MILLIONAIRES are hardly going to sleep on Ikea beds — but they do turn to a Swedish brand for their nighttime needs.
Hästens mattresses — or “sleeping instruments,” as the brand calls them — can sell for over half a million dollars, and royals and stars alike have splurged to catch some Zs on them.
Forget counting sheep — you’ll have to count your money if you dream of having a Hästens in your home.
Linus Adolfsson is the founder of the Sleep Spa, which has 15 locations across the U.S.
He’s shared just how much stars like Drake are spending to get their snoozes on in style.
“Our sleep instruments range from $20,000 to $650,000,” he told The U.S. Sun.
“We have so many celebrities and high-profile people all around the world sleeping on a Hastens,” he continued.
And Drake isn’t the only one waking up to the importance of splurging on his slumber.
You might not need a lullaby to rock yourself to sleep in these luxe beds — but you can listen to a song about your Hästens.
Singer Post Malone, another devoted customer, wrote an ode to his Grand Vividus mattress in the 2002 song Wasting Angels.
All that serene sleeping seems to have given the singer some serious song inspiration — it is an “instrument,” after all.
Founded 172 years ago, Hästens makes mattress that are the ultimate statement piece to have in your bedroom.
They’re also how the royals get their rest, particularly in Sweden.
“We are the official royal purveyors,” he said.
“We even did a collaboration where one of the royal family members’ design firms produced fabric for one of our classic mattresses.
“We’re very connected to the royal court and Swedish tradition in general.”
Curious if billionaires favor firm or soft mattresses for giving them the rest they need to keep making that money magic?
According to Adolfsson, it all depends on the person.
“Most people have a preconceived notion that firm means support, but most people, when they come here, realize that support means to be in harmony with the spring and to feel weightless,” he said.
“It’s a sensation like sleeping in the clouds which Hästens is known for,” he added.
Having a more productive catnap might cost you — but this type of luxury will also last longer.
“It’s a higher price than other mattresses, but our idea at Hästens is you keep this instrument for at least 50 years,” he said.
“We call this the most important piece of furniture in your life,” he continued.
There are certainly many elements that go into ensuring that you experience the dreamy difference.
“We take a lot of pride in using no latex, no flame retardants, no chemicals,” he said.
“Sleeping in a Hästens is like sleeping in nature itself,” he continued.
In Swedish culture, noblemen slept on horse hair for hundreds of years while the peasants slept on hay.
Linus Adolfsson
They also take their sleep accessories — especially their pillows — as seriously as their mattresses.
Their range of soft and firm pillows can cost upwards of $500 apiece.
At the global headquarters of the Hästens Sleep Spa in New York, Adolfsson will guide you on a journey to find the sleeping instrument most suited to your needs.
Behind a glass case in the middle of the showroom is the proof that each Hästens really is a cut — or horse hair — above the rest.
“If you look at horse hair under a microscope, you realize that horse hair is the only hair in the world that is hollow like a straw,” he said.
“This impacts how the piece is breathing and cooling down your body.
“Every layer of horse hair is like nature’s own air conditioning system,” he said.
The unique hollow construction of the horsehair ensures that your bedroom “throne,” as he calls it, will remain free from the effects of moisture, and that means no dust mites.
You also won’t have to deal with mold, which is a common issue in conventional mattresses due to perspiration which commonly occurs as we sleep.
Using horse hair has quite a bit of history behind it as well.
“In Swedish culture, noblemen slept on horse hair for hundreds of years while the peasants slept on hay,” he said.
“If you look at European history, baroque furniture, for example, was all filled with horse hair, and these beautiful pieces are all here today,” he continued.
To sleep like a star, you’ll also need to put some spring into your sleeping step.
Their spring system is really what makes them so unique, after all.
“This is really at the heart of our beds. More springs are like more unique hands holding your body,” he said.
“It means that the springs are smaller in circumference and you experience a more supplicated, or a more nuanced support, once you have more springs,” he added.
Size, or rather height, also makes a big difference — at least when it comes to your bedding.
“Having a taller spring with more turns allows your body to conform deeper to make room for your shoulders and hips, thereby aligning your spine,” he said.
“Once you compress a spring that has more turns — being taller — it also lifts you up with more power and the energy, and that is how we measure support,” he added.
“The most important thing is every spring in a Hästens is hand-tied, one by one. In a regular bed, every spring is linked together by one piece of metal.
“That means that you’ll feel movement from a potential partner but more importantly, our body weight is deviating.
“Our shoulders are always heavier than our knees. Our hips are heavier than our feet. So in a normal bed, they’re the same support all throughout our body, and that makes no sense.”
The springs in a Hästens bed, however, are designed to “open you up.”
It also helps to ensure that your shoulders and hips conform so your spine is straight and your shoulders are aligned.
This guarantees that you are in the right position for you to heal your body every night.
Serving as your own personal “sleeping shrink,” Adolfsson asks questions about your sleeping patterns so that you can go to bed better.
I decided to do a blind bedding test to see if I could feel the difference between three mattresses of varying price points — while wearing a blindfold, or Hästens sleep mask, of course.
The experience began before I even entered the Sleep Spa, as I was whisked away in style to their downtown showroom.
I would be trying out the Grand Vividus, priced at $656,990, the Dremer, which will set you back $94,580, and the Maranga, for $26,580.
Women often experience this pressure more in their hip area, while men typically feel more in the shoulder part.
Linus Adolfsson
Once I had my matching booties on — in the brand’s signature white and blue striped pattern — I was ready for my sleep sendoff.
To get the proper assessment so that you can sleep like an A-lister, you’ll start by discussing whether you are a side or back sleeper, if you have any injuries, and whether you tend to sleep hot or cold.
He’ll also take your sleeping schedule into account.
As a side sleeper, I learned that getting the right sleep would require addressing my pressure points.
“Women often experience this pressure more in their hip area, while men typically feel more in the shoulder part,” he said.
If you’re feeling warm at nighttime, it’s probably due to the latex which he said is like “trying to sleep through a plastic bag.”
Instead, you can “heal your body” on the all-natural pieces, as the heat that is normally generated on a normal bed will not be generated on their specially designed springs.
Those recovering from injuries or with any overly sensitive areas are sure to find their sleeping instrument soulmate somewhere in the showroom.
As you’re relaxing, you’re going to feel how your body compresses the springs and how the springs respond by lifting you up.
Linus Adolfsson
If you enjoy getting your groove on at home with your own personal dance party (like me), I learned that some support under the knee can open up the calves, as well as the thighs.
All this talk of finding your mattress match might just put you to sleep — and in Adolfsson’s world, that’s a good thing.
It also doesn’t hurt that the Sleep Spa’s serene oasis feels just like, well, a spa, complete with dim lighting and soft music.
To make sure you are getting the most out of your mattress, Adolfsson will instruct you to wiggle your body from left to right.
“Almost like you’re doing a little dancing,” he said.
There is also no hiding from a Hästens.
“We do this because every Hästens remembers the last person that entered the bed,” he said.
“When you move, you make the instrument aware that someone new is coming on board,” he continued.
We’re going to reach this stage of floating which means that we are able to eliminate any form of pressure
Linus Adolfsson
He’ll instruct you to close your eyes, forget where you are, and start by taking one really deep breath.
“As you’re relaxing, you’re going to feel how your body compresses the springs and how the springs respond by lifting you up,” he said.
“It puts you at this stage where you feel almost like you are weightless,” he continued.
They might cost six figures, but the intention is to “feel nothing.”
The goal is for your muscles to feel as if they are melting away from your bones and for you to find more space within your body.
“You might feel your hips conforming and your hip flexors being three to four inches to the right and the left of your belly button starting to open up,” he said.
If you’re feeling a tingling sensation in your legs, it’s definitely doing the trick, as this means that circulation is happening more efficiently.
“This is a key element to improving your sleep and your well-being,” he said.
The goal is to reach a state of sleep nirvana by finding balance and harmony.
“We’re going to reach this stage of floating which means that we are able to eliminate any form of pressure,” he said.
As you move to the side, you’ll elevate your nervous system by taking another deep breath.
Bed Number One: The Maranga ($26,580) — I felt extremely weightless and supported on this firmer-feeling bed. I also noticed a heightened tingling sensation in my lower leg area.
Bed Number Two: The Dremer ($94,580) — I loved the softness and could feel my whole body sinking into the springs. Even on my back, I felt I could stay in place all night.
Bed Number Three: The Grand Vividus ($656,990) — Don’t wake me up, I think I found the dreamiest bed of all as I spread out in true superstar style.
He explained how this is crucial for reaching your overall wellness objectives.
So what was my hot Hästens take?
As a typical tosser and turner, I felt completely comfortable on my back on all three mattresses.
You also have a heightened sense of awareness of every part of your body.
Which one did I like the best? Let’s just say that now I understand how Drake is sleeping like a king in his king-sized bed.
