Sleep and Charity: 10 Ways to Give Back Relating to Sleeping

by Mom It Forward on December 27th, 2010 | 1 Comment »

Week 9's Season of Service challenge, sponsored by Select Comfort, the makers of the Sleep Number Bed, is to serve others through things that have to do with sleeping. Christmas is over and, though Kwanzaa is still being celebrated, and many are preparing for New Year celebrations, there are a few days in between to relax a little. Focus this week on opportunities for service that facilitate or take advantage of sleeping. Here are 10 bite-size ideas:

If your husband is tired when he gets home from work, take the kids to the library while he takes a nap.
Offer to babysit the siblings of a new baby while their mom takes a nap.
Read a book, like Dr. Seuss' Sleep Book, to your child right before bedtime.
Contribute to cancer research by giving away the energy used by your computer during its idle or sleep cycle. Sounds too easy, doesn't it? Go to WorldCommmunitygrid.org for details.
Instead of just turning off your TV, stereo, and other entertainment units that have a little red "off" light, unplug them while your family sleeps. Doing so can reduce electricity use in your house by up to 10%¹
Save energy by not charging your cell phone overnight. Most cell phones only take about two hours to charge.
Donate a no-sew fleece blanket to a Hurricane Katrina victim at BlanketsForTheGulf.com or to a local children's hospital like Primary Children's.
Donate receiving blankets, quilts, or sleepers to NewbornsInNeed, which assists impoverished families of premature and newborn babies in crisis.
Buy an $8 piece of jewelry from Sweet Sleep, which is a faith-based nonprofit organization that provides beds to the world’s orphaned and abandoned children.
Buy a $2 wristband from the American Sleep Apnea Association to support sleep apnea awareness.

How Will You Give to Others This Week?

What ideas do you have for giving opportunities for sleep to others?
How has giving to others made a meaningful difference for you this week?
How have others given to you lately and what difference has that made in your life?

How Else Can You Make a Difference This Season?

Make a meaningful difference this season by taking the Season of Service (SOS) Challenge. Here's how you can participate:

Commit to do one act of kindness/service based on the week's challenge.
Leave a comment with ideas relating to the week's challenge as well as your experience(s) performing it.
Enter to win each week's giveaway. Check out this week's prizes from Select Comfort by clicking here.
Join #gno this Tuesday on Twitter to connect with other Mom It Forward moms about the challenge.

¹31 Ways to Change the World, produced by Nick Stanhope, 2010.