Mattress Firm Partners with iHeartMedia to Launch New Podcast Hosted by Health and Wellness Expert Anahad O'Connor

On "Chasing Sleep," listeners will hear real-world sleep stories and experiences from those who prioritize resting well to live well

HOUSTON, Sept. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mattress Firm, the nation's largest mattress specialty retailer, is celebrating International Podcast Day today with the launch of a new podcast series "Chasing Sleep," produced in partnership with iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac. The series is hosted by Anahad O'Connor, a widely respected wellness expert and health columnist, and explores the sleep routines of astronauts, ultra-marathon runners, emergency room doctors and other people who lead extraordinary lives.

Over the course of eight episodes, released weekly between September-November 2022, listeners will learn about what it takes to perform in environments that threaten quality rest and recuperation, and the techniques used to acclimate and adapt.

The first episode of "Chasing Sleep" stars ultra-marathon runner YiOu Wang and neurophysiologist Dr. Louisa Nicola in a revealing discussion about the rest and recuperation needed to endure strenuous races of over 100 miles. Wang's story and habits offer a contrasting perspective to that of today's always-on society where sleep is often deprioritized.

Mattress Firm, a company committed to combating Junk Sleep, focuses on the unique sleep needs of each customer in the quest to get proper rest. The solution for some may be found in the series of conversations between iHeartPodcast host Anahad O'Connor and his guests with surprising and insightful approaches to sleep. The series also features commentary and input from leading experts, as well as Mattress Firm Sleep Advisors including Dr. Chris Winter and Dr. Jade Wu.

"Our mission at Mattress Firm is to help people sleep well so they live well," said Mickey Mericle, Chief Marketing and Experience Officer at Mattress Firm. "There is no uniform solution to achieving that, in fact, it's vastly different for everyone. That's why we're thrilled to work with iHeartPodcasts to tell eight fascinating stories of people with atypical sleep situations in hope of inspiring others."

The backgrounds of the guests range from a news anchor who is always on call to report breaking news, to a former NASA astronaut who learned to sleep with no gravity. Host Anahad O'Connor even interviews a guest who lives where there is 24-hours of sunlight during periods of the year.

Some of the guests featured on "Chasing Sleep" include:

• YiOu Wang: In order to successfully complete ultramarathons, YiOu had to prioritize her sleep to ensure success at these intense events.
• Diane Macedo: As a news anchor, Diane needs to be appropriately rested to accurately report the news in real-time.
• Dr. George Russo: Dr. Russo shares his experience keeping not only his patients healthy, but himself, through managing a healthy sleep schedule.
• Leroy Chiao: Former astronaut, Dr. Chiao takes listeners through his unique challenges of sleeping in zero gravity while in space.

"Chasing Sleep" is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and is free to stream or download wherever you get your podcasts. 

About Mattress Firm
Mattress Firm, the nation's largest omni-channel mattress specialty retailer, has been helping solve America's sleep problems for more than 90 years through our family of brands. Every one of our more than 6,500 passionate Sleep Experts are driven by a common purpose: to change people's lives through better sleep. Whether browsing online or in one of our 2,300+ stores, our highly trained team provides personalized service and advice to help customers choose the right mattress and bedding products based on their unique needs. Our expertly curated selection of products includes leading brands such as Beautyrest^®, Nectar®, Sealy^®, Serta^®, Simmons®, Sleepy's® Stearns & Foster®, Tempur-Pedic^®, Tuft & Needle^®, tulo^®, and Purple^®. Mattress Firm supports local and national charities through product and monetary donations and offers employee volunteering opportunities to serve their communities. No matter the time of night, Mattress Firm wants to help people get the sleep they deserve. Our Sleep.com website provides expert advice and helps people explore the health benefits of quality sleep, and the Sleep.com app provides free sleep tracking and personalized insights to improve sleep.

Achieve your best sleep by visiting MattressFirm.com, and learn more on the Mattress Firm Newsroom and by following @MattressFirm on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

About iHeartMedia
iHeartMedia, Inc. [Nasdaq: IHRT] is the leading audio media company in America, reaching over 90% of Americans every month, and has a portfolio of unmatched consumer brands and industry-leading events. iHeart's broadcast radio assets alone have more consumer reach in the U.S. than any other media outlet; twice the reach of the next largest broadcast radio company; and over four times the ad-enabled reach of the largest digital only audio service. iHeart is the largest podcast publisher according to Podtrac, with more downloads than the next four podcast publishers combined; has the number one social footprint among audio players, with seven times more followers than the next audio media brand; and is the only fully integrated audio ad tech solution across broadcast, streaming and podcasts. The company continues to leverage its strong audience connection and unparalleled consumer reach to build new platforms, products and services. Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.

Media Contacts 
Mattress Firm 
G'Nai Blakemore 
GNai.Blakemore@mfrm.com 

iHeartMedia
Jenn Powers
JennPowers@iHeartMedia.com

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SOURCE Mattress Firm