Best Mattresses, Pillows, Bedding – The Hollywood Reporter

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Welcome to The Hollywood Reporter’s inaugural Travel Week! Hollywood stars and insiders log millions of miles for filming, festivals and wherever else the red carpet takes them, so why not look to these frequent flyers for travel inspiration? With summer destinations still beckoning (and plenty of time to plan for fall trips), this week we’re highlighting insider-approved essentials, style and travel tips, new gear, hotel-inspired decor, deals and more. Allons-y!

August marks National Wellness Month — and for our first-ever Travel Week — we’re highlighting how to explore with your well-being in mind. With sleep tourism on the rise, resorts are also attracting rest-deprived vacationers by offering getaways specifically focused on slumber. (Something that’s surely, and often sorely, needed right now in hard-working Hollywood and beyond.)

A good night of shut-eye helps to boost our energy, mood, productivity and creative thinking. The Sleep Foundation also points to studies that have found that better self-control is another benefit of good sleep.

“Sleep has been low on our collective consciousness for so long, and we are now, collectively, waking up to its importance,” Harvard Medical School instructor Dr. Rebecca Robbins, Ph.D, tells The Hollywood Reporter. “Restarting or ‘re-wiring’ sleep habits after years of neglect can take some time and patience, but the good news is small changes can start to take effect very quickly.”

Robbins leads the three-night Sleep Retreat (from $2,125 per night) at Arizona’s luxurious and historic Castle Hot Springs — nestled about an hour north of Phoenix in the picturesque Hieroglyphic Mountains — where guests can soak in lectures on circadian rhythm, sleep disorders and optimizing their slumber.

Los Angeles’ Hotel Figueroa (where Haim shot their Elle Women of the Year cover) recently launched the Slumber in Style Package that treats guests to an Osea Vagus Nerve travel set to prep for the most restorative sleep. They also offer the Rest, Relax, Recover and Reset package (contact the hotel directly for rates; more booking options at Expedia) that features the Eight Sleep mattress with a dual-zoned Pod that can be adjusted per your body temperature and preferences, a snooze-friendly Loftie alarm clock, a custom Pluto Pillow, an in-room Forme fitness mirror and Peloton exercise bike, Hyperice’s Hypervolt massage device and Normatec 3 compression therapy system, and more.

One of New York’s newest hangouts, the Aman hotel offers its guests free 30-minute wellness consultations that include the Brain Gauge Pro, a program that gives personalized sleep recommendations based on a cognitive performance test. Over on the West Coast, Big Sur’s picturesque Post Ranch Inn boasts the wellness-focused Sleep Program offering two 60-minute Sleep Menu spa treatments, a gift bag, a Sleep Serenity dinner menu at Sierra Mar and access to sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus’ video series.

After launching the holistic Alchemy of Sleep program in 2022, Rosewood Hotels offers its slumber-focused itinerary at select resorts, including in London, where a two-night Sleep Transformation stay includes a 120-minute intensive antidote sleep treatment from Votar, a 60-minute CBD facial or massage, two 60-minute wellness sessions, a beauty sleep it and more personalized amenities.

At Six Senses’ Ibiza resort, guests can choose from a three-, five- or seven-night stay as part of a sleep program that includes a wellness screening, personalized consultations, yoga, cryotherapy and other activities.

But you don’t need to splurge on a big-budget respite for better sleep. Robbins explains that easy fixes can be done at home, such as replacing old pillows, upgrading from your old uncomfortable or sagging mattress, creating a more relaxing bedroom or even simply setting the thermostat to a comfortable level between 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (the ideal temperature for sleep). Our core body temperature needs to drop during sleep in order to conserve energy, so maintaining a cool setting can help facilitate better sleep and reduce the number of times we wake up at night.

To help us all transition from groggy mornings to well-rested risings (whether from traveling or otherwise), we sat down with Robbins to get her expert suggestions on how to get better sleep. Inspired by her tips, we also rounded up some of our own favorite snooze-friendly products ranging from the best mattresses and bedding to supplements and high-tech gadgets.

Keep reading below, plus shop some of our go-to sleep accessories.

What are the most common hurdles that people face as they’re trying to get back to a regular sleep routine, especially for New Year’s Resolutions?

Some of the common hurdles when it comes to sleep generally fall into two buckets. The first bucket is the low-hanging fruit, and small tweaks and tune-ups to either one’s behavior and routine or their environment. For instance, a mattress that is too old, pillows that are worn out, or other elements of our bed itself really go a long way toward our healthy sleep. Simply refreshing your mattress and pillows could be the simple solution in that case.

On the other hand, if someone finds themselves not conscious about their bedtime, the time at night flies by and suddenly they routinely find themselves without enough time for sleep before their morning alarm. In this case, the easy tune-up is more awareness about bedtime and relaxing and unwinding to slip into sleep that will allow them to wake up refreshed. All of the above are small tips and tune-ups when someone simply has not been focused on their sleep but is interested in changing.

The second type of hurdle is a bit more challenging and could include difficulties falling asleep or maintaining sleep. If you experience these issues from time to time, first, realize that you are not alone! Sleep difficulties can be common for all of us from time to time. When you experience issues falling asleep, try to focus on relaxing and unwinding before bedtime and setting aside time to write down anything that is on your mind.

You might also consider relaxation strategies, such as meditation, when you are experiencing difficulties. Similarly, if you struggle to fall back asleep after waking, you might also consider a relaxation exercise, gentle yoga poses, or reading with dim light in an armchair. The important thing if you’re struggling to fall back to sleep is you do not want to stay in bed and toss and turn. If these issues falling or staying asleep happen chronically, it might be time to speak to your healthcare provider.

For those who are feeling anxious about what seems like a monumental schedule overhaul, what are some easy baby steps for those who want to start small?

Human beings are creatures of habit. It is hard to change our routines drastically and expect to settle right into this new routine. Consider the case of international travel across multiple time zones. We refer to the painful physiological and cognitive consequences of such a drastic change jet lag because our bodies have jetted forward into a new time zone, but our rhythms lag behind. We experience, subsequently, brain fog, excessive sleepiness, sluggishness, and underperform physically and cognitively.

This in large part has to do with our circadian rhythm. Our circadian rhythm is housed in a region in the brain that acts as the central pacemaker for our internal biological clock, a clock that governs almost every process in our brains and bodies, from body temperature fluctuations to hormone secretion, to our sense of sleepiness, and more! This system cannot move on a dime. Therefore, the best way to change your sleep routine is to do so carefully.

Consider the case of someone wanting to go to bed earlier. A common mistake is to pick a night and crawl in bed two to three hours earlier than normal, thinking this is a positive behavior. Unfortunately, your brain has not caught up with you and this new routine. In this case, the best recommendation is moving your bedtime 15 minutes earlier each night for one to two weeks until you have hit your target bedtime and try to keep that night in and night out.

Fortunately, so many other healthy sleep changes other than our sleep times are easy to implement. For instance, if you are having a hard time unplugging from social media, move your charger to the other side of the room from your bed. Commit to plugging your phone in 60 minutes before bed and shifting to relaxing activities in the moments before you want to be falling asleep. Small changes go a long way when it comes to sleep!

What are your top tips for staying on the good sleep wagon?

Good sleep is all about routine! My bedtime routine is very important to me. I do my best to unplug 30 minutes before sleep, turn off electronics and start my bedtime routine, which includes a warm shower or bath, followed by meditation and reading in bed before turning the lights out and falling asleep. Whatever relaxes you, commit to practicing those night in and night out. Your brain will start to learn that what follows is sleep. Keeping a religious bedtime routine at a predetermined time that you can keep most nights of the week is one small change that can go a long way toward maintaining a good sleep routine. 

I commit to not tossing and turning in my bed. If I get up from sleep — we all do from time to time! — and I struggle to fall back asleep, I will go back to my wind-down activities, such as relaxation strategies or reading in an armchair, and crawl back in bed when I am tired. 

Resist sleeping in! It can sound decadent, and like a positive sleep behavior, but this can throw your internal clock out of sync. Avoid sleeping in for more than 1 hour on the weekends to avoid throwing your internal clock out of whack.

Hop off screens close to bedtime. Do your best to avoid screen exposure in the 40-plus minutes before bedtime. These devices can be stressful due to the activities we do on them, but they also emit bright light that can hinder our ability to fall asleep. 

We are obsessed with our Oura Ring and all of our biometric tracking gadgets. What are your thoughts on sleep trackers?

Sleep trackers can be extremely powerful and provide us with guidance on how we are doing with our sleep. Tracking can be beneficial particularly when you are experimenting with a new sleep routine, like avoiding caffeine late in the day, eating an earlier dinner further away from bedtime, or moving your exercise routine to an earlier time. Tracking allows you to consider yourself an “n=1 experiment,” monitoring the impact of these changes on your sleep. For a small number of people, however, tracking can be stressful. If that is you, consider taking a break from tracking and coming back when it serves you and your sleep goals.

I sense that we spend more money and attention to virtually every other purchase decision in our homes other than our bedroom environments. However, we spend, or should spend, one third of our lives sleeping! Why not making your bedroom the most cozy, wonderful, relaxing part of your home? I believe firmly in investing in products you love — whatever your budget — for your bedroom.

Headspace Meditation App

Meditation can help to calm your mind before bed, and we like Headspace’s app for its variety of content for managing anxiety, anger, stress and other concerns. Let sleepcast narrators John Legend or Eric Bana guide you to sleep, or enjoy soundscapes, sleep music and guided wind-downs for grown-ups and kids (including from Star Wars and Sesame Street).

The app is currently offering two weeks free when you sign up for an annual plan ($70 per year) or seven days free with a monthly subscription ($13 per month).

Sleep Number True Temp Sheet Set

Sleep Number’s temperature-balancing True Temp bedding are made with special fabric embedded with volcanic minerals that are known to help to manage body heat and moisture. (The company calls it their 37.5 Technology, based on the ideal body temperature in Celsius for comfortable sleeping).

Solimo Melatonin 5mg Gummies

Solimo’s five-milligram melatonin gummies will help you drift off to sleep while enjoying a little sweet treat. These strawberry-flavored bites are vegan and gluten-free, and the Amazon-owned brand says taking two before bed can help with occasional sleeplessness.

Ettitude Signature Sateen Sheet Set

Ettitude’s sustainable bamboo sheets work well for people who run hot at night or like the feel of a silky-smooth bed. The breathable and hypoallergenic fabric helps to keep you cool, and the set comes with one fitted sheet, one flat sheet and one or two pillowcases, depending on the mattress size you choose. The material meets the Oeko-Tex Standard 100, and compared to cotton it uses 500 times less water during production and produces 52 percent less carbon emissions.

Brooklinen Super-Plush Bathrobe

This plush unisex bathrobe by Brooklinen is made of 100 percent Oeko-Tex certified long-staple Turkish cotton. It features a shawl collar, two pockets and turn-back cuffs to give the feeling that you’re at a luxe spa while at home.

Oura Ring

Miranda Kerr is among the regular wearers of Oura’s smart ring, which is equipped with sensors that track your breathing, heart rate, body temperature, sleep, and activity. The wearable combines all of your statistics into actionable insight and advice on its accompanying smartphone app (compatible with Google Fit and Apple Health), which computes all of your numbers into a “Readiness” score that shows how well you slept, your ideal resting heart rate, and more. The latest version of the device also offers possible early pregnancy detection among women.

We like that the app also lets you know your optimal bedtime for the most effective sleep and when it’s time to get up and move — two healthy habits that are often easier to get done with a helpful nudge.

Amazon Basics Room Darkening Blackout Window Curtains

Blackout curtains help keep out the light in your room, thus signaling to your circadian rhythm that it’s time to make melatonin and get ready for bed. They’re particularly useful for people who work the night shift and who need to sleep during the day. These room-darkening blackout curtains from Amazon Basics are made of 100 percent polyester that meets the Oeko-Tex Standard 100. They come in a set of two and in a variety of colors, and they help to block out UV rays, reduce outside noise and create energy-saving insulation during the summer and winter.

Alo Mindful Magnesium Bath Soak

Dial down tension and soreness and dip yourself into Alo’s Mindful Magnesium bath soak containing amla superberries and natural citrus fragrances. Magnesium helps to soothe tired muscles, while avocado and coconut oils nourish the skin.

Eight Sleep Pod 3 Cover

We’ve never slept better after hooking our mattress up with Eight Sleep’s smart thermoregulating Pod 3 cover, which automatically cools down or warms up between 55 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit to help you sleep better. It tracks body temperature, resting heart rate, respiratory rate and heart rate variability in order to deliver personalized health reports, and the Temperature Autopilot feature learns to optimize settings based on all of your data. For those who share a bed, the mattress cover allows sleepers set the temperature on each side. If you want a complete bed overhaul, try Eight Sleep’s five-layer Pod 3 mattress (from $3,095) — the same offered at Hotel Figueroa’s relaxation package — that offers back support and pressure point relief.

Rae Sleep Dietary Supplement Capsules

If you prefer to take your snooze-supporting supplements in pill form, we like to take Rae’s sleep capsules 30 minutes before hitting the hay in order to sleep easier and wake up without any grogginess the following morning. The vegan and non-GMO dietary supplements contain melatonin, L-Theanine (which helps reduce stress and promote relaxation), and 5-HTP (known to help boost the body’s melatonin production), a combination that we’ve found to help us drift off quickly.

MORE BUYING OPTIONS: Rae | Amazon

Parachute Organic Cotton Bedroom Bundle

Parachute’s organic cotton bed sheets are GOTS- and Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified, and are great for anyone with sensitive skin or allergies who wants more sustainable bedding. This bundle includes a fitted sheet, two pillowcases in side open or back envelope styles, a lightweight or all-season duvet insert (filled with your choice of either European white down or hypoallergenic microfiber), a duvet cover, and two supportive pillows (choose your fill and density). The set comes in all mattress sizes and an array of neutral colors.

Mantra Labs Rest Supplement

Wellness-minded Walker star Jared Padalecki says he drinks Mantra Labs’ Rest powder mixes to help feel well-rested at night. (The star is a co-founder and investor of the Austin-based health supplements brand.) Mix the calorie-free, sugar-free powder with 12 to 24 ounces of water. It’s formulated to “improve cognition, immunity, energy, strength, mental health and overall wellness,” says the company. It contains plant-based ingredients such as PharmaGaba and Suntheanine to support relaxation, magnesium for restful sleep and anti-stress herbs such as lemon balm and passionflower.