(Listen to the full episode here.)

A Little Gratitude For You and For a Good’s Night Rest

If you are in the United States, I want to wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving. I have so much gratitude in my heart for the privilege of  joining you on the Essential Oil Revolution podcast every week.

It’s been incredible to have an opportunity to spend time with the best brains in holistic health, naturopathic and functional medicine, aromatherapy, and holistic living. Seriously, somedays I have to pinch myself to believe it’s real. I feel so blessed to learn from these extraordinary individuals and to share the information with you so that you can empower your health and thrive as well.

Not only is this feeling an incredible emotional gift for us to share, especially at this time of year, but we also know that gratitude will further benefit our physical, emotional, and overall health.

Happily, this show will only compound these gains!

You’ll be thankful to know that our expert guest on today’s show, the CEO of Essentia, Jack Dell’Accio, offers us an insightful dive into the importance of restorative sleep and how to achieve it. We discuss how to optimize slumber so that it not only benefits your own health and performance, but also supports our planet. This demonstrates a reverence for taking care of our precious plants and essential oils by providing sustainable, non-toxic solutions.

Getting Quality Sleep

Most adults need between 7-8 hours of sleep a night to function at their best. Unfortunately, between 29-43% of American adults have been reported to have short sleep syndrome. Many others also struggle from various forms of sleep disorders.

Overtime, this lack of quality sleep can lead to a variety of negative health consequences. These include immune depletion, a rise in blood sugar, elevated blood pressure, and an array of other chronic physical and mental health conditions.

Furthermore, the more we learn about why we sleep, the more we realize that our busy society has been chasing a lie. Staying up late to get things done has made us less productive, not more!

Yet, what many people are not aware of is that this newfound, fashionable desire to repair and rejuvenate may actually be harming their health.

For instance, did you know that most mattresses are off gassing harmful chemicals and riddled with allergens that you are breathing in as you sleep?

On the flip side (pun intended), there are mattresses that are not only non-toxic, but that also optimize your sleep. In fact, Essentia mattresses have been researched to enhance performance in top athletes, as they provide comfort and calm down the nervous system. This is based on their seven major core elements of:

• being non-allergenic (as tested by Dr. Hamilton from John Hopkins)
• having beyond certified organic standards
• providing perfect posture support
• increasing oxygen and blood flow
• regulating body temperature
• accelerating recovery
• protecting against detrimental EMF (electromagnetic frequency)

As impressive, Essentia replaces man-made oils and petroleum with essential oils and other natural plant extracts. This is to achieve proper consistency for their mattresses.

When I heard Jack Dell’Accio speak about his mattresses and share all that he has learned about sleep in his 20+ years of studying the topic, I reached out to have him on the show. I mean, how cool is it to have a mattress company so dedicated to non-toxic living that they use essential oils in their Beyond Organic Latex foam?

However, what really spoke to me about Essentia was Jack’s passion. This was based on a personal mission stemming from a family members’ battle with cancer. This explains the lengths Jack goes to ensure that his mattresses aren’t just non-toxic, but that they also promote health and longevity.

In a society where the word “busy” replaces an emotional description of how we are doing, we need to be reminded of how important it is to pare down, rest, and recover. And, if you’re like me, it’s also helpful to be prompted about how the health of our planet impacts not just the quality of our beloved essential oils, but also influences our own emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual health.

As an important side note, I want to let you know, dear listeners, Essentia is not sponsoring or advertising on this show. I asked Jack to speak with us because of his knowledge, his humility, his kindness, and his passion for educating us about the importance of sleep and how it merges with environmental stewardship. I personally want to get the word out about his company because of how it is benefiting others and the planet, and I want it to benefit you too.

I’m so excited to introduce you to Jack so you can discover his drive and determination for perfecting rest and learn more about sleep optimization.

Below are some of the main points Jack and I discussed, but you don’t want to miss the full show here.  

Click here to listen to the full show.

The Start of Essentia and Where It is Today

Jack’s passion for perfecting sleep began in 2005. His desire to clean up the sleep environment ignited when he was dealing with family members that had cancer. At this time there weren’t any mattresses that offered what he sought. These included being non-toxic and non-allergenic, while also supporting posture and pressure release.

It took Jack about four years to develop and master his first mattress. This formed the foundation for Essentia’s seven core concepts. Jack had come to realize that if some people reacted overtly to toxins and allergens in sleep, most people’s nervous and immune systems will be impacted as well. It just may not be as evert as those with chronic illnesses.

In 2009 Essentia patented their first performance core and attracted the attention of athletes. Today, Essentia expanded their market from the very environmentally sensitive and critically ill, to health-conscious consumers, and athletes who want to get an edge on their performance

Essentia is driven by science and outcomes. In fact, in a recent double-blind sleep study of 75 professional athletes, Essentia demonstrated that its mattresses can extend the time spent in REM and Deep Sleep cycles by 20% to 60%!

What Makes Essentia Organic Mattresses Different

1. More Time in Deep and REM sleep

Essentia aims to extend time in Deep and REM sleep. These phases of sleep are vital for rejuvenating brain and physical health for the following reasons:

• While in slumber, the brain enters a phase of clean up through its glymphatic system which optimizes its function.
• During REM sleep, one’s memory is consolidated, and emotional well-being is enhanced. This can reduce the risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
• Deep sleep is a time of physical repair.
• Sleeping pills keep you in light wave sleep and end up stimulating your nervous system vs. restoration.

2. Less Negative Stimulation on the Nervous System

There is nothing that emits more toxins than your mattress in the bedroom. Even organic mattresses lock in allergens and toxins in their fabric and many off gas for years.

These “invisible stimulants” negatively stimulate our nervous system and prevent Deep and REM sleep. Relieving these environmental burdens will always enhance the quality of sleep and may lessen the time of sleep needed.

Essentia focuses on removing the following obstacles of Deep and REM sleep in various ways:

• Allergens – Essentia memory foam and latex are certified non-allergic.
• Toxins – Essentia replaces petroleum and harmful chemicals with essential oils and plant materials. Essentia also uses Kevlar fire protection vs. health-degrading fire retardants.
• Heat and Temperature – A progressive drop of temperature throughout the night keeps you in Deep sleep. In fact, temperature changes stimulates the sleep and wake cycle similarly to light and darkness. Essentia’s patented quartz technology naturally allows for proper thermoregulation.
• Pressure Redistribution Imbalances – This aspect is relieved with dense memory foam and non-toxic ingredients.
• Poor Posture Support – Most mattresses optimize for comfort and softness which increases air space and compromise posture support. Essentia mattresses provide comfort with density and elasticity.
• Movement Disturbances – Most memory foams don’t account for changes in positions during the night, which can take one out of the Deep sleep phases. Essentia memory foams adjust to body movements, so sleep is not disturbed.
• EMFs (electromagnetic frequencies) – Essentia has been able to prevent the EMF-induced changes in red blood cells that results in poor oxygen and a decrease in nutrient circulation, along with other health risks. On the contrary, typical mattresses with coils can increase EMFs and their dangers.

3. Their Quartz Technology

Essentia uses quartz to both optimize thermoregulation and EMF protection. This is based on physics and results in eradicating erratic electromagnetic signals. Unfortunately, many conventional cooling mattresses are either chemical-based or use mechanical EMFs. The use of quartz means that chemicals and EMFs can be avoided to achieve cooling.

4. Optimizing Oxygenation and Nutrient Delivery

Essentia mattresses optimize oxygenation and nutrient delivery by achieving the best posture support, pressure redistribution, and elimination of EMFs.

5. Exceeding Certification Standards

Essentia’s Vast Amount of Certifications (that greatly surpass industry standards) include:

• Global Organic Textiles (GOTS)
• Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS)
• Beyond Organic
• Clean Air Tested for VOCs (Exova)
• ISO certified for medical device
• Worker Safety Tested
• Well Living Lab founding member
• Hippocrates Health Initiative Approved
• Green America Gold Certified (related to social change and environmental sustainability)
• Oeko Text Certified (safe for babies)
• EuroLatex Ecostandards
• Made in Canada

Essential Oils in Essentia

The main purpose of the use of essential oils in Essentia is to provide organic quality ingredients for pressure redistribution and postural support. The oils reduce acidity and enhance elasticity to manage the reaction of their Beyond Latex™ organic memory foam. The essential oils currently used are grapefruit seed oil, coneflower essence, and jasmine essence.

Essentia knows that preference for essential oils and biochemical differences will impact everyone’s nervous system differently. This is why essential oils are used more as non-toxic compounds vs. for aromatherapy. However, aromatherapy can be used to relax the mind and body and serve as a trigger for sleep when set to diffuse at a specific time every night.

Jack’s Mission and Passion

In the closing we revisit Jack’s passion and his obsession with sleep quality. We also discuss his aromatherapy tip in greater detail and answer the usual closing questions.

Click here to listen now and access the show notes.

Please support the show by providing a rating and feedback on your favorite podcast player. This is a no-cost way to spread the word and to help us stay in alignment with what you, the listeners, want. It also helps us to keep providing you with amazing guests, like Jack.

Where to Find Out More About Jack and Essentia:

• Essentia Website
• Rise and Thrive Podcast
• Sleep Study (Essentia Mattress extending REM and Deep Sleep)
• Instagram
• Facebook
• YouTube,
• TikTok
• Pinterest,
• X (formerly Twitter)

Bio of Jack Dell’Accio

Jack Dell’Accio is a health and wellness enthusiast, sustainability and chemical-free advocate, and Eco Citizen Award recipient. Jack has been passionately dedicated to optimizing sleep for over 20 years based on a mission that is personal. This desire morphed into his creation of something truly extraordinary. Jack is the founder and CEO of Essentia, the world’s healthiest, cleanest, and most natural mattress.

Essentia mattresses are non-toxic, certified organic, and unparalleled in quality. Their mattresses have been named the #1 foam mattress by Consumer Reports for 7 consecutive years. Essentia has also been recognized by several internationally renowned organizations including the Mayo Clinic’s Well Living Lab. Furthermore, Essentia developed a partnership with Stay Well by Delos, where they offer their Stay Well mattress to prestigious travel establishments like Four Seasons, Marriott, and MGM Resorts.

But Essentia isn’t only about creating a toxic-free, healthy environment for restorative sleep. Jack has worked with some of the world’s top health influences, professional athletes, and teams in the NBA, NFL, MLS, and over 25% of active NHL players. He is a sought-after expert on the biology of sleep and at the cutting edge of science and research on how to perfect the perfect night’s sleep for better daily performance. In fact, in a recent double-blind sleep study of professional athletes, Essentia demonstrated that its mattresses can extend the time spent in REM and Deep Sleep cycles by 20% to 60%!

Since 2005, Jack’s purpose-driven, compassionate, and fierce passion to revolutionize sleep has become a reality. He accomplishes this through his hands-on experience in his facility with his staff, education through the media, direct contact with customers, interviews with experts on his Rise and Thrive podcast, the charities he contributes to, and through the lives he touches on a daily basis. Jack and Essentia are literally pouring their energy into your nights, so you can pour yours into your most vibrant days. Find Jack and Essentia at https://myessentia.com/.

Naturopathic Medicine and Holistic Resources for Hormonal, Mood, and Digestive Support

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• Tools for coping with isolation and separation.
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Many blessings.

References:

• https://myessentia.com/pages/our-mission
• https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/healthy-planet-healthy-you-september-2023
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8504332/
• https://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/responses/the-crisis-of-planetary-health-reflections-from-the-world-religions
• https://myessentia.com/blogs/mattress-101/the-results-of-biohacking-your-sleep
• https://drjockers.com/glymphatic-system/
• https://www.sleepfoundation.org/bedroom-environment/best-temperature-for-sleep
• https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/left-sided-cancer-blame-your-bed-and-tv/
• https://www.healthline.com/health/emf#levels
• https://www.apa.org/topics/sleep/why
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6685799/
• https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-10-Deep-dementia.html