Sleep Resources

By The Mattress Nerd

Sleep Tips

We have a variety of great articles to help you get better sleep.  While we think mattresses are a good place to start, when searching for some more ZZZ’s, there are many other things you can consider to improve the quality of sleep.

Accessories

It’s true.  We talk about mattresses A LOT!  But there are plenty of other products out there that you might find can really make a difference in your quality of sleep.  Here are a few of our favorites.

  • Dohm-DS White Noise Generator: Your brain is good at detecting changes in sound level, which is why the smallest sound in an otherwise silent house can keep you up. This is a white noise generator, which drowns out those extraneous sounds to help you fall asleep quicker. This is the highest-rated and one of the best selling ones on Amazon. I personally use this one, and it helps me get a better night’s sleep. My fiancee likes how this one sounds better than the app I used to use on my phone.
  • Leviton Amber Nightlight: Blue light (which is present in white light as well) disrupts melatonin production in your body, which makes it harder to fall asleep. If you use a night light, use one that doesn’t have blue in it. The amber-colored Leviton linked above is just one example. Find one that suits your needs, as long as it isn’t white or blue.
  • Uvex S0360X Blue blocking goggles: These goggles will block the melatonin-disrupting blue light from reaching your eyes at night, so you can sleep better.
  • IMAK Sleep Mask: I don’t use sleep masks personally, but this was the best-reviewed one I could find on Amazon. It will block out the light from outside to help you go to sleep and wake up at the correct time. This is especially useful during the summer when the sun doesn’t go down until almost 9pm and comes up at 5am.
  • Protect-a-bed Mattress Protector: This is one of the most popular mattress protectors on the market. A mattress protector does four things: it keeps the mattress clean, it prevents the foams from wearing down due to perspiration and other fluids, it prevents allergens like dust mites from accumulating in the mattress, and it protects the warranty.

 Where to buy a mattress online

This is a tough one.  Because there are lots of “right” answers , depending on your pricepoint, sleep preferences, or desired experience.  I think first and foremost, while it’s tempting to want to try before you buy, typically, you’ll find a better deal shopping online

  • Leesa: High quality direct-to-consumer foam mattress with a 100 night return policy. See my review of them here.
  • US Mattress: One of the largest online retailers of mattresses. Also has a few stores in the Michigan area.
  • Sears: I usually don’t recommend department stores because their prices tend to be a little higher, but Sears occasionally has great sales.

Websites

  • Mattress Advisor: This website is a great resource for unbiased reviews on specific mattresses and manufacturers. The site also reviews other sleep products such as mattress toppers and sound machines.
  • The Sleep Doctor: This is the homepage of Dr. Michael Breus. He has a blog, several books, and links to his sleep articles elsewhere.
  • The National Sleep Foundation: A foundation created to spread the word about the importance of sleep.

Books

No, these aren’t books that are so boring they’ll put you to sleep!  While that is an effective practice for many people, these books actually have great, actionable information about getting better sleep.

Comments (13)

  2. We currently have a tempurpedic mattress that sits on what they called a boogie board which was purchased because we owned a waterbed . we are now considering purchasing a new set . What should we use under the tempurpedic other than the board to raise it up ?

    Reply

    • You should get the Tempurpedic foundation, if the bed isn’t a platform bed.

      (And the term is “bunkie board” for what it’s worth).

  3. IWe are looking a good queen sized mattress for our guest bedroom and came across a Sealy Noranda cushion firm. Will this mattress work for us, and what kind of quality is it?? Thank you

    Reply

  4. Can you recommend a cooling mattress pad? We have a Stearns and Foster, which we love, but it’s hot. I often wake up sweating which breaks my CPAP mask seal. I look forward to your recommendation.

    Reply

    • There is no such thing as a mattress pad that will cool you down to my knowledge; just ones that won’t heat up, or heat up as quickly.

      There are some that will feel cool at first, and maybe for a couple of hours, but tend to get even hotter at night.

      I have some tips to sleep cool here.

  6. Is there another Simmons Beautyrest mattress that is the same as the Simmons Beautyrest Recharge Hybrid “Wildwood Crest” Luxury Firm mattress? I cannot seem to locate this one anywhere. I purchased one last summer and now I would like to buy another one in queen size. Thanks in advance for your help!

    Reply

  8. I bought a Leesa full size at your recommendation. I slept on it for the first time last night. It was lovely. However, it was also on the floor. My son-in-law is assembling the bed frame I purchased from IKEA at this moment. For the FIRST time I saw the notice on the Leesa website about NOT using flexible slats, which my IKEA bed frame has. I bought the Lonset slats. Leesa says the mattress should be on a flat surface. If using slats, they should be flat, non-flexible and three inches apart.You recommend using slats to allow air circulation. I couldn’t find any slat beds with slats no more than three inches apart. I’m going to have knee replacement surgery tomorrow — Sunday, July 20. I was hoping to come home to my new mattress and bed frame. My family can return the bed frame and/or slats while I’m in rehab. Can you recommend a solution? I will have access to email.

    Reply

    • There are many options for the base. If you get the wire bed frame, you can add what’s called a “bunkie board” to even out the support. I recommend having the gaps between the slats being no larger than 2 inches, and most good platform beds are around that. They just need to be rigid, and not flexible like the Ikea ones.

  9. just wanted to thank you for this really comprehensive guide. This is a great resource and you deserve credit for making it.

    Reply

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