Within the mattress industry there has been something of a ruckus recently. The well-established trade magazine Cabinet Maker carried out an undercover investigation in collaboration with FIRA (Furniture Industry Research Association) which was looking at, as the title of this blog suggests, whether mattresses sold in the Uk are what they say they are.

Mattresses are difficult for a consumer to judge. They all look the same and at first glance a £500 mattress can look pretty like a £5,000 mattress. This means we need the people making the mattress, and the people selling the mattress to give us clear, concise information and for us to have confidence in what they are telling us.

In the investigation, The Cabinet Maker concentrated on two issues. Are the raw materials in the mattress what they say they are, is the core of the mattress the same as the one the customer thinks they have bought? For example, if it is a sprung mattress does it have the right amount of springs? Secondly and most importantly they looked at if the mattresses met the fire and flame retardation regulations, which comes down to safety and whether the products in our home are safe.

When the results came out the main problem in terms of component description was with Pocket Sprung mattresses, where 4 out of 7 tested did not accurately describe the amount of springs in the mattress. This should make consumers question whether the mattresses they buy are what they say they are as spring count, plus filling quantity and quality are the main indicators as to whether the mattress provides good value.

Customers not getting what they expect is bad but I was horrified that 10 out of 42 products (nearly 25%) failed the fire safety tests, which is a travesty. I am incredibly surprised this has not been picked up by the national press. Bear in mind the mattresses tested were single mattresses. The size of mattress that are usually bought for children. They failed the tests, that, in theory are there to protect us, to ensure our children are safe as they sleep. Some of the UK’s biggest retailers and manufacturers failed the tests and there has been no coverage in any of the national press.

I congratulate Cabinet Maker (full disclosure, after the report, I started writing a monthly column about how we improve the mattress industry) on their stance; to change an industry we need to do things that make us uncomfortable and are difficult. Some of the companies caught out in the report are advertisers with the magazine. Cabinet Maker did not know this as when they carried out the tests, they did not know the manufacturers and retailers involved, but when they did find out they didn’t pull back from releasing the data.

However, the industry’s response has been incredibly disappointing. They have claimed the tests were not fair, despite them been based on the code of practise their industry body, the National Bed Federation (NBF) has developed. In fact, the NBF used, as far as I can tell, the same criteria when investigating, alongside the BBC’s Rogue Britain programme, similar issues. If I was one of the companies involved I would be taking an open, honest look at how I manufacture and describe my products, and be honest about the mistakes I have made. Excuses and anger that they have been caught out is not going to give consumers confidence when buying mattresses. Roughly half of the products that failed were made by members of the NBF. The NBF has a code of practise that claims to ensure that its members products are safer and better quality than non-members. The NBF needs to take a hard line with any member that failed the tests.

The problem is the manufacturers make the mattress, or in most cases a part of the mattress for the tests. This means the mattress that passes the test can be constructed differently to pass the test than the mattress sold to the end consumer. This is the most worrying part of it and I would like the NBF, trading standards or both to start doing spot checks (I discussed this with the NBF and they have said they will be introducing spot checks) on retailers and manufacturers, in the way this Cabinet Maker investigation has done.

I feel sorry for the retailers on this one, as it is so difficult to check what is in the core of the mattress and whether the mattress meets the fire regulations. Unfortunately for a retailer to be able to check this they would need to open a mattress to check the spring count or set fire to a mattress to see if it meets the fire regulations. Good retailers should consider doing this, so the people supplying them are on their toes and are forced into providing a product which does what it is supposed to do.

My solution to this problem is a list of ingredients. This would entail each mattress having a label which outlines exactly what goes into the mattress, what fillings are used and how much, what springs are used and how many and what the chemicals used to meet the fire regulations are. This coupled with a system of spot checks should help the industry make products that are what they are supposed to be and ensure the consumer gets what they have paid for, and that it is safe.

If I am a consumer I would be asking how many springs are in the mattress I want to buy (most manufacturers base their spring count on the king size mattress, but you want to know the spring count in your mattress if it is a different size,) what the fillings are, how much of each one is in the mattress. Also ask the retailer if the mattress has passed the fire safety tests, and that the mattress they are buying is made in exactly the same way as the mattress that passed the test.

Within the mattress industry we have a problem with credibility and customer confidence. The actions of the manufacturers caught out in this report only add to the consumer’s mistrust of the mattress industry. Rather than reacting with an attitude of denial the industry needs to be proactive and honest going forward and show the mattress buying public they take customer comfort and safety seriously.

The issue of fire safety is extremely complicated. We currently have a regulatory regime that was designed in 1987 and our fire safety regulations are some of the most stringent in the world. However, if the mattresses don’t pass the safety tests then are the regulations relevant? There is also increasing evidence that the chemicals used to meet the regulations can be harmful to our health. The regulations have been under review since 2013 and I think there needs to be a real focus on developing a set of standards that protect consumers from both the risk of fire and the risk to our health from the chemicals used. It also needs to be achievable so mattresses consistently pass the test. The industry needs to be less concerned with the cost to them, either in monetary terms or reputation and focus on the above, consumer safety.

I’d be interested to know people’s thoughts on this blog, drop me a line with an opinion!

As footballers return from their pre-season break many of them have had to stick to a rigorous nutrition and exercise plan. But what about the other building block of excellence at the elite level, sleep? How many footballers had a sleep plan during the off season? Not many I would guess. Is this because they don’t really have a sleep plan during the season either?

It is recognised that sleep is one of the most effective recovery tools that coaches have for their players. Many sports teams boast about taking sleep seriously but for most this involves someone supplying the same mattress to the entire squad and general advice around sleep. For optimum performance all sports people should have an individual sleep environment analysis, their own personal sleep profile should be taken into account and the amount of sleep they actually need should be tracked. Their sleep environment should be just right for them and whoever they share their room with. Many players also need support ensuring their kids sleep. If a player has a baby during the season they should have support from a baby sleep specialist to help baby, mum and dad sleep well!

Each player should then have a sleep training schedule that takes into account what time games will be played. For example to get players through night games they are given strong caffeine tablets that can affect their sleep for the night after the game and even one or two nights after. Having the right experts as part of a team’s coaching staff ensures sleep is considered when designing a player’s schedule.

Working with a professional team, including a sleep environment expert, a CBT-I expert and a Chrono biologist can help teams gain an advantage over the competition.

Sleep and sport is a new area of sleep support and professional teams need to ensure they have a team working with them that takes a well-rounded scientific approach. The 3 R’s apply to sports people as much as anyone else.

A ROUTINE that works for their sleep type and their match schedule.

A RESTFUL ENVIRONMENT that is right for their, and their partners, sleep profile.

And feeling RELAXED. The temperature, light levels and noise levels are right; and their minds are free from the worries of the day.

Want to know more about how I can help sprots teams and people sleep better? drop me an e-mail to hello@thesleepgeek.co.uk

This last week I have had the immense pleasure of visiting the Mamas &Papas store at the Trafford Centre to give a talk all about babies and how they sleep on behalf of The Children’s Sleep Charity. It really is an amazing experience to be able to help mums and dads, before they start their journey into parenthood, understand how their baby will sleep and how best they can prepare themselves and support their baby as they develop their sleep cycles.

The charity wanted the opportunity to talk to parents in this way because there was a feeling that parents are dictated to when it comes to sleep. They are told they must, they should, they have to follow this certain parenting style, which encompasses this set of sleep rules and if they deviate from the rules there will be dire consequences.

My feeling is that parents choose how to bring up their children and our job as sleep professionals is to support them in whatever their choice is. We are their support network, their coaches and we are there to help the whole family sleep well, not just the baby. We are not going to put unneeded pressure on them to meet a set of strict criteria, we are going to give them the knowledge to help them understand the importance of sleep to their baby, how to create a safe and peaceful sleep environment and what to expect when it comes to sleep. We can also give some input into the pluses and minuses of different parenting techniques and explain the impact of these techniques on their babies sleep.

By giving parents this advice before their baby arrives they can start to put it in place from the word go. Hopefully this will help their child sleep well as a toddler, as a child, as a teenager and well into adulthood.
Finally thanks to Mamas and Papas for giving The Charity a platform to spread our message about sleep and giving parents the chance to get some support at a time when they can put the advice into practise and have a real impact on their baby’s sleep.

There will be more sessions in July. I will put dates and places up nearer the time, so keep your eyes peeled!

Sleep Well,

The Sleep Geek

One of the most pressing issues facing the UK is our lack of productivity compared to similar economies. “What has this got to do with sleep “You may ask. Well let me tell you.
Most of us work 9-5. There are some variations but we are often forced into a work day that doesn’t suit our own individual circadian rhythms. Dr. Paul Kelley, from Oxford University argues that our work schedule suits those over 50 most of all and because they are usually the ones running companies they are happy for work to start at 9. They see their younger employees as lazy, as they struggle to get in and function properly at 9. Dr Kelley, advocates a start time of after 10 for the under 50’s and although this is a start I think we should be developing a working day that allows each one of our colleagues to work at times that allows them to be at their most productive.

For example, I am a moderate early type when it comes to waking up in the morning as categorised by this questionnaire from the Centre for Chronobiology at the University of Munich (You can see what Chrono type you are by filling in the questionnaire here.) For me this means that I am my most effective from about 7.30 until 8 and I find it best to do challenging work early in the morning, do things like reply to emails and reading in the middle of the day and finish work earlier. However, some days, especially when Baby Sleep Geek has kept me awake, I find it useful to be able to start later and shift my day round a bit. This flexibility allows me to work more productively and when I am feeling tired shift my day around to suit my sleep. Other variations come into it, for example we are more likely to get less sleep (but feel better) in the summer as the light mornings wake us up so in summer we may find it easier to start earlier, while in winter we may need a later start time as the lack of light in the mornings prevents us from waking up.

So here is my advice to companies. If you want to be seen as a top employer, ditch the fruit, the free alcohol on Fridays and the ping pong table. Give you staff a work schedule that matches their sleep profile and support them by giving them flexibility in their working day. That way they will sleep longer, feel better and work more efficiently.
“And what about workers who have to work certain hours, such as shift workers and retail staff?” You may ask. Well that is for another blog, but I do have a solution!

Sleep Well,

The Sleep Geek

On Tuesday morning I was up bright and early to go to a Health and Wellness event organised by Benchmark Recruitment. I was set up in a corner and dispensed sleep knowledge to all and sundry. The real striking thing was the amount of people who did not have breakfast first thing in the morning.

So why is breakfast so important, you may ask? Well firstly you have just slept for between 6 and 9 hours and your body has had no fuel in all that time. If you wait another 2 to 3 hours to have breakfast your body starts to get stressed as it begins to believe there are no food sources available and looks to use cortisol (a stress hormone) to fuel itself. This will lead you to have peaks and troughs of energy throughout the day and ensures you will crave sugary foods and caffeine. Having breakfast within half an hour of sleep tells your body food is in plentiful supply so it doesn’t become chemically unbalanced. In addition to this giving your body food at the same time everyday conditions your body’s metabolism to know when to wake up and wind down. This means it knows when sleep is coming and you will therefore sleep better. So there you go, why breakfast is so important for sleep.

Hope This Helps

Sleep Well,
The Sleep Geek

Most parents have done it, crept into their little one’s room and turned off the night light; just in case it wakes them up. It makes sense right? It does, but changing your little one’s sleep environment so significantly can lead to them waking in the middle of the night, scared and confused!!

Think about it, they go to sleep in a room lit by a dull warm glow and wake in the pitch black struggling to make out the shapes of their room. Rather than drifting off back to sleep they let you know things have changed, normally quite vocally!!

In the work I do with The Children’s Sleep Charity we find this simple measure can help kids sleep better. This also applies to any toys or sleep aids that use light (or sound) to soothe you Little One to sleep. If they can’t stay on all night think whether they are suitable in the bedroom!

So remember as Lionel Ritchie said leave the Night Light on “All Night Long”

Sleep Well,
The Sleep Geek