Ruth Jones

Ruth Jones

Senior Sleep Staff Writer

Ruth is an experienced Senior Staff writer at Tom’s Guide, covering all things sleep and mattresses. She writes to help people sleep better, from how-tos to the latest deals to mattress reviews, and has interviewed an array of experts who share her passion. She is also our specialist on memory foam — she’s flown around the world to see memory foam being made — and leads our hotel mattress content. She has a deep interest in the link between sleep and health, and has tried enough mattresses, from Helix to Nectar to Simba, to know the right bed really can make a difference to your wellbeing. Before joining the team at Tom’s Guide, Ruth worked as a sleep and mattress writer for our sister website, TechRadar.

Latest articles by Ruth Jones

A collage of sleep products against a blue background with stars, clockwise: A SiJo sheet set, a Brooklinen Sleep Mask in its box, a BedSure blanket, a Coop Sleep Goods pillow, Marriott Slippers, a DreamCloud Classic Mattress
How to create a hotel bed for under $1,000 — the mattress, pillow, and bed sheet deals I'd snap up for luxury comfort

By Ruth Jones Published

We've found all the best sleep deals to transform your bed into the pièce de résistance of any luxury hotel, all for under a budget of $1,000.

Mattresses
A woman sits up in bed smiling with her arms spread, as if she's had a good night's sleep. In the bottom left corner is an insert of a woman taking a shower at night.
A warm shower or bath before bed helps you fall asleep fast — but timing is key, sleep expert reveals

By Ruth Jones Published

Showering or bathing before bed is a simple habit that tricks your body into going to sleep fast and waking up with energy, but timing it right is key.

Sleep
A woman inspects her sage-colored bed sheets. In the top right foreground, a circular frame shows an extreme close up of dust mites embedded in the fabric of a mattress cover.
‘More bacteria than a toilet seat’ — study reveals exactly when we need to wash pillowcases and bed sheets for healthier sleep

By Ruth Jones Published

'Dirtier than a toilet seat': I found out how quickly bacteria teems on pillowcases and bed sheets and, well, I’m stripping my bed immediately

Pillows & Bedding
This image shows a warmly lit bedroom with a MUSICOZY sleep headband, Gritin sleep mask and Alpine Silence Sleep earplugs resting on the sheets. On the nightstand next to the bed is a lamp, JALL Sunrise alarm clock, BreatheRight nose strips, and a box with L LOHAS LED amber lightbulbs. The image has been edited by Gemini
Trouble sleeping? 12 products under $30 I recommend in Amazon’s Big Spring Sale for reducing 3 a.m. wake-ups, nighttime anxiety, and morning fatigue

By Ruth Jones Published

I've found everything you need to build the ultimate sleep set-up for less in Amazon's Big Spring Sale, starting from just $4.

Sleep
A collage of images of the Zinus Green Tea mattress: on the left, the Zinus Green Tea Mattress in a bedroom. Top right, a hand pressing into the surface of the Zinus Green Tea Mattress. Bottom right, a close up of the corner and label of the Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress
Side sleepers, this is one of the coziest mattresses I've tested and it's less than $200 for a queen in Amazon's Big Spring Sale

By Ruth Jones Published

I've been scouring Amazon's Big Spring Sale and this deal from Zinus is a must for side sleepers looking for a mattress to ease aches and pains.

Mattresses
A close up of a hand holding a bottle of 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol with a yellow label (Getty), in the top right corner is a close up of bed bugs in a mattress (Shutterstock)
This $4 household staple might help you prevent a bed bug infestation naturally — but there's a catch

By Ruth Jones Last updated

Rubbing alcohol can be used to kill bed bugs but we recommend using these affordable alternatives instead.

Mattress Care
Edited by Gemini, this image shows a mock up of a luxury hotel-style bedroom. At the center of the room is the Saatva Classic mattress on a bed frame, dressed in white sheets and white pillows.
Build a 5-star hotel bedroom at home with these luxury bedding finds from Marriott, Ritz-Carlton and more

By Ruth Jones Published

Everything you need to turn your bedroom into a hotel suite — the tips, tricks and products you'll find in resorts and hotels around the world.

Pillows & Bedding
Woman wakes smiling and stretching in a bed with light-coloured bedding.
I'm waking up full of energy after a doctor helped me fix this simple sleep hygiene mistake I didn't realize I was making

By Ruth Jones Published

Doctors explain how my pre-bed routine was harming my sleep and the easy changes that have me sleeping through the night and waking up before my alarm, full of energy.

Sleep
On the left, a close up of the Withings Sleep Tracker on a white sheet in our reviewer's bedroom. On the right, sleep tech writer Eve Davies sits up in bed checking her Withings Sleep App to assess her sleep score
This 'gold standard' sleep tracker is the closest I'll ever get to a real sleep study — 3 ways it has already improved my sleep, from sleeping longer to sleeping deeper

By Ruth Jones Published

My Withings sleep tracker is helping me identify and solve problems in my sleep so I can wake up with a spring in my step — here's how it's taking my sleep scores higher and higher.

Sleep Tech
On the left, a close up of mattress tester Nicola Appleton lying on her side on the Siena Signature Mattress in our sleep studio, with a laser line indicating the straightness of her spine. On the right, the Siena Signature Mattress in the bedroom of our sleep writer Ruth Jones.
I thought this cheap firm mattress would never suit side sleepers but after a week of retesting, I’ve been forced to eat my words

By Ruth Jones Published

I've changed how I sleep on the Siena mattress and discovered a new world of pressure relief — here's everything side sleepers need to know.

Mattresses
A woman sleeping on her side in a bed with all white bedding.
Vagus nerve stimulators promise to ease nighttime anxiety and prevent 3 a.m. wakeups — here's how to do it at home (without spending $900)

By Ruth Jones Last updated

An expert explains how to employ vagus nerve stimulation for free at home, to ease anxiety and improve sleep. All you need is some cold water...

Sleep
The Saatva Classic Mattress on a bedframe in our Sleep Studio, decorated like a bedroom. In the bottom left corner is a Rom's Guide Sleep Week deals graphic
Saatva's Sleep Week sale is nearly over, so don't miss this year's biggest saving so far on our favorite luxury hotel mattress

By Ruth Jones Published

Save $400 on the luxury mattress that revolutionized our editor's sleep in this last-chance Sleep Week sale at Saatva.

Mattresses
An older woman lies in bed asleep
Over 65? Doctors say spending less time in bed could increase how much deep sleep you get — here's how and why it's vital for ageing well

By Ruth Jones Published

Presented by Helix Sleep

Deep sleep declines with age, but experts explain how maximizing sleep efficiency can help seniors enjoy more deep sleep and avoid 3 a.m. wake ups.

Sleep
A woman with brown hair sits up in bed holding her lower back because she's in pain
5 signs your mattress is why you keep waking up during the night — plus, 3 quick fixes to boost your comfort

By Ruth Jones Published

Presented by Helix Sleep

Insights and hacks from a professional mattress tester

Mattresses
The main image shows a women lying on her front and snoring during her sleep. In the bottom right corner is an inset image of a close up of a sleep tracker showing the different sleep stages that have been tracked overnight
'80% of people with sleep apnea don't know they have it' — the signs and sleep tracker metrics to look for, according to a Samsung Health scientist

By Ruth Jones Published

Snoring is the 'hallmark of sleep apnea', a doctor says, but there are other signs and metrics to look for on your sleep tracker. Here's what you need to know...

Sleep
A woman sits up in bed in a sunny bedroom with with her arms raised above her head, looking ready to jump out of bed. In the top left corner is a Tom's Guide Sleep Week logo
3 doctors recommended this sleep hygiene tip and it's why I'm finally waking up with loads of energy — here's how it works

By Ruth Jones Published

Here's the simple, doctor-approved sleep hygiene tip that's finally helping me to wake up with energy

Sleep
The Plank Firm mattress on a bed frame in our reviewer's bedroom. A blue border with the word 'tested' runs around the edge while a Tom's Guide Sleep Week graphic sits in the bottom right corner
The flippable Plank Firm is unlike any hard bed I’ve tested — it’s ultra-supportive yet so comfy. Here’s why it’s still the best firm mattress online

By Ruth Jones Published

Presented by Helix Sleep

I love firm mattresses and the Plank is the firmest I've tested, delivering unyielding support like nothing else. Here's why I think it's the best firm mattress you can buy today.

Mattresses
A man sits on the side of his bed in a dark room with his head in his hands because he's experiencing distress from being unable to sleep
Research shows 53% of us only sleep well 4 nights a week and anxiety is a leading cause — an expert explains how to sleep better every night and skip the 3 a.m. wake ups

By Ruth Jones Last updated

Resmed has found only one-third of adults claim to sleep well every night — Dr. Carlos Nunez explains expert rules for beating the odds and getting good sleep, night after night.

Sleep
The image shows a woman with dark curly hair sleeping on her back on a sofa, with her arms tucked behind her head. A book lies open on her stomach. A blue Tom's Guide Sleep Awareness Week 2026 logo sits in the top left hand corner.
Naps are a great way to stave off sleep deprivation and cope with burnout and fatigue but timing is key to prevent 3am wake ups

By Ruth Jones Published

Presented by Helix Sleep

An expert explains how to nap without ruining your sleep and why siestas are so loved by people in 'Blue Zones.'

Sleep
The WinkBeds Plus mattress on a bed frame with a duvet in a brightly lit room
WinkBeds mattress deals March 2026: 30% off

By Ruth Jones Last updated

Shop this month's WinkBeds mattress sale for big savings on its entire range of hybrid and all-foam beds.

Mattresses
A woman sleeps peacefully in her bed under a white duvet, while a small stack of books can be seen on her bedside table
'You're not winding down, you're stimulating your nervous system' — expert pinpoints the nighttime routine mistake that kept waking me up at 3 a.m. and the $10 gadget that stopped it

By Ruth Jones Last updated

Can't keep your hands off your phone at bedtime? This analog alarm clock switch minimizes distractions so you can fall asleep faster and stay asleep

Sleep
woman waking up refreshed in bed
Stop waking up at 3 am — I asked 5 doctors for their best sleep hygiene tips and here’s what they said

By Ruth Jones Last updated

The experts explain the habits and lifestyle changes that can help you sleep better and how to make them work for you.

Sleep
In the left corner, a closeup of a hand adjusting the temperature on a thermostat (Shutterstock.) In the main image, a man holds his pack and shoulder while sitting on the edge of his mattress, looking in pain (Getty)
Experts reveal why over 65s with back and hip pain need a warmer bedroom for sleeping — here’s the temperature they recommend

By Ruth Jones Published

Pain experts explain how adjusting the thermostat can stop you waking up with tight, sore muscles, plus the bedding essentials to stay warm without overheating.

Sleep
A couple asleep in bed under white bedsheets, lying back to back
I asked the experts what’s the number one rule of good sleep hygiene and they all said the same thing

By Ruth Jones Published

There’s no ‘easy fix’ for better sleep — but this gold-standard rule is the best starting point if you want to fall asleep fast and stay asleep.

Sleep
On the left, a close up of sleep tech writer Eve Davis wearing a sleep tracker while sleeping in bed. On the right, a close up of the Apple Watch Sleep Tracker showing the percentage for Awake, REM, Core and Deep Sleep
I’ve been tracking the amount of deep sleep I’m getting using my Apple Watch and I thought it was nowhere near enough — I asked a doctor and their answer surprised me

By Ruth Jones Last updated

Two sleep doctors explain what deep sleep is, how much we need and the real number you should be looking for on your Apple Watch sleep tracker.

Sleep
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