What did Mark Twain say about Waterbeds?

September 19, 2022 Tambra Jones

A Waterbedtime Story™ sponsored by: InnoMax Corp.

In 1871, a waterbed was in use in Elmira, New York, for "invalids". It was briefly mentioned by Mark Twain in his article "A New Beecher Church", which was published in The New York Times on 23 July 1871. Twain wrote: "In the infirmary will be kept one or two water-beds (for invalids whose pains will not allow them to be on a less yielding substance) and half a dozen reclining invalid-chairs on wheels. The water-beds and invalid-chairs at present belonging to the church are always in demand, and never out of service".

**Medical Waterbed advertisement from India**

So while the pressure relieving benefits for burn patients and bed ridden invalids subject to bed sores have been known for quite some time, it wasn’t until after waterbeds became popular for residential use in the early 1970s that a significant amount of research on the health benefits relative to the general public was conducted. Being rather young and of the mind sleep was a necessary inconvenience at that time, it wasn’t until I’d aged a bit that I came to appreciate why so many people were so interested in researching the health benefits of sleep.

As it is now well documented that quality sleep can help rejuvenate the body while bolstering immune system and mental acuity, the quest has now become maximizing quality sleep. Things have certainly evolved for me on that front as now I find myself checking my sleep monitoring smart watch every morning to see how well I slept. And albeit not scientific, my personal observation is that my score goes way down if I’m tossing and turning which often happens when traveling and trying to sleep on uncomfortable mattresses.

Given any force greater than 32mm/Hg applied to the human body will cause a restriction of the capillaries resulting in diminished blood flow, and that during a normal night of sleep an average person attempting to sleep on a too firm or too soft mattress may change positions 60-80 times due to impaired blood flow, it makes sense the elimination of pressure points would reduce tossing and turning for a deeper more restful sleep. The following pressure mapping comparison, circa 2000, illustrates how a waterbed distributes support more evenly too facilitate keeping pressure points below 30 mm/Hg.
While you can still find Free Flow mattresses for use with hardside box frames reminiscent of the original “modern” waterbed patented in 1971 online, fluid suspension sleep product design and technology has advanced significantly over the past 50 years.

One of the most significant advancements has been the advent of softside waterbeds. While looking like a traditional conventional mattress, softside waterbed mattresses include water chambers instead of innerspring support cores. So in addition to the convenience of using conventional size sheets and bedding, softside waterbeds offer the warmth and comfort of a hardside waterbed, without the hardside rails. And with fluid support, body weight is distributed more evenly over the surface mitigating pressure points to improve your quality of sleep.

While softside waterbeds may also be found online, better still, if you are ever in Denver, Colorado I personally recommend you test rest flotation sleep at the InnoMax factory showroom. And though you need not worry about bringing a pillow as your sleep consultant will be happy to provide one, because clients frequently doze off during test rest sessions, be sure to wear your sleep monitoring smart watch. For information contact 1-800-INNOMAX to schedule your flotation sleep test rest.

In conclusion, while documented a century prior to patents being issued for modern day waterbeds, Mark Twain’s remarks continue to speak volumes about the medical and health benefits of flotation sleep.

Contributing author is Irvin Saathoff a Waterbed ol’-timer who has worked in many aspects of the industry from design & product management to retail, wholesale and marketing. Check back in with the next issue when Waterbedtime Story™ shares yet another perspective. Meanwhile you can connect with InnoMax Corporation anytime atSleep@InnoMax.com.

The Truth About Waterbeds and Your Support

August 17, 2022 Tambra Jones

7 Ways To Create A Sustainable And Comfortable Sleeping Environment

August 11, 2022 Tambra Jones

By Guest Blogger Arleen Atienza

Sleep is crucial for your health, as enough hours of shuteye will help you cope with stress and anxiety. At the same time, sleep quality is as vital while you keep your room ethical and sustainable. A comfortable environment should give you a superb sleep cycle.

Adopting a green sleep practice helps you do your part to save the Earth, but it doesn’t stop there. An eco-friendly sleep environment also helps give you the comfort you need. Here are seven ways to help you create a sustainable and comfortable place to get a good night’s rest.

Consider Sustainable Lighting

One of the ways to give you an easily sustainable but comfortable sleep is to consider the lighting of your room. Using bulbs that consume less energy will help lower your carbon footprint and improve your sustainable practices.
Incandescents and halogens use more energy than other alternatives. LED lights can last longer and produce better light. The best way to achieve good lighting is to use sustainable and natural light. If you’re lucky enough to have your windows facing south, use them as much as possible during the day.
Going dark at night is also essential, so avoid letting any electronics light up the room. Also, using a light therapy lamp will help improve your circadian rhythms, which regulate your sleep cycles.

2. Choose the Right Bedding

When it comes to bedding, there are tons of options. Breathable These are also hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites. The synthetic ones are cheaper to produce. However, it may contain harmful chemicals, which can cause skin irritation or allergies.
When buying new sheets, look for ethically processed materials made of cotton, hemp, or bamboo. These fabrics are better for the environment as they are more sustainable. These materials are breathable and can help you sweat while you sleep.
Ethical wool can also be used as an ideal alternative. It keeps you warm and does not eat up a lot of energy during manufacturing.

3. Improve Your Home’s Energy Efficiency

Another way to create an ethical and healthy sleeping space is to improve your home's energy efficiency. This will help you save money in the long run. Your mattress and pillows collect heat, so consider rotating them every few years.
To ensure that your bedroom is energy efficient, you need to pay attention to a few details. Check your windows for possible leaks and make sure they are adequately sealed. Your air conditioner should also be in good shape, using energy-efficient inverters to reduce your carbon footprint.
Compared to older models, new forced-air HVAC systems use far less energy. You might want to replace your old one with a more sustainable option, such as geothermal heat pumps, natural gas, pellet stoves, and solar heating.

4. Enjoy An Eco-Friendly Bedtime Skincare Routine

Building a sustainable sleeping environment is not only a matter of what you put on your surroundings. It’s about healthy habits too, especially before you sleep. Have a bedtime skincare routine that allows you to relax, set yourself down, and go on the low down.
Opt for natural, organic, or homemade products if you want an eco-friendly bedtime skincare routine. This will not only help you minimize your impact on the environment but also on your overall health. Natural products are less harsh on your skin and are gentler than commercial brands.
Make it a habit to remove your makeup before you go to sleep. This can help improve your quality of rest and prevent you from worrying about breakouts.
Don’t forget to wash your face and moisturize it before going to bed. Your skin needs time to breathe and get rid of dirt, pollution, and makeup. This can help you achieve a refreshed and healthier look.

5. Purify Your Bedroom’s Air

A great way to reduce stress and promote a healthy, green lifestyle is to purify the air in your bedroom. Poor air quality can lead to many health issues, including muscle pain, fatigue, headaches, and other mental health problems. So, be sure to purify it regularly through proper cleaning and maintenance.
You can clean your air with air conditioning and heating systems, but these can also contribute to bigger energy consumption. Instead, you can open a window and let fresh air in. You can also enjoy a refreshing and energizing breeze with an electric fan. A ceiling fan will also help with air circulation and keep you cool.
You can also treat your indoor air by sprinkling a few drops of essential oil on your air filter. Lavender and lemon are among the best options for purifying your environment and helping you sleep better. Incense is also perfect, together with open windows and a fresh breeze.

6. Invest in Quality Furniture

Investing in quality furniture is a great way to create a long-lasting, comfortable and attractive space. It can also help you make an inviting ambiance that promotes relaxation. But, it’s not necessarily the best option for sustainability.
Unlike in the past, it’s now easy to find high-quality furniture made with eco-sustainable and recycled materials. Some of the materials used include wood, rattan, and reclaimed wood. Look for a piece of furniture that can be useful for years to come instead of unnecessarily buying something new.
When shopping for bedroom furniture, choose solid wood over particleboard. It tends to last longer and is more durable. It’s also an excellent investment as it will save you money over time.
The bed is the focal point of any room, so choose it wisely. Opt for a beautiful bed frame with sturdy legs. Avoid beds with feet, which tend to damage your floor.

7. Work Towards An Eco-Minimalist Aesthetic

If you want a more minimalist aesthetic, then aim for a clutter-free bedroom. A minimalist aesthetic is all about simplicity. It reduces clutter and promotes a Zen-like atmosphere. It also promotes a greener way of living by replacing unnecessary items. This also reduces your waste and makes you more aware of your consumption.
A simple way to achieve this is by minimizing the number of clothes and accessories you have in your closet. And if you have too many, it’s time to donate or replace them.
To declutter, start by storing your clothes away neatly. Let everything in your wardrobe be visible. This way, you can make decisions on whether to buy more.
You can also use bins and baskets to keep everything tidy. This makes your closet appear more organized and allows you to find what you need faster.

The Bottom Line

Creating an eco-friendly and soothing environment for a good night's sleep is not just about environmental factors. You spend about a third of your life in a bed, and it only makes sense that it should be as comfortable as possible, but you should also consider your impact on the planet.

How to Create a Content Calendar for Social Media

August 9, 2022 Tambra Jones

And why a content schedule for social media makes good business sense

By Digital Marketing Specialist Julia Rosien

The store opens in 20 minutes. Along with everything else on your must-do list, writing a social media update to start the day is just another task. One that’s easily pushed aside if you run out of time, right? Wrong? If there’s one thing the business upheavals from Covid taught us, it’s how important social media can be to keeping our businesses thriving during hard times.

Creating social media content is a never-ending job though. Depending on how many channels your business is using, you’ll not only need to be concerned about constantly creating new content (and proofreading it for typos and spelling mistakes), but to sizing the images that go along with that content for each channel. Gone are the days that the image size you used on Twitter could also be used on Instagram or Facebook.

There’s no denying how important social media is to your business, just as they’re no denying how challenging it can be to maintain.
If you’re serious about using social media to help you reach your business goals, it’s time to learn how to create content in advance as well as schedule it – instead of doing it in real time.

What is a content calendar?

A content calendar allows you to plan weeks and months in advance, keeping track of special holidays or sales and roll them seamlessly into your social media updates. It can feel like a big commitment to get started – and it is – but organizing your content not only saves time, it reduces panic attacks in the long run.

A content calendar can be as a simple as a spreadsheet on your computer that helps you keep track of content as you create it and publish it. Or it can be more complex and dynamic, an online system that allows you to share and collaborate with teammates in real time. Whichever method you use, organizing your updates will ensure you don’t miss important dates and it will allow you save creative ideas for future use. Think of it as the best way to avoid desperately scrolling through inspirational quotes to find something – anything – to post again.

Beyond organization, a content calendar offers a host of benefits that will help preserve your sanity and grow your online footprint in a smart, sustainable way:
·       Develop a consistent posting schedule. Consistency is a key pillar of success on social media. The more regularly you post, the more your content will be woven into the algorithms of the social media platform you’re using. Whether you’re talking about a big sale or celebrating a national holiday, getting your content seen by more and more potential customers is the goal.
·       Craft better quality content with less typos. Writing content ahead of time is like building a failsafe into your social media updates. It gives you breathing room to reread your work (eliminating spelling mistakes and typo) and helps you see your emerging brand personality. And if your updates involve sensitive content, that sober second thought before posting can prevent embarrassment or being seen as tone-deaf.
·       Foster more creativity. Once you’re into a routine of creating and scheduling content – instead of in-the-moment-panic-posting – you’ll be able think bigger. Managing a contest on Facebook or Instagram, for example, might be conceivable now that all your content is written ahead of time, right? Maybe it’s time to consider working with influencers?
·       Find more time to engage with your online community. Instead of spoon feeding your social media channels, you’ll be able to devote more energy to chatting with people who engage with your content.
·       Capture relevant moments. With your day to day content taken care of, you’ll be able to focus more energy on timely events in your community – or in the world – as they pertain to your business goals.
·       Get better at measuring results. Just as sales people hone their selling skills by learning what works and what doesn’t, creating content ahead of time and closely watching results will help you learn what works and what doesn’t.

As many benefits as a content calendar offers, be aware of its limitations. If your social media updates lack personality, they might be seen as robotic, bland or uninspiring. A content calendar helps you organize your creativity – but it doesn’t replace creativity.

As well, if you’re scheduling your content in advance, have a social media crisis plan in place in the event you need to pause your publishing schedule suddenly. After a catastrophic event – local or global – brands often choose to go dark for a short period, especially if loss of life is involved. If you’re using multiple scheduling tools across different social media platforms, you’ll need to be able to pause all your channels quickly and easily – without missing anything in the process. I recommend using a platform like Hootsuite, SproutSocial or SocialPilot for all your social media scheduling – and pausing as needed.

The bottom line is, consistent, well-crafted content will help you grow your digital footprint. If your digital strategy revolves solely around ad buying, remember that once the budget’s spent, the traffic stops. Content marketing on social media and your website continues to attract traffic over time. And as new consumers discover it, traffic can flow through it for years.

Who the heck is Julia Rosien?

At the end of the day, it's night and it's my job to help you get a better night's sleep – and lead a healthier, longer life. Pretty awesome job, right? As Vice President of Brand & Digital Marketing for Restonic Mattress Corporation, I also serve as the brand liaison for Restonic's family of brands, which includes Scott Living and Biltmore.

My motto: life is better together. We all want to succeed and when we work together, we can make great things happen for ourselves, those around us and the organizations we serve. Connect with me on LinkedIn or Twitter.

Las Vegas Wrap-up

August 4, 2022 Tambra Jones

That’s a wrap for another Las Vegas Market in the Specialty Sleep Association’s Sleep Pavilion. While traffic numbers didn’t surprise us, our “CA$H for Scan” event created an exciting buzz for our exhibitors – some even calling it their BEST market yet!

Little Trent helped Trent Ranburger shop for Trent Bedding in Bowling Green, KY

The Business:
“The SSA showroom is an integral part of the Las Vegas Furniture Market”, stated Scott Smalling Chief Retail and Innovation Director for Emma. “There has not been a market over the last 17 years that I haven’t made it a priority to visit and see what’s new and innovative in the SSA showroom, or have a space myself like we have for the last 2 markets,” continued Smalling. “At the end of the day your company is responsible for your attendees, but in this space another advantage is to catch the attention of buyers who maybe didn’t come to visit with you specifically, this happened several times for us at this market.”

This sentiment is echoed among the companies who present their products with the SSA. During the Covid strife, Denny Boyd and Boyd Sleep had moved out of their very large showroom in Building B. Boyd took a spot with the SSA to present particular items to a target audience. After the show, Denny said, “Our Boyd Sleep booth was attended by customers from both the East and West Coast as well as the Midwest. We were pleased to see several of our larger customers at the show.” VP of Sales and Marketing for Boyd, Kris Mattina said, “Boyd Sleep appreciated the opportunity to show in the SSA showroom during the August Furniture Market this year, during a transitional time frame as our company navigates a showroom change. The SSA suite buzzes with the synergistic vibe of customers, colleagues and friends committed to bringing healthy sleep products to the marketplace and did a great job attracting customers aligned with our "Quality Sleep" focus. Thanks for being such a highly effective much appreciated industry resource.”

“We had 80% of our appointments from west of the Mississippi show up this Market,” said I Love Pillow|I Love Mattress National Sales Director of Independent Retail, Scott Montegue. “I thought is was good overall traffic.” Jane Arason, Arason Entrprises Owner expected a slower market, “We did not have any appointments and none of our Reps came to the summer market - but - we did open two new stores. That is what makes a market successful. Over all the experience at the SSA Pavilion was good. We are not a big enough company to pull in a lot of buyers, so for us being with a group that pulls in more buyers is good.” Subdued appointment sets were also felt by Brent Polunsky at W. Silver Products. “A couple of weeks before the market, I started getting notified that the dealers that I am accustomed to seeing at this market were not going to attend, and so I expected attendance to be down. I felt the overall attendance at the market was down, however I visited with dealers that were serious about finding new suppliers, and not just looking around on a market/vacation trip.”

Scott Frisch, US Sales for Bedline had a very good summer market, and thought that this particular show was their best one yet. Said Frisch, “Being an entirely new company to the US, as well as a relatively new product (Bedline’s storage platform beds), we’ve had a particular set of goals, given our product only launches this fall. Having said that, prospects from Washington to Florida came by and showed really great interest.” Frisch continued, “This is our third market in with the SSA over what we might call a subdued period (Covid), we can say it was surprisingly the best show ever. Not only in the number of new customers, but a consensus that we really have a new bedroom category to offer.” He had one last comment to make to SSA Executive Director Tambra Jones, “Thanks once again for an outstanding job. It’s amazing to see how SSA has morphed into not only being relevant, but a proven launch pad for many.”

Boyd Sleep using the SSA Member Lounge for a meeting

Brand new to Las Vegas and the US Market is Nasif Akin with international product and resource company Beli Plast. “We saw prospects from Canada and the west coast. It was great opportunity for us to introduce ourselves and the products.” Akin continued, “We had a positive experience. The event was well organized, planned and supported by SSA and Tambra. It is an opportunity for new companies to participate in such big event.”

Sleep & Beyond National Sales Manager Butch Craig always brings the point around to how companies prepare for and execute their time at market. “We were pleasantly surprised this market, however when you stay positive, plan your work / work your plan, and keep reminding yourself that 80% of success is showing up and 20% follow up, you will find success!” Coach Butch continued, “The SSA Pavilion has always had a sweet sweet spirit of caring, planning, and making sure that everyone gets the attention and encouragement to keep showing up at every market. There is joy in knowing each member is part of a team that really and truly loves the buyers that come through the SSA showroom each market. Always remember, you have to be in the game to win it, moving forward together one buyer - one market at a time.”

The CA$H for Scan Event:
Every 50th retail badge scanned triggered a cowbell-ringing cash prize of a $50 bill. “Getting your badge scanned can sometimes slow you down at the door”, says SSA Executive Director Tambra Jones, “so we made it worth our retailer visitors’ time.” The event was well received - who does not want to win some cash??

Jennifer Medlock from Sleep EZ in Tempe, AZ.

Edwin Pfeifer from Minots Mattress Store, Minot, ND

Taylor Newton from Bedrooms and More in Seattle, WA

Yasin Akkok from Turquoise Enterprise in Merced, CA

Michael Cherry from Sweet Dreams Mattress in Nederland, TX

Retailers Can Win $50 For Their Scanned Badge - C1565

July 13, 2022 Tambra Jones

If you’re a retailer visiting the Specialty Sleep Association’s SLEEP PAVILION (C1565) you might win a crisp $50 bill. “Getting your badge scanned can sometimes slow you down at the door”, says SSA Executive Director Tambra Jones, “so we’re making it worth your time.” Retailers have a chance to trade their badge scan for CASH. Every 50th retailer badge will win a crisp $50 bill. Scanned badge #50, #100, #150, etc. gets $50. Once your badge is scanned, you can walk through and see more than 20 different sleep companies all in one room. WINNER! Who wants a chance at a $50 bill? Come get your badge scanned. SSA Sleep Pavilion, C1565.

For more info on the SSA Sleep Pavilion, visit the web page.

Are You Using Social Proof on Your Website?

July 13, 2022 Tambra Jones

by Julia Rosien

Establishing credibility with consumers by leveraging the power of online word of mouth.

When’s the last time you tried a new hairdresser or hired a contractor to do work for your home based on a friend’s recommendation? What about that new restaurant just around the corner? There’s always cars in the parking lot, which means it must be popular, right? Or maybe the owner has asked staff to park in the first two rows of the parking lot to make it look busy at peak times.

Whether you call it word of mouth marketing or social proof, it’s an effective business-builder. Social advertising – like those cars in the front two rows of the restaurant – has been around for a long time, but digital has opened up a world of opportunities to promote your business in new and exciting ways.

In 1984, Robert Cialdini coined the term “Social Proof” in his book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. According to Cisaldini, “we view a behavior as more correct in a given situation to the degree we see others performing it.”

Current research suggests as many as 9 out of 10 shoppers are influenced by online reviews – not a shocker. But did you know that more than 60% of consumers say they’re more likely to purchase from a retailer with product ratings and reviews on their website? The bottom line is that leveraging customer endorsements, media mentions and awards can influence customer buying choices.

Before you panic that you’ve missed something important, you likely have a lot of social proof waiting to help potential customers choose your business over a competitor’s. Let’s look at the many ways digital social proof can help your build your business.

6 ways to use social proof in your digital – and traditional – marketing

1. Customer testimonials. Possibly the most powerful social proof on the planet: credible, reliable and effective. Third party tools like Yotpo will help you collect reviews and display them on your website and social media channels. Remember, a third party resource ensures your credibility and authenticity to consumers as those tools require you to publish the whole review as is, no editing allowed. Place your testimonials on product pages, for sure, but you might also want to consider using a select few stand-out reviews on your “About Us” page as well.

2. Ratings & reviews. Similar to testimonials, ratings and reviews are most often collected on your social media channels. Every time you make a sale, consider asking your customers to drop a review on your channel of choice: Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram. Screenshot those reviews and use them on your website, in newsletters and in print marketing campaigns.

3. Media mentions. When your business (or you or a member of your staff) is mentioned in a local paper, trade magazine or industry blog, it’s powerful content that can elevate credibility. Consider placing snippets on key landing pages with links to the original content, of course. Working with a PR firm will help you gather media mentions faster but there’s lots of ways to hunt them down yourself – message me if you need some inspiration.

4. Influencer endorsements. A celebrity mention might be the holy grail of endorsements but don’t discard the power of social media influencers. A highly followed blogger that regularly writes reviews on products similar to the ones you carry can move the buying needle in big ways. And sharing those influencer endorsements on your social media channels and website lengthens – and strengthens – the shelf-life of the original mention.

5. Badges & awards. If you’re required to have certain qualifications or certifications in your industry, list them on your website. If you’ve been awarded a nomination or honor, promote those events on your website and social media.

6. Research & case studies. Writing about challenges you’ve solved help communicate your expertise to customers considering your products or services. Remember that you’ll need customer permission to write a case study – which will help strengthen the relationship and possibly lead to additional referrals. Investing in research that helps solve customer challenges – or collaborating with other businesses in your industry – positions you as a leader who cares about their consumers. As with other social proof, use this content everywhere. Everywhere!

Social proof can come in many shapes and sizes. I hope these ideas will help begin using social proof in your marketing.

Who the heck is Julia Rosien?

My motto: life is better together. We all want to succeed and when we work together, we can make great things happen for ourselves, those around us and the organizations we serve. Connect with me on LinkedIn or Twitter.

5 New Companies Debuting in the SSA Sleep Pavilion this July

July 13, 2022 Tambra Jones

and a dozen more returning with so much to see at Las Vegas Summer Market.

Making their Las Vegas and US Debut is BELI PLAST LLC, a US based company specializing in global sourcing with an entrepreneurship spirit. They have a strong network of business partners and manufacturers in Home Furnishing Industry located in Turkey and South East Europe, with proven production capabilities and capacities. Each team member has decades of experience in global product sourcing, supply chain, development of new competitive supplier base, product compliance as per standards and regulations, quality compliance/management, sustainability and Code of conduct. They offer an office and sales team in the US, Istanbul, Turkey, and sourcing partners in Belgrade/Serbia, Sofia/Bulgaria and Tel Aviv/Israel.

One of the products on display is HoST, a Honeycomb Support Technology which is the latest innovation in furniture materials. Developed at MIT, it's made of engineered cellulose fibers cut and glued in an optimized way to form a material that is light, flexible, compressible, and incredibly strong. HoST has been successfully used as the core material in sofas, modular sofas, and bed bases through the brand Elephant in a Box. Making the furniture easy to set up, easy to move, designed to last a lifetime and 100% biodegradable. This patented technology, allows manufacturers to increase productivity (faster production, less space, labor, and components) and decrease shipping and storage costs (~200 sofas, 83.5in long, in a 40' container), while staying aligned to ESG goals.

CARILOHA, INC will present retailers with mattresses, sheets, duvets and other top-of-bed, pillows, bath towels and apparel all using Viscose from Bamboo. They offer their partners a Sustainable, Eco Friendly, LUXURY product, complete from display to sell-through support. While partnering with Cariloha may offer an amazing ROI, store display and product, the partnership enables retailers to contribute to the responsible sourcing efforts of their products. When they sell Cariloha, they are offering their customers a “Comfy way to save the World”. Their complete assortment is now available to the wholesale marketplace, focusing on the home furnishings sector.

MONARCH SLEEP SYSTEMS is debuting their NEW Adjustable Bed Frame Innovations. They will have a small selection of their product portfolio specifically focused on new innovations of the sleep decks. The newest Monarch EC Series will display the infinite comfort sleep deck which provides the consumer full customization to levitate the mattress using their quad suspension butterfly wings. Consumers can personalize to their needs. Small businesses can compete with big box retailers with these products without the investment in massive warehouses. Retailers can use only 1 SKU to serve their customers for all sizes and the pack density provides 5X less inventory space and 4X less working capital. The box is so small the consumer can take a queen size frame in their back seat with their bed in a box. Additionally, they will present the newest iSeries which will have a full range motion including lumber and head tilt yet in a folding deck to increase shipping density and reduce setup time. Consumers will have full articulation to their preferred resting positions allowing them to achieve the comfort and sleep recovery they deserve.

Also debuting in the SSA Showroom AND in the USA is SHEELA FOAM, with their PU Foam Mattresses from Spain, and from India, their Pocket coil Hybrid Mattress and Bonnel mattresses. Developed by Joyce Foam Australia and tested by Royal Melbourne Institute of technology, their Hygroflex Foam mattress has a new generation open cell construction Comfort layer. Hygroflex is superior to Memory foam, in that it conforms to the shape of the body 67% better, reduces the maximum pressure on body by up to 32%, and cools better by taking heat away from body 27% faster. Make sure you stop to see them and find out about VPF (Variable Pressure Foaming) - the world's most environmentally friendly PU foam with zero VOC emission. Supplied from plants in India, Australia and Spain, there are no anti-dumping laws to contend with and no disruption of supply chain.

SOFF-ART S.R.L. is an Italian Company specializing in bedding since 1880. They are debuting their special pillows with independent pocket springs system, produced in their factory in Italy, and exported to about 35 countries around the world. Their pillows with independent pocket springs system represent an absolute novelty for the United States market.
Featuring an exclusive pocketed spring structure developed and patented by SOFF-ART, their pillows are certified for perfect head-neck-shoulders alignment by ErgoCert and have been also certified by Oeko-Tex. When you visit them ask about their Morpheus Spring pillows, which come in a range of products with high-quality, hypoallergenic, layered polyester fiber padding around the springs. They will also show you their Viscospring pillow line, which is a range of products combining springs with a filling of memory foam produced internally with high quality an-allergic materials. Both pillow types can be customized with a special trim, embroidery and specific technical and commercial labels. Different softness and sizes are available, with covers in 100% high quality cotton twill or in different technical fabrics.

BOYD SLEEP is not new to the Market, but they are new to the SSA Sleep Pavilion. They will be previewing their Nautica Home Collection, which continues to extend its Cool, Calm, Comfortable, brand promise with the Nautica Home Memory Foam and Hybrid Innerspring Mattress collection. In addition to lower MAP retails, front and center for 2022 is a powerful digital marketing program. At no expense to the retailers, Boyd Sleep will implement targeted social media and PPC campaign advertising in surrounding zip codes focused on driving consumers to their stores for Nautica Home. The program includes reporting on Consumer impressions and engagement with the ads by zip code.

What else will you see in the SSA Showroom?
BEDLINE, an expert in platform storage and changing the way storage beds are seen in the market, is bringing to the US market an improvement not only in styles but providing new patented technologies to make the use, stockage and cleaning of the bed much easier. Showing 2 models with 30 cubic feet of storage for those people needing extra space in a novel and convenient way, they are introducing a product in kit form, with the specific requirements for the US online market, for drop shipping and ease of handling. They will also be announcing our US partnership where we’ll begin final assembly and warehousing in the USA starting Summer 2022.

Top-of-Bed company ELECTROPEDIC / BODY SENSE will be introducing their Molded natural latex pillows manufactured by radio frequency designed OEKO-TEX #100 certified. They offer unique sleep products that can also be private labelled. Stop in and see them to find out about this and the rest of there line of memory foam and latex pillows, latex mattress toppers, high end bamboo sheets, and cooling mattress protectors.

EMMA THE SLEEP COMPANY, the largest DTC mattress brand in the world, is coming to America with its new adjustable comfort innovations for a better night’s sleep. These beds were specifically curated for Emma’s launch into Brick and Mortal retail. Don’t miss the Emma launching of its exclusive and innovative SH/FT Line and their Emma Sense Smart Mattress.

Because they are finding that the customer base for organic products is growing rapidly, and shoppers are more focused on healthier alternatives for home products than ever, natural and organic top-of-bed manufacturer SLEEP AND BEYOND has brand new introductions for the buyers that they are adding to their full line of bedding products on display.
• Organic Baby Swaddles: Made with GOTS-certified organic muslin cotton fabric.
• Organic Percale Collection: Crisp, cool, 300 thread count sheet sets, pillowcases, fitted sheets, and duvet covers.
• Organic Cotton Blankets: Made of the finest GOTS-certified organic cotton.
• Organic Cotton Waterproof Mattress Encasement: Provides 360 degrees of protection in the ultimate 100% organic, zippered, encasement.
• Introducing the iconic myMerino comforter - now available in a lighter-weight version

Also offering natural and organic products, THE FUTON SHOP/TFS HONEST SLEEP will be presenting their full array of mattresses, futons pillows and bedding made from organic and natural materials on display, as well as their Modular sofas made from organic and

W. SILVER PRODUCTS will be presenting their complete lineup off adjustable beds, high-rise platform bases and bed frames. Because they manufacture in North America, they can control the cost, quality and the time it takes from the order placement to delivery. All of their product is in stock and ready for a quick delivery.

Retailers visiting the SSA Sleep Pavilion will also see chest beds from ARASON ENTERPRISES, hemp mattresses and pillows from CANNABEDS, organic pillows from COOLIST, the Anti Aging Bed® from BAXTER BIOHEALTH, mattresses and pillows from I LOVE PILLOW | I LOVE MATTRESS, and adjustable frames from SLEEP IN MOTION.

How Does Sleep Affect Mental Health?

June 22, 2022 Tambra Jones

By Guest Blogger Heidi Bitsoli, Editor at Sunshine Behavioral Health

Most people have had mornings defined by “waking up on the wrong side of the bed.” These experiences leave lasting insights into how sleep (or the lack thereof) impacts mental health.

The physical need for sleep is evident. The impact on emotional and mental health is not as apparent. It often shows up as anxiety or depression or a myriad of other conditions, some of which can be debilitating. According to Harvard University, chronic sleep problems impact up to eight of 10 patients who see psychiatrists. This compares with chronic sleep issues affecting 10% to 18% of the adult U.S. population.

Research consistently shows how sleep and mental health are intimately connected and further characterized as a bidirectional relationship or mutually reinforcing – being both a cause and consequence of mental health problems. Mental health conditions often create poor sleep patterns. And sleep disturbances, like insomnia, can potentially contribute to new or existing mental health issues.

Given the emerging connection between sleep and mental health, studies now suggest that improving one’s sleep will have an advantageous (and long-term) impact on one’s mental health. An study published in Lancet Psychiatry noted that better sleep led to an improvement in several things, including:
•Depression
•Anxiety
•Psychological well-being
•Nightmares

How Mental Health Relates to Sleep?

During the night, brain activity fluctuates as you pass through cycles of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. During each sleep cycle, your brain and body act differently and perform different functions.

Sufficient sleep, especially during the REM sleep cycle, enables the brain to process emotional data. During the night, the brain works to evaluate and file away thoughts, memories, and positive experiences.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), which most commonly manifests as sleep apnea, is a condition that reduces an individual’s oxygen level due to disrupted breathing during the night. OSA has also been linked to mental health issues.

Sleep and Mental Health Conditions

Depression

The World Health Organization notes that about 5% of adults across the world suffer from depression and that this slice of the population is over-represented in those who suffer from sleep disorders.

This interconnectedness of sleep and mental health can easily develop into a negative feedback loop with no off-ramp. For example, a poor sleeper will find their depression worsens, which then further disrupts sleep.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression that is related to changes in the number of daylight hours due to changing seasons. It’s connected to one’s circadian rhythm or internal body clock – which regulates sleep. As such, sleep issues are common for those with SAD.

Anxiety Disorders

According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, anxiety is the most common type of mental illness in the U.S. – impacting more than 18% of the population. Anxiety, characterized by excessive and incessant fear and worry, can impact physical and mental health. It also often co-occurs with depression. There are various types of anxiety-based disorders, including:
•Generalized anxiety disorders (GAD)
•Social anxiety
•Panic disorders
•Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
•Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
•Phobias
•Major and persistent depressive disorder

Anxiety (even anticipatory anxiety) is known to cause one’s mind to race, and this state of hyperarousal can cause insomnia. There is also a strong connection between PTSD and sleep. Approximately nine of 10 veterans with combat-related PTSD have some form of insomnia. Unfortunately, depression and anxiety can combine to make sleep worse.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is characterized by high (mania – with restfulness, wakefulness, and less sleep) and low (depression – usually feeling tired and wanting more sleep) moods that shift back and forth to disrupt someone’s life. Sleep patterns vary significantly in those with bipolar depending on the current emotional state.

ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder. It involves a decrease in impulse control and the inability to pay attention. It can impact children and adults. Unfortunately, those with ADHD are more prone to sleep problems. Sleep and ADHD have been shown to have a bidirectional relationship.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to several neurodevelopment disorders that impact one’s ability to communicate and read social situations. These symptoms can be lifelong. Studies reveal a correlation between sleep disorders and autism.

How to Improve Sleep Habits

Creating and cultivating good sleep habits can go a long way in mitigating a disruption in one’s sleep. Each individual is unique. So give a few of these a try. It can pay big dividends in the long run:
•Try to set a steady sleep schedule that allows you to meet your daily objectives.
•Be proactive when winding down. Consider relaxation techniques like breathing, gentle yoga,
meditation, and mindfulness.
•Put electronic devices away at least 60 minutes before retiring.
•Dim the lights.
•Avoid stimulants at night, like tobacco, caffeine, or alcohol.
•Exercise regularly and get vitamin D from your diet or a bit of time outside during daylight hours.
•Block out distracting light or sounds that may awaken you.

The Take-Away

Mental health issues can cause sleep disruption, and too little sleep impacts mental health. Their interconnectedness may provide an opportunity to find one method to treat both simultaneously. Research confirms that proactively taking measures to improve sleep may be one of the foundations of a preventive mental health plan. It can also provide a healthier way to get needed rest rather than resorting to medications and risking addiction.

Every individual’s situation differs, so the optimal treatment for mental health and sleep problems will be contingent on the afflicted individual. Poor sleep habits or insufficient rest require proper care. Start by speaking with a trained health professional.

Sources

health.harvard.edu - Sleep and Mental Health
pcpcc.org - Sleep and Mental Health: Why Our Brains Need Sleep
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov - A Systematic Review Assessing Bidirectionally between Sleep Disturbances, Anxiety, and Depression
mayoclinic.org - Insomnia
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov -The effects of improving sleep on mental health (OASIS): a randomized controlled trial with mediation analysis
my.clevelandclinic.org - Sleep Basics
sleepfoundation.org -Obstructive Sleep Apnea
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov - Sleep apnea, psychopathology, and mental health care
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov - Clinical Characteristics of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Psychiatric Disease
who.int - Depression
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov - Sleep disturbances and depression: risk relationships for subsequent depression and therapeutic implications
nigms.nih.gov - Circadian Rhythms
daa.org - Anxiety Facts & Statistics
mayoclinic.org - Anxiety disorders
adaa.org - Anxiety Facts & Statistics
nimh.nih.gov - Panic Disorder
nimh.nih.gov - Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
nimh.nih.gov - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
nimh.nih.gov - Specific Phobia
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov - Uncertainty and anticipation in anxiety: an integrated neurobiological and psychological perspective
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov - Hyperarousal and sleep reactivity in insomnia: current insight
sleepfoundation.org - PTSD and Sleep
ptsd.va.gov - Sleep Problems in Veterans with PTSD
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov- Prevalence and functional consequences of severe insomnia symptoms in mood and anxiety disorders: results from a nationally representative sample
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov - The role of sleep in bipolar disorder
nimh.nih.gov - Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov - Prevalence of sleep problems and their association with inattention/hyperactivity among children aged 6-15 in Taiwan
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov - Associations of sleep disturbance with ADHD
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov - Autism and sleep disorders
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov - Insomnia as a Precipitating Factor in New Onset Mental Illness
sunshinebehavioralhealth.com - Home Page

Innovative Ways to Connect with Retailers and their Sales Teams

June 21, 2022 Tambra Jones

Notes from the SSA Chairman

This industry is driven by innovation. One can argue that the essential shape and design of mattresses and pillows haven’t changed in a few decades. The technology inside these products and everything else in the sleep industry has come a long way!

The same goes for all the ways at our disposal to connect with our retailers and their sales team. As sales leaders, we have more ways than ever to help us reach decision makers and the salespeople presenting our products to consumers.

This same access to technology has given consumers access to so much more information ahead of making a buying decision or even connecting with any specific retailers.

As we’ve experienced over the last 2 years, all these tools have proven essential when we’ve been limited in our ability to connect in person.

I believe these tools have given all of us ways to make our trade shows including the Las Vegas market, more impactful than ever.

With all the virtual meeting tools now available and accepted as communication methods, here are a few ideas to add to your show plans:

• Take advantage of the virtual showroom opportunities:
Retailers will plan their show visit. What better way than to send them a link to what they can expect to see in person when they visit you!

• Plan a virtual meeting with your retailers:
There are always dealers or group of retailers you wish you could see at market. Why not schedule a live tour of your show space. This is the next best thing to a in-person presentation. You have the products you want to show, you can zoom in on the features you want to highlight, and you can have your presentation deck in their hands ahead of the meeting for a focused conversation and next steps!

• Plan a virtual meeting with your sales team:
It’s rare to be able to have your whole sales team at market. Schedule a walk through of your space to give them insight into what you are working on, how to best present your products, and what features to focus on.

There is no doubt that lying on a mattress, experiencing zero gravity position on an adjustable bed, or feeling in your hands the cooling properties of a set of sheets is the ultimate way to feel these product features and the technology it holds. But using all the new virtual tools available to connect, educate and inspire retailers and sales associates can only help be more successful. Here is to a successful Summer 2022 Market.

Digital Marketing Audit – Your Business Success Checklist

June 21, 2022 Tambra Jones

Or, more importantly, moving beyond the “hope & pray” strategy

For small businesses, digital marketing can be a confusing venture. Should you invest your marketing budget on a fancy website upgrade or a social media campaign? What about SEO or how to get and use social proof?

Author Julia Rosien’s Motto: “Life is better together. We all want to succeed and when we work together, we can make great things happen for ourselves, those around us and the organizations we serve.”

If you’ve been operating on the “hope and pray” digital marketing strategy, it’s time to take a step back and review the lay of the land. What are your digital marketing goals? Are you tracking progress? Are you course-correcting if you veer off the path? Do you even know if you veer off the path?

Google – the world’s biggest search engine – is constantly progressing, changing the rules without advance notice. Have you noticed any of the following in your digital marketing efforts:
Receding website traffic

• Declining onsite conversions
• Waning social media audience
• Flatlining engagement on content
• Flagging click-through rates on email campaigns

Just as sales pitches and customer service philosophies evolve and grow over time, so should your digital strategy. A digital marketing audit is full systems check that will diagnose what’s right, what’s wrong and what needs to be done to get you back on track.

10 point digital marketing audit

1.     Website audit. Your website is your digital headquarters. It’s where consumer traffic you’ve worked hard to acquire can gather to learn more about your business or transact a purchase.
a.     Can consumers quickly learn as much as possible about your business so they can make informed decisions? The essential pages: About Us, Product/Services, Testimonials and/or links to your social media communities.
b.     Is your navigation simple and responsive (renders properly on a laptop, tablet and various phone sizes)? Do you have a search function so you can see what people are looking for on your site?
c.     Do you know which pages are converting and which are underperforming so you can take steps to either promote or fix? Consider conversion rates on each page, as well as time on the page and bounce rate.

2.     SEO audit. Search Engine Optimization can be like a chameleon, everchanging and frustrating to understand. But since more than half of all web traffic originates from search, SEO is essential.
a.     Ensure the pages on your site are indexing correctly on Google.
b.     Analyze organic traffic to ensure the keywords you’re ranking for are the ones you want to rank for.
c.     Check the ranking of your essential keywords and beef up content or rewrite landing pages as needed.
d.     Examine your backlinks carefully. If they’re generating from spammy or irrelevant sources, consider disavowing them.
e.     Evaluate on-page SEO, which means reviewing title tags, meta descriptions and URL slugs.

3.     SEM audit. Whether your Search Engine Marketing efforts are paid for by the click or by impressions, you need them to convert. They should be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure quality scores remain high and that each campaign continues to deliver tangible results.
a.     Evaluate your ad schedule to ensure timing of ad delivery matches your customers’ buying habits.
b.     Reassess your bidding strategy (budget, location, negative keywords and conversion rates).
c.     Examine your PPC ads for continued relevancy to your consumer – and of course, click-through rates.

4.     Content marketing audit. I’m a big believer in content marketing – how effective is your content marketing? Does your content drive organic and referral traffic to your website and does it convert visitors into leads?
a.     Identify content overachievers and consider how you can give those pages more visibility. Can you link to that content from other pages or feature them on landing pages?
b.     Identify content gaps by analyzing keywords on your site – competitive research will help you identify gaps quickly as well.

5. Landing page audit. How are your landing pages performing? As your social media and SEM campaigns will be driving consumers to these pages, they need to have a solid proposition with measurable results.

6.     Social Media audit. Your social media strategy should be driving traffic to your site but there’s more to social than just traffic. Here are just a few insights into the health of a social media strategy:
a.     Audience growth rate
b.     Content reach rate & content sharing rate
c.     Engagement rate
d.     Click-through (conversion) rate

7. Social Proof audit. Once you’ve taken stock of all your social proof assets (testimonials, media mentions, influencer campaigns and reviews to name a few), ensure you’re optimizing each piece effectively. If you’re unsure, do some competitive research and learn different ways to convert this type of content into marketing gold.

8. Email Marketing audit. The three most important metrics to review are open rate, click rate and unsubscribe rate. From there, look at how individual campaigns performed, honing on subject lines, body copy and even overall email design.

9. Brand audit. Key landing pages to social media and beyond, brand consistency will make it easier for consumers to understand your reason for being. Do your logo, image and content tone of voice – event font choice – convey the message you want to convey to your customers?

10. Overall Digital Strategy audit. Once you’ve reviewed every aspect of your digital strategy, it’s time to start measuring success. Every piece of the strategy you’ve reviewed and tweaked, should begin performing differently – hopefully better – quickly. Watch the day to day trends but don’t be afraid to step back and watch progress month over month as well. Remember, digital is a long play strategy and some of the changes you implement will take time to register in your analytics.

Embarking on a new digital strategy can be challenging but the right tools – and measuring along the way – will put you on a path to success.

Who the heck is Julia Rosien?

What’s So Hot About Waterbeds?

June 21, 2022 Tambra Jones

A Waterbedtime Story™ sponsored by: InnoMax Corp.

While the health benefits of temperature controlled Waterbeds for arthritis relief and various other maladies were well documented by the 1980’s, it didn’t start out that way. As alluded to in the previous episode, many a ‘modern day Waterbed’ was purchased back in the early 1970’s without a heater. Notice I specified “modern”. This is because, while Waterbeds have a rich history dating back to 600 BCE when Persians would fill goat-skins with water to use as mattresses, ‘modern’ Waterbeds purveyed in the 70’s were generally based on designs conceptualized by Charlie Hall in the late 60’s and for which a Patent was granted him in 1971*.

So while you learned in the last episode my first Waterbed experience in the early 70’s was with a vinyl bladder a high school buddy’s parents had allowed him to fill over a drain in their basement, what I didn’t mention was how outrageously cold the thing was. Albeit not frigid by any stretch, even a body of water like a swimming pool can feel extremely cold at 70 degrees/room temperature. As such while a 70 degree ambient room air temp works well to moderate our 98.6 body and 85 degree skin temps, being submerged in 70 degree water or laying on a 70 degree Waterbed works like a giant heat sink and can get uncomfortably cold. This likely had some bearing on Charlie including a number of heater concepts in his 1970 patent application some of which are shown here.

Being impractical for 20th Century citizenry to lay their Waterbeds in the sun to warm up during the day, as 6th Century BCE Persians did, by the late 1970’s a cottage industry of Waterbed heater manufacturers had sprung up to accommodate the booming Waterbed industry. So by the early ‘80s it seemed somehow fitting a land in the midnight sun (with considerably less sun in winter), Norway, had become recognized as having more people per capita sleeping on Waterbeds than any other country on the planet. That said, it should be noted that temperature controlled Waterbeds can also provide cooling relief on hot steamy nights.

Another phenomenon going on during this era was the increased popularity of isolation chambers. As the primary objective of this experience is sensory deprivation, like floating in space, a key element is temperature control. And as sleeping in an open tub of salt water is also fairly impractical, Waterbeds offered the next best thing by providing; a) contoured flotation support to eliminate pressure points associated with tossing & turning, and b) a temperature regulated environment so the body isn’t compensating by sweating or shivering to facilitate the deepest most restful sleep.

But wait that’s not all, with the advent of other design innovations like soft thermal barriers and dual Waterbed systems, couples never had to compromise when sleeping in the same bed. In addition to capability of having 2 different flotation modules in the same mattress with variable levels of support, couples could also adjust the temperature of their own side of the bed independently. And as if that isn’t enough, Waterbed designs had also evolved to optionally replace wooden hardside frames with softside frames which offered edge to edge flotation support and used conventional sheets & bedding.

As the oldest surviving US Waterbed heater manufacturer in the industry, Thermal Guardian temperature control systems by InnoMax offer proven reliable performance. And with the largest selection of options including Digital and Analog remote controls in both Full Watt for Hardside Waterbeds and Low Watt for Hybrid Softside Waterbeds, InnoMax offers a Thermal Guardian temperature control system specifically designed for every need.

In conclusion, what’s so hot about Waterbeds is that they are also cool…literally and figuratively!

Contributing author is Irvin Saathoff a Waterbed veteran who has worked in many aspects of the industry from design & product management to retail, wholesale and marketing. Check back in with the next issue when Waterbedtime Story™ fields the question; What did Mark Twain say about the Medical Benefits of Waterbeds? Meanwhile you can connect with InnoMax Corporation anytime at Sleep@InnoMax.com.

Footnote Citation: *Charles P Hall, Liquid support for human bodies, US Patent US3585356A.

Waterbeds are Flowing Back Into the Mainstream

May 25, 2022 Tambra Jones

DANICAN Update • Denmark’s Back!

May 24, 2022 Tambra Jones

Back in 2012, owners Thomas and Naomi Frismodt challenged themselves by uprooting their family and business, making the move from Denmark to California. The journey to the U.S. proved to be successful and full of lasting memories. As we update Danican's story, Thomas and Naomi now find themselves in their home country of Denmark with their move, back in July of 2020. This has allowed Thomas to establish Danican's second location, Danican Europe.

The addition of Danican Europe is proving to be a success. Thomas has been able to serve Danican’s European based clients with increased availability as well as cultivate new relationships with European based manufacturers.

The Danican office in California is still going strong and is now led by Director of Sales and Business Development, Jonathan Weingarten, who has been with the company since the beginning of 2017. Danican USA and Danican Europe have key team members in Sourcing, Logistics, Product Development, Sales, Graphic Design, and Administration that have been with Danican for over 5 years. In 2022, Danican USA is celebrating its 10th year in the U.S!

Select Factory Partners – A Main Ingredient in a Successful Recipe

Danican's focus has always been to work "behind the scenes" and provide the support customers need to grow their business with Private Label bedding products. A key to Danican's value to clients has been the production relationships they hold with their global factory partners.

Since 2019, Danican has steadily added key factory partners in Southeast Asia, North America, and Europe. These factory partner additions have helped to diversify the types of products and materials Danican can offer clients as Private Label. A recent example of this expansion in product range is the addition of adjustable beds and organic cotton sheets and protectors.

Getting through COVID

Even with the challenges during COVID these past two years, Danican has transitioned successfully to more online based communications with key partners and the Danican team.

Thomas Frismodt explains “Despite its limitations, we are now seeing the possibilities it [online video communication] also provides. Our customer base has increased during this time to also include e-commerce clients while we continue to have the privilege of serving retailers, importers/distributors, hospitality and interior designer clients”.

Las Vegas Market and High Point

At the beginning of 2020, Danican made the tough business decision to pull out of showing at Las Vegas Market and High Point for a time, however, Thomas Frismodt is still an active participant on the SSA Board. Danican has much appreciation for the Specialty Sleep Association as we have met many wonderful people in the SSA Showroom and have created long lasting relationships with colleagues in the industry.

Thanks Furniture Today - This Year's Bedding Conference Delivered Great Networking and Information

May 23, 2022 Tambra Jones

Themed “Cultivating Consumers”, this years Bedding Conference delivered some prized take-aways. And those of us who were there to learn about cultivating customers on a B2B level were certainly able to translate the assortment of speaker gems into our own business language.

Opening Keynote Scott Deming outlined what he described as “brand personality”, which he contrasted with branding that is focused on features and benefits. He told a story about a sales manager facing competition by an industry giant already ensconced in the minds and hearts of the target consumer. This salesman was trying to sell Caterpillar/Challenger (yellow) tractors to farmers who had been John Deere (green) loyal for generations. One farmer came into the dealership a few times, gathering information. The salesman said that yellow tractors beat the green tractors in every comparable category, including price. In the end the farmer came into the dealership and said he went with the John Deere even though it seemed that the Challenger was a better product. He said he did that because he felt like he would be “cheating on” John Deere if he bought a different brand. Deming said THAT is what every brand is looking for - relate to our customer so well that we inspire the kind of loyalty that holds them on this kind of deep emotional level.

Deming also talked about the buying experience. There has to be innovation in the way we sell our product - methods are also part of branding. He advised that we start with the customer experience, and work backwards from there. Walt Disney talked about this - seeing things from the perspective of our target audience (he showed a photo of Disney lying on his belly with a camera - seeing the world from a child’s perspective - and he planned his theme park accordingly). My thoughts went to the front door of the SSA Las Vegas showroom. How does it feel when buyers and sellers walk in? I have ideas…

Mark Quinn and Mark Kinsley planning the next podcast….?

Afternoon keynote Brittany Hodak spoke to us about how to create and retain “superfans”. The secret to it…be better than they expected (our customers that is). We have to BE super if we want superfans. She created an acronym using the word SUPER. S = start with our super power - tell that story. U = understand our customers’ story. P = personalize our brand for our customers. Make them feel the way THEY want to feel - make is personal. E = exceed expectations before, during and after the transaction. Make it obvious that we care about our customer. R = repeat…over and over. She advised using a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system - and being diligent about it. Her theme was BE UNFORGETTABLE. Stand out. Be super at what you do.

Craig McAndrews, who we all knew in his executive positions with Mattress Firm, is now a professor at the University of Houston. He talked to us about digital selling and digital marketing, which are two different animals. The former being to transact, the latter to inform. He spoke about using digital tools, creating digital content, using digital social platforms for sales and studying the trends coming into focus regarding the way generational groups (e.g. Boomers vs Millennials vs Gen Z) tend to make purchases. He pointed that today’s customers are responding more to a process where the sales associate is more of a partner than an consultant in the transaction. More conversational than dictatorial… We get it.

A compelling panel discussion entitled “Connecting Online with Consumers” centered around how online retail marketers are working with brick-and-mortar retailers, to drive traffic into their stores. Online marketers have spent untold resources on capturing the mattress consumers. They are either selling them direct online, or when they partner with a brick-and-mortar retail store, they drive the consumer into the store. Admittedly the consumer will choose to either stick with brand that brought them into the store, or buy another brand they find there. SSA member Chris Bradley with NCFI and Bed-in-a-Box.com sat on the panel. It was a fascinating discussion, and I hope that we learn much more about this in the coming months.

PureCare sponsored the Golf Tournament - this guys got a HOLE-IN-ONE…!!!

Emma Mattress and Barry Brown in the Sponsor Products exhibition

In the ballroom next to the conference room the event sponsors set up small exhibits. SSA members Emma Mattress and PureCare were among this year’s sponsors. PureCare sponsored the gold tournament and - will wonders never cease - somebody got a HOLE IN ONE!!

The annual awards dinner was its usual festive self, seeing everyone shined up and cementing old and new acquaintances at the cocktail reception and dinner. Congrats to the retail store winners Old Brick Furniture and Mattress Co., Mattress World Northwest and Schwels Home - it is always really nice to learn more about our mattress retailers and their family traditions. The finale was the Lifetime Award to Roger Magowitz, Seena Magowitz Foundaion - there were 2 well-deserved standing ovations for what Roger has been able to accomplish.

Awards Dinner with Tambra Jones, SSA and Scott Smalling, Emma Mattress

Steven Antsey and Vincent Passanisi at the Awards Dinner

Also check out some photos published in Furniture Today.

Explaining water pillows and three other specialty headrests

May 22, 2022 Tambra Jones

By Angela Haupt in The Washington Post, May 20, 2022.

If you used to love your pillow but now find yourself trying to pound it into a comfortable shape, that’s not surprising. “Some people get used to the same sort of pillow over time, but the reality is that as we grow, we change,” said Shelby Harris, a board-certified behavioral sleep medicine specialist in White Plains, N.Y. “As we get older, our backs start to change, our neck positioning starts to change, we might snore more, and pregnancy happens.”

Finding a new pillow that suits you may take some time; the market is crowded. In addition to your run-of-the-mill cotton or polyester pillow filled with feathers or (adjustable) foam, there are specialty options you might not be aware of. The water pillow — which advocates claim improves sleep quality and reduces neck pain — has taken TikTok by storm. Other people swear by buckwheat, cervical or wedge pillows.

There’s little scientific evidence suggesting that any of these specialty pillows are a worthwhile investment, said Raj Dasgupta, an assistant professor of clinical medicine at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California who specializes in pulmonology and sleep medicine. “And why would there be?” he said. “Pillows, like people, are very individualized, and picking the right pillow is very subjective.”

Here, experts weigh in on the pros and cons of four popular specialty pillows.

Water pillows

Todd Sinett has been sleeping with a water pillow for years — which means he’s ahead of the curve, because they’re now in vogue. (The #waterpillow hashtag has collected millions of views on TikTok.) These pillows, which are marketed as a way to relieve neck pain, are dynamic; in other words, they conform to the shape of your head, said Sinett, a New York City-based chiropractor. “You want a pillow that’s dynamic, that can move around with you, because no one sleeps in one particular pattern,” he said.

Dasgupta notes that when his patients ask him about pillows, this is often the type they’re curious about. “Lots of people swear by them,” he said. He likes that water pillows are adjustable: You can customize the water level, which determines the firmness.

Still, he points out a few downsides: It requires some effort to fill up a water pillow, and the directions aren’t always easy to follow. You also have to change the water every six to 12 months. Water pillows — which range from about $60 to more than $100 — are often heavy and, like water beds, can spring leaks. There’s also little research on them. Still, Harris said, “if you have the money and want to try it out, I have no problem with it.”

Cervical pillows

Cervical pillows are — no surprise — designed to support the cervical spine, also known as your neck. There are numerous versions, including some that have a D-shaped indentation in the middle for your head, and others that are horseshoe-shaped.

“What they’re trying to do is accentuate the natural curvature of your neck,” said George Cyril, assistant attending physiatrist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. “A lot of times when folks have back or neck pain, they’ve kind of lost that natural curvature, and that’s put a lot of strain on their neck.” Nestling your head into a cervical pillow, the thinking goes, takes pressure off the neck, alleviating pain, he said. These pillows are best for people who sleep on their backs, said Cyril, and side sleepers should avoid them. “They’re usually not high enough to support your neck if you're a side sleeper,” which could lead to more pain, he said.

One research review — in which the authors analyzed the results of five studies — concluded that cervical pillows did not reduce chronic neck pain. However, an older, small study that asked participants to test six neck pillows for three weeks found that products with a good shape that provided firm support could be recommended as part of a neck-pain treatment regimen. “If you're someone who wakes up with headaches a lot, and if you have a lot of neck tension and neck pain, you might find that a cervical pillow really does benefit you,” Harris said. She recommends trying several varieties to figure out which works for you.

Anti-snoring pillows

Snorers breathe through their mouth instead of their nose, and when lying flat, their tongue can cover their airway, causing vibrations as they breathe. An anti-snoring pillow is a wedge designed to elevate the head. “You’re opening the airway up slightly — and even that can have a really dramatic effect on snoring,” Dasgupta said. How effective anti-snoring pillows are depends on “the severity of the snoring,” Harris said. If you’re just a low-key snorer, who breaks into the sporadic rumble, you might find one useful. But anyone who snores consistently should talk to their doctor about obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when your throat muscles relax and block your airway, and requires medical treatment.

Some research suggests anti-snoring pillows can be helpful for those with mild sleep apnea, though it’s still important to have a diagnosis. A study published in Sleep Medicine, for example, found that snoring intensity reduced by 51 percent with an anti-snoring pillow. Another study, published in a Brazilian journal, noted that elevating the head led to a “significant increase in the caliber of the upper airways” in obstructive sleep apnea patients.

Buckwheat pillows

Buckwheat pillows — which are stuffed with the hard outer casings, or hulls, of buckwheat seeds — have long been popular in Asia, and are now becoming more common in the U.S. They tend to be solid enough to keep your head level throughout the night, so it doesn’t sink into a cloud of softness. Many are adjustable, and you can add or remove hulls to achieve your ideal level of support. According to a small Korean study published in 2019, using a buckwheat pillow helped decrease neck and shoulder pain among elderly people. Cyril noted that buckwheat pillows are a nice alternative to water pillows for side sleepers who crave a pillow that will remain consistent throughout the night but don’t want to deal with water. Plus, buckwheat has a cooling effect, which can be a good option for those who run warm. The pillows aren’t suitable for those with a buckwheat allergy, however, and can become flat and need to be replaced faster than other specialty pillows.

You’ll also need to prepare for an adjustment: “It’s an acquired feel, to say the least,” Harris said — like sleeping on a pile of beanbags. “Not everyone likes the firmness of it.” Some people also report that the shells are noisy, which could bother light sleepers, and the pillows can be quite heavy.

Did Waterbeds Really Ever Go Away?

April 22, 2022 Tambra Jones

Waterbedtime Story™ sponsored by: InnoMax Corp.

Though having gone from 20% of the US market share in their heyday to a blip not even measured by most mattress surveys today, there are many who would argue Waterbeds never went away.

My first recollection of experiencing a Waterbed was around 1970 after a buddy of mine had bought one from a head shop. At the time being curious high schoolers from Illinois farm country, we would sometimes venture into old town Chicago to check out the hippie scene and head shops which purveyed a variety of goods including posters, black lights, smoking paraphernalia and where one could find a Waterbed mattress for under 20 bucks if you shopped around. As Waterbeds had not necessarily evolved to include a frame or safety liner in those days, not to mention a fill & drain kit, my buddy wisely installed his directly over the basement drain much to his mother’s consternation when it came laundry time.

By 1975 Waterbeds had become much more sophisticated as things like Waterbed frames, safety liners and fill & drain kits had become standard equipment. I know this because, having moved to California and to support my starving artist/college student lifestyle, I had begun moonlighting for an outfit called Naturest Waterbeds in the San Francisco bay area. Sidelining as a Waterbed salesman & service technician worked pretty well for me at the time as I could sell a couple beds after school and then install them after work. Being fairly handy, I could deliver and set up a traditional “Hardside” Waterbed similar the one shown in the following image in less than an hour all by myself.

You may have noticed my use of the word “Hardside”. Although a standard term we’ve been using in the Waterbed industry for nearly a half-century, as of April 2022 I am still am unable to find hardside or hardside waterbed in the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Be that as it may, as millions of Hardside frames have been sold over the years, they continue play a major role in driving significant aftermarket sales of Hardside Waterbed mattresses. As such for those who continue to thrive in the aftermarket segment of the industry, Waterbeds have definitely not gone away. And while other segments of the industry have also continued to evolve and thrive including Softside Waterbeds, also not found in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, that’s another story.

And albeit the greatest Waterbed story of all is the enduring love people have for sleeping on water, which has kept the industry afloat, that too is another story. So getting back to the primary topic of Hardsides, until the advent of manufacturers compressing mattresses to UPSable sizes in this millennium, I could not imagine 1 person trying to deliver a King size innerspring to many a quaint Victorian house in the hills of San Francisco I had occasion to visit back in the last millennium. As such mindful of their clientele, Hardside waterbed designers came up with some incredibly versatile designs that still endure today. For example, you don’t have to look very hard to see a Hardside waterbed at core of the following Matrix Wall Bed design.

As components like the pier cabinets on each side and light bridge across the top are all modular, similar to the bookcase, frame, decking and drawer halves of the Hardside core, Wall Bed designs like the Matrix above are able to be delivered and installed into virtually any home. And while clearly viable for use a 9” depth Hardside frame, a Platform frame as picture above is most often used for Softside or conventional mattresses. So, similar to the many Top 100 Retailers who have blended into conventional home furnishings from the oft maligned Waterbed industry, there is veritable a cornucopia of beds flying under the radar which are viable for use with conventional, softside and even Hardside frames.
CLICK HERE to see the Matrix and a variety of other Wall Beds and Hardside Waterbeds.

In conclusion, as a Google search of Hardside Waterbed reveals a great number of businesses including many well respected giants of retail engaged in an industry Merriam-Webster and many a mattress survey pundit apparently don’t know exists, I respectfully submit Waterbeds Did Not Really Ever Go Away.

• Contributing author is Irvin Saathoff, a Waterbed veteran who has worked in all aspects of the industry from design and product management to retail and wholesale marketing. Check back in with the next issue when Waterbedtime Story™ fields the question; What’s So Hot About Waterbeds? Meanwhile you can connect with InnoMax Corporation anytime at Sleep@InnoMax.com .

Best Waterbed Mattresses of 2019 are made by Specialty Sleep Assocation Members

April 13, 2022 Tambra Jones

POSTED APRIL 9TH, 2019 on the Sleep Sherpa Site https://sleepsherpa.com/waterbed-mattress/
Sleep Sherpa Editor’s Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. For full details visit the disclosures page.

Waterbeds have been around for centuries, going back as far as 3600 BC, when Persians filled mattresses made of goatskin with water. In the 19th century, hospitals used waterbeds made of rubber for patients. Fast forward to 1968, Charles Hall invented a waterbed that had a vinyl mattress, which he named “The Pleasure Pit.” He called it so because the waterbed was known to be better than other beds in quite a few ways, including in promoting proper sleep.

By the 1980s, waterbeds became increasingly popular, with 1 in 5 homes in the United States having one. However, they had fallen out of popularity once the 1990s came around – mainly due to the maintenance required. The good news is that anyone who wants a waterbed can still find them today. You can find waterbeds mostly online, but they are also available in some stores.

Types of Waterbeds

Before you find out the types of waterbeds available, you should know what exactly a waterbed is. Simply put, it is a vinyl mattress filled with water. In the 1980s, when waterbeds were at the peak of their popularity, consumers had to use a garden hose to fill up the entire bed with water. Today, tubes called “bladders” are the only thing you have to fill when you buy a waterbed. Some of the waterbeds you will find in current market can support themselves, doing away with the need for a separate frame. You will also find some innovative ones that come with temperature-control devices to heat the water.

Waterbeds come in many brands and sizes. However, you will find two main types of waterbed mattresses on the market today – Hardside and Softside.

Hardside Waterbeds

This type of waterbed is designed with hardwoods or softwoods to help it hold its shape. In other words, Hardside waterbeds come with a frame. With bookcase-type or plain headboards, they look more like traditional beds than Softside waterbeds. This is why many consumers looking for aesthetics rather than comfort go for Hardside waterbeds rather than Softside ones. They look more sophisticated and can add to the visual appeal of a bedroom.

When you choose a Hardside waterbed, you will need to buy California-size sheets to go with it. This puts a limit on your choices when you go shopping for linens. But if you do not mind this small issue, Hardside waterbeds are the right type for you.

Softside Waterbeds

This type of waterbed is a popular choice among homeowners as it provides a comfortable outer edge. Softside waterbeds are designed with foam bolsters to help them hold their shape. In other words, foam surrounds the bed. A fabric casing covers the foam and is topped with a padded layer as well. All of these materials used in Softside waterbeds sit upon a well-designed upholstered box, a lot like a box spring.

Apart from the comfort they offer, ease of shopping for linens is one of the reasons that Softside waterbeds are popular among consumers. Regular-sized linen or sheet can be used with this type of waterbed.

Type of Maintenance Required for Waterbeds

The waterbed fell out of popularity in the 1990s due to a number of reasons, including the bed’s weight, the lengthy process of filling up the beds and the extensive maintenance required to take care of waterbeds and make them last as long as possible.

Although these problems are not as major as before, you do still need to perform some maintenance on waterbeds. To have and use a waterbed:

You need to do the job of filling your waterbed yourself. When you buy one, you must bear in mind that it can be quite a tedious task to install a waterbed mattress. A king waterbed holds approximately 235 gallons of water. Installation is a drawback for many people because it is not always the easiest or most fun task to snake a garden hose into the bedroom.
It is necessary to apply a waterbed conditioner every year. You need to do this to keep the vinyl of your waterbed supple and keep it from becoming brittle. Doing this annually helps in making the waterbed last longer.
Although leaks are not as much of a problem as they were in the past, you do need to check and fix them from time to time. You can use a vinyl repair kit to fix leaks. These kits usually come with a vinyl repair patch and liquid cement. You can also use these kits to quickly fix and repair holes in air mattresses if you own one.
It may be necessary that you set aside some time to drain the mattress now and then. Keep in mind that full waterbeds are extremely heavy – roughly 2000 pounds if it is a king size and slightly lesser if it is a queen. So, while the water in the mattress does not have to be changed, you will have to drain it if you are going to move a waterbed. You will need a garden hose to drain the mattress, similar to how you feel it.

Top 5 Waterbeds on the Market

Here is a look at 5 of the best waterbeds available on the market today.

Boyd California King Comfort Supreme Waveless Waterbed Mattress

This waterbed mattress comes with a 4-layer wave reduction system, which provides roughly 99% motion reduction while you are sleeping. The Boyd California King Comfort Supreme is made with a unique patented hi-loft thermal-bonded fiber coupled with a thermavinyl heat resistant bottom. It also features air-cushioned reinforced 4-layer corners to give you a long-lasting waterbed, regal foam waveless top comfort layer. The mattress also features revolutionary and 4-point memory stretch tether system. With the highest-quality heavy-duty vinyl, vacuum-molded impression top, this is one of the best waterbeds you will find nowadays.

Shop Boyd

InnoMax Sanctuary Free Flow Full Wave Waterbed Mattress

Featuring a rigid side box frame, the InnoMax Sanctuary waterbed with full depth is a great choice. It comes with No Wave Reduction and a weightless feel that features full-motion performance and gravity-neutral fluid suspension to provide mid-body support. The T-corner lap seam construction and double reinforced corners ensure a durable waterbed mattress. The Low-Tension Mattress design of the InnoMax Sanctuary waterbed mattress combined with a zero-wave elimination system ensures that you have a comfortable waterbed that provides the support your body needs while sleeping. Go for this waterbed mattress if you are looking for a high-quality, durable waterbed that offers superior lumbar support.

Shop Innomax

California King Free Flow Waterbed Mattress

Made by United States Water Mattress, this free-flow waterbed mattress will fit into a traditional California King hard side waterbed frame. The California King Free Flow Waterbed Mattress is designed to ensure comfort while you sleep. Made with heavy 100% virgin vinyl, the mattress features reinforced corners to make sure that it lasts many years. It features a Dura Heat bottom for heat transfer and an L-corner construction as well. This waterbed mattress also comes with a fill kit and conditioner to prevent bacterial and algae buildup. For a top-notch waterbed mattress, this is one of the best ones you can buy for your home.

Shop the Free Flow Waterbed Mattress

InnoMax Genesis 800 Ultra Waveless Lumbar Support Waterbed Mattress

This waterbed mattress has many features that make it a fantastic buy, including near Waveless Performance, enhanced mid-body support system, gravity neutral fluid suspension, multi-layer wave elimination system and much more. It is puncture resistant and comes with a 4-way tethered support system. The InnoMax Genesis 800 waterbed mattress is designed for comfort and durability as well as to provide the crucial lumbar support you need while you are sleeping. Made with premium 24 mil paralyzed vinyl, this waterbed mattress is the perfect choice for anyone looking for a high-quality waterbed.

Shop Innomax

Boyd King Total Waveless Hardside Waterbed Mattress

This Total Waveless waterbed mattress made with the highest quality heavy-duty vinyl is cut generously to give you contoured support. The Boyd Total Waveless Hardside waterbed mattress features double-thick corners that are reinforced to provide durability. The mattress has good lumbar support thanks to its three-layer design and a wave reduction system with two additional layers. This waterbed mattress also comes with a liner and fill-kit to help you maintain it and make sure that it lasts you a long time. When it comes to waterbed mattresses, the Boyd King Waveless Hardside Waterbed Mattress is one of the top ones available on the market today.

There are many high-quality waterbeds that you can choose from for your home. Contrary to what many people believe, waterbeds that are made nowadays are designed with your comfort and body support in mind. They are made with materials of the highest quality to give you a product that is easy to maintain and lasts a very long time. With the advanced and innovative technology used to make today’s waterbed mattresses, finding a top-notch waterbed with amazing features is not a problem at all. If you want a high-quality waterbed for your home, check out these top ones available on the market to get an idea of what you should look for and get great value for your money.

Shop Boyd

ISPA Expo 2022 • Upbeat and Vibrant

March 21, 2022 Tambra Jones

By SSA Executive Director Tambra Jones

Last week I was able to represent the SSA in the halls and meeting rooms of the ISPA Expo 2022 in Orlando, FL. When I was not at a speaker presentation, I was out on the exhibit floor, which was large and bustling as buyers, sellers and industry affiliates enjoyed face time for business and general catching up with one another. I saw new and familiar faces on the exhibit floor and in the meeting rooms. The networking was outstanding and the hugs warm and genuine.

I attended Tuesday’s Keynote address by rockstar drummer for P!NK, Mark Schulman, entitled “Hacking the ROCKSTAR ATTITUDE: How to Ignite Rockstar Performance During Uncertain Times”. He described his presentation as “a rock show disguised as a keynote” and it was.

He gave Kim Cobb, Wright Global Graphics a drum lesson in the middle of his talk - I got a photo. His message was motivational and he interspersed everything with live drum sessions. It had me fully engaged even though it was 8am in Orlando (and 5am for this jet-lagged Californian…) In fact, his message was all about engagement - about being fully engaged in our performance. He stressed “active listening” and encouraged responding instead of reacting. He talked about engaging with an open mind and suspended judgement so that there is less resistance to whatever is being communicated. Listen and judge later… He talked a lot about attitude and our responsibility to choose the attitude with which we engage - because attitude drives behavior - and behavior leads to a consequence. Clean up our attitude and we clean up our consequences. So our attitude while we engage creates a connection and drives how we communicate. He said that “helping is the new selling” and emphasized the value in a willingness to help. His final talking point was about his passion for passion. He said that purpose is WHY we do something, and passion is HOW we do it. He encouraged us to “play every note like it matters” - treat interactions we have with someone, be it in business or personally, like it matters.

He ended with us in the audience echoing the peats he demonstrated by clapping to match, then an amazing drum show with several P!NK rock videos up on the screen. This girl (me) caught the drum stick he tossed out! He dubbed us in the audience the ISPA BEATS and stayed to take photos with us at his drum kit. ISPA’s Mary Helen Rodgers and Dave Perry took our photos as we posed with our new favorite drummer.

Psst…. Come work the door for me in Las Vegas - C1565

On Wednesday I attended the presentation by CNBC Senior Analyst, Financial Journalist and Best-Selling Author Ron Insana, entitled “An Economic Reality Check: From Here to Normality”. Mr. Insana spoke about the stock market and its volatility around recent world events. He spoke about rising inflation and the FED raising interest rates incrementally to help combat that. He spoke about the increase in liquidity that has been enjoyed by many Americans from the stimulus payments. He listed numbers around the US economy, inflation rates year over year, the change in labor markets as a result of the pandemic shut-down and restructuring of workplaces, of supply chair productivity and efficiency in relation to supply chair security, and predicted a 1 to 1.5 year timeline for us to work through the abnormalities we saw since mid 2020. He said that while some parts of the world had growing populations, the US has what he described as a “baby bust”. He suggested that automation in the workplace will fill in for many low-wage human jobs, but that the low birth rate plus the drop in immigration point to a decreasing our GDP. He suggested that economists in the government are all working on this and that he was optimistic. So at least there’s that…

On the exhibit floor, the energy was up, the smiles were big and the hugs warm. I talked with old friends and made some new ones. We very well may see a couple of new companies in the SSA showroom in July. There were some fun products and I wish I had taken more photos. I did take a pic with a llama though.

Of course the networking at the cocktail reception was outstanding. ISPA created a “Roaring 20’s” atmosphere - which the event planning team told me was to celebrate our being in the 2020’s - complete with a secret Speak-Easy which required a password to enter. I figured out the password, and whispered it about (it was “Columbus” because the 2024 Expo will be in Columbus, OH).

Michael Nermon and Scott Smalling at the speak easy

Thanks ISPA team - you gave us a great overall event!. The attendance at this event, increased attendance at the last Las Vegas Market, the buzz around the upcoming High Point, AND the projections for the Summer Las Vegas Market are invigorating. Sleep Industry: FULL STEAM AHEAD!

Are You Getting Enough Sleep? What Vets Should Know About PTSD and Insomnia

March 17, 2022 Tambra Jones

By Lucy Reed, Guest Blogger

If you’re struggling with sleepless nights after your military service, you’re not alone: Insomnia is one of the most prominent PTSD symptoms, with 92 percent of active-duty personnel with PTSD reporting insomnia in one study cited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

While sleep problems are high among the military and veteran populations in general, they’re especially worrying in service members and veterans with PTSD. Veterans with PTSD are at an increased risk of myriad health issues, including heart disease, diabetes, and even suicide. Chronic sleep deprivation not only increases the risk of those same physical health issues, but it also erodes mental health and makes veterans more prone to emotional swings and impulsive decisions — like the decision to take their own life.

If you’re a vet with PTSD, getting good sleep should be a top priority in your self-care regimen. Here are a few tips on how to do so.

Setting the Stage for a Good Night’s Rest

If you struggle to fall and stay asleep, the first step is eliminating all distractions that interfere with sleep. This includes light, sound, electronics, and anything that triggers an active mind. Some insomnia sufferers go as far as to remove family photos from the bedroom lest they trigger a spiral of thoughts. At the very least, declutter the room, as too much “stuff” lying about has been proven to induce stress. What you’re after is a positive environment that’s free of sources of anxiety.

If even a Spartan sleeping environment can’t stop your mind from racing, try breathing exercises and meditation techniques designed to calm the mind and, in turn, the body. Consider using an app with a timer on your phone with soothing music to help lull you to sleep.

Next, set the thermostat to the right temperature. Mid-60s is considered ideal for sleep, but hot sleepers should experiment to see what feels best for them.

Improve the Quality of Your Sleep

The above tips will help you fall asleep, but what do you do when you’re not sleeping well?

First, make sure your bed isn’t causing you to toss and turn all night. If your mattress isn’t supporting your body in the right places, you’ll struggle to stay comfortable. A mattress could be causing sleep problems if it’s too old or not the right firmness for your body type, but either way, the best solution is a new mattress. When shopping, consider your body type, sleep style, and any chronic pain you’re dealing with. For example, the average-priced Purple mattress, which lands in the medium-firm spectrum, is ideal for hot sleepers and all sleep styles, but if you’re heavier or have back pain, you’ll want something firmer.

While a supportive bed is important, the quest for quality sleep starts long before you lay down. Your habits during the day also affect how well you sleep at night, so make sure you’re getting plenty of exercise and sunlight exposure, avoiding caffeine and alcohol late in the day, and keeping a consistent sleep-wake schedule.

Talk to Your Doctor

Many sleep problems can be solved through lifestyle changes, but not all of them. Since insomnia and poor sleep quality affect so many aspects of physical and mental well-being, it’s important to talk to your doctor when you can’t sleep. In some cases, you may be able to resolve insomnia through cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). In others, you may need treatment for an underlying sleep disorder, notes U.S. Medicine. In fact, veterans are more likely to suffer from sleep apnea. Either way, it’s not a problem you can solve alone, so reach out for help.

Everyone knows that poor sleep makes it hard to be upbeat and productive the next day, but many people don’t realize just how serious insomnia can be. For veterans already living with PTSD, poor sleep can be more than a hindrance — it can be the difference between life and death. If you’re a veteran struggling to sleep, put your mental health first and get help for your sleep problems.

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A Waterbedtime Story™ sponsored by: InnoMax Corp.

Water pillows

Cervical pillows

Anti-snoring pillows

Buckwheat pillows

Types of Waterbeds

Softside Waterbeds

Type of Maintenance Required for Waterbeds

Top 5 Waterbeds on the Market

InnoMax Genesis 800 Ultra Waveless Lumbar Support Waterbed Mattress

Setting the Stage for a Good Night’s Rest

Improve the Quality of Your Sleep

Talk to Your Doctor

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