Sleep, Recovery, and the Mattress Rabbit Hole: Derek Hales on Getting More Rest Without the Marketing Noise

Masters swimmers understand effort. You train. You recover. You try to do the right things. And still, there are stretches when the body just doesn’t bounce back the way you expect.

When that happens, most of us look first at training volume or nutrition. But according to sleep expert Derek Hales, there’s a more foundational place to look first.

Sleep.

Not in a vague “get more rest” way, but in the very real, very physical environment where recovery actually happens.

Why Sleep Becomes the Bottleneck

Derek has spent years studying how sleep quality affects recovery, energy, and long-term health. His perspective is especially relevant for Masters swimmers because the margin for error gets smaller as we age.

When sleep suffers, recovery suffers. Muscles don’t rebuild as efficiently. Soreness lingers longer. Mood, focus, and motivation take a hit. Training can feel harder than it needs to be, even when you’re doing everything else right.

Derek is blunt about this: sleep isn’t just one factor among many. It’s often the factor that determines whether everything else works.

The Mattress Money Trap

One of Derek’s most practical insights has nothing to do with brand names or materials. It’s about spending.

Many people overspend because they’ve been conditioned to believe that quality sleep requires a five-figure mattress. Others underspend, hoping a bargain option will magically deliver years of support.

Both approaches usually fail.

Derek points to a wide middle ground where quality and durability peak before diminishing returns kick in. For many sleepers, that means choosing a well-constructed mattress that prioritizes support and longevity over prestige pricing.

The goal isn’t luxury. It’s a surface that lets your body recover night after night without breaking down prematurely.

How to Choose Without Losing Your Mind

Mattress shopping can feel overwhelming fast. Derek simplifies the decision by returning to fundamentals.

Three factors matter most:

• Body weight

• Sleeping position

• Firmness preference

From there, he often recommends starting with a hybrid design that combines coils and foam layers, usually in a medium to medium-firm feel. That combination tends to work well for a wide range of people because it balances support, pressure relief, and airflow without being extreme in any one direction.

It’s not about finding a perfect mattress. It’s about finding one your body can tolerate consistently.

The Truth About Off-Gassing and Smell

If you’re sensitive to smells, Derek’s guidance here is especially useful.

That “new mattress smell” many people experience often comes from polyurethane or memory foam releasing trapped gases after unpacking. Sometimes the odor fades quickly. Sometimes it lingers far longer than expected.

What surprises many people is that natural or organic mattresses are not odor-free. Latex, in particular, can have a strong rubbery smell that some people prefer and others struggle with.

Derek’s advice is not to chase labels, but to plan realistically. If smell affects your sleep, allow time for airing out and don’t assume any material is a guaranteed fix.

Cooling: What Helps and What’s Mostly Marketing

Cooling is one of the most common concerns Derek hears from sleepers, especially athletes.

His first recommendation is structural, not technological. Mattresses with coils tend to sleep cooler because they allow airflow. Dense, all-foam mattresses are more likely to trap heat.

Beyond that, Derek encourages skepticism. Cooling gels, infusions, and specialty materials can help, but only when used in meaningful quantities. A light sprinkle of technology often delivers far less than the marketing promises.

For some people, external cooling systems like water-based mattress pads make a noticeable difference. For others, managing bedding, airflow, and room temperature is enough. The right solution is the one that keeps you asleep, not the one with the loudest claims.

Recovery Starts Long Before Practice

Derek’s message lands clearly for Masters swimmers: recovery doesn’t begin at the pool deck. It begins the night before.

Short or fragmented sleep shows up quickly as slower recovery, more frequent illness, and increased injury risk. Over time, that makes consistency harder to maintain.

You don’t need perfect sleep to benefit. But treating sleep as a priority, rather than an afterthought, changes how the body responds to training.

Naps, Phones, and the Wind-Down Window

Derek’s advice around naps is refreshingly simple. Short naps can boost energy without disrupting nighttime sleep. Longer ones often do the opposite unless they’re intentionally timed.

He also emphasizes reducing stimulation before bed, especially screen use. Even a small buffer, putting the phone down and giving the mind a few quiet minutes, can make falling asleep noticeably easier.

These aren’t dramatic lifestyle overhauls. They’re repeatable habits that protect sleep quality over time.

Small Shifts That Pay Big Dividends

Derek’s expertise stands out because it’s grounded. No fear tactics. No magic fixes.

If you want to apply his insights in a practical way, start here:

• Spend wisely on support, not branding

• Prioritize airflow if cooling matters to you

• Keep naps short enough that bedtime stays easy

• Build a simple, repeatable wind-down routine

None of this is flashy. All of it compounds.

If you enjoy conversations and insights that help you train smarter and feel better, you’ll feel right at home here. Subscribe to the show, share it with a teammate, and if you have a moment, leaving a quick review helps more swimmers find us. You can also stay connected by joining our Mojo Messages, short encouraging messages sent straight to your inbox to help you live well and swim well. Let us know what Masters swimming has given you. We’re cheering you on!

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice. Please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns. You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com