I spoke with Raj Mills, Sleep Number’s senior vice President of partnerships and research. She tells me, “Our AI models take into account foam depth and still maintain the same level of accuracy regardless of how far below the surface of the bed the sensors are.” She shares that they are cohesively performing a ballistocardiograph, which monitors the blood flow generated by the heart and ultimately determines your heart rate score. How effectively they can do so is debatable.

Ultimately, I found there was quite a bit of variance in terms of the nightly score calculated on both ends. On good nights, both pointed to higher scores, but the final number could differ by up to 10 points. On the Sleep Number app, I found it concerning that most of the time, my Sleep Score numbers were not as high as I thought they would be—my average for the three-week test period was a 74.

Matrix Mattress

If you prefer a remote, that’s either a separate cost ($50) or potentially a different bed altogether. The only way to operate this mattress is by creating an account and downloading the app in advance. Security of one’s personal data is top of mind for many, and I wanted to know how the vast quantities of data accumulated by Sleep Number’s customer base were managed. When you first sign up for your account, you can either share your data with Sleep Number or opt out altogether. For those who share their data willingly—about 550,000 individuals, according to Mills—Sleep Number’s data science team performs research and presents findings from its consumer base at major sleep conferences, including SLEEP and World Sleep Congress.

It’s a comprehensive data set to work with, and it continues to evolve through the adaptive AI at play, which includes SleepIQ technology. According to Mills, the company’s AI models are structured to analyze sleepers at an individual level, because every sleeper has a different build, age, pain issues, and various needs. According to Sleep Number’s privacy policy, the company doesn’t sell your information to third parties, and you can withdraw your consent to share information at any time. At the end of the day, Sleep Number is a business that can potentially use your data to develop new products, and it’s up to you whether that’s worth it or not.

Power Couple

An adjustable base is what enables each side of the mattress to independently adjust head and foot angles. I tested the FlexFit 3 adjustable base alongside the P6 mattress, which is Sleep Number’s top-of-the-line offering. It offers timed foot warming (which takes about two minutes to heat up and has a two-hour default setting) to help blood flow away from your core and aid faster sleep. There is also a zero-gravity setting, partner snore (elevates the head and neck slightly to help open up airways), and motion-detect underbed lighting. I loved the gentle light source for late-night bathroom breaks, and the split king adjustability allowed me to partake in late-night reading without disturbing my partner. However, the only feature that separates the FlexFit 2 base from the FlexFit 3 is the inclusion of foot warming, and it’s a $400 upcharge for a queen size.

Photograph: Julia Forbes

Good sleep is a priceless commodity, and a big factor is what you’re sleeping on, including your mattress and pillows. Purple is one of our favorites on that front, from the brand’s super supportive-yet-soft pillows to its cooling mattresses. All to say, there’s plenty of great bedding to shop at Purple, and right now you can get it at a serious discount. You can save up to 30% off of bedding, pillows, and more from Purple, from the PerfectStay Duvet Cover Set to the Purple Harmony Anywhere Travel Set, with these Purple promo codes and deals.

Save up to 30% With Purple’s Limited-Time Sales (No Promo Code Needed)

Right now, Purple has huge savings on tons of their up to 30% off sleep accessories like pillows, cushions, and sheet sets. I’ve found that all kinds of sleepers are drawn to Purple’s Freeform Adjustable Pillow and Purple Harmony Pillow in particular, especially since you can adjust it to best match your sleeping position. Plus, you can find some nice accessory bundles on sale, too.

Other Ways to Save on Purple Mattresses and Pillows

Looking for other ways to save on Purple’s sleep gear? Don’t miss Purple’s bundles that offer up to 25% off. Shoppers using FSA and HSA funds can also save an average of 30% on a mattress, since it does support your health. Check out the eligible products from Purple here to shop with those funds.

If you’re looking for a single pillow, you can score a pillow for free by signing up for Purple’s email updates. Purple also offers as low as zero percent APR if you use Affirm to shop.

Score a Friend a Free Purple Pillow

You can get a free pillow for a friend, too. When checking out for a $200 purchase as a new customer, you can choose to gift a friend a free Purple Cloud Pillow. Plus, if that friend later shops at Purple, you could get up to $75 in Amazon gift cards for your friend’s purchase.

Qualified Customers Can Get 10% Off Their Purchase

Some folks will qualify for 10% off, no matter what time of year it is. That list includes healthcare professionals, military members, first responders, teachers, students, and truck drivers. Check out how each discount works at the included links, and don’t miss your chance to save on all kinds of Purple bedding with these promo codes.

On an iPhone: Tap and hold on the home screen until the icons wiggle, then drag them around to rearrange or tap the X to uninstall them.

Add Shortcuts for Useful Tasks or Apps

One of the best things you can do is place shortcuts on the home screen to make it easier for them to call or message their closest contacts with a single tap.

On an Android phone: Tap and hold on the home screen and select Widgets, choose the Browse tab, then scroll down to Contacts, choose Direct dial, and select a contact. You can place the shortcut anywhere on the home screen, and they can call that person simply by tapping it. You can add Direct message shortcuts in the same way.

On an iPhone: Use the Shortcuts app. If you create a folder for the home screen, you can potentially add multiple shortcuts. You can tap the plus (+) icon at the top right to add a new shortcut, search for or scroll down to Phone or FaceTime, tap on it again, then tap Contact and pick the contact you want to add. Tap at the top and choose Rename to give the shortcut a name, choose the icon, and Add to Home Screen. You can also tap and hold on the home screen until the icons wiggle and tap Edit at the top left, then Add Widget, and choose Contacts, then select the contact you want to add, but this will require an extra tap when they want to call.

Consider a Simple Launcher (Android Only)

With Android phones, you can change the “launcher,” which determines the look of the whole interface, including things like app icons and font size.

Samsung phones have an alternative launcher called Easy Mode built in. To toggle it on, go to Settings, Display, and choose Easy Mode. There are loads of alternative Android launchers that you can install, and several simplify the phone experience with big icons. Simple Launcher, Big Launcher, or Senior Home are all worth a look.

Increase the Font Size

To make the font more readable, you can increase its size. There are loads of other handy smartphone features for folks with vision loss.

On an Android phone: Go to Settings, Display and touch, and choose Display size and text, then drag the slider to adjust. You can also get there via Settings, Accessibility, then Display size and text.