Habits and Hustle

Episode 527: Jack Dell’Accio: How Your Mattress Impacts REM Sleep, Brain Recovery and Performance

24 snips
Feb 10, 2026
Guest
Jack Dell'Accio
Jack Dell’Accio, a certified sleep coach and founder of Essentia who studies restorative rest, explains why mattresses are a major overnight exposure. He discusses REM and deep sleep as drivers of brain detox and recovery. He warns about toxins, EMFs, and cooling gels that fragment sleep. He compares sleep hygiene to environment and why many “organic” mattresses miss key performance features.
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ADVICE

Remove Toxic Mattress Exposures

  • Avoid mattresses that off‑gas toxins because they stimulate the central nervous system and fragment deep sleep.
  • Start by swapping to a truly organic, coil‑free mattress to reduce nightly chemical stimulation.
ANECDOTE

Double‑Blind Study With Pro Athletes

  • Essentia ran a double‑blind sleep study with 75 pro athletes and measured 20–60% more REM and deep sleep on their mattress.
  • Players also reported better focus, happiness, and play absorption subjectively on the Essentia surface.
ADVICE

Stop Obsessing Over Nightly Metrics

  • Don’t obsess over nightly sleep metrics; look at 10‑day averages instead and avoid daily stress from trackers.
  • Jack advises teams to have staff monitor data so athletes don't psych themselves out before performance.
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