key
We’re all guilty of a late Saturday night or a big Sunday sleep in, and that’s fine. What’s not fine, is how it messes with your body clock come Monday morning. Without sacrificing too much of your weekend pleasure, try and make an effort to stick closer to your weekday sleep schedule. Sometimes this means getting up earlier then you’d like to, but going for a nap in the afternoon is a good compromise (naps are awesome anyway).
4. Stay in Bed
Okay, this probably isn’t the most responsible option, but we like it anyway.
A Beginner's Guide to Foam Mattresses: Part 1 – Memory Foam
How could we forget about memory foam?
The memory foam we know and love today, like that in the Macoda Mattress, actually stems from NASA where it was designed to help with excessive gravitational pull. For most of us, that’s not a huge issue. However, the properties of memory foam make it perfect for sleeping on. The material will essentially mould around your body, forming an amazingly comfortable spot just for you. Because of the way it acts, memory foam is host to a bunch of benefits.
If you’ve ever slept on a traditional mattress, you might have noticed that whenever you move there’s a ripple effect throughout the whooooole bed. For you and your bed buddy, this is almost always a bad thing. Enter, memory foam. Thanks to the way it absorbs pressure, movement and motion is restricted to the area of application. What that means is the movement or energy isn’t sent through the whole mattress, so you won’t be getting disturbed every time someone rolls over or gets out of bed.
Similarly, pressure point relief is something that older bedding doesn’t offer. When you’re asleep, outdated mattresses would put excessive pressure on certain points, which negatively impacts circulation. Because memory foam works ‘with’ extra pressure, these danger areas are relieved instead of constricted. Neat!
While it’s doing all this pressure cushioning, memory foam essentially spreads your weight out evenly across the bed. This is quite cool, because it means that the areas of your body that might otherwise be protruding along the surface of the bed, are instead supported. This feature of memory foam actually allows for your spine to straighten and sit in a normal position, so that’s pretty great.
One of the more recent breakthroughs in memory foam can be found in the Macoda mattress. The introduction of cooling gel acts to counter the idea that foam mattresses sleep hot. By reacting to the surrounding temperature, gel infused memory foam works to cool things down. The benefits of this are pretty clear, especially when you consider the Australian climate our mattress was designed for.
Subscribe and stay tuned for future installments!
5 Foods to Kick Start Your Day
Bacon five times... in a perfect world, perhaps.
While breakfast doesn’t seem like the most exciting meal of the day, it is important. If you want to get out of bed and be able to surge through the day, a good brekky (and a good sleep!) is the way to go. We’ve outlined a few food items which will get you going and keep you going!
1. Oatmeal
Oats are a winner when it comes to breakfast food. They’ll help put that spring in your step, and keep it there for longer. Porridge is a classic, full of fiber and complex carbohydrates, this simple meal will warm your tummy for those cold morning starts. To add some extra deliciousness, there’s nothing better than a dollop of honey and some fruit or berries, all of which are super breakfast foods in themselves.
2. Peanut Butter & Banana (Smoothie!)
Smoothies are quick, easy and perfect for busy mornings. But it can be easy to go too little or or overdo it with what goes into it. Bananas are fantastic for getting you up and going, and even better blended. Throw in milk, full of protein and calcium to get you moving, and you’re on your way. Peanut butter is pretty brilliant when thrown in the mix; it will make your smoothie taste fantastic as well as provide some essential fats and oils. Altogether an unbeatable breakfast.
3.Yogurt
Specifically, the Greek variety. Good yogurt has an amazing texture and taste to match, while also being rich in protein. Much like eggs and oatmeal, yogurt has just what you need to get your brain going, and keep it going. Greek yogurt is also a standout for healthy bacteria, boasting a huge array of health benefits that make it a go-to in the mornings. Better still, is how well yogurt goes with porridge, fruits, berries and honey – all of which are perfect morning eats.
4. Eggs – Any Way You Like
Scrambled, fried or poached, in an omelette… you get the idea. Eggs are as versatile as they are tasty, and they’re another super easy way to start your day right. Packed with protein, (good) fat and other eggcellent nutrients, eggs are the brain and body food you need more of in your life.
5. A Little Something Extra
We’ve covered some bases for great meals to start your day with, but there’s always room for improvement. Whatever you’ve decided on, feel free to throw in some fruit, with things like apples and grapefruit as standouts. A few berries or some honey work wonders and will make your food (maybe not the eggs) taste infinitely better. Last, but certainly not least, is chocolate. A little bit of chocolate alongside your brekky is a decent way to get the juices flowing, just don’t indulge too much.
HOW TO NAP LIKE A PRO
The afternoon crash is a very real thing, whether you get 6 hours of sleep the night before or 10. Thankfully, there’s power napping. This 20-ish minute practice is a surefire way to get the absolute most out of your day, and it's a great excuse to sleep more. Some countries practice the afternoon nap almost religiously, there's the famous ‘siesta’ in Spain and Italy (probably the secret to the success of the Roman Empire) as well as workplace napping in China. If you want to nap like a pro, take note of these handy little tips we’ve prepared.
IT IS OKAY TO NAP
Like many things, the mental game can be the biggest roadblock in securing a sneaky snooze. Switch off, and try shift your focus away from whatever else is going on. If you’re a busy person, remind yourself that having a power nap isn’t slacking off, but rather giving yourself the opportunity to perform better.
ENVIRONMENT
Napping during the day comes with its challenges. The sun is still beaming, there’s plenty of noise and you might not have the luxury of your bed. Even so, it’s important to make the most of what you’ve got, and make your environment work for you. Get rid of as much light and noise as you can; a sleep mask and some headphones with pleasant music or white noise might be your best bet. Planning your nap ahead of time is definitely recommended.
COFFEE!
Coffee before a nap might sound like madness, but it actually makes the whole process much more manageable. Caffeine takes time to kick in; around 20 minutes. 20 minutes is also the amount of time recommended for a power nap. Coincidence? We think not. A chilled coffee before sleeping will help settle your mind, but the real magic comes when the nap is over. Instead of post-nap grogginess, the coffee should start taking affect right as you're waking up.
SET AN ALARM
We’ve all had ‘power naps’ that turn into five hour sleeping sessions, so unless you want to wake up at 8pm and be awake all night, the safest bet is to set an alarm. 20 minutes of solid napping is usually just the right amount to get you rejuvenated. Gradual, pleasant alarms are definitely the way to go for a better experience.
GIVE YOURSELF TIME TO WAKE UP
If you’ve opted for the pre-nap coffee, your nap hangover should be minimal. Having said that, you should still take a few minutes to gather yourself before launching back into the daily grind.
A Beginner's Guide to Foam Mattresses: Part 2 - Latex
A Beginner's Guide to Foam Mattresses: Part 2 - Latex
Bringing the bounce back into the bedroom.
Not unlike memory foam, latex foam has been booming in popularity since people realised it's pretty darn handy in the bedroom. The properties pertaining to comfort and support, as well as the environmental benefits of quality natural latex make it a perfect partner for a good night's sleep. For these reasons, we had to have it in the Macoda Mattress.
You can feel good about sleeping on natural latex, as the material is produced from rubber trees which heal rapidly after sapping, and can do so for over 30 years. On the other side of things, latex is hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites, mould and bacteria. Yay for a healthy sleep!
Latex foam probably wouldn't do too well in a "hold your breath for as long as you can"competition. That's because unlike some other foams, latex is really good at breathing. The breathability in latex foam is perfect for hotter environments, like Australia, as heat (and moisture) doesn't get trapped. Basically, latex will help you sleep cool where other foam mattresses might fall short.
Time to get technical. The pressure point distribution qualities of latex help to define it as one of the most comfortable foams out there, and is often recommended by medical professionals to help with aches and pains. Latex's resilience also helps to support excess pressure on areas like hips and shoulders.
Much like memory foam, Latex is also a big player in the 'motion isolation' game. Basically, this means that it's really good at slowing down disturbances across the mattress. Partner decides to get up in the middle of the night? You probably wont feel a thing with a layer of latex underneath you.
The Macoda Mattress has a top layer of latex which means all these benefits are right at your back... or side, however you sleep.
10 Tips to Sleep Better
Tired of feeling tired? You’re not alone; Australia has a massive sleep problem. Aussies nowadays have pretty dismal sleep patterns and we simply aren’t getting enough of it, leading to irritability and fatigue (sound familiar?). At Macoda, our missions is simple - we want you to sleep better. We’ve come up with a bunch of tips and ideas to get you started.
1. SWITCH OFF THE SCREEN
Phones, tablets, computers, television. It seems like there’s almost always a screen in front of us before bed – and it’s killing our sleep. The light from these screens makes the brain think it’s still light outside, which in turn makes us less inclined to sleep. It can be a challenge at first, but if you find yourself hopping into bed, checking your phone and not falling asleep for what seems like an eternity, this will change your life.
2. GET HOME EARLY
People need time to wind down or enjoy themselves after a big day at work. The problem is, when we get home late we leave little time for doing those things and end up sacrificing our sleep. Make an effort to get home with enough time to properly settle yourself, so that getting into bed is a desired experience instead of a chore.
3. LIGHT’S OUT
Similar to the situation with screens, having all the lights on before trying to sleep is going to make your life a lot harder than it needs to be. When the sun sets and things get a little darker, our brains release chemicals that get the sleepy ball rolling. Unfortunately, when you get inside and sit around super bright lights, that doesn’t happen. While you can’t be expected to navigate your house in pitch black, dimming the lights or keeping them to a minimum in the hours before bed is definitely a must. When you do go to bed, make sure you’re sleeping space is as dark as it can be!
4. KEEP THINGS COOL
Summers can produce some restless nights in Australia. The most important thing is cooling yourself down so you can fall asleep. Air conditioners are the obvious choice, however they can dry out the room and use lots of energy. If you can set a timer – fantastic. Otherwise, open windows and fans are great. In
serious conditions, running cold water over your face and wrists can actually help to cool down your body temperature quite significantly. When it comes to pajamas and keeping cool, less is definitely more – sleeping naked (or close to) gives you a cheeky advantage in this area. Interestingly, some studies suggest warming your feet before bed as doing so causes blood to rush to the surface and away from your body, which in turn lowers your core body temperature. The more you know!
5. INVEST IN YOUR MATTRESS
The surface you sleep on is going to have a huge impact on your quality of sleep. Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most important things a person can do for their health and well-being, and if you value your sleep than that start’s with a good bed. You use your bed every day, so it’s something you want to be sure of; it is an investment. Always go for quality over cheap bare-bones mattresses.
6. GET OUT OF BED
You read that right. If you’ve got the point where you’re staring at the wall thinking to yourself “I can’t sleep,” then it’s time to reset. Get up, treat yourself to a glass of water and do something relaxing. Avoid light and do not check your phone. Instead, opt for dimly lit rooms where you can just chill out. You want to tell your brain that your bed is for sleeping, not a place to anxiously staring at the wall. When you’re feeling a little more sleepy and relaxed, hop back into bed.
7. MORE IS MORE
We’ve all heard about getting 8 hours of sleep a night. You might ask yourself, “does this mean I can go to bed at 12 and set my alarm for 8?” Unfortunately not. You need to give sleep a bit more of a chance. It takes time to fall asleep, and people generally wake up for a bit during the night. So if you really want to clock in 8 hours, you’re better off planning for 9 hours of ‘bed time’ to give yourself a good buffer. The worst case scenario is you get more than 8 hours of actual sleep, so it’s a complete win-win.
8. ALCOHOL = BAD
Sorry.
A lot of people think a little nightcap is the perfect way to induce sleep. Science tells us that this is more of sedation than sleep. But that’s the same thing, right? Well, not really. Alcohol inhibits our ability to enter rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. REM is the good stuff, it directly affects our memory and creativity as well as our overall health (trust us, it’s important).
9. YOUR PETS MIGHT BE PART OF THE PROBLEM
More bad news, guys. There’s nothing like a cuddle with your furry best friend before bed, and if you’re a pet lover you probably don’t even want to think about having to kick them out of bed. However, animals tend to be better at sleeping than us, and they don’t really mind where they do it. Crawling on top of your head for a nap? Not a problem. Snoring next to your pillow? Won’t bother them. It’s easy to see why they might not be the best things to have around when you’re trying to get a meaningful sleep. Get in all your cuddles before you commit to your sleep, and enjoy a peaceful slumber all night long. It’s a shame doing the same to your partner isn’t as easy.
10. DON’T DWELL ON IT
One of the biggest mental blocks in getting a good night’s sleep is thinking about getting a good night’s sleep. If you’re worried about not getting enough sleep, that will only contribute to the issue further. So just try and relax, take the time to wind down properly before going to bed. A lot of successful sleepers will actually meditate before going to bed so they’re completely at ease and ready for the quality rest that awaits them.
While there’s no secret to magically improving your sleep life, these tips will definitely help to make a difference. It’s important to acknowledge that a good night’s sleep is vital, and if you’ve read this than you’re already taking steps in the right direction.
What is Mattress Zoning?
If you’re serious about your sleep, then we’ve got what you’re looking for. If you imagine mattress technology as a brazen mountain climber trying to scale Everest, then think of a 5-Zone layout as the other guy who caught a helicopter to the top.
Zoning, like that in the Macoda Mattress, is a simple solution to an issue that has pretty much been ignored since people stopped sleeping on the floors of caves. Think back to your high school biology class and you might recall that the human body is not a uniform shape. We have curves, limbs, uneven weight distribution and so on. For something that you spend a third of your life on to not take this into account seems odd. Even today, a majority of mattresses are still stuck with your whole body getting the same level of support across the board. This is a simple problem, and thankfully there is a simple solution.
By using a 5-Zone layout, different areas of your body get targeted support, which ultimately means a more therapeutic sleep that feels way more natural. Heavier spots like the hips would normally sink deeper into a mattress, and this can be unpleasant to say the least. When you employ the idea of zoning, however, this heavy area gets increases support. Not only does this make it more comfortable, but it helps to align your spine and we don’t need to tell you why that’s a good thing. This idea is then carried throughout the mattress to provide the optimum ‘sleep setting’ for 5 main areas of your body.
Targeted support is great for all types of sleepers, as wherever you put your weight, it’s going to be looked after. This is especially true for side sleepers, where there is a greater concentration of pressure on the mattress areas. Without zoning, the sink or float of different areas can be downright uncomfortable and the lack of support can have negative effects on your body.
Ultimately, zoning is another push forward in the search for perfect sleep. By adding to comfort and therapeutic support, without compromising either, zoning just makes sense