About Select Comfort Bed Corporation

The Company Behind The Sleep Number Mattress

If you're thinking about buying a Select Comfort bed you might want to learn about the company behind the product. For people who prioritize a good night's sleep, getting to know the manufacturer is important.

For a detailed look at the opinions of actual owners check out Sleep Number Bed Reviews.

If you've been looking around for bedding, you've probably noticed that Select Comfort is fairly well represented in the market. What kind of company are they, and how does their history affect them today?

Company History

This U.S. based company is centered in Plymouth, Minnesota and was started in 1987, though it's roots go back a little further than that. During the early eighties, the private company Comfortaire Corporation invented the air supported sleep system, and it was only a few years later that Comfortaire executive Robert Walker left to found Select Comfort with his wife JoAnn.

At this time, Select Comfort is a publicly traded company with more than 2500 employees and has 32 issued or pending patents for its products. You can find a Sleep Number store in more than four hundred locations all over the country which demonstrates their strong presence in the industry today.

Recently they partnered with Radisson Hotels and Resorts. The Radisson properties will now be supplying their guests with the innovative Radisson Select Comfort bed.

Another notable partnership for them comes in the form of their title of Official Bed Provider for Ronald McDonald House Charities. Ever since the beginning of 2001, they have donated goods, services and cash that total a worth of more than 3.2 million dollars. One of their campaigns included their Sleep Like A Star celebrity bed auction on Ebay, a drive that garnered more than 35,000 dollars.

The company also has a contract with Winnebago Industries. The Select Comfort bed is offered in several models of their popular RVs and motor homes.

Sleep By Numbers

When looking at Sleep Number mattresses, it is important to understand what distinguishes them from the rest. Essentially, the Select Comfort bed uses air chamber technology; the pockets of air that are used in the mattress will provide you with better cushioning for your body while you sleep.

This means that different parts of your body will receive different levels of support, which makes it ideal for people who have issues sleeping on surfaces that are only supported with springs or foam. For a complete look at their product line check out this article on Sleep Number Beds.

Select Comfort uses a numbering system that calculates the comfort, support and firmness you need and designates a number between zero and 100. If you visit a Sleep Number Bed store they will take you through the process of finding your number and will map your pressure points with their Xsensor pressure mapping system.

By having you lie down on a special bed with 684 individual sensors they can measure the amount of pressure between your body and the mattress. The system will display a heat map on the screen and by adjusting your remote to your sleep number you can watch as the pressure points are greatly reduced. More importantly, you should feel more comfortable.

This reduction of pressure points is the main advantage of a Sleep Number air bed over a conventional innerspring mattress.

Clinical Studies

The company has sponsored several scientific studies to determine the effects of their system on sleep quality. These studies took place at well respected institutions such as Stanford University and Duke University Medical Center.

A majority of participants reported significant sleep improvement compared to an innerspring mattress. They experienced increased energy, longer REM sleep, relief from back pain and less tossing and turning throughout the night.

While we are always suspicious of findings from scientific studies funded by the company that sells the product, we feel that they probably have some merit due to the fact that were performed by doctors from such prestigious universities.

Before you purchase a Select Comfort bed, it's a good idea to research some of the criticisms that have been made against it. For instance, some people state they have issues with an uneven sleeping surface, while others have problems finding the right number for them.

Others cite poor customer service and reports of mold in the mattress as minuses in their experience with this company. For more information check out our article on Sleep Number Bed complaints.

In conclusion, we hope this look at the Select Comfort Bed Corporation has helped you in your purchasing decision. A good night's sleep is worth a little bit of research.