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Eco-Tips Environment Green Living Healthy Lifestyles Miscellaneous Natural Bedroom Natural Fibers Natural Home Organic Clothing Organic Comfort Renewable Energy

Spring Into Green

Spring is FINALLY here! And so are all of the things that it entails: new life, new beginnings, and cleaning. That’s right, it’s finally time to de-clutter that mess that you call a house and make room for all of the new things that life might throw at you this year. Not all things will be good, and not all things will be bad, but of course you probably figured that as you rummaged through all of your 2013 paraphernalia, looking at the things that collected dust on your shelves as the year stormed by with all of it’s frigidness. However, now its finally time to scrap all of that old stuff and bring in some fresh air, its time to start a new.

The first thing that you must remember when spring cleaning is the age old motto: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Remember to reduce the amount of cleaning products being used because you might be surprised at how much one wipe can take when cleaning off counters and tables. Also, instead of using harmful deodorizers, instead open all of your windows, let the sun and fresh air sweep through your household, put the fan on, and let nature do the deodorizing. Recycle all of the old plastic and newspapers that you never got around to reading, no need to promote landfills when the materials can be used again. Also, don’t forget to purge your closet and give all of your old garments to a local thrift store. Reuse the things in your house that aren’t past their prime yet, this can promote environmental safety while also saving you a buck in the process. Restrain from using harmful chemicals when cleaning your house and remember to blast your jams as loud as they will go, you know, to bring in the good vibes, maaaannnnnn.

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Like a previous post, I’m going to put in the idea that biking or walking to work can be great for your overall fitness, wallet, and ecosystem. Carpooling or public transportation are both great, green options that can help one get to work (remember that with carpooling you can use the HOV lane!) If you’ve tried all of this and none of it works out in your favor, it might be time to trade in your old car for one that is better on gas, which is ultimately the greener choice anyways.

It’s spring time! What better time of year is there to start your fresh herb garden, or garden in general. Sure, there are some seeds that you should have planted back in October that would be blooming now, but don’t dwell on the past. it’s time to plant some of your other favorite plants, be it flowers, trees, grass (bamboo!), vegetables, or fruit. There is no better time to begin than now, when the breeze is cool but the sun is hot. Seize the beautiful day, we’ve gotten so few of them thus far this year. Don’t forget to begin composting if you haven’t already.

Now that you’ve been briefed on some fun ways to begin your spring cleaning go and try them out. Also, remember that there is no better way to clean out your dusty bedroom (with old mattress’ ridden with dust, etc.) than by going organic. CozyPure’s natural latex is dust mite resistant and last for years and years on end, no need to worry about having to replace it because it is musty and certainly no need to replace it because its old anytime soon.

 

Categories
Green Living Miscellaneous Natural Bedroom Organic Comfort Sleep Tips

Can’t Sleep?

Are you finding it difficult to fall asleep when the lights are finally turned out at night? 
Is it difficult to stay asleep for the entire period of the night?
Here are some easy tips that can help to ensure your quality and quantity of rest:

1. Turn down the lights!
     It can not be said enough that the amount of light reaching the retina can either
increase or decrease one's melatonin production which will determine a person's ability
to fall asleep quickly.
                                            eco-wool-Haven
2. Avoid drugs such as caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.
     While it may seem rather obvious as to why one must avoid such stimulants as caffeine 
and nicotine - because they are stimulants and they excite neural activity - the reason
behind why consuming alcohol before bed time may seem less clear. Because alcohol is a
depressant it works as an aid to SLOW neural activity and for many people it may help
in putting them to sleep; however, because alcohol is unnatural to the human body it will
disrupt one's internal biological clock and perhaps reset his or her sleep schedule.
In other words, we do not experience the basic sleep cycles while intoxicated as we would
sober. Also, drugs inhibit REM sleep, which is dream sleep, and in dreaming one's memory is
created to a certain degree and with these depressants a person is susceptible blacking
out and doing things they shouldn't then waking up without any recollection of it!

3. Create comforting pre-sleep routines
     As bedtime approaches a person may want to indulge in activities that sooth
brain activity. These activities will be as simple as reading a book, taking a
bath, and watching T.V. (though try to refrain from light emitting screens in
the ten minutes before sleep). Activities to avoid would be ones that involve
physical labor, and stress.

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4. Assure a normal sleep schedule:
     In order for your body to rest easier it is imperative that one gets the same number
of hours of sleep per night and that they go to bed and wake up at particular times.
This is so that your body has time to wake up and get tired again all in a normal days cycle.

5. Exercise regularly:
     While exercising in the hour before sleep is not ideal - because is gets blood rushing
to all parts of one's body, making them feel alive - a good workout at some point during the
day would not go unrewarded. For one maintaining healthy habits such as these is good
practice, but also it fatigues your body, making a person more tired.

6. Manage shift work:
     What this means is only that if you are working the night shift multiple times
in a row you may be prone to sleep debt. Trying to work out your schedule so that you
are not losing so much sleep will be a good thing, but if this can not be done try to
create a dark atmosphere to your bedroom - dark curtains/shades, dark paint, low light,
and other things of that nature that can stimulate melatonin production in the brain.

7. COMFORT!
     Finally we've reached our final tip and that is to assure that your body is
comfortable when trying to fall asleep. In the long winter months a thick wool comforter
will help in maintaining the appropriate body temperature with making a person sweat or
freeze to death. Sleeping on organic fibers such as cotton aid in natural comfort and
promotes deeper sleep, making it less likely for a person to awake in the middle of the night.

So there you have it, 7 tips that can help to eliminate stress and set your body back on track
to a natural sleep cycle - best of luck!

 


eric-SAT-picEric is currently a student and part-time team member for Norfolk, VA based business Organic Comfort Zone, manufacturers of CozyPure organic bedding and mattress. For more information visit organiccomfortzone.com or cozypure.com or call 757.480.8500.



		
Categories
Natural Bedroom Organic Comfort

Think Green About What You Are Sleeping On

At CozyPure, we like to celebrate “green” all the time and not just on St. Patrick’s Day by celebrating “green sleep.” What’s better than that? When you walk into your bedroom ask yourself “how green is my sleep system?”

There is nothing like the feeling of sleeping on all natural materials. Cuddling up with a body pillow made from latex noodles gives me a safe feeling because I know exactly what I’m resting my head on, 100% natural latex and GOTS certified organic cotton. I don’t wake up in the middle of the night sweating and uncomfortable because of my bed. I wake up well rested and completely dry because my mattress is not made from uncomfortable fibers like polyester.  I’m not worried about what chemicals are in my mattress anymore because its all natural latex and wool.

If its difficult to find one natural element in your bedroom its time for a change. The easiest way to start is with your bed. Change your hot polyester sheets and pillows to breathable organic cotton and wool. Next, switch your sweat absorbing, uncomfortable, unsafe mattress to a natural 5 zone latex mattress that is able to wick away moisture and isn’t in contact with toxic chemicals in its manufacturing process. The 5 zones in the mattress will also give you more support in the heavier parts of your body giving you more energy when waking up.

After transforming your sleep system to being completely safe and all natural focus on the rest of your room. When you’re preparing to sleep is your room temperature at the recommended temperature of 65-70 degrees? People sleep best when its dark so make sure the drapes are shut completely to block street lights or a full moon from ruining your sleep.

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day is fun. You get to wear green, watch parades with friends and relax. Just remember to continue to “think green” because  it might be a little more difficult to relax if you are resting on the wrong materials.

 

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INTERN Jamar DiggsJamar Diggs is a PR Communications and Social Media team member for Norfolk, VA based business Organic Comfort Zone, manufacturers of CozyPure organic bedding and mattress. For more information visit organiccomfortzone.com or cozypure.com or call 757.480.8500.