The Olympics concluded on 11th August, with a spectacular closing ceremony and Team GB celebrating a 65-medal achievement. For the team’s Official Sleep Partner, Dreams, the event also provided a successful trial of new technology designed to deliver more beneficial R&R, explains the retailer’s CMO, Jo Martin …
How is Dreams’ relationship with Team GB looking this year?
We’re extremely proud to be the Official Sleep Partner of Team GB, supporting our athletes for another Olympic Games. We became Team GB’s first-ever Official Sleep Partner in 2019, and have been promoting the importance of sleep, rest and recuperation for sporting success ever since.
This year, we combined our expertise in craftsmanship and quality with that of UK Sports Institute performance innovation consultant Dr Luke Gupta, to help Team GB deliver on their ambition to elevate performance through sleep. This included kitting out Team GB’s Performance Lodge with a Sleep Retreat featuring eight innovative sleep pods.
Our longstanding partnership with Team GB continues to deliver commercial success, with our Dream Team range of mattresses, inspired by Team GB, accounting for 40% of our mattress sales volume. Our Dream Team ranges include some of our most premium offerings and innovative products to date.
What sort of things are athletes saying about sleep this year?
As you’d expect, athletes are well versed in the importance of a properly structured routine, with rest and recovery being key parts of the puzzle.
We had the pleasure of chatting with Team GB weightlifter Emily Campbell, who told us all about her dedication to obtaining 10 hours’ sleep whenever possible. A self-proclaimed Queen of Sleep, Emily explained how a good night’s sleep helps her to “enter training on a positive note”, and how she ensures this with a tranquil sleep setup featuring fairy lights and calming sleep mists.
What sleep tech did Dreams develop for Team GB this time around?
For the Paris Olympics, we kitted out Team GB’s Performance Lodge with a Sleep Retreat dedicated to all things rest and recuperation.The Sleep Retreat featured eight sleep pods designed for napping, to optimise the quantity and quality of sleep for athletes. This is really exciting for us, as it marks the first time sleep pods have been available to athletes and staff at Team GB’s Performance Lodge.
The decision to support athletes in daytime napping whilst competing was made by Greg Retter, head of performance services for Team GB, and guided by Dr Luke Gupta, sleep expert at the UK Sports Institute.
We made two types of sleep pods available to Team GB: the MetroNaps EnergyPod; and the PodTime Ultra.
The MetroNaps EnergyPod is the world’s first chair designed for napping. It includes several features designed to help users relax and feel ready to sleep. It features a privacy visor, built-in timer, and specifically composed sleep music. When the user reaches the end of their nap timer, the EnergyPod wakes them up with a gentle but effective combination of light, sound and vibration.
The PodTime Ultra is a more spacious sleeping pod designed for deeper rest. Offering users the room to lie down, it provides greater privacy and security. The Podtime Ultra features ambient noise reduction and a gentle translucence to support visibility while inside the equipment.
These pods are not only beneficial for wellbeing, but also the environment, with 75% of all build materials used for the sleep retreat fully recyclable.
Is any of this new sleep technology likely to find its way into your shopfloor offer?
We’re absolutely thinking about how we translate these latest advancements into solutions that benefit the everyday customer, and finding new ways to facilitate exceptional sleep.
We understand that our customers’ needs are always evolving, which is why we continuously seek out new ways to meet these demands. From our industry-leading gaming bed to advanced materials that promote cooling or offer antibacterial properties, we are committed to innovating and staying ahead of consumer trends.
Read more from Jo in September's issue, coming soon.
