By Murray, Senior Mattress Expert, Part-Time Philosopher & Full-Time Puppet

Well, here we are again. Labor Day.

That wonderful time of year when Americans celebrate hard work by taking a day off from it. Now, I’m no expert on modern economics, workplace productivity, or whatever it is young people do on their computers all day. I’m a puppet, after all. But I do know a thing or two about working hard.

And I know even more about sleeping.

So, as Labor Day 2026 approaches, I have a very important message for the good people of Vermont:

You’ve earned a nap.

In fact, I’d argue you’ve earned a really good one.

Labor Is Hard. Sleeping Shouldn’t Be

Back when I was a younger man—which, admittedly, was several stuffing replacements ago—you worked hard all day and then went to bed when you were tired. Simple. You didn’t need an app to tell you when to sleep. You didn’t need a smartwatch to announce that you had achieved “excellent restorative sleep.” And you certainly didn’t need some young fellow on television telling you that you should “optimize your sleep experience.”

We called it going to bed.

And if your mattress had a hole in it, you put a folded blanket over the hole. Problem solved. Well… maybe not solved. But tolerated. Thankfully, mattresses have come a long way since then.

A Good Mattress Is a Reward for Hard Work

Think about what your body goes through during the day:

• You get up.
• You work.
• You mow the lawn.
• You carry groceries.
• You shovel something.
• You fix something that wasn’t broken until you tried to fix it.
• You climb stairs.
• You chase the dog.
• You chase the dog again because apparently the dog has discovered something interesting in the neighbor’s yard.

And if you’re like me, you occasionally stand up too quickly and spend the next few seconds wondering whether you’re still on Earth. After all that, your body deserves somewhere comfortable to land. That’s where a good mattress comes in.

A quality mattress isn’t just something you throw on top of a bed frame and forget about. It’s the place where you spend roughly a third of your life. And if you’re going to spend a third of your life somewhere, it ought to be comfortable. Personally, I think everyone should have a mattress so comfortable that when you lie down, you immediately think:

“Well, I guess I’m not getting up again.”

That’s what I call success.

Labor Day in Vermont

Here in Vermont, Labor Day has another important meaning. It’s the unofficial signal that summer is beginning to pack its bags. The days are getting shorter. The evenings are getting cooler. The leaves are starting to look suspiciously colorful. Pretty soon, somebody will say:

“Can you believe it’s almost winter?”

And then somebody else will say:

“Don’t remind me.”

Before long, we’ll be dealing with cold mornings, snow, ice, and that wonderful Vermont tradition of scraping your windshield while questioning every decision that led you to own a vehicle. That’s why Labor Day is a good time to slow down for a minute.

• Enjoy the last stretch of summer.
• Have a cookout.
• Spend some time with family and friends.
• Take a drive.
• Sit on the porch.
• And, if circumstances permit…
• Take a nap.

Murray’s Official Labor Day Nap Guidelines

I’ve developed some very strict guidelines for Labor Day napping.

Rule #1: Find a comfortable place.

A couch will do in an emergency. A recliner is better. A good mattress is best.

Rule #2: Don’t feel guilty.

You worked hard. You earned it. Besides, feeling guilty while napping is extremely inefficient.

Rule #3: Ignore anyone who says, “You can’t sleep all afternoon.”

That’s quitter talk.

Rule #4: If you wake up and don’t know what time it is, congratulations.

You’ve achieved advanced-level napping.

Rule #5: If somebody asks what you were doing, tell them you were “recharging.”

It sounds much more sophisticated than “I fell asleep.”

Before You Buy Another Thing for the House…

Labor Day weekend has become famous for sales.

• People buy grills.
• People buy furniture.
• People buy appliances.

People buy things they didn’t even know existed until they saw a sign advertising 50% OFF! And then they get home and wonder where they’re going to put it. But if you’ve been putting off replacing an old, uncomfortable mattress, maybe this is the year to do something about it.

If your mattress is sagging, uncomfortable, worn out, or making noises that sound like an old wooden schooner every time you roll over, it might be time for an upgrade. And if you’re waking up every morning feeling like you’ve spent the night wrestling a bear…

…the mattress may be part of the problem.

Here at Vermont Bedrooms, you can shop for mattresses online from right here in Vermont. That’s especially convenient for people like me. I don’t like going shopping. I like staying home. Preferably somewhere horizontal.

So Enjoy Your Labor Day

Whether you’re working, traveling, grilling, relaxing, watching football, enjoying the beautiful Vermont countryside, or simply sitting in a chair trying to remember why you walked into the room…Take some time for yourself this Labor Day. You’ve earned it. And remember, Labor Day isn’t just about celebrating work. It’s also a reminder that rest matters, too.

So after you’ve finished your hot dog, put away the lawn chairs, and told everybody for the third time that you really should get going…

• Go ahead.
• Put your feet up.
• Close your eyes.
• Take a deep breath.
• And get some sleep.
• After all, you can’t work hard forever. Well, technically, *I* can. I’m a puppet. But even I know when it’s time for a nap.

Happy Labor Day 2026 from Murray and everyone at Vermont Bedrooms!

Now, if you’ll excuse me…I’ve got some extremely important resting to do.