DREAD IT, run from it or hide from it, there’s no avoiding the simple fact that sleep is important. Whether you’re a pro athlete or just need some decent shut eye before your alarm starts blaring and life’s problems begin hurling themselves towards you, it doesn’t pay to sleep on the value of good sleep. But even if the litany of evidence in support of that idea hasn’t already convinced you, the advice of an athlete at the top of their sport should.
Kalyn Ponga, Newcastle Knights superstar fullback and 2023 Dally M medallist, has recently optimised his health and fitness routine by improving his sleep, with the help of sleep brand Koala.
Koala set out to prove the superiority of its mattresses by putting several athletes to the test. First, they had the athletes track their sleep on their current mattresses using a WHOOP wearable. They didn’t go into the specifics of the mattresses the athletes owned, but the results weren’t great, including Ponga’s.
Then, Koala sent the athletes the Koala Plus Mattress, with advanced cooling technology and bolstered comfort. On average, the athletes experienced a 17 per cent improvement in their sleep scores. Ponga himself went from a 65/100 to 75/100.
“The Koala Plus Mattress is awesome,” Ponga said. “I’m a routine person, physically and mentally, so sleeping well all week keeps me on track so I’m right come game day. I wish I could take the Plus with me for away games!”
If Ponga’s vote of confidence hasn’t swayed you towards recognising the importance of good sleep, perhaps some eye-opening statistics will. You might think that your sleep hygiene is as good as the next guy’s, but according to the Sleep Health Foundation, 40 per cent of Australians are reporting insufficient sleep on a daily or several-days-a-week basis. Clearly, many of us need some extra support.
Luckily for you, that support could come sooner rather than later, because Koala is giving away the ultimate sleep package to celebrate World Sleep Day. The package includes:
- Koala’s newest Polar+ mattress
- Two Koala pillows
- A one-on-one sleep consultation and plan with a sleep expert
For instructions on how to enter the giveaway, click here.
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