The Sleep to Live Institute, a sleep research center in Joplin, Mo., that is funded by mattress producer Kingsdown, hosted Sleep Summit 2011 on Jan. 5 in New York. At the event, the Sleep to Live Institute presented new research findings and rolled out a new sleep diagnostic system based on those findings.
Among the summit presenters and panelists were veteran medical journalists Dr. Bob Arnot and Dr. Nancy Snyderman, as well as sleep researchers Robert Oexman, director of the Sleep to Live Institute; Thomas Roth of Henry Ford Hospital; and Sonia Ancoli–Israel of the University of California at San Diego School of Medicine.
Andrew Krystal, director of the Insomnia and Sleep Research Program at Duke University School of Medicine, presented findings from the “Mattress Matters” study on which Kingsdown’s new bedMATCH system is based.
The study was sponsored by the Sleep to Live Institute in collaboration with research firm RTI International. Key findings include the fact that the mattress can have specific impacts on sleep quality and common health complaints, especially daytime aches and grogginess.
“The findings from the ‘Mattress Matters’ study are remarkable,” Krystal said. “After analyzing 128 healthy, pain–free adults, we discovered that there is a statistically significant correlation between how mattress support affects sleep quality, pain and daytime function.”
Another key finding of the study is that participants generally did not do a good job of choosing the best mattress for their own sleep needs.
That is where the bedMATCH system comes in, the Mebane, N.C.–based bedding producer said. BedMATCH uses statistical measurements and calculations to help consumers pick the right mattress.
“The bedMATCH system is the culmination of clinical research and collected sleep profiles from millions of consumers,” Oexman said. “For the first time, we’re able to show the scientific link between mattress choice and a person’s health and well–being. Buying a mattress is a major purchase and bedMATCH simplifies the process.”
The system can be used to fit participants for the correct sleep surface across bedding brands. It is expected to be available at select retailers early this year.
