The Internet of Things has brought convenience, safety, and comfort in ways we could never imagine several decades ago. It started with the smartphone. Then came smart speakers, smart light bulbs, smart electric outlets, smart locks, and even smart coffee-makers. The addition of a smart mattress to the growing list of smart home technologies should never come as a surprise.
One question remains, however. Is it worth buying a smart mattress? Here are ten reasons why you should.
1. Understanding your sleep dynamics
Smart mattresses let you gain a deeper understanding of how you sleep.
Everyone knows the positive correlation between sleep and health. Sleep deprivation can increase your risk of developing diabetes, obesity, and even cardiovascular diseases. Unfortunately, we often lack the information to gauge how well we are sleeping.
A smart mattress changes all that. Embedded into the fabric of the mattress are sensors that continuously monitor sleep dynamics. It monitors the number of hours you are in bed, including the approximate time you fell asleep.
Smart mattresses can also monitor how often you stir in bed during sleep and whether such movements can impact your sleep quality or not.
Some smart mattresses analyze your breathing and heart rates. The information gets added to the other sleep quality parameters to paint a more accurate picture of sleep dynamics. You will know how much time you spend in each phase of the sleep cycle.
No wearable smart fitness tracker can match the detailed sleep dynamics information that a smart mattress can provide.
2. Improving your sleep habits
Learning your sleep dynamics is one thing. You should also know how to translate the information into actionable measures.
For example, the smart mattress app can show you that you have less frequent deep-sleep than usual. You can forego a visit to your doctor because the app already offers you suggestions. It may not sound credible, but smart mattress manufacturers work with sleep experts. You can bet the recommendations you get have a good scientific explanation.
Improving your sleep habits is easy because the smart mattress keeps track of your sleep dynamics. It then uses the information to customize a plan that will enhance the way you sleep.
3. Say goodbye to backaches, shoulder pain, and other discomforts
A mattress should be comfortable to let you wake up feeling refreshed and invigorated. Unfortunately, most mattresses do not adjust to accommodate the changing contours of your body as you sleep.
Doctors say keeping a neutral spinal position is essential in preventing back pain. It would be impossible to keep the spine in its most neutral position if you are asleep. You turn to your side or on your belly without you knowing it.
When you move in bed during sleep, the spine loses its normal anatomic position. Any of these movements can lead to back pain and other bodily discomforts when you wake up.
A smart mattress eliminates painful wake-up times. It continuously monitors your body movement to ensure correct spinal alignment. The mattress adjusts the firmness in specific sections to push body parts to maintain a near-perfect alignment with the spine.
No ordinary mattress can match the intuitive pressure-adjusting design of a smart mattress.
4. Controlling the temperature is easier
Some people prefer a warm bed, while others like their mattresses a little cooler. It should not be an issue if you sleep alone. The problem is when you have someone to share your bed. Controlling the bed’s temperature can be a real headache if you do not use a smart mattress.
High-tech mattresses allow you to set the preferred mattress temperature on both sides of the bed. You can have a warm mattress on your side and a cooler bed on your partner’s side.
Setting the mattress temperature is also hassle-free. Most smart mattresses come with a downloadable smartphone app. A few swipes of the screen is all it takes to define the bed temperature. You can also set it to adjust the temperature gradually as your sleep progresses.
5. Adjusting the mattress’s firmness level is a breeze
Sharing a bed with someone often means you need to strike a balance between firmness and softness. It can be problematic if your partner prefers a firm mattress, perhaps because of some underlying health problem.
There is no need to sacrifice comfort to accommodate the needs of your partner. You only need a smart mattress to give you the firmness level you desire.
Like a bed with temperature control zones, high-tech mattresses can also have firmness control zones. You can make that part of the bed where you sleep firmer than the other side. You will still enjoy a sound sleep, even if your partner prefers the feeling of sinking into the mattress.
Adjusting the firmness level is also easy. You can change it anytime or set the app to control the firmness levels as you sleep through the night.
6. No need for an alarm
Did you know that forced-awakening is a factor in many cardiovascular conditions? Studies show that waking up to an alarm clock’s blaring sound can cause a rapid increase in both blood pressure and heart rate. It is terrible news for people who may already have underlying cardiovascular problems.
A safer way to wake up is through a gradual light introduction. As your bedroom brightens with the rising sun, your body slowly wakes itself up. It leads to a more gradual increase in cardiovascular parameters, making you feel refreshed.
A smart mattress can do that, too. It slowly warms up your bed to simulate the warmth of natural sunshine. Your body senses the gradual change and slowly arouses you to wake up.
You can now ditch your alarm clock for an excellent smart mattress. Not only is it more comfortable. It is also better for your heart.
7. Make coffee without getting up from your bed
Many smart mattresses can communicate with other smart devices in the home. Since most of us prefer greeting the day with a good cup of joe, a smart mattress can help you make coffee even when you are still in bed.
Smart mattresses come with an app that allows you to communicate with your smart coffee-maker in the kitchen. You can turn on the coffee-maker right from the smart mattress app. By the time you get out of bed, your coffee will already be ready for your first sip.
You can also program it before you go to bed. The smart mattress can automatically activate your coffee maker several minutes after initiating the warm-up procedure for waking you up.
8. ‘Talk’ to other smart home devices without getting out of bed
Some smart mattress manufacturers are pushing the boundaries of innovation. Relying on the Internet of Things’ potential, manufacturers continue to improve smart mattress connectivity with other smart home technologies.
Some products can now control the window blinds. It is instrumental in establishing a safer awakening system. The combination of the bed warming technology and the connectivity to a smart blind can help you wake up feeling more refreshed. It is great for your heart, too.
It is only a matter of time before a smart mattress can become the center of a fully-connected modern home. You can manage your home entertainment system and other smart appliances even when you are still lying in bed.
9. You get to keep your favorite bed
Some people believe that a smart mattress requires a special bed frame. It is not true because manufacturers design their smart mattresses for optimum compatibility with different bed styles.
You will always have a smart mattress to go with your box spring bed, lineal folding bed, or even a specialty bed frame. The only thing you need is to choose the right mattress size that fits your bed frame like a glove.
10. Improve overall quality of life
Smart mattresses improve spinal alignment and ensure optimum comfort temperatures during sleep. They help provide a higher quality of sleep. Regardless of how much your partner stirs or moves in bed, you will still feel refreshed the following day because of the mattress’s smart technologies.
All of these things amount to an improvement in the overall quality of life. You will have a lower risk of depression and anxiety. You will look at life with more hope.
Waking up feeling more refreshed and energized than ever can also make you accomplish more things. In turn, your sense of accomplishment will further fuel your desire to do more extraordinary things.
Good quality sleep also improves social relationships. You are less fussy and more jovial in your social interactions. Your colleagues will love flocking around you because you shine with confidence. You also become more productive at work and in your other endeavors.
Smart mattresses not only improve the way you sleep. It also gives you the advantage of communicating with other smart devices in your home. While these mattresses are more expensive than your conventional mattress, the benefits they provide far outweigh any cost considerations.
About the author:
Charles Vallena is the managing editor at Sleep Matters, where he helps people sleep better at night by providing in-depth reviews on mattresses and beddings. When not working, you’ll often see him watching the news about the latest in the tech space.
