Minimalist Master Bedroom Redo: Sleep, Health, and A Magical New Mattress

August 2018 update: While for the first year plus this was the best mattress I had ever slept on (I didn't sleep well anywhere but on this mattress), something has changed with the product over time. Two years later we find it too soft and not supportive. Unfortunately it's something you can only report back on two years later, not at the time of writing, but for those of you looking into this mattress, I wanted to write an honest update. 

Quick note: I am officially an adult, because I have a new mattress. Mattress acquisition is a very adult thing. Like putting up curtains. Or getting excited about a new kitchen sponge. 

In my last post about the master bedroom redo I showed you what's going up on the walls, and to that end, the color palate of the room. Today it's all about the bed and sleep. I cannot even begin to share the depths of my love for sleep. Anyone who knows me well will tell you I prioritize sleep. I never pulled an all-nighter in college (despite how much I needed to study and panic about chemistry class). And like all things, I really like to figure out how I can do something better and easier. How could I streamline my sleep to become a hibernation champion and in turn improve basically every aspect of my life? Because whether you know it or not, your sleep health has a big impact on your weight, mood, and more. There's no downside to this... more, better sleep = healthier weight? If I really wanted to click bait this post I should have named it "sleep for a sexier body". But let's just move on so I can tell just what hell on earth we were sleeping on before this new mattress.

Let's set this hellacious scene. Two humans plus four cats. One full size mattress. NO. I also need to add, that this mattress is Chris's from high school. Probably earlier. So... Mattresses are a funny thing. You sleep on them every night for hours on end and your sleep affects your entire life. And yet no one thinks to invest in them. Strange. And then once you DO upgrade your mattress and you internally berate yourself for being a moron and not doing this sooner. 

This is where I tell you exactly where you need to go, right after you finish this blog post. To order a Noomi mattress.

Noomi is a made in America, bed in a box company with a conscience. We knew we wanted to go for a bed in a box because we live in historic home: narrow as hell doorways and hall ways (which is why we are totally renovating/remodeling. To bust it wide open). And any old home owner will tell you, you are not fitting anything through an 1800's door. Especially not traditional, new American furniture. Or a regular mattress. Please refer back to the story where we cut down a wall to put my couch in the house for additional reference. Or where we cut another couch in half and threw it out a second story door that used to attach to a back stairwell. The neighbors loved watching that one I'm sure.

While there are several bed in a box companies popping up, to me Noomi is really, really different. 

• They give back. For every 10 mattresses sold, they donate one. 

• 20 year guarantee and 101 day risk free trial. 

• Gel cooling layers. Chris is basically a furnace (which is likely one of the top reasons the cat love him) so this is MAJOR.
• Squishy but supportive. You sleep kind of 'in' vs 'on top'. And it made me realize I was literally getting ZERO lower back support on our old mattress. And I can actually sleep on my side on this one! Because my hips rested on top of the other mattress, it squashed all of my internal organs and my spine in a weird way. Not so here. I also love that it limits motion transfer so when a cat launches itself from the nightstand, it's less jolting (unless it's Tango). 

So why IS sleep so important?

Great question. Let's talk about it.

• Chronic sleep deprivation might lead to weight gain. Harvard school of public health thinks this is for a few reasons:
  • altered hormones that control hunger
  • more time to eat since you're awake
  • you're tired so you choose less healthy foods for energy and convenience 
• You move less. You're tired so you just want to Netflix and chill. 
• It helps your brain function and emotions. 

Final thoughts?

Yeah. How about, let's take a nap. I have loved my experience with not only the Noomi team but the product itself. If you're in the market for a new mattress, DO IT! I'm thrilled I got to partner with them. To see HOW to unbox a bed that comes in a box, check out the YouTube video I made!