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Sleep Experts Offers Back-to-School Sleep Tips

Dallas, Texas - August 12, 2009 - As North Texas families enjoy the last weeks of summer and start preparing for a back-to-school schedule, Dallas-Fort Worth mattress retailer Sleep Experts offers the following tips from the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), to help make the transition from late nights to early mornings a smooth one for parents and children alike.

Tips for getting your child's sleep schedule back on track:

• Several weeks to a month before the start of school, set a limit for the latest bedtime and wake up time. Then gradually move these times earlier (about 15 minutes every other day, time permitting) as the school year starts to approach.
• Soak in summer's last days with early mornings rather than late nights. Emphasize activity and bright light in the morning: go outside and take a walk or play with friends, don't sit indoors or in front of the television.
• Be Consistent! Set and keep a bedtime and wake-up schedule even on weekends, this will help in the adjustment to an earlier school schedule.

Sleep tips that will help kids start the school year off right:

• Maintain a regular bedtime - keeping the same sleep schedule makes it easier to fall asleep at night and wake up in the morning.
• Establish a sleep routine - avoid exercising or doing anything too intellectually stimulating in the last couple of hours before going to bed.
• Create a good sleep environment - cool, dark, quiet and comfortable.
• Limit caffeine, especially after lunchtime.
• Turn off the TV. Flickering light and distributing content can prevent good sleep.

Tips for Parents:

• Be a good role model and get the recommended amount of sleep each night.
• Recognize that children - even teenagers - need more sleep than adults.
• Talk to your kids about the importance of sleep and make sleep a priority for the entire family.
• Ask teachers if your child is sleepy or sleeping during class.
• Adolescents with set bedtimes before 10:00 pm are much more likely to get an optimal amount of sleep than those who don't.

The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving public health and safety by achieving greater understanding of sleep and sleep disorders. NSF furthers its mission through sleep-related education, research, and advocacy initiatives. NSF's membership includes researchers and clinicians focused on sleep medicine as well as other professionals in the health/medical/science fields, individuals, and more than 800 sleep clinics throughout North America that join the Foundation's Community Sleep Awareness Partners program. For more information, visit www.sleepfoundation.org or www.sleepforkids.org.

About Sleep Experts
Sleep Experts is a mattress retailer serving the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and offering a broad selection of innerspring mattresses, foam mattresses and air mattresses, with brands including Simmons, Beautyrest, Back Supporter, Tempur-Pedic, ComforPedic, Sleep Designs and Air Number. Sleep Experts has been honored with the 2009 Dallas Business Ethics Award and the Consumers' Choice Award® for business excellence, and has been recognized as a Dallas Business Journal Best Place to Work in D/FW and a Dallas 100 Fastest Growing Company. Through its Rest Assured community program, Sleep Experts recycles customers' old mattresses for donation to local shelters and also donates a portion of proceeds from every mattress sale to help families in crisis. Sleep Experts has 34 locations. For more information, visit www.sleepexperts.com or call (888) 55-SLEEP.