By DYLAN McKENZIE

Times Leader Staff Writer

BRIDGEPORT — Getting enough quality sleep is important in life. Without the necessary rest, it can be hard to complete your everyday tasks, such as work, school or cleaning. By stocking your bedroom with the right combination of furniture and bedding, you can help to make the most of the rest you get, leaving you energized and ready for the day.

Some ways to help optimize your sleep cycle are simple, such as installing a ceiling fan. The quiet sounds of the fan can help lull you to sleep, with the fan acting as white noise to help relax your body and mind.

Another step is making your bedroom furniture and color scheme more friendly to a proper night’s rest. Things like bright colors, too much clutter in the room, and sharp corners can make it difficult for the mind to calm down and begin the sleep cycle. Sometimes you are able to get a deeper, more restful sleep by rearranging your bedroom furniture, perhaps removing some pieces that might be distracting you when you are trying to fall asleep. Choosing soft, soothing colors for your bedding and bedroom walls can also help you relax when bedtime rolls around.

One of the most important factors to getting a good night’s sleep is having the right mattress and bedding. Since no one person sleeps exactly the same way as another, choosing the right mattress is an important step to getting the rest you need to face the day. Some people choose to sleep on their sides or stomachs, while others may be more comfortable on their backs.

Paul Latham, a salesman at Wilson Furniture and Wilson’s Mattress 1st, said choosing a mattress really comes down to personal preference. Some people may also have factors like a bad back, insomnia or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease that make getting comfortable at night difficult. Wilson’s offers several models of adjustable mattresses that can switch to a number of positions that might help alleviate back pain or breathing issues.

“It’s really up to the individual. No one, or mattress, is the same,” Latham said.

Wilson’s Mattress 1st was recently opened next to the Wilson Furniture store in Bridgeport. The new store focuses on selling quality mattresses and bedding to the residents of the Ohio Valley, allowing them to have a restful night’s sleep. The store offers Serta, Simmons, iComfort, Mattress 1st and Restonic brand mattresses, giving a wide range of options for all kinds of sleepers and their positions. In addition, the store offers a sort of test area to customers, with a mock bedroom set up in the back of the store where customers can try out different mattresses and bedding before making a final purchase. This way, potential buyers can test the firmness and softness of a certain mattress or look at the adjustable setting on a particular model before coming to a decision. With mattress sets starting at around $200, it is important to know just what you want before you make a purchase.

For more information about Wilson’s Mattress 1st, call 877-857-4634 or visit wilsonfurniturestore.net.