The National Sleep Foundation and Serta(R) Join Forces to Promote Better Sleep

WASHINGTON, April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) and mattress manufacturer Serta are joining forces on a groundbreaking industry partnership to promote sleep education among consumers.  As part of this program, Serta's flagship Perfect Sleeper® will be redesigned with input from the NSF and will be the "Official Mattress of the National Sleep Foundation."  Additionally, the new Perfect Sleeper mattresses will come with an NSF educational "Guide to Sleeping Well" booklet designed to help consumers get the most out of their sleep each and every night.  

"More than 40 percent of Americans report problems sleeping every night or almost every night," says David Cloud, CEO of the National Sleep Foundation.  "One factor that most people overlook when it comes to improving their sleep is the importance of the mattress.  We recognized a tremendous opportunity to bridge this gap which led us to our partnership with Serta."    

The NSF chose to work with Serta, the second largest bedding brand in the industry, after an exhaustive "request for proposal" process that began last year.  The Foundation sought an established partner to collaborate on a new sleep education program that would be paired with a quality mattress to be enhanced with input from the NSF.  

Together, the NSF and Serta will work to shed light on how mattresses contribute to good sleep. As part of the partnership, Serta will distribute an estimated 750,000 educational materials each year to help customers improve their sleep for life. The NSF's guide will be a needed "instruction manual" for a very sleepy population, covering the basics of healthy sleep, ways to improve sleep, disordered sleep and when to seek help for sleep problems.

"Serta is excited to work with the National Sleep Foundation to advance people's understanding of mattresses as a key element of good sleep and overall wellness," says Bob Sherman, president of Serta. "This program unites our joint expertise in sleep research, education and product design to help people optimize their sleep experience and promote healthy sleep."

The new Perfect Sleeper mattress line is being designed for enhanced comfort and support with input from the National Sleep Foundation. The Foundation has commissioned independent testing to ensure the new mattresses meet its standards.

"This is a natural pairing of two leaders," said Cloud. "The National Sleep Foundation is the nation's voice for sleep health and safety, and Serta and its Perfect Sleeper line have an exceptional reputation for comfort and quality. The National Sleep Foundation is proud to call the new Serta Perfect Sleeper line its 'Official Mattress.'"

New Serta Perfect Sleeper mattresses carrying the "Official Mattress of the National Sleep Foundation" designation will start rolling out in 2010 and will be available nationally through all Serta retailers by 2011.

About the National Sleep Foundation

The National Sleep Foundation is dedicated to improving sleep health and safety through education, public awareness and advocacy.  It is well-known for its annual Sleep in America poll. The Foundation is a charitable, educational and scientific not-for-profit organization located in Washington, DC.  Its membership includes researchers and clinicians focused on sleep medicine, professionals in the health, medical and science fields, individuals, patients, families affected by drowsy driving and more than 900 healthcare facilities throughout North America. Please visit www.sleepfoundation.org for more information.

About Serta

Serta is a bedding brand leader and the manufacturer of the best selling premium mattress in America, The Serta Perfect Sleeper®, the upscale Perfect Day® collection, the elegant Vera Wang by Serta® Collection and the new Trump Home™ Mattress Collection. For more information, visit, www.serta.com.  As the leading provider of mattresses to the hospitality industry, Serta partners with hotel groups such as Hilton Hotels, Marriott, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Bellagio Hotel, Wyndham Hotels, Omni Hotels, Choice Hotels, Accor Hotels and many more.

Serta has 23 U.S. and four Canadian manufacturing plants.  In addition, Serta is distributed internationally in 60 other countries.  With its worldwide network, Serta is able to respond quickly to customers' needs while still preserving strict control standards to ensure the highest quality products.

SOURCE Serta