As the Christmas party season beckons, how many of us are beginning to worry how all those late nights will affect us? Well OK, it’s probably not the first thing you’re thinking about. There’s the outfit to sort, the babysitters to organise and of course, the working week to contend with first!
It’s fair to say we all love our beds. Given that we spend a third of our lives in them we want to make sure they offer us the best possible comfort and support. Not just determined by the layout of our bedroom and the space we have available, our bed choices are influenced by our design preferences and lifestyle aspirations.
However, have you ever wondered what your ideal bed of the future might look like? (Image courtesy of The Sleep Council)
The latest research from The Sleep Council found that people in Northern Ireland have a very clear idea of what their bed and bedroom of the future looks and feels like.
Self-cleaning / bacteria resistant beds sound amazing, but did you know that right now such a bed actually exists? Part of Respa’s Physiotech Collection of Beds and Mattresses, the Respa Exhilar8 Divan Bed incorporates Sleepfresh Technology and Purotex Active Bed Cleanser and Allergen Control to create a cool, fresh and hygienic sleeping environment.
Mattresses that heat/cool in response to conditions are not just a thing of the future as can be seen in the Kaymed Gel Miami 2000 Pocket Gel Divan Bed. Incorporating K3Gel – an innovative technology that provides the pressure relief of visco elastic – this bed is clinically proven to Sleep 3 Degrees Cooler than a standard foam bed. What’s more, the K3Gel cubes contour to the body, Soothing and Reviving Tired Bodies.
Whilst we can’t promise a Smart Bed to monitor your vital statistics when you sleep we can recommend the Respa Flotation Comfort Electric Bed. This luxurious adjustable bed enables Independent Adjustable Sleeping Positions to offer Relief for Sufferers with Back or Joint Problems. What’s more, this luxurious pocket sprung and memory foam electropaedic bed is on special offer right now at Dalzells!
Seasonally adaptive lighting in the bedroom? Well, we predict that that’s not so very far away. Why not pop over to our sister site armaghelectrical.com and chat with our team there – they’d be the people in the know 
!
We at Dalzells like to think we’ve got our fingers on the pulse when it comes to new bed technology. Stocking 500+ beds from leading brands Respa, King Koil, Kaymed and Staples, we’ve a great selection of beds and mattresses that could be part of your future! Our expert staff are on hand to offer advice on choosing what suits your individual circumstances best and as a Sleep Council accredited retailer, you’re guaranteed quality, independent advice about choosing the right bed for you. Located in Markethill, Co Armagh, we’re a family owned business with a set of business values you’d like to expect but don’t always get nowadays. Conveniently positioned near to Newry we are a short drive from major towns and cities across Northern Ireland, including Lisburn and Cookstown. In addition to our Free Delivery and Free Collection & Recycling of Your old Bed service in Northern Ireland and Counties Louth, Dublin and Monaghan, we’ll also unpack and set-up your New Divan Bed in a room of your choosing and dispose of all the packaging. Call us on 028 3755 1260. Contact us by Email, or why not Visit in-store today!
*Delivery throughout the rest of Ireland available at Highly Competitive Rates
As a parent of small children it’s not often I get a chance of a lie-in but with next Sunday, 27th October marking National Sleep In Day – the day that we can turn back our clocks by an hour – you never know, it might just happen!
According to a major report published by The Sleep Council, the average person in Northern Ireland has less sleep than the rest of the population in the United Kingdom averaging just 6hrs 19 minutes of sleep per night.
Some 46% of people reported that worry or stress was keeping them awake at night, and scarily, 26% have used alcohol as a remedy to help them get to sleep.
So how do we ensure we get that all important sleep, never mind that all too precious lie-in?
Dalzell’s is a Sleep Council accredited retailer so our staff are always on hand to offer advice for those who wish to buy a new bed or mattress. Situated in Markethill, we’re convenient to most major towns and cities across Northern Ireland. Positioned halfway between Armagh and Newry, we’re but a short drive from Dungannon and Portadown. Even if it’s not convenient to Visit us in-store, our online shop armaghbeds.com features many of our extensive range of beds and mattresses for you to shop from the comfort of your home. You can always telephone us 028 37 55 1260 or Email us if that’s how you prefer. With Free Delivery throughout Northern Ireland you can rest assure that you’ll get a great deal and excellent customer service from our family run business. What’s more, we also provide Free Collection & Recycling of your Old Bed when we deliver your new bed or mattress. This great Free Delivery and Free Recycling Service is extended further to our customers in Counties Louth, Dublin and Monaghan with very competitive rates throughout the rest of Ireland.
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As Sleeptember draws to a close we reflect on some of the key sleep facts The Sleep Council has shared with us during this month long campaign dedicated to helping people get a healthy night’s sleep.
We spend one third of our lives sleeping yet we don’t pay enough attention to what we do it on! Many people don’t realise that it could be their bed that is preventing them from getting a good night’s sleep.
Changes in our lifestyle and the quality, care and amount of use our beds get impact on whether we need to think about buying a new bed. Factors such as getting married, moving to a new home, losing or gaining weight and our age can affect the level of comfort and support our bed provides. How we use our beds and the length of time we spend in them e.g. reading, watching television or the occasional use of a spare bed can be the deciding factors in choosing a new bed.
Sleeping in a bed that no longer provides the proper support or comfort can affect the quality of our sleep. Four out of five adults (80%) will experience back pain at some stage in their life and a recent American study found that 63% of back sufferers felt an improvement after sleeping on a new bed.
A new bed is important for a good night’s sleep! With the Sleep Council recommending that we change our beds every seven years, it’s worth making time to take the Bed MOT (Mattress Obsolescence Test) to see if your bed fits the bill.
With over 500 beds in stock including leading brands Kaymed, Dorlux, Respa, Myers, Staples, King Koil and Slumber Night our staff are also on hand to provide expert advice on choosing a new bed. You can buy with complete confidence at Dalzell’s and what’s more, we provide a Free Delivery service and Free Collection and Recycling of Your Old Bed throughout Northern Ireland and Counties Louth, Monaghan and Dublin, with highly competitive rates across the rest of Ireland. Located in Markethill, just off the A28 between Armagh and Newry, we are just a short drive from Belfast and easily accessible to Dublin from the M1. No time to visit, no problem! You can place your order and gain expert advice from our experienced team over the phone on 028 3755 1260 or even by Email.
The start of September signifies many new beginnings. From children starting school, to the first signs of autumn. Did you know that it could also mark the start of a whole new sleep routine? Sleeptember, a new and exciting initiative from The Sleep Council, has been launched to remind everyone of the health benefits of a good night’s sleep. Getting the right amount of sleep not only keeps us mentally alert and ready to face the challenges of the day, it also brings many other benefits.
Majority of Britons (70%) now sleep for seven hours or less per night with more than a quarter (27%) experiencing poor quality sleep on a regular basis. And the number of Britons getting just five-to-six hours per night has risen dramatically in the past three
years: more than a third of us get by on that amount of sleep compared to 27% in 2010. (The Sleep Council’s Great British Bedtime Report, March 2013)
Getting a good night’s sleep is just as important as diet and exercise when trying to lose weight. People who shifted their sleeping pattern from less than six hours to between seven and eight hours a night put on 2.4kg less weight over a six year period. (Eastern Ontario Research Institute and Laval University in Quebec, September 2012)
A bed may have deteriorated by as much as 70% from its ‘as new’ state after 10 years. It also showed that beds as little as six years old could offer significantly less support and comfort than a new one, thanks to wear and tear not just from body weight and movement but also sweat and debris such as skin, scales, hair etc. (Research by the Furniture Industry Research Association, 2011)
One in six women acknowledged that their tiredness was caused by an uncomfortable bed. And seven out of 10 women would be prepared to pay £500 and considerably more to buy a new one. (Sleep Council ‘Sleeping Beauty’ survey, October 2011)
Current research indicates that we don’t necessarily need eight hours sleep: experts believe that most adults require somewhere between six and nine hours in order to feel refreshed and to function well both mentally and physically. To ensure a good night’s sleep it’s essential to follow good lifestyle habits and to eliminate the factors that are causing disturbed sleep.
At Dalzell’s of Markethill we want you to enjoy a great night’s sleep every night. As a Sleep Council Accredited Retailer and a supporter of Sleeptember, we have compiled a comprehensive buyers guide where you’ll find lots of helpful information on choosing the right bed and mattress for you. You can place your order and gain expert advice from our experienced team over the phone on 028 3755 1260 or even by Email. Or why not Visit in-store at Dalzells, located in Markethill, just off the A28 between Armagh and Newry and less than 45 minutes drive from Lisburn. No time to visit, no problem! With over 500 beds and mattresses in stock, including leading brands Respa, King Koil, Kaymed, Staples Beds, Myers Beds you’ll be spoilt for choice. What’s more, we also provide Free Delivery and Free Collection and Recycling of Your Old Bed throughout Northern Ireland and Counties Louth, Monaghan and Dublin. We’ll also unpack and set up your New Divan Bed in a room of your choosing and dispose of all the packaging.
*Delivery throughout the rest of Ireland available at Highly Competitive Rates.
As parents, one of the many milestones in our children’s lives is the transition from cot to bed. Buying your child’s first bed is an exciting experience and ultimately it is all about giving them more freedom, space and room to grow. How many of us though give ourselves the same star treatment?
In the UK the most popular bed size is a double bed (135cm by 190cm) – the narrowest and among the shortest in the world. People in Belgium, Greece, Holland, Ireland, Finland and Switzerland have a preference for much bigger beds. According to The Sleep Council, people are much more likely to enjoy an undisturbed night’s sleep on bigger beds. Their findings also suggest that king and super-king sized beds are on the increase. ‘In 1993, 20% of people bought new beds that were 5ft or more wide. Ten years later sales of king and super-king sized beds represented about 30% of sales.’
As standards of living and nutrition have improved, the average Briton has got taller: official Health of the Nation figures show 30% of men under 25 are now over six feet tall with the average woman about 5′ 4″. When buying a new bed, size is important! For many couples a double bed size of 4ft 6in x 6ft 3in really isn’t big enough for two to sleep well without disturbing each other: studies have shown that more space – even a slight move up to a 5′ x 6′ 6″ King size bed – can make a lot of difference to night-time comfort. If your bedroom space allows, there are larger bed sizes available including custom made beds and mattresses. Zip and link beds and dual adjustable electric beds also provide differing comfort and support requirements. Remember though, it’s always worth taking the time to decide on what is best for your needs.
*Please remember, you’re going to spend more than 20,000 hours on your bed during its seven year lifespan, as such it really is worth setting aside a little time and effort in the beginning to make sure you make the right choice.
Whether you require a double bed, king size or super king size bed Dalzell’s of Markethill can meet your individual requirements promptly and to the highest industry standards. Even if you require a longer bed, wider bed or even a double bed with different qualities on either side, with our Bespoke Bed and Mattress Service we can help you choose the right size of bed and mattress to meet your individual requirements. Even if you’re not sure what size of bed or mattress is right for you, don’t worry, give us a call on T: 028 3755 1260 or drop us an email: our expert staff are on hand to advise. Just a short drive from Newry and Armagh, and conveniently located to serve Belfast and Lisburn, you can always visit us in-store. You can feel confident of receiving the Best Deal, Unbeatable Value and Free Delivery of your new Bed or Mattress or anything else your home may require throughout N.I. and Counties Dublin, Louth & Monaghan. What’s more, we provide a Free Collection and Recycling of Your Old Bed service too and offer highly competitive delivery rates across the rest of Ireland.
Ever woken up and thought to yourself: ‘I’m all aches and pains, I mustn’t have slept right’? This problem is more common than you think. And, for those with back problems, may be exacerbated by sleeping in the wrong position in an unsupportive bed. Back pain is also more likely to keep you awake when your sleeping position doesn’t allow you to get the right comfort and support. So how does your sleep position affect your sleeping habits?
Professor Chris Idzikowski, director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, has found six common sleeping positions:
One of the most common sleeping positions is lying on your side, with your legs and hips aligned and flexed. For back sufferers this position can cause the lower spine to be rotated slightly, which may contribute to back or hip pain. One way of preventing this problem is to place a pillow between the knees and thighs, thus supporting the body and realigning the spine.
For those who sleep on their back, and experience lower back pain, a simple solution can be to either place a pillow under the knees to help maintain the normal curve of your lower back or place a small, rolled towel under the small of the back for additional support.
Front sleepers may find this position to be particularly hard on the back. One way of reducing the strain on your back is to place a pillow under your pelvis and lower abdomen and again under the head, if it doesn’t place too much strain on your back.
If changing your sleeping position still doesn’t provide you with pain relief, maybe it’s time to look at whether your bed and mattress are giving you the right support. Research conducted by The Sleep Council, in conjunction with BackCare, the charity for healthier backs found that 98% of the people surveyed agreed that a good, supportive bed could help a bad back.
An adjustable bed, also known as Motorised or Electric Beds, can be adjusted into various positions to make sleeping more comfortable and may help relieve back pain, poor circulation, aches and pains. By changing the position of the bed using a remote control, most Adjustable Electric Beds can be adjusted to raise the upper end of the bed which in turn lowers the back and head, or the lower end of the bed can be raised to lower the legs. What’s more, if an Adjustable Bed has been recommended to you or a family member for health reasons, and you live in Northern Ireland, request a letter from your Doctor and we’ll Zero Rate The Vat on your purchase! Yes, you will not need to pay the 20% VAT!
Other ways of preventing back ache when you sleep is to consider buying a bigger bed. This will be of benefit to both the back pain sufferer and their partner by giving you both room to stretch out and feel comfortable. Consider too the tension of the mattress and one that is a Non-Turn model. It’s worth remembering that the right mattress will provide the correct posture and support to give you a comfortable night’s sleep. Finally, take time to choose the correct pillow. Knowing what type of pillow suits your sleeping position is as important as choosing your preferred mattress tension. Although not designed to have the same lifespan or durability as a mattress, a good quality, comfortable pillow can significantly reduce any neck, back or shoulder pain experienced when sleeping.
Stocking an extensive range of Orthopaedic Beds, Adjustable Beds and supportive bedding, With our expert staff on-hand to advise you on a range of beds and mattresses why not Visit Us in-store today at Dalzells, your local bedding specialists in Northern Ireland. You’ll find us in Markethill, just off the A28 between Newry and Armagh, a short 30 minute drive from Lisburn, 45 minutes from Belfast and an hour from Dublin via the A1 by-pass. You can of course just pick up the phone on 028 3755 1260 to place your order, request a quote or ask a question. Alternatively you can Email Us if that’s easier. With Free Delivery of your New Bed across N.I. and Counties Monaghan, Louth and Dublin, whatever way you contact us you’ll be guaranteed a great deal, expert advice and first class customer service. What’s more, we provide a Free Collection and Recycling Service of Your Old Bed, so you’ll not have to worry about making room for your new bed when it arrives!
As International Dawn Chorus Day (Sunday 6 May) approaches, maybe it’s time to change those sleeping habits and wake up earlier. Held annually on the first Sunday in May, International Dawn Chorus Day encourages people to rise early to listen to bird song. Dawn Chorus Day is organised by The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country a UK Registered Charity and is now a worldwide celebration of ‘Nature’s Daily Miracle’.
If a great night’s sleep has eluded you of late, The Sleep Council has produced the Good-Night Guide* detailing 7 practical steps to a good night’s sleep. It’s a new approach to helping problem sleepers, the idea being to build a strong association between your bed and sleep.
Jessica Alexander of The Sleep Council says: “A bedtime ritual teaches the brain to become familiar with sleep times and wake times. It programmes the brain and internal body clock to get used to a set routine.”
Maybe the 18th century proverb: ‘Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise’ has as much relevance today as it did back in the 1700s! Or perhaps it’s a case of ‘the early bird catching the worm‘.
As a Sleep Council Certified Retailer our expert staff at Dalzell’s of Markethill are only to happy to advise on your bedding needs. With a huge selection of beds and mattresses in-store and online, we’re confident you’ll find the right bed for you. As a local, independent bedding retailer we value our customers, and are always willing to strike a deal. What’s more, with Free Delivery throughout our Free Delivery Zone of Northern Ireland, and Counties Dublin, Louth and Monaghan, there’s even more reason to choose Armagh Beds.com. Not sure what to do with your old bed? No problem. Dalzell’s has a Free Collection and Recycling of Your Old Bed service available to you too. So whether you’re in Belfast, Newry or Cookstown, Dalzell’s will be only too happy to deliver your new bed and mattress. Call us on T: 028 3755 1260, Email or visit in-store today for a great deal and excellent customer service.
*The Good-Night Guide is available, free of charge, from The Sleep Council in hard copy or as a downloadable resource.
Have you ever lain awake at night or been disrupted from your sleep by a partner that snores? Perhaps you are the person that is snoring and it is affecting your partner’s sleeping pattern. Whichever way, snoring can have a significant impact on our ability to get a good night’s sleep and potentially affect our relationships. Help is at hand, however. Monday marked the start of National Stop Snoring Week, an annual event promoting general awareness that nobody need suffer as a result of snoring: it is a condition that can be treated.
The British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association defines snoring as: ‘… a coarse sound made by vibrations of the soft palate and other tissues of the mouth, nose and throat (upper airway). It is caused by a partial blockage of the upper airway.’
Our chances of snoring can be increased by factors such as being overweight, alcohol, and smoking. People with severe snoring may have obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), a condition where the airways become temporarily blocked during sleep.
* (Credit: British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association)
There are a number of lifestyle changes and sleep hygiene tips that can help minimise snoring:
As a Sleep Council Accredited Retailer, Dalzell’s is committed to providing our customers with expert advice and support on getting a good night’s sleep. If you are concerned about you or your partner’s snoring it may be helpful to talk to your GP, pharmacist or other professional bodies, including the British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association. Visit us in-store, call 028 3755 1260, email or go online where you’ll find lots of information on getting a good night’s sleep, best buys and choosing the right bed for you. A short drive from Newry and located convenient to Lisburn and Belfast, we’re perfectly placed to accommodate your new bed purchase. What’s more, we provide a Free Collection and Recycling of Your Old Bed service and Free Delivery of your New Bed throughout our Free Delivery Zone, which extends across Northern Ireland, and Counties Louth, Monaghan and Dublin, in the rest of Ireland.
‘The Myth of the Eight Hour Sleep‘ recently featured on the BBC website looked at a study conducted by Thomas Wehr in the early 1990s, when a group of people had been ‘plunged’ into darkness for 14 hours every day for a month. Interestingly, this study found that the group had settled into a pattern of sleeping in the first four hours, awake for one or two hours, followed by a second four-hour sleep. This study appeared to question the need for us to have a straight-through eight hour sleep.
We all crave a good night’s sleep. That groggy feeling we have when we awake feeling that we haven’t had a good night’s sleep can often leave us feeling exhausted throughout the day. For those with small children, a night of uninterrupted sleep is something we dream about! So do we really need eight hours sleep?
According to a major report published by The Sleep Council: A third of the population (33%) now get by on five to six hours sleep a night compared to 27% in 2010. And the majority of people (70%) sleep for seven hours or less.
Current NHS guidelines indicate that we don’t necessarily need eight hours sleep, but experts believe that most adults require between six and nine hours in order to feel refreshed and to function well both mentally and physically.
Jessica Alexander of The Sleep Council said: “…One of the best ways to improve sleep is simply to take more exercise. For many of us, that plus a sensible, regular bedtime and a comfortable bed, are key to sleeping well.
“Improving ‘sleep hygiene’ by keeping electrical devices like TVs and laptops out of the bedroom, giving ourselves time to wind down before bed and keeping our bedroom dark and quiet can also help.
Sleep patterns are defined in stages and each stage of sleep plays a different part in preparing us for the day ahead. There are two main types of sleep:
Stage 1 – This is when we start to feel drowsy and our eyes move slowly under the eyelids, muscle activity slows down, and we are easily awakened.
Stage 2 – This is the first stage of deeper sleep. Our eye movement stops, heart rate slows, and body temperature decreases.
Stage 3 & 4 – It’s harder to wake from deep sleep and if you are you may feel groggy and disoriented for a while. In this deepest stage of sleep, our brain waves are extremely slow.
REM sleep – Or Dream sleep is when we dream.
People will go through each of the stages of sleep from one to four, then back down through stages three and two, before entering dream sleep.
Is your bed preventing you from having a good night’s sleep? Why not take the Bed MOT and see if you’re due a new bed. Stocking an extensive range of bed brands including Staples, Respa, King Koil, Dorlux and Briody among others, Dalzell’s of Markethill are confident you’ll find a bed that’ll have you having sweet dreams in no time. What’s more, as a Sleep Council Retailer, you’re in good hands. Our staff are on hand to advise on the best bed and mattress to suit your sleeping style. Call us on T: 028 3755 1260, email or visit us in-store today for a great deal. Or why not view our great collection of divan beds and bed frames online at Armagh Beds.com. With Free Delivery and Free Collection and Recycling of Your Old Bed, throughout our Free Delivery Zone of Northern Ireland, and Counties Dublin, Louth and Monagahan in Ireland, Dalzell’s is the first choice for all your bedding needs.
