Get paid to sleep and test the best mattresses!

We love sleep here at Sleep Junkie (the clue is in the name) and know just how important getting enough sleep is. This is why we were a little concerned when we took a look at our internal data and saw that search inquiries related to getting enough sleep have continued to rise over the last 12 months.

We also analyzed Google Search trends and found that searches in the US related to getting enough sleep and for mattress advice reached a five year high towards the end of 2020.

The pandemic is obviously having a big impact on people’s sleep quality. To help those who may have developed sleep problems over the last twelve months, whether it be down to disruptions to daily routines or increased stress, we want to ensure that our mattress reviews are as helpful as ever and bring in outside voices to help us advise how to choose a mattress.

In order to do this we have decided to recruit some help and are on the hunt for a real-life Sleeping Beauty, someone who will be paid to sleep on the job.

Our Sleeping Beauty will become our official mattress tester, providing honest advice on some of the US’s top rated mattresses. We will send out three mattresses over a two-month period to our Sleeping Beauty and it will be their job to thoroughly test and evaluate each one. Reporting on their sleep quality, mood and the comfort of the mattress in a review format. At the end of the two-month period, they will also be able to select their favorite mattress (worth up to $1,500) to keep on a permanent basis, oh and we’ll also pay them $3,000 for their time.

In order to be the right fit for the role you will need to be a self-starter, available to work immediately and independently, have clear writing skills, good evaluation skills and be exceptionally good at sleeping! Our Sleeping Beauty will also have to be able to sleep alone to ensure an undisturbed night’s sleep.

They will also need to have space and easy accessibility for the mattresses to be delivered and collected. These collections will be conducted under COVID-safe guidelines, and we advise that you do not apply if you are vulnerable.

If you believe you are the right person for the job, then please fill out the below application form.

Our contest is now closed! A winner has been selected. Congrats to Jenny Rae Siplo (@flowerwellny) who will be our new Sleeping Beauty! Thank you to everyone for applying.

If you have been struggling to sleep during the pandemic, here are three simple tips from our experts:

• Make a new routine

If your old routine has been torn up since the outbreak of the pandemic for whatever reason, then it is important to make a new routine of sorts. This doesn’t have to be strict, but if you try to go to sleep at around the same time each night, your body will soon adapt and begin to optimize in sync with this new pattern. The time you wake up is equally important as well, even if you don’t need to get up at a set time, it is important for your body that you keep this regular routine going.

• Have a sleep ritual

In some cases, maybe with certain careers or in early parenthood, it isn’t always possible to get a consistent amount of sleep night after night. One of the best ways to help the body and mind here is to try and ensure that you fall asleep relatively quickly and having a set ritual can help drastically with this.

This doesn’t have to be anything serious, but it can include things such as not eating a set amount of time before going to bed, having a certain drink before bed, switching into pajamas or sleepwear, changing the lighting in the room or picking up a book to read. After a while, all of these elements will act as precursors for your mind, indicators that sleep is on the way and that it can begin easing off, ready to refuel and recharge for the day ahead.

• Ditch the devices

With people spending a lot more time at home, it became easier than ever to get enveloped in technology. It is a great way to stay in touch with people and up to date on current affairs, but it also has a negative impact on sleep, especially if the last thing you do before you close your eyes is have one more scroll through your apps. 

Try to leave at least an hour between putting your phone down and going to sleep, and in the evening it is a good idea to switch a filter on your phone which minimises the blue light – bright blue light can prevent the release of melatonin, the hormone which makes us sleepy. To find out more about technology and how it impacts sleep visit our technology and sleep guide.

Dorothy Chambers, of Sleep Junkie, said,

“A regular routine is so important for getting a healthy amount of sleep. However, over the last year we have seen so many people’s lives turned upside down and this has in turn had a negative impact on their sleep routine too.

“Getting the mattress right is one of the first steps to achieving a good night’s sleep, so we thought what better way to bolster our mattress reviews this year than by hiring a Sleeping Beauty mattress tester. We also would love to help a family during these tough times who would be grateful for the extra money and new mattress. If you think you are up to the challenge and can sleep your way through the job, please do apply! ”