The product and account manager at Hickory Springs in Hickory, North Carolina, James “Jimmy” C. Fleming says his favorite thing about working in the sleep/bedding industry is the people. “I don’t have brothers or sisters, but there are people in the industry that I love like they are family,” he says. When he’s not working, he enjoys antiquing with his wife, Rose: “We always seem to find a new place to hunt for treasures.” He also relaxes by golfing and spending time outdoors—“but only when it’s warm weather!”
BedTimes: What’s one thing you absolutely need for a good night’s sleep?
Jimmy Fleming: I need the room to be cool and dark.
BT: What’s your ideal bedtime (even if you don’t always hit it)? Has this always been the same?
JF: I am usually in bed by 10 p.m. since I usually wake up around 4 a.m., because I am always fighting insomnia. I have never been one to stay up late unless I get in a good afternoon nap.
BT: Pets in the bed—yea or nay?
JF: I have never been a fan of animals in the bed, but our cat, Simone, has won me over. She does a great job of keeping my feet warm.
BT: Barefoot or socks at bedtime?
JF: In the winter, I use the heated foot option in our mattress, so I never need socks. If I didn’t have this option, it would be socks all winter long.
BT: What’s on your nightstand right now?
JF: Lavender pillow spray to help me fall asleep.
BT: What’s the best sleep product you own and why?
JF: It is probably my latex pillow that an industry friend sent me a few years ago. I have not woken up with a sore neck since I started using it.
BT: What’s one thing you always pack to help you sleep away from home?
JF: I always bring my noise machine to help drown out the noisy neighbors.
BT: What’s the strangest or best place you’ve ever fallen asleep?
JF: I once feel asleep during the musical Jesus Christ Superstar.
BT: Do you break any traditional sleep “rules”?
JF: I break a lot of rules. I always have a snack before bed, watch too much TV, and have caffeine after 6 p.m. This might explain why I usually wake up at 4 a.m.!
BT: What do you do if you can’t fall asleep?
JF: I get out of bed so that I don’t toss and turn and wake up my wife or cat.
BT: Sleep mask or sound machine?
JF: Sound machine.
BT: Cozy or cool?
JF: COOL!
BT: Physical book or digital?
JF: Physical book. I love any book by Bernard Cornwell.
BT: Before bed: Read a book, watch a show, or listen to a podcast?
JF: Watch a show. My go-to TV show is “The Beverly Hillbillies” when I can’t sleep.
BT: Anything else you’d like to add?
JF: I am proud to work in an industry where the main goal is helping people sleep and feel better. I love the innovation from cooling technology to soundwaves. I am excited to see what we come up with next.
