Something for Every Mom Part 3: The Mom Who Can't Sleep

Let's get real here: nobody gets as much sleep as they need these days... and this is especially true for moms!

Whether it's noisy neighbors next door, traffic noise outside, airplanes overhead, subways below, or a snoring spouse right next to her, there are all kinds of disturbing noises that can keep Mom from getting the sleep and rest she needs. Sleep is vitally important for reducing stress and improving overall health; sleeping well is absolutely critical for enjoying our waking hours. But far too many moms are missing out on the deep, restful sleep they need to enjoy their day-to-day lives -- and irritating, disturbing nighttime noises are often to blame.

So this Mother's Day, why not give Mom the gift of a good night's sleep?

The first solution to help Mom sleep well may be as simple as finding her a great pair of earplugs for sleeping. These earplugs need to be very soft and comfortable to sleep on, while still blocking out disturbing nighttime noises. Sleep Pretty in Pink Earplugs were designed especially for women to use during sleep. These foam earplugs are super-soft, and they even come in a pretty pink color moms will love. Another great gift to help improve mom's quality of sleep would be Mack's Dreamgirl Earplugs -- they're also very soft foam earplugs, and they're designed to be small and comfortable enough for wearing all throughout the night. And if you're not sure what kind of earplugs your mom might like best, consider gifting her with a Just the Softest and Smallest Ear Plug Trial Pack: this affordable assortment pack contains a variety of soft, small earplugs so Mom can find the perfect earplugs to wear during sleep!

If foam earplugs won't work, we also recommend a couple kinds of moldable earplugs for sleeping. Flent's Ear Stopples are great for sleeping, according to our customers. And Quies Boules Wax and Cotton Earplugs are another great choice -- they're moldable, super-comfortable, and they make an especially fancy gift because they're imported straight from France!

All of these earplugs can potentially help your favorite mom sleep better at night, and any of these earplugs will make for a fantastic, useful, and very affordable gift. However, not everyone enjoys wearing earplugs while sleeping. Though the plugs we recommended above are all very soft and designed for comfort, some people have extremely senstive ears, and simply do not find wearing earplugs all night to be a viable solution. Too, for cases where the ambient noises are particularly loud (think: a husband who snores like a chainsaw!), earplugs alone may not be enough.

In those cases, we recommend adding a white noise machine to help block out that nighttime noise. A wide variety of white noise machines are available, from the simple and affordable Marsona SleepMate White Noise Machine which just plays plain white noise, to the luxurious Sound Oasis Sound Therapy White Noise Machine, which can create a whole huge variety of soothing, ambient white noise sounds to sleep to with fancy interchangeable sound cards. Either of these white noise machines would make for a fabulous gift for any mom who has trouble sleeping, especially when combined with earplugs. (And if you want to give the gift of white noise but you're on a tight budget, check out our White Noise CDs. These offer many of the benefits of a white noise machine, at a tiny fraction of the cost -- and they can be played on any standard CD player for excellent portability.)

Finally, if snoring is what's keeping the mom in your life from getting the sleep she deserves, and earplugs and white noise won't do the trick, consider getting her an in-ear white noise generator to wear during sleep. These are exactly what they sound like: little earpieces that fit into the ears, blocking out external noises and emitting soothing white noise directly into each ear. These are the most heavy-duty white noise generators for sleeping available, offering the benefits of earplugs and white noise all in one small package.

In-ear white noise generators come with a variety of different-sized eartips to fit any size of ears, and they're mostly recommended for snoring relief. (A very soft pillow is highly recommended for use with these if she sleeps on her side, to help avoid discomfort from wearing the earpieces all night long.) They're not cheap, we won't lie -- but a gift like a Sleep-Eze or a Snoremasker Pro in-ear white noise generator could literally change her life by blocking out that snoring for once and for all. (Bonus: both of these products come with a FREE Deluxe Ear Pillow -- a small, special pillow that's ideal for use in addition to her own very soft pillow, for maximum comfort.) Either of these in-ear white noise generators will make for a truly unforgettable Mother's Day gift -- whether you're shopping for your own mom, or the mother of your children. (If you snore, you know you owe it to her to try these!)

And one last gift idea, before we leave the subject of sleep: how about a great sleep mask? Light can enter our eyes even when they're closed, seriously disturbing the natural sleep cycle and preventing us from getting the deep, restful REM sleep we need. Even a small amount of light (from, say, streetlights filtering through the window) can prevent Mom from getting a good night's sleep. So making it dark is very important in getting good, restful sleep. The Mack's Shut-Eye Shade Sleep Mask is a classic black, comfortable sleep mask that will let Mom sleep like a movie star anywhere. Or if Mom loves all things pink and girly, the Sleep Pretty In Pink Sleep Mask, with its special free-blinking design and pretty pink color, might be right up her alley!

Or for an even snazzier sleep mask gift, consider giving mom the Hearos Deep Sleep System, which includes a sleep mask, a set of soft earplugs, and some aromatherapy lotion -- talk about a perfect gift for helping mom sleep well! Or check out the Pink Pack Gift Assortment: it contains several kinds of earplugs for sleeping, a sleep mask, AND a pink noise CD. (By the way, the Pink Pack Gift Assortment is our Official Ear Plug Superstore Mother's Day 2011 Gift of The Year -- we highly encourage you to check it out, we think it'd be a great gift for any mom!) Both of these gift packs provide protection from noise and light to help Mom sleep better, and best of all, neither one of these lovely gift assortments will break the bank.

We know that sleep is critical for anyone, especially for hard-working moms. And we hope that one of the above recommendations will help you find the perfect Mother's Day gift to help the special mom in your life get the deep, restful sleep she needs and deserves.

Seriously - what gift could be better than the gift of a good night's sleep?

Stay tuned for even more great Mother's Day gift ideas; we know your mom is unique, and we truly believe we can help you find the perfect gift for your one-of-a-kind mom!

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
--Tom "Dr. Earplug" Bergman

Comments

[Ken Theriot]

The Sleep-Eze white noise earplugs changed my life! I can't hear the dogs barking, spouse snoring, TV, people talking, etc. I would love to promote this product to my audio market (I have a web business called "Home Brew Audio"), but don't know who to talk to about that. If anyone here knows, please e-mail me at ken@homebrewaudio.com. Thanks!