Tempur launches new memory foam mattress
SLEEP IS one of the rewards of living. The pressures of the day melt away on our pillows as we enter our dreams. If falling sleep is the first step we take into the promise of Dreamland, the mattress is the way to get there, and we don’t see why you should scrimp on that.
Last week, Tempur launched its Oslo mattress, along with its new campaign, spearheaded by tennis star Serena Williams. Ms. Williams, in a video, says: “Pressure? I feel it every day. But at night, it’s the last thing on my mind.”
The US-based memory foam mattress company founded in 1992 gets its technology from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, better known as NASA — if it’s good enough for the endlessness of outer space, it’s good enough for your evening rest. Simon Walsh, senior vice-president for Asia Pacific Operations, said that their company was the first to use the memory foam technology in the application of mattresses, when NASA was using it for space suits and aircraft seats.
The Oslo mattress, according to Mr. Walsh, uses the same technology as previous Tempur mattresses, with pressure and motion absorption (basically it conforms to your body shape and doesn’t make you feel any changes in weight and pressure: for example, when your sleeping partner rises). The main difference, according to him, is the inclusion of a plush cover that can be stripped off and washed.
Ms. Williams, in the video, said that she has been sleeping on her Tempur mattress for 10 years. The average lifespan of a mattress is five to 10 years, so Tempur tries to give its clients a 10-year warranty. However, Mr. Walsh, who of course, has his own Tempur mattress, says that his is 15 years old. “It’s still performing just like the day when I first got it.”
Memory foam technology is no longer a novelty and it’s readily available in items as far ranging as pillows and slippers at very low prices. Still, Mr. Walsh says: “It’s been like the Coca-Cola. It’s a secret recipe. Everyone’s trying to copy our formula, but we still believe that we’re years and years ahead of them in terms of the innovation of the product.”
For the launch of the new matress in the Philippines, Tempur invited athletes to serve as ambassadors, including members of the Philippine Volcanoes rugby team; swimmer, actress, TV host, and newscaster Christine Jacobs-Sandejas; SEA 2017 silver medalist tennis player Clarice Patrimonio; and basketball star Chris Tiu. Mr. Walsh said: “Sleep is so important to them (athletes). They need to recover from their training; they need to recover after their performance, and a good night’s sleep is imperative to optimize their performance.”
Mr. Tiu said that without sleep, “I can’t think clearly; I process things slower. Definitely getting enough sleep will allow me to be at least mentally sharp.”
As for his sleeping rituals, Mr. Tiu tries to sleep a maximum of eight hours at night. “What really helps is taking afternoon naps,” he said, explaining that he tries to take a 10- to 20-minute nap in the middle of the day. “I think it’s one thing that could help any individual function better during the day.”
Mr. Tiu, aside from being a basketball star, is also an entrepreneur (among his family’s ventures is the Discovery Hotel group), which means that he has to juggle his lifestyle between work and sport, with training in the morning, and business in the afternoon. As well, he has since married in 2013. “Being a husband and a father also requires you to be healthy and to be energetic so you can spend [time] and have good conversations with your family. It’s equally important, if not even more important.”
Tempur has showrooms at Greenbelt 5, Makati City; Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong City; Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City; the Design Center of Cebu, Mandaue, Cebu; Vertis North, Quezon City; and Ayala The 30th, Pasig City — Joseph L. Garcia
