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, in January, it will be a particular focus for the first time. The international trade fair for home and contract textiles in Frankfurt 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,” said 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.” The problem: those who don’t sleep well can become ill even if they take sufficient exercise and have a good diet.

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, 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.

New lifestyle trend

“Today we know more about restful sleep and its positive influence on the brain, health and immune system than ever before – and yet we still neglect it,” summarised Markus Kamps. The sleep advisor and specialist lecturer for bedding wants to “to broaden the perspective on healthy sleep” in Frankfurt at the beginning of January.

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 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.

Intelligent assistants

A further novelty is the sleep tracker Sleep by the French company Withings. Its 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.

“We want to help anchor healthy sleeping habits,” said 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.

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 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.

World premiere

At Heimtextil, the start-up Sleeperoo will be presenting the world première for the hotel industry: the sleep capsule Sleep Cube is aimed at offering overnight experiences in the most exotic places possible. The modern version of a tent can be installed indoors or outdoors in almost any location.

The user sleeps in the Sleep Cube on a comfortable 1.60-metre-wide and 2-metre-long mattress that can also accommodate two adults. The overall furnishings comprise sustainably produced materials. Three large panoramic windows ensure a view of the surroundings and the open sky.

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.

www.heimtextil.messefrankfurt.com