Expanding Our Lineup For The Future Of Sleep

Humans have been sleeping on this Earth for hundreds of thousands of years, and yet the way we sleep has hardly evolved. Our beds today look and function, for the most part, as they did back in the 1800s. The last major innovation in sleep was memory foam, invented in 1966. Since then, not much has changed. We have self-driving cars on the streets, but we still sleep on layers of foam.

We use technology to enhance nearly every aspect of our lives, so why not use it to optimize sleep? With over ⅓ of the population being sleep deprived, we are more desperate than ever to get a good night’s sleep. Many companies have taken notice of these alarming statistics and are developing new products to help people sleep. Various sleep aids, inventive mattresses, and high-tech smart gadgets are flooding the market. In fact, the global bedding market (which includes mattresses, bedding and sleep aids) is experiencing exponential growth and is already a $96B industry. Technology is not only hot, but it’s helpful. In a survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation and the Consumer Electronics Association, 51% of sleep technology owners said their sleeping had improved and 49% reported feeling healthier as a result.

The future of sleep is going to look very different from what it is currently, and technology will be driving this evolution. In 5 years from now, we will be able to optimize everything about sleep so that we become more efficient, healthier human beings.

There are several benefits of sleep technology. Special alarm clocks make waking up easier, smart light bulbs can adjust hues to align with your circadian cycle, and apps can simulate calming ambient sounds. Additionally, sleep trackers can monitor sleep habits and help people make subsequent lifestyle changes. Just as smartphones have made our lives increasingly easier, so can smart bedrooms.

We are in the very early stages of a sleep technology boom, and Eight is at the forefront of this new wave. Since our launch three years ago, we have been on a mission to use technology to improve the sleep experience. Our first two products, the Eight Smart Cover and the Eight Smart Mattress have been developed and designed with that initial objective in mind. They track dozens of factors about sleep, providing us with unique insights from almost 15,000 people every single night. So far we have collected more than 10 million hours of sleep and 200 billion data points. Over the next few years, we plan to gather a significant amount of sleep data so that we can deepen our understanding of what precise conditions are needed to rest better. We will leverage these findings to eventually create the ultimate sleep environment.

Unfortunately, consuming cutting-edge products is often seen as a privilege. It’s typically associated with high costs and exclusivity. Similarly, so is getting enough sleep. Earlier this year, The New York Times called sleep a “status symbol.” In order to solve your sleep problems and get quality sleep, you need to be able to afford all the gadgets. At Eight, we want to move away from this conclusion. We want sleep technology to be accessible to all. This is why we are expanding our product offerings.

Today, we are introducing new mattresses to our Smart Mattress collection. By expanding our lineup we are offering the opportunity to create the perfect sleep space for everyone. One mattress is not enough to support all sleepers, especially when 66% of our users sleep on their sides, 17% on their backs, and 14% on their stomachs. Everybody sleeps differently and therefore requires different comfort levels, firmness levels, and overall feel. Our new Mars+ is designed for those who like both the hug of memory foam and the breathability of springs. The Jupiter+ (formerly known as the Eight Smart Mattress) is best for people who want the contour and support from premium reactive foams. The Saturn+ is our high quality affordable smart mattress, with a Queen starting at just $799. A smart bed does not have to cost thousands of dollars. We want to bring the benefits of sleep tech to more people. By expanding our collection, there really can be a smart mattress for everyone. All of our smart mattresses come with our proprietary sleep technology that tracks sleep, manages the temperature of the bed and connects to users’ smart home devices like Amazon Alexa and Nest.

All three styles available in our Smart Mattress Collection.

Our smart mattress was created after analyzing over 10 million hours of sleep data and identifying what bed materials give people their best sleep. It turns out, foam ranked at the top, followed closely by hybrid mattresses made of innersprings and foam. Who ranked last? Gel and air mattresses — including air pocket beds.

Sleep technology is growing more popular in recent years. What used to be a far-fetched dream is now becoming a reality. With our new mattresses, we hope to bring sleep tech into mainstream society.

Sleeping smart should not be a privilege; it should be for everyone.

We are living in an incredibly exciting time full of groundbreaking innovations. Technology will only continue to advance, and the future of sleep will be the direct result of these innovations. At Eight, our technology is evolving with the industry. As the mattress and iOT market progresses, so do we. Since our founding, we have launched six mattresses and a line of bedroom accessories including an adjustable pillow, organic sheets, and a foundation. Besides new products, we are constantly updating our technology and releasing new versions of the Eight app. Everything we develop is designed using extensive data and research. Unlike other bedding companies, we are investing heavily on true innovation because we believe technology holds the answers to better sleep.

We have grown tenfold this year alone and will continue to expand so that everyone has the opportunity to wake up in the future.

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Matteo Franceschetti

Written by

Co-Founder and CEO at Eight

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