It’s not every day you meet a person who says that they have always wanted to work at Mattress Firm.  It’s even more impressive when that person is only seven years old.  Last week, the Mattress Firm employees in Raleigh, North Carolina met Micah Gaus, who has a form of brain cancer.  He is seven years old, and when he spoke to our employees, he informed them that he has always wanted to work at Mattress Firm and would love to have his birthday party in a Mattress Firm store.

Even more impressive, Micah let them know that instead of asking for presents for his birthday, he wanted to collect toys for all the other kids who have cancer.  That’s all it took for our Raleigh team to jump into action.  They quickly coordinated a birthday party for Micah and arranged a city-wide toy drive to benefit the children in the cancer ward at Duke Children’s Hospital.

On Tuesday, Micah attended his birthday party at the Mattress Firm store on Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh.  He received a swag bag full of Mattress Firm accessories as well as a remote controlled Mattress Firm truck.  Micah was also presented with an offer letter to join the Mattress Firm team as the city’s official mattress tester.

Our team loved spending the afternoon with Micah at his birthday party.   They were so impressed by his selfless devotion to the kids at Duke Children’s Hospital along with his positive spirit that they decided to pull out one last surprise for Micah.  Next week, Mattress Firm will be delivering a donated Tempur-Pedic mattress and Tempur-Pedic Ergo Adjustable Base to Micah’s house!

Our world is full of opportunities to save.  Buy one, get one free deals are a common sight in retail stores and coupons have become so popular that entire television series have been devoted to coupon clippers.  But are there some purchases that are worth the investment?  MSN Money asked that same question and developed a list of five purchases you shouldn’t skimp on.  The first thing on that list – your mattress.

Given the amount of time you spend asleep (over 1/3 of your life), it’s not surprising that your mattress should be one of those big purchases where you worry more about getting what you need instead of trying to find the biggest bargain.  Think about it this way.  On average people spend 7.5 hours sleeping each night.  If your mattress lasts for 8 years that means you will spend more than 21,000 hours in that bed.  That’s a lot of hours to spend being uncomfortable, isn’t it?

Want to see the other items that MSN Money says you shouldn’t skimp on?  Read the whole article here.  Feel like an item got left off the list?  Let us know in the comments below.

As the warm weather approaches and people start preparing for summer swimwear season, articles about how to lose weight seem to be popping up all over the place.  Not much changes in those articles year after year; eating right, adding in an exercise routine and getting plenty of sleep are standard items on the list.  In fact, studies have continually shown that people who get 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night tend have better health in general than those who do not.

We know that not getting enough sleep can have a negative impact on dieting, and some studies have even linked lack of sleep to overeating.  However have you ever thought about how what you are eating could be impacting your sleep?  It turns out that a group of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania were interested so they decided to investigate.

Those researchers looked at a group of 4,548 people who ranged from short (<5 hours) sleep patterns to long (>9 hours) sleep patterns and had them all journal what they ate every day.  It turns out that people in the different sleep categories had very distinct diet patterns.  The people who consumed the most calories tended to sleep for shorter durations than the people who consumed fewer calories.  Those who slept for the more standard 7-8 hour time frame also showed a diet that tended to include more food variety.

While this study is just scratching the surface of the relationship between diet and sleep, it has told us a few things.  There is potential for scientists to determine the right mix of calories and nutrients to promote better sleep.  Determining that mix could also help us combat some common health issues in society like obesity and heart disease.

Have you noticed a difference in your sleep pattern based on what you ate during the day?  Tell us what you think in the comments below.

You may have already figured out that today is April Fools’ Day, especially if you were one of those being pranked.  But it’s not too late to turn the tables.  Why not go home and pull one of these quick and easy bed pranks on your family member or friend.  Fair warning: Just make sure you’re ready when it comes time for payback!

The Ol’ Switcheroo – All this prank requires is a sets of sheets and some skills to convince the person to make the bed.  Remove the current sheets from their bed and replace them with a set in a different size.  Full size sheets for a queen size bed work great!  When the person goes to make the bed, they’ll find themselves coming up short.

The Oldie but Goodie – It’s a prank that has been around for ages.  A person gets all ready to snuggle into bed for the night only to realize they can’t.  They’ve just been short sheeted.  Not sure how to short sheet a bed?  Instructions can be found here.

Did you fall victim to an April Fools’ Day joke or did you pull off an epic prank?  Tell us about it in the comments.

Across the country, Mattress Firm employees have gone above and beyond to volunteer their time and organize local giving events.  These efforts not only make a positive impact in our local communities, but they also have a positive impact on our people.

Studies have repeatedly proven that volunteering actually boosts happiness.  In fact, an article on Forbes.com states that “those who work to further causes they value tend to be happier and healthier, experience fewer aches and pains, and even live longer.”  So when “Have Passion, Be Happy” was announced as the theme for Mattress Firm’s National Leadership Conference this year, it only made sense that a day of volunteering should be included.

On February 7, an army of Mattress Firm employees from across the country stepped off the buses at Give Kids the World Village in Orlando, Florida.  For the next four hours, they painted furniture, constructed a gazebo, planted flowers and built sidewalks.  Every volunteer was also treated to a tour of the facility, so they could understand the true meaning of what this organization was all about.

You can read more about this volunteer event in the most recent Give Kids the World newsletter.

This weekend marks the start of Daylight Savings Time.  Whether you look forward to the later hours filled with sunlight or you dread losing an hour of sleep, Daylight Savings Time can definitely wreak havoc on your normal sleep routine.

A recent article on SparkPeople.com shares these six tips for dealing with the time change.  Is there a tip you use that isn’t on the list?  Let us know in the comments below.

• Start early. The time change is usually scheduled for the wee hours of Sunday morning, in order to reduce the disruption of the workweek. To give yourself more time to adjust before the workweek begins, reset one of your clocks at the start of the weekend, such as Friday night or Saturday morning. Try to eat meals, sleep, and wake according to that clock. When Monday comes, you’ll be on your way to feeling adjusted. However, if you have activities and events during the weekend, make sure you don’t get confused about the correct time!
• Exercise. Working out releases serotonin, a chemical in the brain that helps our bodies adjust. Exercise regularly, preferably outdoors, and early in the day. A brisk morning walk is perfect. Avoid exercising too late in the evening though, as this could interfere with the quality of your sleep.
• Nap wisely. Try to resist the urge to take long naps late in the day. If you get tired, take a short, energizing walk around the block instead. If you must nap, keep it earlier in the day and limit your snooze time to no more than 20 minutes.
• Don’t imbibe. Alcohol interferes with normal sleep cycles, so don’t rely on a nightcap to fall asleep.
• Digest. After the time changes, you may be hungry for meals earlier or later than before. Be sure to give yourself ample time to digest your dinner before heading off to bed. A heavy meal in your stomach will interfere with the quality of your sleep, too.
• Lighten up. The right combination of light and dark can help your body’s circadian rhythm readjust so you can fall asleep on your new schedule and sleep more soundly. In the morning, open the shades and brighten the lights. Try to spend time outside during the day, if possible. Dim the lights in the evening, so that your body understands that it’s time to wind down.

The Mattress Firm Foundation spends all year raising money and awareness for the fight against pancreatic cancer.  Last week, at the Mattress Firm National Leadership Conference, we pledged to raise $15,000 to donate to our cause.  What happened at that conference turned a simple act of raising money into a showing of solidarity for all of those fighting against pancreatic cancer.

One of the guest speakers at the conference was Steve.  Steve is a father, a son and a husband.  He is also one of our own, a Mattress Firm employee in Kansas City.  In November, Stever was diagnosed with a form of pancreatic cancer.  At the conference, he took the stage to share his story.  You can watch it here: www.tinyurl.com/SteveWillPrevail

Mattress Firm employees across the country were moved by his strength and bravery.  Stories began circulating of friends, family and other loved ones who have battled, or are continuing to battle, this disease.  And in that moment, our team decided that we needed a way to show our support for Steve and for everyone fighting pancreatic cancer.

So today we asked everyone in the Mattress Firm family to wear purple and to share who they were wearing purple for.  The truth is that a support system is an integral part of overcoming disease and Mattress Firm wanted those out there to know we were behind them.

The amount of support has been amazing!  Check out the Mattress Firm Foundation Facebook page or the Mattress Firm Facebook page to see just how many people believe in the power of prevail!

Over the last year, Mattress Firm employees have volunteered over 4,000 hours of their personal time to local organizations.  They have also helped arrange for Mattress Firm to donate over $1 million in mattresses to organizations in need.  This initiative, called Give Big!, launched last February and since then has been embraced by employees across the country.

Even before Give Big! launched, the Minneapolis team worked to build a partnership with the Twin Cities Salvation Army.  From Rocking the Red Kettle during the holiday season to helping families sleep happy with mattress donations, the Minneapolis employees have truly embraced the Give Big spirit.

Recently the Twin Cities Salvation Army helped secure an apartment for a formerly homeless family in St. Paul, but they soon realized that something was missing.  The family was still sleeping on the floor.  When the Minneapolis Mattress Firm employees heard this they quickly jumped into action.  After a couple of phone calls, they had set up delivery of four new beds complete with bed frames, pillows and mattress protectors.

On delivery day, Selina Combs and her children watched as 14 Mattress Firm employees carried in and set up their new mattress sets.  Afterward, in an interview with the Salvation Army, Selina said, “I’m almost 40 years old and I have never had a new mattress of my own. We’ll be sleeping well tonight. We are so happy.”

This past weekend, despite rain and near freezing temperatures, almost 25,000 runners took to the streets of Houston to compete in the Chevron Houston Marathon.  Volunteers from both the corporate office and the Houston sales team along with an amazing runner braved the weather for one exciting reason: to support the Mattress Firm Foundation.

Solomon Kandie, who placed 14th in the event with a time of 2:24:24, wore a Mattress Firm Foundation jersey during the race, and in between stretching and warm ups, he talked with several reporters about the fight against pancreatic cancer.  With the support of the Mattress Firm franchise in Albuquerque, Solomon has been training to reach his goal of running the Boston marathon.  The Houston Marathon was just one step along the way to reaching his ultimate goal, and we were proud to have him represent the Foundation in Mattress Firm’s home city.

When asked why he chooses to support the Mattress Firm Foundation, and the fight against pancreatic cancer, his reply is simple.  “Mattress Firm is helping my dreams become a reality so I want to help them achieve their dream of ending pancreatic cancer.”

The Mattress Firm Foundation is moving a little closer to putting pancreatic cancer to bed…26.2 miles closer. On January 13, Solomon Kandie will run the Chevron Houston Marathon representing the Mattress Firm Foundation and Mattress Firm employees will be there to cheer for him along on the way.

Solomon Kandie is originally from Nairobi, Kenya. He attended Tulane University, where he earned several honors including Conference USA Athlete of the Year and Conference USA Runner of the Year. He recently completed the Duke City Marathon with a time of 2:24:03.

The Mattress Firm franchise in Albuquerque has sponsored Solomon to help him fulfill his dream of running the Boston Marathon.  And we’re proud to say that Solomon is helping the Mattress Firm Foundation achieve its dream of finding a cure for pancreatic cancer.

Want to learn more about Solomon and his story? Watch the video here: http://youtu.be/TzL8Vw_zBlo