I Used This Weird Mattress Pad to Fix My Sleep Schedule. Here's How
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From deep breathing gadgets to melatonin dermal patches, I’ve spent a lot of time testing and reviewing sleep products. As such, I’m always on the hunt for unique sleep products geared toward solving a serious sleep barrier. That’s what the Perfectly Snug smart topper is.
This topper uses air to give sleepers on-demand temperature control. Temperature is one of the biggest sleep problems for people. Whether it’s hot flashes or sleeping at a different temperature than your partner, body temperature can really mess with your sleep. Perfectly Snug aims to reduce night sweats and keep you cool at night.
While it does that, I found that Perfectly Snug can be used for more than just cooling. Here’s my experience using it for the last few months.
What is the Perfectly Snug topper?
The Perfectly Snug smart topper is a thin and flexible topper that gives you control over the temperature of your bed at night. This 2-inch thick topper has a dual-zone design that lets you and your partner sleep at the temperatures that work best for your sleep.
On each side is a power switch and an up or down temperature button.
With so much tech in this smart topper, I thought it would be complicated. But the Perfectly Snug topper is one of the most to-the-point sleep tech products I’ve seen. Using either the buttons on the side or the app, you choose your temperature and are ready to sleep. The smart topper uses built-in sensors to ensure the topper (and you) stay at your set temperature all night. Say you set your topper to cool; if the sensors detect that you’re heating up, it will adjust to bring you back to temperature.
Perfect Snug specifications:
- $1,899 for a dual-zone queen size
- Four fans total, with two per side in the dual-zone model
- Available in single-zone, dual-zone and two-piece king
- Free shipping, 30-day risk-free trial
- Washable cover
The Perfectly Snug smart topper is a unique product. In the cooling sleep tech space, some competitors reach the same goal, though not in the same way. For instance, the Eight Sleep Pod requires a water tank to cool you at night. Perfectly Snug just uses air, so there’s no maintenance to remember. You just turn it on and go to bed.
The first night I used the Perfectly Snug topper, I set it to as cold as it would go and then went to brush my teeth. When I came back into my bedroom, I was surprised to see my sheets hovering above the bed because of the cooling force of the topper. It reminded me of an air hockey table.
The dual-zone model has two fans per side at the foot of the topper. I occasionally hit the fan unit with my foot when sleeping, though I got used to it being there with time. My cats enjoyed sleeping on the fans at the corners of the bed.
Using the Perfectly Snug topper
When I first unboxed the Perfectly Snug smart topper, I was intrigued. As the first smart topper I’ve tested, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. The first thing that struck me was the feel. The Perfectly Snug topper has an almost net-like mesh texture, which I felt while sleeping. It wasn’t uncomfortable, though it was something that required getting used to. Thicker sheets helped me eliminate the feeling but still get the benefit of the active airflow. After a few weeks, I barely noticed the texture anymore.
The topper came folded in a very tall box. It was a little hard to move, but not bad.
Being my first smart topper, there were a few things I didn’t expect. First, how heavy the topper was. I was able to move it by myself, though there’s definitely some weight to it that likely comes from the internal components that allow for the cooling. Plenty of people will be able to set it up alone, though I can see it being a two-person job for some.
Another thing that I noticed was that there are labels near the top of the topper. The first few nights, the labels did trip me up when I would run my hand over it, but I got used to it.
Given the technology in this topper, I expected it to be a little harder to set up, but it’s truly as simple as plugging it up and installing the app on your phone. There is a plug on either side of the topper that you connect to the split power cord. On each side, a control panel allows you to turn it on or off and adjust the temperature. I found that it was best for small adjustments, but I much preferred to use the app to plan my temperatures for the night. Though I liked the inclusion of the physical buttons.
Setting up the Perfectly Snug topper is as easy as plugging it in and turning it on.
The app leaves something to be desired. It’s almost too straightforward, so much so that it actually took my brain a second to realize there were no extra buttons to push. The main interface is a graph where you set your temperature for falling asleep, sleeping and waking. I wouldn’t say it’s the most obvious way to present the information. That said, you can set your preferences across the board or make a weekly schedule.
The best part of this topper is that each side of the bed can control its temperature — from the side panel or the app. My boyfriend is a hot sleeper, so he set his temperature down from the second he got in bed until he got out. I used my side a little differently.
I used the Perfectly Snug topper to fix my sleep schedule
Like you, there are times in which my sleep schedule can get thrown off. Sometimes, it’s from jet lag or sickness or revenge bedtime procrastination. When I started testing the perfectly snug topper, I was in the thick of a stint of poor sleep.
On the first few nights of testing, when I was pushing the topper to the absolute limits of its cooling potential (which is quite cool because I keep my bedroom cool), I noticed something. I fell asleep easier than I had in a while. I wasn’t quite ready to attribute it to the topper yet, not before I had a few more days adjusting the temperatures to find what was most comfortable for me.
The app homepage is a graph that allows you to drag the line up and down to set your temperatures.
Yes, the Perfectly Snug smart topper is a great option for people who sleep hot and need to cool down enough to sleep well, but I found the ability to warm myself the most essential.
Let me explain. An essential part of sleep is our body’s natural thermoregulation process, or the rise and fall of our body temperature. Our body temperature drops a degree or two when we’re falling asleep. That’s why it’s best to sleep in a cooler room to help the process along. Body temperature naturally varies by sleep stage, though it rises when it’s time to wake up, which is why hot sleepers can have such a tough time sleeping. There are ways you can hack your body temperature for better sleep, such as timing your showers before bed. Or you can use the Perfectly Snug topper.
By setting my initial temperature down and having it rise about 30 minutes before I wanted to wake up, I was able to get my sleep schedule back on track. Waking up was easier than it had been in weeks. Using the Perfectly Snug smart topper has become a part of my nightly routine.
The best part is that I set my temperatures and forgot about the app. I found what worked for me, so there was no need to continuously adjust the settings. Like the initial setup, I set it and then forgot about it.
Perfectly Snug won’t be for everyone
I enjoyed my experience testing the Perfectly Snug topper and was surprised by the different ways I could use it. Not to mention, I liked the hum of the fan that became a sort of white noise machine at night. That said, there are a few things to consider that I can’t ignore.
It’s not a traditional topper
Unlike traditional toppers that are used to change the feeling or firmness of your old mattress, the Perfectly Snug topper is designed for temperature control, not adding comfort to your bed. That’s not inherently a bad thing, but it’s important to remember that distinction.
The website states, “If you have a super soft mattress, it will firm it up, or if your bed is very firm, it may soften up the feel. If your mattress is medium firmness, you may not notice a difference.”
Inside the Perfectly Snug topper is a thin foam layer.
That’s pretty vague and honestly not what I experienced.
My mattress is firmer, and the Perfectly Snug topper didn’t make it softer. If anything, it might have even been a little firmer. How this topper will feel partially depends on how firm your bed is, but there was no way around it for me; I thought the Perfectly Snug topper was pretty firm. As such, I can’t recommend it for strict side sleepers who want a really plush topper. Though as a combination of a side and stomach sleeper, I slept fine and thought it was comfortable.
I don’t think this takes anything away from the topper. It’s absolutely going to give you temperature control, but it’s not going to change the firmness of your bed like other options.
It’s expensive
A queen dual zone Perfectly Snug topper is $1,899 before sales. That’s how much a Big Fig mattress costs, our best overall recommendation for heavy people. It’s an expensive topper that many people won’t be able to afford without some budgeting. This isn’t a mark against Perfectly Snug; the price aligns with other mattress cooling technology like the Eight Sleep Pod and cooling mattresses, which tend to be slightly pricer than traditional options.
Cooling sleep products just cost more because of the technology used in them. That said, there’s no getting around the cost. It’s going to be a barrier to entry for many people.
The people who need temperature control will love it
The Perfectly Snug topper is expensive and very different from traditional toppers, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth your money. I found it to be an incredibly effective product. It does exactly what it says: It heats or cools you on demand. I was surprised by how well it worked since it uses air instead of water like other cooling products. However, because of that, it does have less of a temperature range than those products, because Perfectly Snug relies on ambient air.
A close-up of the mesh texture. Some mornings, I woke up with it imprinted on my skin.
Though I don’t think the average person could rationalize the cost of this topper, people who struggle with their temperature through the night might. Take people who struggle with hot flashes: The ability to turn down the temperature to combat the hot flash from interrupting their sleep will be hugely beneficial.
It could also be a practical solution for couples who sleep at drastically different temperatures and fight over blankets or the thermostat setting.
Too long; didn’t read?
I was skeptical about this topper, especially when I unboxed it and felt that mesh texture. Then again, when I set it up, I found the tag on the top of the bed. Not to mention the components at the bottom that I could feel with my feet. However, the benefits of the Perfectly Snug topper outweighed any nitpicky concerns I had. It delivers on all temperature claims it makes.
It’s a neat product that definitely does what it markets. That said, I don’t think the average person would want to buy this based on the price. I got used to the net texture and the tags and the fact that it made my bed firmer, but there were many little things I had to get used to. And at the price, I’m not sure people would want to deal with that.
Thankfully, there is a 30-day trial that will give you a chance to decide if it’s right for you.
Who should buy the Perfectly Snug topper:
- People who struggle with temperature regulation at night
- Couples who sleep at different temperatures
- Those who want cooling features without the upkeep of a water tank
Who shouldn’t buy it:
- Folks on a budget. There is no getting around the cost.
- People who sleep in the middle of the bed. The temperature sensors are on each side.
- Those who sleep in hot rooms. Perfectly Snug uses ambient air, so it cannot go below room temperature.
