Wyndsong Writes

Happy National Napping Day!

Today, March 15, is National Napping Day.  This is a relatively new “holiday” that was started in 1999 to counter act the horrible affects of the miserable Daylight Saving Time.  National Napping Day is always the Monday after Daylight Saving Time in the spring because we have to change our clocks forward one hour.  We all need the nap time!  I know I do!

Everybody naps… much like the book “Everybody Poops”, everyone needs to take a nap now and then.  The cat at the top of the page is Midnight, our three legged black cat.  This is my mother in law’s dog Beau.  And below you’ll find pictures of our African Grey Parrot, Pepper, My sons, Roger & Jack (who is under the covers), and me.  We’re all napping.  Since I had to get up extra early today because of my business, I may take a nap later as well (but no pictures!  LOL).

I hate Daylight Saving Time.  I would consider moving to Arizona just to keep from having to change the clocks back and forth twice a year.  Usually I’m all confused and bothered for at least a week after the time changes.  Naps are a great way to get yourself back into the swing of things though.

I love naps!  I can take a nap just about anywhere too!  Protect-A-Bed is having a twitter party, asking where is the funniest place you have ever taken a nap.  My entry is in a Jeep 4 wheeling in the desert.  And yes, that was while the jeep was moving and bouncing around!  LOL!  Not only was I napping, but evidently I was snoring too!  LOL!  Or at leas that’s what Steve and the Boys told me.

To help celebrate national Napping Day, Protect-A-Bed is having a twitter party today and sponsoring this wonderful mattress cover giveaway here on my blog!

About Protect-A-Bed®

Protect-A-Bed offers consumers a complete line of protective bedding products to create a Healthy Sleep Zone. The unique technology featured in Protect-A-Bed’s mattress and pillow protectors was developed in South Africa in 1980 before the company was officially established in the United States in 2000. Now selling in 27 countries, Protect-A-Bed is a worldwide leader in mattress protection innovation. The company developed the proprietary Miracle Membrane® and patented Bug Lock® and Secure Seal®, which help create a dry, bed bug free, anti-allergy sleep zone for people of all ages. Protect-A-Bed products are listed as a Class 1 Medical Device with the Food and Drug Administration and have received the Good Housekeeping Seal. For more information, visit www.protectabed.com.

Protect-A-Bed® supports the art of napping on National Napping Day

Company’s mattress protectors create a comfortable, allergy-free nap environment

CHICAGO (March 15, 2010) – Napping is an art – an art studies show bolsters health and creativity. History has produced a legion of great nappers. Among them are Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Edison and Lord Byron, who after sweet slumbers achieved great feats of art, science and literature.

Is this a coincidence – this combination of greatness and napping? On this Napping Day, we at Protect-A-Bed think not. Napping Day is the first Monday after daylight saving time begins. It’s the day when the majority of us, a bit weary from losing an hour of sleep, desperately long for a short siesta. And, those of us at Protect-A-Bed believe you should cave to that longing.

Studies abound tout the benefits of napping, from enhancing memory and learning, to improving work performance, and increasing mental acuity and overall health. That’s why on the first Monday after daylight saving time begins, it’s fitting to celebrate the benefits of the nap and those who take them.

However, those who nap the best understand a sleeping place needs protection from allergens and dust mites. After all, waking from a nap with the sniffles is no way to wake up at all.

Research shows 10 percent of the general public and as many as 90 percent of people with allergic asthma (depending on the study you read) have an allergy to dust mites. And, dust mites love spoiling our napping refuge, taking up residence in mattresses and pillows. In fact, as many as two million dust mites can thrive in an unprotected mattress.

Besides dust mites, it’s not unusual for other allergy triggers like pollen and pet dander to become trapped within mattresses. By using a mattress protector, allergy sufferers can create an impermeable barrier between themselves and the allergens within their bed. By coupling mattress protection with pillow protectors that seal allergens within pillows, people can create a virtually allergy-free nap space.

So today, harness the creative power that comes from napping, and embrace your inner Da Vinci. And remember, the art of napping needs a canvas, and that canvas comes from Protect-A-Bed.

The Giveaway

Since Protect-A-Bed feels that everyone should be able to take a great nap they are sponsoring a wonderful giveaway here on my blog.  What you’ll receive is a Queen Size Protect-A-Bed Premium Mattress Cover (retail value $79.99 pictured above)!  Follow the simple rules below and enter for your chance to win! This contest is open to US Residents only!

Rules:

One entry per comment!

1. Leave a comment on when you like to take a nap (You must leave this comment to enter)
2. Follow Protect-A-Bed on Twitter
3. Follow Me on Twitter
4. Tweet This Post on Twitter!!!
5. Follow my Blog on Facebook
6. Follow my blog with Google

Contest Ends March 22 9pm PST.  I will use Random.org to “draw” a winner which will be announced the following day, March 23.  Please be sure to leave a comment after you do each of the entries above.

Twitter Party

There’s also a Twitter Party going on Today Only (March 15, 2010)!  Would you like a chance to win a Pillow Protector from Protect-A-Bed?  Well here’s your chance to win one!  All you have to do is follow @Protect_A_Bed on Twitter and then Tell them the funniest place you’ve napped, mark it #nappingday. Throughout day they’ll be randomly giving away their pillow protectors on twitter!

More Fun Facts:

From Mahalo.com

National Napping Day was founded by Boston University professor William Anthony and his wife Camille in 1999. Napping Day is an unofficial holiday set aside to help people adjust to Daylight Saving Time and to promote health and productivity benefits of napping. After losing an hour of sleep by “springing forward,” people are more sleep-deprived and find it easier to nap.USAToday: Huh? Wha? It’s National Napping Day? (April 3, 2006)

Information on Napping

1. A 2009 study in the U.K. indicated that naps could increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes BBC: Napping ‘Increases Diabetes Risk’ (march 9, 2009)
2. Most people need between seven-and-a-half and eight hours of sleepKING5.com: The Most Common Myths About Sleep(March 8, 2009)
3. Naps can improve ones mood and performance, according to William Anthony WCVB Boston: National Nap Day Follows Time Change (March 12, 2007)
4. Studies show regular napping can deuce risk level of death from heart related problems WCVB Boston: National Nap Day Follows Time Change (March 12, 2007)
5. It is a Spanish tradition, still practiced and observed by many, to take two hour nap in the afternoon.
6. Founders: Camille and William (Bill) Anthony USA Today: Huh? Wha? It’s National Napping Day? (April 3, 2006)
7. William Anthony is a professor of rehabilitation counseling at Boston University Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Science WCVB Boston: National Nap Day Follows Time Change (March 12, 2007)
8. Bill known as “Napmaster General”USAToday: Huh? Wha? It’s National Napping Day? (April 3, 2006)
9. National Napping Day was founded in 1999USA Today: Huh? Wha? It’s National Napping Day? (April 3, 2006)
10. Date: Always the first Monday after Daylight Saving Time begins
11. In 2009, the day fell on Monday, March 9, 2009USAToday: Huh? Wha? It’s National Napping Day? (April 3, 2006)

Full Disclosure – I am receiving a mattress cover like the one that I am giving away in this contest as compensation for blogging about Protect-A-Bed and their products.

Update* There were 58 entries into this contest, but because my server died and I lost the last 3 months of posts on my webiste because of it, I lost all the comments.    The winner was chosen via Random.org and was announce on March 23.  The winner was Tina Reynolds.  Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.