Simmons Better Sleep Through Science Platform Ensures Quality Products Deliver Quality Sleep

Furniture World Magazine

Science has made it possible for us to shop by computer, cure diseases and cook an entire meal in a matter of minutes. Simmons Company is using science as the foundation for quality sleep. According to Simmons' new corporate position, Better Sleep Through Science, quality sleep is achieved when science is employed in product development, as practiced by Simmons for decades. "This is much more than a new tagline for the company, it's a philosophy and a commitment we stand by," said Zenon Nie, Simmons chairman and CEO. "We have a history based on the belief that research and science are essential to improving product quality and ultimately improving the quality of sleep. We are forging relationships and pioneering science-based initiatives unheard of in our industry." In an industry that has historically focused on comfort and durability, Simmons has recognized a third dimension - quality of sleep. According to Nie, "Our science-based ventures give consumers more concrete and relevant issues to consider in mattress purchases. Consumers can identify with extensive testing and scientific validation - it offers proof and reassurance in the product's benefits and construction." Simmons' scientific endeavors can be traced back as far as 75 years and as recent as today. From construction to product testing to expert endorsements, science has been consistently applied and revered at Simmons. Beautyrest Brand Introduces Simmons and the Industry to the Significance of Science Beautyrest propelled Simmons to the limelight nearly 75 years ago and continues to redefine technology today. Simmons Beautyrest enjoys phenomenal success due to the benefits its proprietary construction delivers through its patented Pocketed Coil technology. Despite pervasive recognition, Beautyrest isn't resting on its laurels, and announces this Market new sleep research. Simmons Beautyrest's scientific sphere includes: Pocketed Coil Technology - developed nearly 75 years ago, this patented technology introduced consumers to reduced transfer of motion in bed. Now in its seventh generation of enhancements, Simmons' Pocketed Coil technology remains the most advanced technology in the industry, offering consumers superior sleep benefits only found in its Do-Not-Disturb mattress. Sleep Research - while Simmons continued to enhance its Beautyrest mattress and Pocketed Coil technology during its 75-year lifetime, the company recently engaged in first-ever scientific research to explore the effects of partner movement on sleep quality. Simmons-commissioned research conducted by a leading sleep disorders center confirms that motion on the partner's side disrupts sleep quality, decreasing the amount of time spent in valuable deep sleep (Delta sleep). With the average person moving 40-60 times per night, reducing transfer of partner movement from one side to the other becomes essential. "We've always known that our Beautyrest Pocketed Coil technology reduces transfer of motion from one side of the bed to the other. This new research further underscores the importance of the relationship between motion and sleep quality," said Doug Kinde, director of Beautyrest. BackCare Receives Accolades from Medical Experts Almost four years ago, Simmons introduced a revolutionary construction found only in its second flagship - BackCare. The first bed designed to be anatomically correct based on a five-zone construction in each component, it didn't take long for consumers and leading experts to applaud Simmons for successfully applying science to BackCare's development. National Foundation For Spinal Health (NFSH) -- BackCare's initial exposure to the health and medical field came from the unsolicited endorsement by the NFSH -- an organization created to champion the continued research of products and services to better the lives of health conscious and back pain suffering consumers. That relationship spurred BackCare's further association with the medical community when in the fall of 1997, Simmons Company and NFSH convened 15 medical experts representing a cross section of medical disciplines to examine BackCare's design. The meeting, held in Durham, NC, resulted in a consensus that BackCare's fivezoned construction helps maintain natural spinal alignment, while offering proper support. The consensus serves as the foundation for the development of a variety of medical education programs, CME (Continuing Medical Education) and other symposia - all intended to further investigate the benefits of the five zone design. Harvard University School of Public Health - Within BackCare's four-year anniversary, it celebrates another medical milestone by announcing this Market Simmons BackCare's participation with the Harvard University School of Public Health. This entity of the prestigious Harvard University is dedicated to addressing the medical issues that affect the general population. In this unprecedented relationship, Simmons BackCare will be studied by medical industry professionals from leading teaching institutions and hospitals to examine benefits delivered by the patented five-zoned sleep system. At the helm of this aggressive and hallmark effort is world-renowned Harvard professor Dr. David Shore, Executive Director of the Center for Continuing Professional Education - Harvard School of Public Health.   Dr. Shore was approached to enlist his participation in a variety of future programs based on the Durham conference findings. According to Dr. Shore, the conference represents the tip of the iceberg in what can be studied. Prospective initiatives include the involvement of medical community thought leaders to identify opportunities beyond the Durham conference in both the domestic and international marketplace. While details and the scope of the relationship are still being defined, Simmons and Harvard anticipate the efforts to include research, symposiums with key thought leaders from the medical community, surveys and product analysis. "The industry has never witnessed such an endeavor surrounding a sleep product as we have established with Simmons BackCare," said Tim Oakhill, director of BackCare. "To have the opportunity to collaborate with an organization so respected and with a history grounded in research and science is remarkable for the mattress industry as a whole. We're taking the importance of science very seriously, exploring all avenues to ensure we are correctly and effectively applying science to all facets of BackCare's five zone design. These efforts provide consumers with a concrete benefit for the BackCare brand." Beautyrest's unrivaled technology and research, BackCare's revolutionary construction and medical alliances, and Simmons' state-of-the-art research and development facility (Simmons Institute for Technology and Education), make Better Sleep Through Science a logical platform for Simmons to adopt. Better Sleep Through Science is Simmons' public vow to bolster the quality of sleep through the continuous application of science and research to product development. Maker of Beautyrest®, BackCare® and Sleep Logic® mattresses, Atlanta-based Simmons Company employs more than 2,500 people in 18 plants throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. For more information, consumers can visit Simmons' web site at http://www.simmons.com.