The Sleep Geek, aka James Wilson, asks the question: Are mattress and bedding brands in danger of missing the boat as sleep has its moment?
Sleep is having a moment, but if we’re not careful, the sleep industry is going to miss out.
Part of my work involves helping brands develop better sleep products and services. Over the last 18 months, I’ve noticed a shift in who wants to work with me. Some of the world’s biggest consumer brands are starting to pay attention to sleep. Some already have products with features that could genuinely help people sleep better. Some operate in sleep adjacent categories. Others can simply see the scale of the opportunity.
Sleep is universal. We all need it. And people are more aware than ever of the impact it has on health, wellbeing, performance, and quality of life.
At the same time, public healthcare systems often struggle to provide meaningful help for people with poor sleep. That creates a real opportunity, and a real responsibility, for brands offering sleep products and services to make a genuine difference in people’s lives.
My worry is that traditional sleep brands, particularly in the mattress and bedding industry, are going to miss out. They are not front of mind for consumers when it comes to products or services that can help them sleep better.
People are more likely to seek out a supplement than think about their sleep posture. They’ll buy a fan for the bedroom before considering the immediate sleep environment between their duvet and mattress. They’re more inclined to try a fad like mouth taping than invest in foundational products for their sleep wellbeing, like mattresses, pillows, and duvets.
As an industry, we need to change how we communicate.
We need to make clear, simple links between common sleep issues and what actually influences them, sleep posture, temperature regulation, and sensory needs, rather than just selling product features.
We need to be honest about when our products can help, and just as clear about when they can’t. Exaggerated claims erode trust and hold the entire category back.
We could be talking to customers about how sleeping on their side might reduce snoring, how duvet weight and mattress feel could affect their sensory needs, and how what our mattress is made of impacts the body’s ability to regulate temperature.
Mattresses, pillows, and duvets are not the whole solution to good sleep. But they are the foundation.
Sleep is the foundation of our health. These products are the foundation of our sleep. That’s how we need to start talking about them.
Sleep products are my passion and where I started in the sleep world. If you’re thinking about how your brand fits into this opportunity, I’m always open to a conversation.
About the Sleep Geek
James Wilson (AKA The Sleep Geek) is a Sleep Educator, Coach & Product Expert. He is the founder of Sleepunity, a social enterprise committed to Better Sleep For All. He appears regularly on ITV’s This Morning and BBC Breakfast and has worked with the likes of Zurich, Budweiser, Under Armour and West Ham United helping their people sleep better. He offers training and certification for retailers, and a certification scheme for sleep products. Find out more www.thesleepgeek.co.uk.
