sleep deprivation is one of the leading causes of health issues ranging from chronic fatigue to increased stress. People who do not get steady and good sleep tend to be plagued with an inability to focus, a heightened chance of being involved in accidents, and other negative experiences. One of the causes of lack of sleep is a failure to get comfortable in the evening.
Companies from Casper to Leesa to iComfort have designed mattresses with the aim of keeping weary people comfortable. Many mattresses are warm and during hot summer months, feeling overheated can be a major source of sleepless nights.
This fact is precisely what prompted product developer Janice Yates to design the “Tanda mattress” that helps keep people cool while they slumber.
The Tanda mattress is designed to comfort each person’s individual body type while keeping them cool. It takes the memory foam technology, that has grown in popularity over the past ten years, to the next level. What makes the Tanda mattress unique is its innovative cooling properties that use air from the room to cool the mattress. The cooling feature is possible via a new low-tech technology known as “ATROS” which stands for "Advanced Temperature Regulation for Optimum Sleep" coupled with soft Opti-Breeze foam for breathability. In fact, the Tanda is infused with three different kinds of foams to increase the sensation of comfort.
Janice Yates, one of the primary developers of this new technology and sleep aid recently sat down and discussed the making of this innovative mattress in an exclusive interview.
Technology, design, and comfort
Meagan Meehan (MM): How did you discover the unique cooling technology used in Tanda and how did you come up with that name?
Janice Yates (JY): We started the development process with a deep dive into the science of sleep to best understand the elements that help produce the optimal conditions for a restful sleep. We identified research that emphasized the correlation between body temperature and sleep: slightly lowering the body temperature before bedtime helps induce sleep more quickly and improve the overall quality of sleep.
With this insight, we worked with mattress and sleep experts to develop a unique implementation of a cooling sensation into the top layer of a breathable and very comfortable foam mattress. Our innovative new ATROS technology pulls the cool air from the room and transfers it to the body to achieve optimum temperature throughout the night. The Tanda name has a very special meaning to us. “Tanda” is a Hindi word that means “cool" and it was named this is in honor of our CEO Venkata Chinni who believes products should be developed to provide solutions that are proven to work.
MM: What were the design challenges associated with creating this series? For instance, how did you select the precise foams and fabrics?
JY: We knew that our vision of providing a cool sleep shouldn’t be limited to just the top layer. We also knew that many of the existing foam formulations used in today’s mattresses are not breathable and create a very hot and uncomfortable sleep experience. Each layer of the Tanda mattress is specially designed to offer a cool and breathable experience that is not only more comfortable but also better for you. It took some time to develop and test out but we are very happy with the results.
MM: Right now, you use this technology for mattresses and pillows, are you planning to incorporate it into anything else?
JY: We feel the ATROS technology has many applications and this is just the start.
MM: The pillow has a unique pattern and texture, so did you do that purposefully to improve comfort and relaxation?
JY: The look of the Tanda line was very important to us. We didn’t want to look like everyone else out there, so we chose blue as an accent color to emphasize our cooling story.
Research, sleep, and innovation
MM: What kind of research did you do when designing this item and what most surprised you about the issues that sleep deprivation can cause?
JY: Countless hours of time went into researching our products with the consumer to ensure they benefited from our science. The results from numerous focus test sessions have been great, and we will continue to seek out their feedback on development is an evolutionary process.
We are working with a noted sleep medicine specialist named Dr. Robert S Rosenberg, who currently serves as the Medical Director of the Sleep Disorders Center in Prescott Valley, Arizona, which helps to address sleep concerns and issues.
Aside from working at Midwestern College of Osteopathic Medicine as an affiliated professor specializing in sleep, Dr. Robert S Rosenberg is also a board member of the American Sleep Association. His books are best-sellers and include the titles “Sleep Soundly Every Night, Feel Fantastic Every Day” and “The Doctor’s Guide to Sleep Solutions for Stress & Anxiety” and they are tremendous resources for anyone struggling to sleep.
MM: Can this technology be especially useful for people with certain medical conditions?
JY: Absolutely, Tanda is a great option for those who need a more restful sleep as well as those who suffer from migraine headaches and PTSD as it has been proven that keeping your head and body cool can help alleviate some of the discomfort.
MM: What has been the most rewarding part of being an inventor and are you working on anything else right now?
JY: The most rewarding aspect of our innovation is to see how the technology can impact positively on people’s lives. All of the time and effort that goes into developing a line of products that can help people get a better night’s sleep makes it very worthwhile. Currently, we are working on a new mattress that gives couples a customizable cool sleep experience to meet their individual needs.
MM: With all the technology featured, how do you offer your mattress at a price that is affordable to the majority of people?
JY: We cut out the middleman at every level of the process and keep our overhead low, so there are no sales people that receive commissions or a layered infrastructure to slow down the production process.
We have the best relationships with our vendors to expedite the production and they also help us to engineer the latest sleep technology at a price that is affordable to everyone.
MM: How is Tanda different from the other cooling mattresses on the market?
JY: There are several points of difference with our ATROS technology. First, the cooling is infused into the fabric layer of the mattress so you can feel its effects directly. Second, our foam formulations are designed for maximum airflow, unlike memory foam. Lastly, we use an exclusive process on how the cooling is infused into the fabric to ensure optimum cooling results.
