Independent mattress manufacturer Pleasant Mattress recently sponsored a “capture the flag pillow fight” during Sleep Awareness Week to give Fresno State University students a chance to relieve stress during the exam season. Pleasant Mattress donated 150 pillows for students to use in battle.
The unique combination of Capture the Flag with a pillow fight paid homage to the classic playground game. The event added its own twist where pillows were used for the act of tagging an opponent “out” of the game.
The National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep Awareness Week, March 10-16, highlights the importance of good sleep health for overall well-being. College students are one of the most sleep-deprived groups because of studies and social activities that interfere with a consistent sleep schedule.
Tobias La Ponza, resident adviser at Fresno State University, reached out to Pleasant Mattress after several students asked him to start a pillow fight program. Resident advisers create two programs every month for residents to attend with the goal of getting residents interacting with each other, as well as teaching them other skills such as team-building, strategy, and healthy physical habits. La Ponza knew this pillow fight fit the bill as an activity for students to run around and forget about exams for a bit.
“A pillow fight is definitely different from the events that we have sponsored in the past. Proper sleep heath is one of the most popular health trends in the U.S. today, so this is a very important program, particularly since students suffer from sleep deprivation at a much higher rate than the general population,” said Rion Morgenstern, president and CEO of Pleasant Mattress. “When Tobias reached out to me, I had flashbacks to my days on the playground and knew this could be a great way for students to destress and have fun during exams. We all like to think we’re still kids at heart, so I will be living vicariously through those students for a night.”