Ergomotion Expands What A Sleep System Can Do

Cover Story

Ergomotion Expands What A Sleep System Can Do

By Gretchen Kast

As a leading global supplier of adjustable bases, Ergomotion has been at the forefront of the category for nearly 20 years, helping to drive both consumer awareness and product innovation to new heights. Now, at a time when adjustable bases are more prominent than ever before, Ergomotion is once again helping to elevate the category to its full potential. By leveraging smart technology and targeting specific consumer demographics, the company has developed two new adjustable base options that deliver more meaningful solutions. The Dawn House and ErgoSportive not only provide valuable sleep benefits, they situate a good night’s sleep within the larger context of health and wellness. Grounded in in-depth market research and backed by a company ethos that prioritizes transparency, Ergomotion is helping retailers reach a whole new group of adjustable base consumers.

The growth of the adjustable base category has been one of the defining features of the bedding industry over the past two decades. Founded in 2005, Ergomotion contributed significantly to that expansion through both its private and branded products. In its early years, the company was integral to the transformation of the adjustable base from its “hospital bed” associations and into a fully-fledged lifestyle product. Since then, the company has continued to raise the stature of adjustable bases by developing more advanced features that work to improve the overall sleep experience. Coupled with its sleek designs, whisper-quiet technology and innovative value-adds, that message has resonated throughout the bedding industry. Once considered a niche add-on accessory, adjustable bases have become a staple that can be found prominently displayed in mattress and furniture stores across the country.

But even with this increased visibility, there still remains ample opportunity for the adjustable base category to grow. And now Ergomotion is once again driving the segment forward with a new approach that resonates with today’s consumer interests.

“We used to call it a lifestyle choice, where if you wanted to read or watch TV in bed, the adjustability could help you get there,” explains Gui Peres, president of Ergomotion’s Wellness Division. “But today, people are much more in tune with wellness and health and how a good night’s sleep has everything to do with that. They now see the adjustability as part of those health and wellness goals they have in life.”

A key buzzword across all consumer products these days, the “wellness” value proposition has become a sought-after selling point throughout the bedding industry. But Ergomotion is bringing new weight and authenticity to the concept, grounding it with tested technologies, practical applications and tangible benefits.

“There are a lot of promises out there for a good night’s sleep,” Peres continues. “What we mean by wellness is that we want you to wake up feeling great. We strive to deliver that through a combination of the physical product and the technology that will guide you into a better night’s sleep so that you can wake up feeling great.”

Years of research has made it clear that sleep isn’t an isolated experience—how you live during the day impacts your sleep and vice versa. And that means different people will need different solutions in order to sleep and feel their best. These ideas are at the core of Ergomotion’s new adjustable base offerings, Dawn House and ErgoSportive. Designed with specific demographic groups in mind, each product builds on the company’s

powerful sleep technology with distinct features that reflect a more holistic understanding of sleep and wellness.

Aging In Place With Dawn House

Recognizing a growing but underserved consumer demographic, Ergomotion developed the Dawn House sleep system specifically for aging consumers—providing the enhanced comfort, meaningful support and powerful health monitoring technology they need to live independently.

Going above and beyond the traditional comfort benefits, Dawn House is equipped with an array of dynamic features geared specifically for the needs of those “aging at home.” The base also includes vital safety elements that are integrated in a way that feels natural rather than clinical or prescriptive. For example, in addition to standard head and foot articulation, the base also offers “high–low” adjustability that allows the user to seamlessly raise or lower the mattress to the optimal height for getting in and out of bed. Motion-activated LED lights are stationed under the bed and can be set to turn on automatically to ensure better visibility in lowlight settings, such as getting out of bed in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. Both of these features are designed to better accommodate people with changing mobility and help minimize the risk of falling, two factors that become all the more critical for consumers as they age.

But it is more than just these lifestyle features that sets Dawn House apart from other adjustable bases on the market. It also utilizes powerful tracking technology to capture a more thorough picture of the user’s health. With non-invasive sensors imbedded directly into the product, the base is able to track sleep activity and vital signs without disrupting sleep or sacrificing comfort. Dawn House allows the consumer to monitor such factors as heart rate, respiratory rate, arrhythmia, heart rate variability and sleep quality.

This data powers the smart base, helping it to improve the sleep experience in real time, as in the case of its anti-snore setting. When the sensors recognize signs of snoring, they signal to the base to automatically elevate the head, thereby alleviating the snoring effects. At the same time, it also empowers the user to take charge of their own health. They can access all of their sleep and health metrics via a Health Dashboard and, if they choose, even share this information with their family or healthcare providers.

“Ten thousand people turn 65 every day in the United States,” Peres explains. “There’s a huge population that needs solutions like the Dawn House bed so that they can comfortably stay at home—and allow their loved

ones to know how their health, wellness and sleep is doing without necessarily being there every night.”

With Dawn House, Ergomotion has developed a product to support the specific needs of aging consumers with changing needs. “This product is tailored specifically for the user that would like to have not only a wonderful night’s sleep with a beautifully designed bed, but would also like to understand what their health trends are,” Peres explains. “As a senior statesman, you’ve lived a lot and given so much back to your family and to your society. Now you deserve to wake up feeling great and refreshed and ready to take on today.”

ErgoSportive Enhances Rest & Recovery

In addition to Dawn House, Ergomotion is also unveiling its new ErgoSportive adjustable base this winter. Positioned as a Smart & Adjustable Recovery System, the ErgoSportive is designed for active, health-conscious consumers who are looking to understand their bodies better. Combining both smart bed and smart watch, the ErgoSportive also provides users with a complete picture of their health data. Through a partnership with the technology brand Garmin, the base integrates with the company’s popular fitness and health tracking watch—integrating the insights of both to deliver a more in-depth understanding of the relationship between daytime activity and nighttime sleep.

Utilizing the same sensor technology as the Dawn House, the ErgoSportive monitors the user’s sleep as well as their key vital signs throughout the night. In addition to a nightly Sleep Report, this technology allows the user to access 24 hour data on their respiration, pulse and heart rate. By drawing from the Garmin watch’s “body battery” metric, the base is then able to curate more personalized sleep guidance and recovery advice—and when viewed in relationship to their sleep score, it allows the user to see more clearly how their sleep is impacting their wellbeing during the day.

In the future, the company plans to expand this functionality to allow the ErgoSportive to analyze such metrics as Timed Activity Details and Motion Intensity to inform an even more personalized sleep and recovery plan. For example, if the user did a more high-intensity workout that afternoon, the ErgoSportive may suggest getting to bed earlier that night so that the body has more time to physically recover. Peres refers to this as “bespoke recovery coaching”—a concept that broadens the very idea of how an adjustable base can support a consumer’s wellness goals.

By creating more targeted solutions that emphasize the health and wellness benefits, Ergomotion has made it easier to craft a message that resonates with the average consumer. Rather than getting lost in the technical details, the company is focusing on what these products can really do for the consumer—helping them connect the dots between technology, sleep and wellness.

And in today’s market, where wellness promises have become so ubiquitous, Ergomotion offers added reassurance by backing up its claims with substantive research and support. When developing the Dawn House brand in particular, the company worked closely with senior living experts, the medical field and, most importantly, directly with the target customer with changing needs in its local Santa Barbara area and beyond to advise on the demographic’s most pressing needs. “This is not a product that was born from just imagination,” explains Sherry Chapman, head of marketing. “It has real world applications.”

Being able to ground its offerings in such assurances is a core element of the Ergomotion brand. “Transparency is huge in the organization,” Chapman continues. “That’s just part of the DNA of Ergomotion. How we engage with our customers—whether it’s the end user consumer, our OEM partners, or our retailer accounts—is number one.”

Turning Logistic Challenges Into Strong Partnerships

That ethos permeates throughout all aspects of the company, from its product development to logistics and operations all the way through to customer support. As the world continues to face major supply chain disruptions, Ergomotion has navigated these issues by prioritizing transparency and open communication. When problems first began to arise at the onset of the pandemic, the company was proactive in working with its partners.

“We were calling accounts and saying here are the options we have and here are the options that you have from our perspective,” explains Kyle Muench, vice president of sales operations. “Starting those conversations early allows our vendor partners and our customers to lay all their cards out with their relative relations, and then we come up with creative solutions.”

From reimagining shipping routes to helping implement temporary product surcharges, Ergomotion has worked closely with both its suppliers and retail partners to mitigate the impact of fulfillment delays and price increases. Doing so has allowed the company to further strengthen its partnerships across the board.

Looking ahead to 2022, the company is committed to “continuity of supply,” says Muench. This includes mapping out risk mitigation projections and a range of possible scenarios that could impact the company moving forward—and preemptively planning potential solutions. By dual sourcing its components and creating a level of redundancy in its supply chain operations, Ergomotion is confident in its ability to support its retail partners in the year ahead.

Powered by time-tested expertise and technological innovation, Ergomotion is once again pushing the envelope on the adjustable base category—expanding the idea of what a sleep system can do. With targeted programs that deliver strong, demonstrable wellness benefits, the company is equipping retailers with valuable products supported by authentic and clear messaging. By grounding each product in comprehensive research and real-life application, Ergomotion is elevating the adjustable base as an essential part of the consumer’s health and wellness journey.

By creating more targeted solutions that emphasize the health and wellness benefits, Ergomotion has made it easier to craft a message that resonates with the average consumer.