In a recent article, we explored how a NASA invention for astronauts turned into memory foam mattresses that improve our sleep every night (see From NASA to Your Bedroom: The Evolution of Memory Foam Mattresses). But what about the astronauts themselves? Up on the International Space Station (ISS), crew members aren’t dozing on king-size beds; they’re cocooned in sleeping bags attached to the wall as they hurtle around Earth at 17,500 mph. In fact, an astronaut on the ISS experiences 16 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours, making a “normal” night’s sleep a bit of a cosmic challenge. It sounds wild, yet many astronauts insist that sleeping in space can be extremely comfortable – perhaps even more comfortable than on Earth – once you get used to it. How Astronauts Go to Bed Astronauts don’t use traditional mattresses in space. Instead, each crew member sleeps solo in a small, closet-like...

Jet lag is essentially a circadian rhythm sleep disorder. Normally, your body clock is tuned to the 24-hour day–night cycle: daylight keeps you awake, and darkness tells your brain it’s time for sleep. But when you zoom across several time zones in a matter of hours, your internal clock can’t instantly catch up. For example, if you fly from New York to London and arrive at 11 PM local time, your body might still feel like its 6 PM back in New York, making it hard to fall asleep. Your body then goes through a “recouping” phase – sometimes linked to the growing pains of adjusting to a new schedule. The adjustment takes time. In practice, your circadian clock shifts by roughly 1–1.5 hours per day as you reset to the new zone. This means if you cross, say, 6 time zones, it could take around 4–6 days to adapt...

You know that moment, when your brain checks out, your eyelids get heavy, and everything just feels… slower? It usually hits right after lunch, and no, it’s not just you. Turns out, your body’s wired for a midday dip in energy. And the fix isn’t always another cup of coffee. Sometimes, what you really need is a quick nap. That’s why companies like Google and Ben & Jerry’s have built nap rooms into their offices. They know what NASA discovered: a short nap can boost alertness by 54% and improve performance by 34%. Why Power Naps Work The magic of power naps lie in their timing. When you rest for a short period, usually between 10 and 20 minutes, your brain stays in the lighter stages of sleep. Your body relaxes, your mind clears, and stress levels drop. This short burst of rest helps improve focus, lift your mood, and...

Not everyone is wired to wake up early, fall asleep quickly, or feel energized at 9 a.m. sharp. And that’s perfectly okay. Thanks to the work of clinical psychologist and sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus, we now understand that people fall into four distinct sleep chronotypes; Bear, Wolf, Lion, and Dolphin. These categories explain your natural sleep-wake cycle, energy highs and lows, and even your ideal mattress type. So if you've ever wondered why you're ready to start the day while your partner is hitting snooze for the third time, or why your productivity peaks just before midnight, your sleep chronotype might hold the answer. Let’s dive into each chronotype, what it means for your lifestyle, and how to choose the perfect mattress for your unique rhythm. What Are Sleep Chronotypes? Sleep chronotypes are biological labels for how your circadian rhythm—your body’s internal clock—operates. This rhythm governs when you naturally...

A dream is lucid when it feels vivid and real (sometimes, hazier), but you know it isn't. It often happens during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and last for about 10 minutes. When you lucid dream, you’re aware of your consciousness, and you can control what happens in your dream. About 55% of people have had at least one lucid dream in their lifetime. Benefits of Lucid Dreaming Scientists are increasingly establishing a link between dreaming and mental health. Could taking control of your dreams lead to a better life? The answer is yes, lucid dreaming can allow you to:  Overcome Nightmares One of the most practical benefits of lucid dreaming is the power to conquer nightmares. If you become lucid during a bad dream, you can remind yourself that the scary situation isn’t real and even change the story. For example, you might face down a monster and turn...

Numerous studies have established a connection between a good night's sleep and health. It’s when your body repairs, strengthens defenses, and fights off infections. When you don’t get quality sleep, everything from your energy levels to your immune system takes a hit. Your body produces fewer infection-fighting cells, inflammation increases, and you become more vulnerable to colds, flu, and other illnesses. Poor sleep can result from many factors – but your mattress is probably the biggest culprit. If your mattress is old, unsupportive, or filled with allergens, it can disrupt your sleep differently. And when it does, it’s a direct hit to your immune system. The Role of Sleep in Immune Health Sleep plays a critical role in keeping your immune system functioning correctly. While you sleep, your body produces and releases cytokines—proteins that help regulate immunity and inflammation. These cytokines are essential for responding to infections and reducing inflammation....

We’ve all had days when we wake up tired, even after a full night’s sleep. It happens – and is usually because of many factors like movement, temperature, and breathing. Of course, the mattress plays a big part in that. That’s why mattress companies are constantly stepping up their game, trying to create beds that do more than just feel comfy for the first five minutes. They want to build something that helps you sleep better, adjusts to you, keeps you at the perfect temperature, and even stops you from snoring. And now, with AI-powered mattresses, we’re talking about a whole new level of smart sleep. These beds don’t just track your sleep—they actively adjust in real time to ensure you get the best rest possible. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, it’s happening. The Rise of Smart Mattress Technology Before we dive into AI-powered mattresses, let’s talk about smart...

If you’re a night owl, the struggle to sleep early is all too familiar. Those late hours feel like your prime time—when creativity thrives, thoughts feel clearer, or you finally get a moment to unwind. But the mornings? They’re a different story. You’re groggy, sluggish, and wishing you could hit snooze one more time. Shifting to an earlier bedtime might seem impossible, but you’re not alone; it doesn’t have to stay this way. Research from Sleep Medicine reveals that even minor adjustments to your sleep routine can make a huge difference, improving mental health, energy, and focus. And with daylight savings time right around the corner, there’s no better moment to reset your circadian rhythm and embrace healthier sleep habits. So, how do you retrain your body to fall asleep earlier even when you’re not a morning person? The key is to work with your biology, not against it. Below,...