The Quest for Sleep

© by Gerald So | 6:00 AM

In early April, my 21-year-old innerspring mattress finally became un-sleepable and I spent the next few late nights researching a replacement.

With only space for a twin, I ruled out several luxury, pricier options. Not swearing by innerspring or memory foam, I was intrigued by Tuft & Needle's promise of a different-feeling, proprietary adaptive foam.

Two T&N mattresses were in my price range on Amazon: the original, $280, with a 3-inch adaptive foam comfort layer and a 7-inch polyurethane support layer, and the Amazon-exclusive T&N Nod, $220, with a 2.5-inch comfort layer and a 5.5-inch support layer. I went for the greater height.

With the mattress decided, I had sheets that fit lower, 6-inch models. Luckily one sheet served for a week while I researched new ones, going with 300-thread count 100% cotton percale, about $40 from Pinzon and Boston Linen Co. respectively.

Next, not wanting the hassle of a comforter and fearing a cotton blanket would shed itself to death in the dryer, I chose a bed-length lightweight fleece, $12.99 from Utopia Bedding.

Finally, for a pillow, since I liked the T&N mattress, I bought T&N's $75 standard size pillow. Unlike the majority, shredded foam-filled pillows, the T&N pillow is a 5-inch-thick slab of adaptive foam. Other pillows whose mattresses I didn't own cost $75 or more, and I had had enough of less expensive, wrong pillows over the years.

The pillow arrived yesterday and my first night on it was good, but off-gassing was more of lingering issue with the pillow than with the mattress. With my head on the pillow, my nose was closer to the gasses released since unpacking. Support-wise the pillow held up.

I think I've made the right choices for me. My thanks to the people behind GoodBed.com, Mattress Advisor, Mattress Clarity, The Sleep Judge, Sleepopolis, The Sleep Sherpa, and The Slumber Yard.