A balanced diet and sufficient exercise are naturally part of a healthy lifestyle. However, one of the most important building blocks for permanent physical and psychological well-being is constantly neglected: restful sleep. At the upcoming Heimtextil (8-11 January 2019), it will therefore be a particular focus for the first time. And there’s more: the international trade fair for home and contract textiles in Frankfurt am Main will thus guarantee a comprehensive insight into the “Future of Sleep”
According to a Forsa study carried out last year for the Techniker Krankenkasse, one in three adults in Germany experiences mediocre, bad or even very bad sleep. ‘That doesn’t surprise me’, says Dr Alfred Wiater, former president of the German Society for Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine (DGSM). ‘Numerous studies have since shown that we are sleeping worse and worse’. According to Wiater, the reasons for this are as multifaceted as some dreams: too much light or irritating noises, a permanently increased excitation level as a result of digitization or general inability to relax and switch off.
The sleep researcher – along with other international experts – will present on the current state of research in sleep medicine as part of the new “Sleep! The Future Forum”. In four thematic areas (Science & Digital, Sports, Hotels and Sustainability), the experts will provide information about the latest scientific and research findings and provide an outlook on the future of sleep. Heimtextil is cooperating with sleep expert Markus Kamps on the conception and planning of the programme. He and his team will also be on hand to advise trade fair visitors during a “First Aid Sleep Consultation Hour”. The new forum in the foyer of hall 11.0 is thus an attractive meeting point for representatives of the bed industry for knowledge transfer, exchange of experiences and networking.
The new lifestyle trend
Heimtextil has recognised the latest lifestyle trend after nutrition and fitness and has transformed it into a top theme as part of the new trade fair concept “Sleep”. New products in this segment will be combined on a separate hall level (11.0) for the first time. Under the title “Smart Bedding”, 134 exhibitors will present their latest sleeping systems, mattresses and bedding. This includes functional materials as well as innovative technology solutions for a better night’s sleep.
Better night’s sleep thanks to intelligent assistants
A further novelty is the sleep tracker “Sleep” by the French Company Withings from Issy-les-Moulineaux. Their special sleep sensor mat is filled with air and placed under the mattress where it can synchronise with a smartphone via WLAN. If the user lies down to go to sleep, the clever digital monitors analyse the quality of sleep. On the corresponding app, parameters such as sleep duration, sleep depth and sleep regularity can be viewed; the mat even precisely records snoring that disturbs sleep.
‘We want to help anchor healthy sleeping habits’, says Ariane Koch, Brand Marketing Specialist at Withings. She says that this will happen via tips displayed by the app such as reminders to finally go to bed or put the smartphone aside. And restless nights due to bad eating or drinking behavior could also be instructive. ‘Only when you see how well or badly you’ve slept can you improve your sleep’, says Ariane Koch.
Learning from top athletes
Nick Littlehales will once again be coming to Heimtextil. The well-known sleep coach of top athletes such as the five-time world champion footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and four-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton will be talking in the “Sleep! The Future Forum” about how even top sporting superstars whose sleep has already been optimised several times can still be improved. In interviews, Littlehales, who was involved in the development of a smart pillow to monitor sleep, emphasises that the tips offered to professionals can also be employed by non-sportspeople.
Sustainability in the bedroom
More and more people are also relying on the use of natural materials and sustainably produced textiles in the bedroom. This is why the thematic block sustainability in the lecture forum is dedicated to the material quality of textiles and the quality of their processing, in particular the verifiability of high environmental production standards. Sustainability experts from GoodWeave, Control Union, Transfair, Texool and Cotton made in Africa will be showing how retailers and consumers can find their way around the eco-label jungle with confidence.
#heimtextil, #sleep, #life, #sleepwell, #sleepwellexpo, #mattressindustry, #bedding, #sustainability, #textiles
