Bryan Umiker, owner of The Ethical Mattress Company and a 20+ year veteran of the mattress industry, says sleep disturbances are extremely prevalent and a challenging problem for the midlife women visiting his store. “According to the National Sleep Foundation, over 60% of menopausal women report frequent bouts of insomnia and other sleep problems, such as sleep apnea, snoring, and restless leg syndrome,” Umiker states, adding that his female customers frequently share that the physical discomforts of menopause—like hot flashes and sweating—are having a negative impact on their sleep quality.
Umiker says that helping women facing these sleep challenges is something he’s learned to do over the last two decades in the sleep business. “It’s possible to dramatically improve your quality of sleep by paying close attention to your sleep environment and other controllable factors,” he says.
According to Umiker, airflow is vital in offsetting the impacts of hot flashes. “It’s critical we surround our bodies with breathable materials that allow for maximum airflow, as this facilitates the rapid dissipation of heat away from our bodies.” Umiker says this principle applies to your mattress, pillow, sheets, comforters, and sleepwear.
Starting with the bedding and sleepwear, “Knits are up to 5 times more breathable than woven fabrics,” he states. “In my experience, the best fabric for breathability is a 100% cotton jersey knit. After that would be a percale, which is better than a sateen weave because it has less density and better airflow between the fibers.”
Moving on to the mattress and pillow, “Hybrid mattresses made with natural materials like cotton and wool are tremendously breathable and facilitate dramatically better airflow than the memory foam mattresses sold by most national brands.” Studies have found memory foam can add as much as 10 degrees to the micro-climate surrounding your body at night and that it’s essential to avoid both mattresses and pillows that utilize memory foam.
Umiker founded The Ethical Mattress Company to give area consumers an option that offers all-natural mattresses, transparent pricing, sustainable sourcing, and personalized service.
While working with customers in his Millburn store, he says listening closely as the customer describes their sleep challenges is essential. He credits this consultative approach for enabling him to advise customers on the right choice for a mattress, pillow, and other items and share simple tips for achieving a better night’s sleep.
The Ethical Mattress Company
387 Millburn Avenue, Millburn | 973-250-6104
Photo by Dan Epstein
