The Better Sleep Council sounds like a helpful organization. According to its name, they appear to care deeply about your rest. Recently, they published an article titled “Living The Dream of Better Sleep.”
Ostensibly, this piece offers expert tips to help you drift off. However, once you look past the surface, you realize it is mostly fluff. Who actually reads this garbage?
Insightful Advice or Obvious Filler?
In their article, they provide several “tips” that are shockingly basic. For example, Tip #1 suggests: “Turning off your thoughts and worries are essentials if you are going to sleep well.”
This is incredibly insightful! As if people haven’t figured this out on their own. Apparently, they believe you can just flip a wall switch to turn off your anxiety like a lightbulb. Why would a serious website publish such nonsense? We will show you why in a minute.
The “Routine” Trap
The advice doesn’t get much better from there. Consider these gems:
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Tip #2: Go to bed at the same time every night. (Sure, but what if you have a hectic life?)
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Tip #3: Set up a nightly routine.
We are sure these will help a ton—maybe. However, the real motivation behind this article is hidden in the final tip.
The Real Goal: Sell More Mattresses
According to Tip #4, the biggest factor in your sleep is your mattress. They claim that an old mattress causes aches and pains. Furthermore, they insist that a mattress lifespan is only 5-7 years.
Here is the catch: If you buy a big brand-name mattress, the lifespan is probably less than three years. They just won’t admit it. They want you to meet that “threshold” so you spend more money.
Follow the Money
Why is their advice so focused on your wallet? It is quite simple. The Better Sleep Council is a front group funded by the International Sleep Products Association (ISPA).
The ISPA is a lobby group for the mattress industry, including chemical companies. Consequently, these “sleep tips” are just a veiled way to push mattress sales. Lobby groups are strong-arm organizations that manipulate the market. The mattress industry is no different.
Don’t Buy the Hype (or the Mattress)
Large companies use the ISPA to reduce competition and lobby for special favors from the government. Unfortunately, this work often goes against the interest of the average consumer.
The bottom line: Don’t buy a mattress from a large company just because a “council” told you to. Look past the lobbying and protect your wallet.