“Sleep is food for the brain, sleep is fuel for exercise. Sleep is simply not valued in our 24/7 society. We treat it as a luxury and it’s a necessity.” – James B. Maas, Ph.D.
You wouldn’t run a marathon or hike a mountain without the right gear. And yet, despite spending a third of our lives sleeping, many of us haven’t adequately prepared in the bedroom — when it comes to mattresses, that is. Enter Bear Mattress, a one of a kind American made mattress specifically designed to help you sleep better, recover faster and more fully.
On Performance and Design…
Whether you’re a professional triathlete, or weekend warrior, being the best athlete possible takes a calculated approach to training and recovery. And sleep is one of the most important parts of that equation. And yet, while we’ve been given ample tools that supply an edge during our daytime training sessions (think foam rollers, compression wear, trackers, specialty footwear), traditionally our nighttime equipment has been focused primarily on comfort – and that’s about it.
And while there are a number of mattresses that lay claim to helping the body recover, Bear Mattress is is specifically designed with an athlete-targeted sleep technology. The mattress features four specific components that combine to ease muscle tension, boost recovery and sooth hard-working bodies. In other words, Bear Mattress is your mattress with benefits – designed to offer much more than just a place to sleep.
Graphite Gel Memory Foam delivers the cooling, pressure-relieving and comforting sleep. Now in the world of foam mattresses there’s a great deal of chatter about a ‘cool night’s sleep’. But Bear Mattress actually offers superior thermal conductivity by combining open-cell, high air-flow foam and superconducting graphite particles. The result is up to 7 times better conductivity than that of conventional memory foam.
The next layer is composed of Quick Response Foam. This dual layer of foam provides impressive pressure relief with just the right amount of bounce, so you can move freely throughout your bed while your spine stays perfectly aligned. Last but not least is the base layer which is composed of a high density, breathable core support foam which not only provides a solid foundation but adds longevity to your mattress.
In terms of overall comfort, Bear Mattress is designed as a “universal comfort” feel. However, one of the things we enjoy about this mattress is that it ‘catches’ the body much sooner than other mattresses we’ve tried. It offers just the right amount of sink to gently hug the body while catching you early enough so that you never feel like you’re falling through layer after layer of foam before coming to rest.
You may have noticed that thus far, we’ve only discussed three of the four components that make up this sleep system. Here comes the magic; these three layers of foam are encapsulated by a zippered cover with Celliant™ responsive textile technology. While most textiles either trap or vent body heat, the unique Celliant fibers go beyond this traditional ‘trap v. vent’ paradigm. Celliant fibers actually work to recycle energy emissions from the body and release them back into the skin and deep muscle tissue in the form of infrared light. Some clinical studies have shown that this process increases capillary size and circulation, which aids in natural biological processes that allow the body to reduce minor aches and pains, heal faster and sleep better.
Admittedly, we didn’t conduct any scientific research on the mattress – we didn’t even sleep in our lab coats. But what we can say is that our experience with Bear Mattress seems to suggest that the Celliant technology has helped with a reduction in both soreness and pain.
Because of the way the Celliant fibers are interwoven into the material, they will not wash out when laundered over time. This is because it is not a spray-on or application that is applied on top of the material. Celliant fibers are woven into the fabric like any textile (polyester, cotton, wool, etc.). As such, they do not wash out or deteriorate over time. So you get the benefit of Celliant night after night, workout after workout.
Notes from the Slumber…
It is not uncommon for new mattress owners to require a month or more to adjust to their new sleep system. In fact, it has been suggested that it can take up to 8 weeks for our bodies to adjust to the improved support of a new mattress. Bear Mattress suggests that you give yourself at least 30 days to adjust to their mattress.
That being said, it did take our bodies significantly longer to adjust to the mattress than other comparable sleep systems. In fairness, we don’t have a specific reason for the extensive adjustment period, nor is it a critique of the mattress – it’s simply a statement of our personal experience. After the adjustment period, we were able to fully experience the benefits of waking up feeling more refreshed with reduced pain in joints, back and high impact areas.
Choosing the correct mattress is one of the most important decisions you can make that will affect your comfort, your sleep, and your athletic performance. But just to make sure that Bear Mattress is the right fit for your lifestyle, the brand offers a 100 night risk-free in-home trial period. If you’re not completely satisfied, simply drop them a line and they will not only refund your purchase price but arrange for someone to come pick the bed up. No fees, no fuss, no worries. The mattress also comes with a 10 year limited warranty.
Bottom Line…
Whether you’re a pro-athlete, weekend warrior or simply fall into that “urban active” category, one truism holds for us all: When you sleep better, you train better and when you train better, you perform better. Bear Mattress is uniquely crafted not just for a quality night sleep, but a sleep that helps your body refresh and rejuvenate.
*Gumption Gear Review received the items featured in this review from Bear Mattress at no cost and receives no monetary compensation for this or any related review. The items featured were provided solely in return for our honest views and opinions.