Sleep Number Beds and the SleepIQ Technology

So... I've gotten a mission from Smiley360.com to check out the SleepIQ technology from Sleep Number beds. In exchange for my visiting the Sleep Number store and checking out the SleepIQ technology and telling my friends about it, I will receive a CoolFit Foam Contour pillow (retail value $139.99). Not a bad deal and I have wanted to check out the Sleep Number beds anyway. So today (Sunday, October 26, 2014) I went to the Sleep Number store in Greenville, SC, and talked to Ned Lovell. He was great. I told him that I was on a Smiley360 mission and he was more than happy to explain everything about the Sleep Number beds and Sleep IQ. I have to say the beds are very comfortable. My sleep number is approximately a 35, but as Ned explained that could change after a few weeks on the bed as laying on a bed for 15-20 minutes is nothing like sleeping on one for 6-8 hours. But it's easy enough to adjust the sleep number. I tried out several beds, but the bed I liked the most (p5) would have cost $2,500 and that wasn't the most expensive by far.

The SleepIQ technology is interesting. SleepIQ tracks your average breathing rate, average heart rate and movement while you sleep and keeps track of your sleep number and any additional information you add for that day (diet, exercise, stress, etc.) It syncs up to your iPhone, iPad, Android, etc and then gives you a number about how you slept for that night. After a few weeks/months you can find patterns that can assist you in finding ways to sleep better. While all this is built into the Sleep Number beds, the cost of the bed itself is very prohibitive for the average consumer. The salesman pointed to how I could use the special financing they had available and how getting a good night of regenerative sleep is priceless, which I agree with. But unfortunately when the monthly payment is about 1/2 of my current mortgage, it's hard to justify the cost.

The other thing I noticed was this technology is pretty similar to what I already have with my FitBit and also an iPhone app called Sleep Cycle.  Granted, those you need to turn on when you go to sleep and the SleepIQ is built into the Sleep Number bed, but a FitBit costs about $100 and the Sleep Cycle App is $0.99 for iOS or Android.

So... my final review... I LOVE the Sleep Number beds and the SleepIQ technology is really interesting, but I just cannot afford one at this time.  Yeah... Yeah... I know... As the salesman told me - a restorative night's sleep is priceless, which I agree... But tell that to my bank account when it comes time to pay the bills.