Suppliers such as Klafs are now making beds with rocking movements
Anyone who’s slowly drifted off while lazing in a hammock will be able to testify how rocking can help us sleep. Interestingly, a number of suppliers such as Klafs, Living Earth Crafts and Clap Tzu are also bringing treatment or relaxation beds with rocking movements to the market. And now scientists from Switzerland are adding to evidence which shows that rocking improves both our quality of sleep and memory.
The first study, by the University of Geneva, was based on 18 young adults who spent one night in a sleep lab on a gently rocking bed and another night on a bed which stayed still.
Participants in the beds that rocked not only fell asleep more quickly, but also experienced fewer periods of rapid eye movement, which is indicative of lighter sleep cycles. Meaning, they had a deeper, better quality night’s sleep.
In addition, scientists tested each person’s memory the morning after a night in the lab and found people achieved higher scores after they’d been on the beds that moved.
Further investigations looked at the underlying mechanisms at play and showed that the continuous rocking motion affects brain oscillations. They helped to synchronise neural activity in the thalamo-cortical circuits, which are linked to our sleep and memory performance.
“Having a good night’s sleep means falling asleep rapidly and then staying asleep during the whole night,” says study lead Laurence Bayer. “Our volunteers – even if they were good sleepers – fell asleep more rapidly when rocked and had longer periods of deeper sleep associated with few arousals during the night.”
A second study, by the University of Lausanne, was based on mice and is one of the first to look at how rocking impacts sleep in other species. It showed that while mice in swaying cages fell asleep more quickly, there was no evidence that they had a deeper sleep.
The Lausanne researchers also looked at underlying mechanisms at play by focusing on rhythmic stimulation of the vestibular system – a part of the inner ear associated with balance and spatial orientation. They found that mice which lacked otolith organs, small patches of sensory hair cells in the ear, did not experience the benefits of rocking when asleep.
Overall it was concluded that the two studies, which were both published in the scientific journal Current Biology, “provide new insights into the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the effects of rocking and stimulation on sleep” and that the findings may help with new approaches to sleep health.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Spa Programmes: On the menu
Energy medicine at Six Senses; aroma retreat on Croatia’s Island of Vitality and menopause programming all feature in our spa menu round-up
Top team: Rosewood
Jane Kitchen talks to the wellness team behind Rosewood, and its forward-thinking spa concepts, as CEO Sonia Cheng leads a vigorous global rollout
Everyone’s talking about: CBD
Are CBD treatments and products an unregulated fad, or a serious business proposition? Spa Business investigates
Promotional feature: The Madison Collection
Innovation of form and function in robes and towels is a vital part of attracting the next generation of wellness consumers. Charmaine T Lang from The Madison Collection explains how her company consistently maintains its successful point of difference
Interview: Markus Engel
The CEO of Asia’s Urban Resort Concepts talks to Spa Business about positive disruption in the hospitality and spa sector
Promotional feature: The Wellness
A beautiful pool can be the standout feature that draws new customers. It can also cut your running costs if it’s designed to be sustainable. Mohammed Ibrahim, CEO of The Wellness, explains
Interview: Davide Bollati
Liz Terry speaks to the founder of Comfort Zone about the group’s new botanical garden and ongoing commitment to environmentalism
Research: Generation gap
A new consumer study by ISPA uncovers spa-goer preferences and habits across different age groups
Promotional feature: Phytomer
Formulating the ultimate universal product to heal and defend the skin has taken three years of R&D for Phytomer, the French luxury marine skincare brand. The company’s scientific director tells Spa Business about the launch of the groundbreaking Prebioforce serum
Event Report: APSWC Round Table
Industry leaders contribute to APSWC’s third white paper at annual gathering. Catharine Nicol reports from Malaysia
Family spa: Play time
Spa Business takes a look at innovative spa programmes for children and families
Eco spa: Going green
Joanna Roche and Bonnie Baker share their ambitions for the Green Spa Network
Suppliers such as Klafs are now making beds with rocking movements
Anyone who’s slowly drifted off while lazing in a hammock will be able to testify how rocking can help us sleep. Interestingly, a number of suppliers such as Klafs, Living Earth Crafts and Clap Tzu are also bringing treatment or relaxation beds with rocking movements to the market. And now scientists from Switzerland are adding to evidence which shows that rocking improves both our quality of sleep and memory.
The first study, by the University of Geneva, was based on 18 young adults who spent one night in a sleep lab on a gently rocking bed and another night on a bed which stayed still.
Participants in the beds that rocked not only fell asleep more quickly, but also experienced fewer periods of rapid eye movement, which is indicative of lighter sleep cycles. Meaning, they had a deeper, better quality night’s sleep.
In addition, scientists tested each person’s memory the morning after a night in the lab and found people achieved higher scores after they’d been on the beds that moved.
Further investigations looked at the underlying mechanisms at play and showed that the continuous rocking motion affects brain oscillations. They helped to synchronise neural activity in the thalamo-cortical circuits, which are linked to our sleep and memory performance.
“Having a good night’s sleep means falling asleep rapidly and then staying asleep during the whole night,” says study lead Laurence Bayer. “Our volunteers – even if they were good sleepers – fell asleep more rapidly when rocked and had longer periods of deeper sleep associated with few arousals during the night.”
A second study, by the University of Lausanne, was based on mice and is one of the first to look at how rocking impacts sleep in other species. It showed that while mice in swaying cages fell asleep more quickly, there was no evidence that they had a deeper sleep.
The Lausanne researchers also looked at underlying mechanisms at play by focusing on rhythmic stimulation of the vestibular system – a part of the inner ear associated with balance and spatial orientation. They found that mice which lacked otolith organs, small patches of sensory hair cells in the ear, did not experience the benefits of rocking when asleep.
Overall it was concluded that the two studies, which were both published in the scientific journal Current Biology, “provide new insights into the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the effects of rocking and stimulation on sleep” and that the findings may help with new approaches to sleep health.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Spa Programmes: On the menu
Energy medicine at Six Senses; aroma retreat on Croatia’s Island of Vitality and menopause programming all feature in our spa menu round-up
Top team: Rosewood
Jane Kitchen talks to the wellness team behind Rosewood, and its forward-thinking spa concepts, as CEO Sonia Cheng leads a vigorous global rollout
Everyone’s talking about: CBD
Are CBD treatments and products an unregulated fad, or a serious business proposition? Spa Business investigates
Promotional feature: The Madison Collection
Innovation of form and function in robes and towels is a vital part of attracting the next generation of wellness consumers. Charmaine T Lang from The Madison Collection explains how her company consistently maintains its successful point of difference
Interview: Markus Engel
The CEO of Asia’s Urban Resort Concepts talks to Spa Business about positive disruption in the hospitality and spa sector
Promotional feature: The Wellness
A beautiful pool can be the standout feature that draws new customers. It can also cut your running costs if it’s designed to be sustainable. Mohammed Ibrahim, CEO of The Wellness, explains
Interview: Davide Bollati
Liz Terry speaks to the founder of Comfort Zone about the group’s new botanical garden and ongoing commitment to environmentalism
Research: Generation gap
A new consumer study by ISPA uncovers spa-goer preferences and habits across different age groups
Promotional feature: Phytomer
Formulating the ultimate universal product to heal and defend the skin has taken three years of R&D for Phytomer, the French luxury marine skincare brand. The company’s scientific director tells Spa Business about the launch of the groundbreaking Prebioforce serum
Event Report: APSWC Round Table
Industry leaders contribute to APSWC’s third white paper at annual gathering. Catharine Nicol reports from Malaysia
Family spa: Play time
Spa Business takes a look at innovative spa programmes for children and families
Eco spa: Going green
Joanna Roche and Bonnie Baker share their ambitions for the Green Spa Network
The Standards Authority for Touch in Cancer Care (SATCC) charity has announced its first five-
day Living with Cancer and Beyond retreat, which will be held at Carden Park Hotel and Spa in
Cheshire, UK, between 1 and 5 September.
Patmos Aktis, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa, has opened in Greece, with a renovated and
rebranded wellness offering called Ansana Wellness and Spa.
The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, an Autograph Collection property in Hawaii, US, has opened its
22,000 sq ft indoor-outdoor Spa at Mauna Kea as the final step in the property’s overall
renovation, which has cost more than US$180 million (€166 million, £140 mill
The UK spa review and discovery platform for consumers, the Good Spa Guide, has announced
it will host the Good Spa Guide Awards 2026 during an event on 16 November at Sopwell House
Hotel in St Albans, UK.
Eighty-four per cent of consumers now say wellness is a top priority in their lives, with this
percentage increasing year on year, according to a preview presentation of McKinsey’s Future of
Wellness 2026 research report.
Mass protests have been taking place since Monday 1 June in Albania over the development of
a luxury resort by Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner.
Global Wellness Day (GWD) marked its 15th anniversary on Saturday 13 June 2026, with the
theme: #JoyMagenta – a celebration of the healing qualities of simple gestures and activities
that spark joy.
Global luxury hospitality brand, Six Senses, has partnered with longevity healthcare provider,
HUM2N, to launch a clinic at Six Senses London, at The Whiteley.
As part of its first hotel partnership, Mayrlife – the medical health resort company known for its
site in Altaussee, Austria – has launched a day clinic at the Rosewood Vienna.
Premium London health club, KX Chelsea, will imminently unveil its most significant
redevelopment since its launch in 2002 to create an integrated wellness model combining
training, recovery and relaxation.
