Protect-A-Bed® Reveals Summer Dream Themes

CHICAGO, Sept. 9,  2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Protect-A-Bed®, a leading provider of bedding protection products, concluded its Summer Dreamin' promotion last month, which asked participants to share their craziest summer dreams. The result? One grand prize winner and several interesting sleep statistics.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130909/CL76193LOGO )

Entries were judged by Protect-A-Bed Facebook fans, and Kris Otto of Maplewood, Minn., won with more than 1,000 votes. Otto's dream – or possibly nightmare – involved driving with her newly-licensed son. She wrote: "My son just got his driver's license. I had a crazy dream where he was driving me around and he started going faster and faster and he wouldn't stop...he was squealing with delight in how scared I was. I was so afraid and then I woke up."

Otto isn't the only mother with family-related nightmares. According to renowned dream expert Lauri Loewenberg, parents tend to have disturbing dreams when their child hits a milestone. Loewenberg interpreted the winning dream, and revealed that Otto, like many parents, wants time to slow down.

"Getting your driver's license is a huge milestone and quite possibly the one that brings about the most worry for a parent. As this dream perfectly illustrates, milestones make us realize how fast time flies, hence the speeding car.  As much as we'd like to put a brick on our child's head to keep him from growing, like the car in this dream, it just doesn't stop," Loewenberg said. "Certainly this mother's fear that her son may get out of control with his car is playing out here but even more so is the realization of the rapid passage of time."

Of the 228 entries, only five contestants reported crazy dreams about family. The majority of Summer Dreamin' entries were actually nightmares rather than dreams, involving scary situations, ranging from alien clams to unexpected bull fighting. Second most common were happy dreams about people or events from the past, followed by animals, aspirations and famous figures.

Summer's influx of crazy dreams is not a coincidence, said Loewenberg. In fact, individuals typically sleep less during the summer and lack of sleep is commonly linked to unusual dreams. Protect-A-Bed launched the three-week Summer Dreamin' contest to test this theory.

"We saw hundreds of entertaining Summer Dreamin' entries," said James Bell, CEO of Protect-A-Bed. "With alien invasions, tutu-clad tigers and fighting famous villains, these dreamers demonstrated that summer definitely is a season for crazy dreams."  

As part of the Summer Dreamin' grand prize, Otto will receive a 30-minute dream reading with Loewenberg as well as a copy of her latest book, "Dream on It: Unlock Your Dreams, Change Your Life." Otto also received a Protect-A-Bed Signature Series Pillow Protector and $1,000 toward a dream vacation.

Protect-A-Bed's products, such as the Signature Series Pillow Protectors, help consumers achieve a healthy sleep environment, Bell says. Its pillow and mattress protectors contain thermoregulating properties to keep sleepers cool during warmer months, which is particularly useful for summer dreamers. The properties also help sleepers stay warm during the cold winter months. Signature Series also prevents allergens, dust mites, bacteria and moisture from getting into bedding.

About Protect-A-Bed®:
Protect-A-Bed offers consumers a complete line of protective bedding products because "Every Mattress Needs Protection".  With over 30 years of experience in bedding protection, Protect-A-Bed products are available in 40 countries, and the company is recognized as a worldwide leader in mattress protection innovation. Protect-A-Bed products help create a dry, hygienic, bed bug free and anti-allergy sleep zone while also protecting the mattress warranty. The company developed Miracle Membrane®, a proprietary membrane, which is waterproof and protects against liquids and bodily fluids that may ruin a mattress or inhibit a mattress's warranty claim, and patented BugLock® with SecureSeal® and three-sided zipper system for encasements. Protect-A-Bed products are listed as Class 1 Medical Devices with the Food and Drug Administration, and have received the Good Housekeeping Seal. For more information, visit www.protectabed.com.

SOURCE Protect-A-Bed