Announcing our Tempur-Pedic Bed Giveaway Finalists—Vote for Your Fave!

The following is a post sponsored by Tempur-Pedic. For our sponsored post policy, click here. 

Wow. You guys’ bedtime rituals were awesome. So awesome that narrowing it down to our five favorite was tough, tough and more tough. But after much discussion, deliberation and thought, we chose five bedtime rituals that just had a little extra sauce to them. (Note that in order to be considered, bedtime rituals and the Sleep Pledge had to be posted on the original giveaway post and readers had to check in on how things were going on a second post.)

We’d like to give a big congrats to the following readers for taking the Tempur-Pedic and FBG Sleep Pledge and creating their own fabulously individualized and creative bedtime rituals! Read on for their bedtime rituals and vote for your fave!

5 Tempur-Pedic Bed Giveaway Finalists

1. Jillian: I pledge to begin my own bedtime ritual after making sure my child is all snuggled up and in la-la land for the night. My ritual will involve a 20-30 minute mad dash around the house picking up any clutter or mess so that I will not think about it in the middle of the night. This shall be followed by dimming the lights and enjoying a cup of hot decaf tea with a side of me-time in the shape of a book until I have finished said tea. Then I pledge to brush my lil teethers and head off to bed!

2. Andrea: I am taking this pledge, mostly because I am pretty much a sleep crusader. I work on a college campus and you would not BELIEVE the sleep problems these “kids” have!! I find myself educating about sleep, badgering, bribing and cajoling about sleep hygiene constantly and for the converts who’ve listened, it has made all the difference.

Here’s my bedtime routine: Warm shower, use lamp instead of overhead light, instrumental music, cup of sleepytime tea and a good book. I’m pretty good about a schedule, but I’ve been slacking on the routine. Not all that creative I guess, but here’s my twist: my daughter has a chronic illness that would be so helped by good sleep but she is just a hot mess when it comes to sleep hygiene! I’m hoping to win this bed for her as an incentive to do better. The ergo system would be a total boon since with her Cystic Fibrosis—she coughs a lot and a raised torso helps alleviate that. Here goes!

3. Alexis: I pledge to get a full eight hours of sleep every night. My bedtime ritual is to shower, brush teeth, get completely ready for bed, and then to sit on the porch and enjoy the nice weather and the sound of the crickets and frogs while I reflect on my day.

4. Jean: So, for the routine I pledge to follow this week, I thought it’d be fun to use the words of the great Snoop Dogg (written in the present and past tenses for rhyming purposes):

So listen close, to what I say
Because this type of stuff happens every-day
I start to wind down around 9 o’clock in the evenin’
I give myself a stretch out, an evenin’ tea and
Go to the bathroom to wash up
I throw some soap on my face and put my hands up on a cup
and say “Mirror, mirror, on, the wall
Who is the Fittest Bottom of them all?”
There was a rubble dubble, five minutes it lasted
The mirror said, “You are, and you run the fastest”
Well that’s true, now I got my daily affirmation
So I slip off my dress and Victoria’s Secret creations
I’m true to the style on my behalf
I put some bubbles in the tub so I can take a bubble bath
Use coconut oil, cuz my skin gets dry and pale
And then I get the file, for my fingernails
Clean, dry, is my body and hair
I throw on my brand new pajama-wear
Slip into bed with my husband and doggy
Deep breathe and meditate so my mind’s not foggy

5. Annie:  To create my bedtime ritual, I’ve decided to take a somewhat unconventional approach. You know how a lot people like to wind down by lighting candles, putting on a little smooth jazz and maybe (if you’re partnered up) breaking out the massage oils? Yeah, well, for me…not so much. I’d be more inclined to worry about fire hazards and sticky bedsheets than actually relaxing. Thus, my bedtime ritual is going to be awesome, soothing, and totally unsexy.

First, I’m going to put on my rattiest, most comfortable cotton t-shirt and shorts — and maybe even some big furry socks. Second, I’m going to put on my favorite soothing sounds: old CDs of 1990s boys bands. That’s right—boy bands, and I’m not ashamed to admit it! Quite frankly, there is nothing more calming than listening to the dulcet tones of a good Backstreet Boys ballad. Third, I’m going to engage in some visualization techniques. For instance, I might visualize someone sweetly serenading me to sleep. Maybe even a group of people—maybe even all singing in harmony. Maybe singing sweet love songs, just for me. Maybe helping my mind drift back to a time long ago, when I was just a teenage girl with braces and bad hair, singing along to “I Want It That Way” and dreaming about fresh-faced young men… Aww yeah. I think I’m on my way to some good sleep and even better dreams. Let’s just hope my husband won’t mind.

Time to Vote for Your Favorite!

Awesome, right? We love them all. But, YOU get to choose who takes home the Tempur-Pedic bed! You have until next Wednesday to vote, so tell your pals, family and co-workers to vote, vote, vote!

Can’t see the poll? Click here to vote on the best bedtime ritual.

The winner will be announced in a post next Friday, so stay tuned. Good luck to all of our finalists! —Jenn