This time of year brings gorgeous weather, freedom from school obligations, and tons of time enjoying the company of family and friends with vacations, barbeques, and time relaxing by the pool. But summer isn’t only the season for enjoying the great outdoors, it’s also time to celebrate Dad for being so awesome!
And if we’re being honest with ourselves, we have to admit that fathers tend to take a backseat when it comes to honoring a parent’s hard work and sacrifice for their children. Typically, we think of Mom when we consider the sweat, tears, and lack of sleep that comes with being a parent.
Research Proves It – Dad Needs More Sleep!
Don’t get us wrong – mothers definitely deserve recognition for all of the time and trouble that they invest in the kiddos. But new research has shown that it’s actually Dad that’s missing out on some very important things – peace, quiet, and a good night’s rest. Especially when there’s a new baby in the house.
A sleep study done in 2013 using wrist health trackers found that of 21 mother and father pairings, it was actually
the fathers that got less sleep when caring for an infant. That just goes to show that Dad truly is the unsung hero when it comes to his kiddos.
Sleep deprivation is no joke. Health experts have found that regularly losing out on sleep can have some pretty scare consequences when it comes to our health and happiness, including mental and emotional upheaval, the inability to focus, and even hallucinations. Yikes!
And if you’re thinking that we can just catch up on sleep on the weekends, it’s simply not that simple, unfortunately. Sleep professionals have discovered that the human body needs at least 7 hours of sleep each and every night to function at its peak, and
trying to pay back a sleep debt is almost impossible.
And that he deserves a gift that he can really use this Father’s Day.
All of this points to the fact that fathers everywhere can use more sleep. That means that you can not only give Dad a gift that he deserves (and actually need) this Father’s Day. Not to mention, avoid falling into the “joke tie trap” and giving Dad something that will be buried at the back of the closet when honoring him on his special day.
How to Show Dad That You Really Care
Who doesn’t love unwrapping a present, right? But with so much pressure around choosing just the right Father’s Day gift, your best bet might be doing yourself
and Dad a favor by skipping the traditional tool kit, polo shirt, or hilariously tacky tie and giving him something that he’ll truly enjoy – no wrapping paper required!
We’re talking about giving Dad the gift of time and relaxation by creating a special day just for him with one of these
5 DIY Father’s Day presents…
Dad Day Gift #1: Craft an Appreciation Message for Dad
Get the family together and write a list of all of the things Dad does for each of you. For example, hosting Little League, driving you to the movies, helping with homework, etc. And then put on your creative thinking cap! Put your appreciative thoughts on a card that you decorate yourselves, make a short video where you each share what you love most about Dad, or turn your list into a poem or skit.
Dad Day Gift #2: Host a “Learn About Dad” Game Night
Get everyone in the family to write down at least one question that they have about Dad. You can ask about his favorite childhood memory, if he wishes that he’d gone into another line of work, or what his dream vacation would be if he could go anywhere in the world. Around the dinner table, ask Dad the questions you came up with and be sure to listen to his answers without interrupting! You can even add an extra level of fun by seeing if he can guess who wrote each question.
Dad Day Gift #3: Take a Load Off of Dad’s Plate
Doesn’t it always seem as if fathers are super busy? Between work stuff and home improvement projects, poor Dad is always having to play catch-up when it comes to getting things done. Why not give him the gift of relaxation
and productivity by offering to complete one of his household chores? Clean out the garage, mow the lawn, or fix that broken section of fence – without him having to even ask! If you can’t think of anything to do for Dad around the house, just ask him what he’d like some help with, and be sure to give him a cheerful “You got it!” when he tells you what he’d like done.
Dad Day Gift #4: Plan a Custom Event Just for Dad
Tell Dad that you’d like to organize a day of family fun that is all about him and ask him what he’d
really like to do – whether it’s something that sounds good to you or not. Maybe Dad wants to hit the driving range or head to the beach. Or he might want to take in a baseball game or have a cookout in the backyard. Heck, he may just want to
get a chance to sleep in for a change! Whatever it is that Dad wants to do on his special day, go ahead and grant his wish and arrange all of the details for him.
Dad Day Gift #5: Reduce Dad’s Stress Levels
Don’t forget that Father’s Day should be all about helping Dad to relax and enjoy himself, and believe it or not, one of the easiest ways to do that is to simply be on your best behavior. Cut out arguing and complaining for the day, stay positive, and be a good listener. Give Dad a big hug and tell him how happy you are that he’s your father. And show him that you really care by making his day easier and more peaceful – Dad will feel truly loved and gratified, guaranteed!
And of course, there’s the
best Father’s Day present of all time…
The Ultimate Gift for Any Kind of Dad
Dads come in all shapes, sizes, and styles but they all have one thing in common – they need more sleep! No matter what “type of Dad” you might have, why not give them the gift of better sleep this Father’s Day?
Getting your Dad a new mattress this Father’s Day is a great way to show him that you care, and making sure that it’s one made of premium memory foam is a definite added bonus, of course. Check out the following reasons that a new bed from Lull is a great present for
any kind of father.
The Techie Dad
If you have a father that loves to talk specs, you can mention that his new mattress from Lull is
composed of a proprietary three-layer design, starting with a 7” polyurethane foam foundation, followed up by a 1.5” foam blend conversion layer, and topped off with 1.5” of gel-infused memory foam for the utmost in sleeping surface comfort and support.
The Deal Hunter Dad
Everyone loves getting a great deal but there are some fathers that seem to have made an art of pinching pennies. If your Dad is a guy that loves saving money, you can tell him that he can rest easy knowing that you got a killer deal on his improved sleep, thanks to the fact that a Lull mattress costs around 1/3 less than a traditional innerspring mattress. And when he finds out that his new mattress cost as little as $.20 a night, you’re sure to make his deal-loving heart swell with pride.
The Handyman Dad
If your father is the kind of guy that enjoys fixing things around the house, he most likely knows the value of holding onto things and repairing them himself, which might mean that he’s been able to get some serious miles out of his current mattress. But why would you let him simply get by with a rigged sleeping situation, handy as he might be? Give Dad the gift of a mattress that was
made right from the start and let him focus his skills on that home renovation project– all while being better rested than he’s ever been before.
The Patriotic Dad
Dads that have a passion for our awesome country will love the fact that the Lull mattress was crafted in the United States with good old-fashioned American ingenuity and attention to detail. And he’ll sleep even better knowing that his new bed has helped to beef up the workforce in communities throughout the country, thanks to the fact that every single Lull mattress is handmade here at home, from the threads to the cover.
The Health Nut Dad
But what if your father is all about cage-free eggs, granola, and living green? We’ve got him covered too! At Lull, we believe in leaving the smallest carbon footprint that we possibly can, and we never include the harmful chemicals that you find in traditional mattresses in our product, while also using only CertiPUR-US® certified materials. We also maintain a paperless office environment, make use of a super-efficient shipping system that cuts down on packaging waste, and work with charitable organizations to make sure that none of our mattresses wind up in landfills.
Boom! You’ve found the perfect gift for Dad, and the best part is that his brand-new
Lull mattress will be delivered right to the front door – no trip to the mall necessary! That way, he can spend time doing what he
really enjoys, instead of being dragged from store to store looking for his own gift.
Plus, let’s face facts – you’ve most likely put Dad through quite a bit over the last decade or so. Why not buy him some
peace of mind for the next 10 years with a mattress that’s guaranteed to give him support and comfort?
Top Tips to Help Dad Get the Sleep He Deserves
Almost every father has suffered through some kind of sleep deprivation during his parenting career, especially as a new dad, trying to balance life with a sleepless newborn. So what is a father to do when he’s craving a good night’s rest?
Check out these
6 sleep tips for fathers…
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Sleep when you can: This might seem like a no-brainer but it’s often a tip that new dads miss out on when there’s an infant in the house. Take the time to nap when the baby is napping, even if snoozing in the middle of the day isn’t something that you wouldn’t normally do. And try sneaking some sleep in between feedings and diaper changes too – it could make all the difference when it comes to your sanity!
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Keep your caffeine intake low: It may be tempting to overcompensate for the sleep you’re missing out on by chugging some coffee or a Red Bull (or two!) but large amounts of caffeine can actually make the problem worse in the long run. How? It’s been shown that the common stimulating substance can disrupt your sleep-wake cycle and stay in your system for up to 8 hours, making it difficult to fall asleep and stay that way.
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Don’t be afraid to ask for help: Many new fathers feel like they have to shoulder more of the load than is strictly necessary. But that’s what partners are for! Try taking turns with late-night feedings and changings. This ensures that both parents are getting some much-needed sleep, without making it seem as if one or the other is doing all of the dirty work when it comes to dealing with a fussy baby in the middle of the night.
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Invest in some alone time: Parenting is one of the hardest jobs on the planet, and although you never get an official day off, being sure to take some “me time” is a great way to stay sane and well-rested so you can function at your peak. Try and regularly set aside some time to unwind and take part in a relaxing activity that you enjoy, such as reading a good book, taking a stroll around the block, or even doing some stretches before bedtime to get your mind and body ready for sleep.
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Ditch the distractions: Nothing is worse than actually finding the time to sleep but then being unable to drift off to Dream Land. One of the best ways to make sure that this doesn’t happen to you is by removing distractions from the bedroom by saying goodbye to electronics, loud noises, and bright lights. All of those will keep you awake longer than you would like and can leave you feeling like the walking dead the next day. Not good!
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Create a summer sleep sanctuary: Did you know that the hottest months of the year are also the hardest time of the year to get to sleep? You can make sure to get the rest that you need by taking the time to freshen up your bedroom for summer by investing in some cool cotton sheets, hanging some room darkening curtains, and setting up an oscillating fan to keep the air moving.
Hopefully these tips and tools will help you to have some serious fun celebrating all that your father does for you. And of course, we’d like to wish a very Happy Father’s Day to all of the dedicated dads out there. Enjoy your day – you deserve it!
