How important is a good night's sleep to people?

A few days ago, I read an article on cnn.com - "Is a good night's sleep worth $50,000?" that I think I should share with all my audiences here. First of all, I was really stunned by the fact that mattress is actually costing more than cars and college tuitions. Vividus bed, which was produced by the Swedish manufacturer Hastens, cost approximately $50,000. Can you imagine that? I am wondering what is the mark-up on this incredibly priced mattress? Is it 100%, 200% or even more than that....?



Not surprisingly, since people are valuing more towards a good night's sleep, the market value of the wholesale mattress industry has increased nearly 40 percent, climbing to $6.4 billion in 2005, according to the trade group International Sleep Products Association. The luxury market makes up much of the trend here. Premium-priced mattresses, which costs more than $1,000 -- represents 21 percent of sales in 2005.

The driving force of the supply has always been the demand. The higher demand to the luxury mattresses drives more and more manufacturers to focus on the luxury market. What's behind these high demands? It is not hard to notice that the high demand towards the luxury mattress signals that people are valuing a peaceful night's sleep over their hard-earned dollar.