Industry veteran Doug Guffey knows sleep. Now the vice president of sales for Mayo Furniture & Bedding in Texarkana, Texas, Guffey has worked for several mattress manufacturers, including Hickory Springs Manufacturing, Corsicana Mattress Co., and Spring Air. He has also served as the chair of the Mattress Recycling Council and on the board of the International Sleep Products Association. When he’s not sleeping, he relaxes by spending time with family and friends, enjoying good food, golf, art, and antiquing—“Something I would make fun of my parents for, but I now enjoy,,” he quips. “Must be an age thing!”
BedTimes: What’s one thing you absolutely need for a good night’s sleep?
Doug Guffey: A quiet and dark sleeping area. I know you asked for one, but these go together for me.
BT: What’s your ideal bedtime?
DG: Ideally, 10 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. I recently committed to a WHOOP [wearable device], and based on my targeted amount of sleep, this time works for me. This hasn’t always been my targeted time in the past, but I’m embracing it!
BT: Pets in the bed—yea or nay?
DG: No pets in the bed or house. I’m allergic to cats and dogs.
BT: Barefoot or socks at bedtime?
DG: Spring, summer, and fall—no socks. In the winter, only until my feet are warm.
BT: What’s on your nightstand right now?
DG: A dump tray holds my phone, watch, keys. Then a book, water, and a lamp. Right now, I’m reading The Secret by Lee and Andrew Child—I’m a Jack Reacher fan—and Cracking the Sales Management Code by Jordan Vazzana. I’m still working on cracking that code!
BT: What’s the best sleep product you own and why?
DG: As a “Mattress Man,” it must be a quality, comfortable, and supportive mattress, but that is obvious. So, the correct pillow is the second key to the best sleep. Without a supportive pillow, you are only getting half of the formula to successful rest. I probably try five pillows a year; I’m a pillow snob!
BT: What’s one thing you always pack to help you sleep away from home?
DG: If it is a driving trip, my pillow. For a flying trip, it usually is essential oils that my wife uses at home. It gives me the sense of being home.
BT: What’s the strangest or best place you’ve ever fallen asleep?
DG: The best sleep ever is in the mountains under a tile roof with a gentle rain. For an exact place, it was a converted 16th-century monastery in Cologne, Italy, windows open with a breeze, light rain—I’ve been searching for that atmosphere ever since.
BT: Do you break any traditional sleep “rules”?
DG: Probably the rules I break occasionally would be no screen time before bed and avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and heavy meals. With my WHOOP, I’m getting better at winding down without screen time. But a great cup of coffee fuels my engine, and a glass of wine with a meal is a strong choice.
BT: What do you do if you can’t fall asleep?
DG: Usually, I fall asleep naturally and easily (if you ask my wife). But in the past, if I had trouble falling asleep, I kept a notebook by the bed, and I would write down what was going through my mind. That’s something that will ease my mind so sleep
is found!
BT: Sleep mask or sound machine?
DG: Sound machine.
BT: Cozy or cool?
DG: Cool.
BT: Physical book or Kindle?
DG: Physical.
BT: Before bed, read a book, watch a show, or listen to a podcast?
DG: Watch a show.
BT: Finally, what’s your best advice for a great night’s sleep?
DG: There is no single solution for better sleep, as many factors contribute to getting the rest our bodies require. Establishing a consistent routine and paying attention to your body’s signals are key. Your body knows what it needs and when—reducing daily distractions that keep you from recognizing those signals is an excellent way to begin improving your sleep.
