Habits and Hustle

Episode 527: Jack Dell’Accio: How Your Mattress Impacts REM Sleep, Brain Recovery and Performance

February 10, 2026

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  • The primary purpose of sleep is brain health and detoxification, which is achieved through sufficient REM and deep sleep, processes that are often disrupted by the sleep environment. 
  • Most conventional and even many 'organic' mattresses introduce toxins and act as antennas for EMFs, keeping the nervous system in defense mode and preventing optimal recovery. 
  • True comfort in a mattress comes from proper support (high-density, high-elasticity materials), not from surface fluff or softness, which often leads to poor long-term sleep quality. 
  • Mattress firmness preference (soft, medium, firm) is often based on flawed testing methods (like the 'fist check') rather than proper horizontal support assessment. 
  • Essentia mattresses are differentiated by density and elasticity, with firmness determined by how seriously a customer prioritizes sleep performance (e.g., thermal regulation features in higher-tier models like the REM 9 vs. REM 5). 
  • Essentia proactively updated its formulas to include higher acidity essential oils, which laboratory testing showed effectively resists mold spore growth, a feature not guaranteed in other organic mattresses. 

Segments

Guest Introduction and Background
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(00:00:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Jack Dell’Accio is the CEO of Essentia, focusing on non-toxic, organically made mattresses designed for neurological and physical restoration.
  • Summary: Jack Dell’Accio, a certified sleep coach, founded Essentia after a personal journey related to family health sensitivities to chemicals. His initial focus was material science, developing better latex performance before transitioning into the sleep environment business. He emphasizes that his company is a wellness company centered on brain health, not just a mattress company.
Mattresses as Major Sleep Exposure
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(00:05:10)
  • Key Takeaway: The mattress is an overlooked, yet major, source of toxins and environmental disruptors in the bedroom that hinders brain recovery.
  • Summary: People focus on toxins in cookware and plastics but ignore the mattress, where they spend half their lives. Sleep quality hinges on achieving REM and deep sleep for brain detoxification and repair, which is compromised by stimulants like toxins and excessive heat. These disruptors keep the brain’s defenses active, preventing recovery and healing.
EMF Impact and Mattress Shielding
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(00:07:54)
  • Key Takeaway: Coil mattresses act as antennas attracting EMFs, and Essentia mattresses use informed quartz to harmonize incoming signals into natural, organic waves.
  • Summary: EMFs from devices like phones and Wi-Fi cause blood cells to cluster (rouleaux effect), potentially blocking oxygen flow and hindering recovery. Essentia’s foam incorporates quartz, which amplifies the body’s natural signal, allowing phone transmissions to enter as harmonic waves that do not negatively impact blood cell behavior.
Toxins Suppress Deep Sleep
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(00:14:49)
  • Key Takeaway: Toxins in non-organic mattresses stimulate the central nervous system, leading to more light sleep and insufficient REM/deep sleep cycles.
  • Summary: The primary issue with many all-foam mattresses is the emission of toxins, which activates the central nervous system, often leading to people feeling ‘knocked out’ but actually achieving only light sleep. This activation prevents the brain from slowing down enough to enter the crucial REM and deep sleep stages necessary for mental and physical recovery.
Sleep Tracking and Performance
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(00:19:10)
  • Key Takeaway: Sleep trackers can cause performance anxiety; objective data shows Essentia users gain 20-60% more REM and deep sleep than those on top conventional mattresses.
  • Summary: A double-blind study with 75 pro athletes demonstrated that those on Essentia mattresses scored 20 to 60 percent more REM and deep sleep compared to placebos (top-performing mattresses). The host advises athletes not to obsess over daily tracker data, as stress about poor sleep can negatively impact performance; 10-day averages are more useful.
Organic Mattresses vs. True Performance
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(00:22:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Simply replacing materials in a basic coil mattress with organic versions does not provide the necessary benefits for brain health or posture support.
  • Summary: Most ‘organic’ mattresses retain coil units and only swap out polyester for wool or organic cotton, resulting in an entry-level product that avoids off-gassing but lacks advanced benefits. These coil-based organic options fail to address EMF issues, posture support, or advanced thermal regulation needed for true recovery.
Misconceptions on Cooling and Thermoregulation
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(00:29:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Chemical cooling agents in mattresses fragment sleep by forcing the user to constantly reposition to chase temporary cold sensations.
  • Summary: Chemical cooling systems rely on a reaction that provides only brief relief, causing the sleeper to toss and turn, chasing the next reaction rather than achieving continuous rest. Essentia’s technology allows body heat to expel naturally, which keeps the central nervous system slowed down, promoting longer periods in restorative sleep cycles.
Posture Support and Mattress Density
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(00:50:38)
  • Key Takeaway: Comfort is derived from proper support (high-density, high-elasticity), and conventional mattresses place low-density fluff on the surface, leading to premature breakdown and poor support.
  • Summary: The mattress industry prioritizes comfort preferences by placing low-density, air-filled materials on top, which quickly compress and fail to support the body’s contours. High-density material is critical for support, especially for fit individuals with concentrated weight, while high elasticity ensures the material contours to curves like the lower back without creating pressure points.
Mattress Firmness Industry Norms
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(00:59:00)
  • Key Takeaway: The industry standard for best-selling mattresses leans toward medium or soft, often catering to past negative experiences with soft beds for back sleepers.
  • Summary: Statistically, medium firmness sells best in the general mattress industry, while back sleepers often default to firm due to prior bad experiences with soft beds. Essentia, however, bases its selection criteria on how seriously a customer prioritizes sleep quality rather than standard firmness scales. All Essentia mattresses start with high density and high elasticity.
Testing Mattress Support
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(00:59:48)
  • Key Takeaway: The ‘fist check’ is an inaccurate method for determining mattress support; true support assessment requires lying down horizontally.
  • Summary: Pressing a fist into a mattress can feel soft, but this does not reflect how the bed supports the body horizontally. To accurately gauge support, one must lie down on the mattress. Essentia builds customer confidence by focusing on spec and quality, resulting in low return rates despite not requiring in-store trials.
Essentia Model Differences
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(01:01:21)
  • Key Takeaway: Higher-tier Essentia models (like REM 9 vs. REM 5) offer superior REM and deep sleep results due to enhanced thermal regulation capacity, which is achieved through expensive essential oil formulas.
  • Summary: The difference between models like the REM 5 (5 degrees of thermal regulation) and REM 9 (9 degrees) is the speed at which body heat can escape, impacting neurological restoration. While both feel comfortable, the higher capacity directly correlates with better measured REM and deep sleep performance. These advanced formulas incorporate extremely expensive essential oils.
Mold Resistance Innovation
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(01:02:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Essentia modified its essential oil formula to a higher acidity level after military consultation, resulting in mattresses that actively resist or kill mold spores.
  • Summary: Following consultation with the military regarding mold issues in barracks, Essentia adjusted its essential oil composition to increase acidity. Lab testing confirmed that these high-acidity oils prevent mold spores from growing and, in some cases, caused existing spores to retract or die off. This change was implemented across all formulas about a year prior to this discussion.
Mattress Value vs. Features
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(01:04:25)
  • Key Takeaway: High-priced organic mattresses often only guarantee non-toxic materials, failing to incorporate critical performance elements like advanced thermal regulation, EMF mitigation, or mold resistance.
  • Summary: Salespeople often simplify mattress choices to soft/medium/firm because they cannot invest the necessary time to explain complex features. Many expensive organic mattresses only address material toxicity but lack the performance features Essentia integrates, such as mold resistance and superior thermoregulation. Customers should look beyond material claims to assess true sleep performance benefits.
Conclusion and Resources
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(01:06:10)
  • Key Takeaway: Understanding the importance of the sleep environment and the differences between sleep hygiene and environment is crucial for restorative rest.
  • Summary: The guest emphasizes that awareness and understanding of the sleep environment’s impact are key takeaways for listeners. Essentia’s team is trained to serve and educate customers rather than solely focusing on sales. Listeners are encouraged to visit Essentia.com to learn more about these concepts.