Frances Daniels

Frances Daniels

Senior Sleep Staff Writer

Frances Daniels is a PPA-accredited journalist and Sleep Staff Writer at Tom's Guide with an MA in Magazine Journalism from Cardiff University. Her role includes covering mattress and sleep news and writing sleep product reviews and buyer's guides, including our Best Hybrid Mattress 2025 guide. She is interested in the relationship between sleep and health, interviewing an array of experts to create in-depth articles about topics such as nutrition, sleep disorders, sleep hygiene, and mattress care. She is also our specialist on mattress toppers — producing bed topper reviews and taking care of our Best Mattress Toppers 2025 guide — and leads content relating to fiberglass-free beds for a non-toxic sleep. Outside of Tom's Guide, she has written for Ideal Home and Marie Claire.

Latest articles by Frances Daniels

A college of Saatva High-Density Foam Mattress Topper images pasted onto a blue-green gradient background.
Saatva’s best-selling mattress topper isn’t in the Black Friday sale — so I’d buy this cheaper alternative instead

By Frances Daniels Published

There’s no Black Friday deal on the popular Graphite Memory Foam Mattress Topper, so save up to $70 with this cheaper option from the brand instead

Mattress Toppers
A close-up shot of the white and blue cooling gel-foam used in mattresses
What is gel-foam in mattresses?

By Frances Daniels Last updated

Gel-foam mattresses are different to pure memory foam mattresses — here’s what you should know and whether you should buy one.

Mattresses
Our mattress tester wearing black silk pyjamas laying on her back on the Birch Elite mattress on wooden bedframe in warm lit bedroom with bedside plant, chair, unit, lamp and checkred rug
What is pressure relief in a mattress?

By Frances Daniels Published

Pressure relief is a key factor when choosing a mattress for you. But what exactly is it? Find out more here..

Mattresses
The Birch Elite Natural Mattress on a bed frame in a bedroom. A member of our testing team lies on the left side of the mattress on her back, while another mattress tester sits on the right hand side of the mattress. They're testing the motion isolation, to determine if one person getting into a bed disturbs the other
What is motion isolation in a mattress?

By Frances Daniels Last updated

Good motion isolation is found in a lot of memory foam and hybrid mattresses, but what is it and why do couples need it?

Mattresses
A tester sits on the edge of the mattress to test the sturdiness of the foot of the bed.
What is edge support in a mattress?

By Frances Daniels Last updated

Good edge support is found in beds with high-quality designs, but what is it and why is it important when buying a mattress?

Mattresses
Woman sat up with a duvet wrapped around her, holding a mug and looking tired
5 expert tips to make it through the day when you’re sleep deprived

By Frances Daniels Last updated

I followed the advice of a psychologist after only getting three hours of sleep — and I felt much better.

Sleep
A woman sleeping with her hand on her head and a slight frown, showing she is thinking
3 ways to stop perimenopause ruining your sleep tonight, according to a menopause expert

By Frances Daniels Last updated

Dr Amy Divaraniya shares how you can reduce your perimenopausal symptoms for better sleep tonight

Sleep
A close up of a pair of hands in rubber gloves using vinegar to blot the corner of a mattress. In the top left, a close up of a spider
This vinegar mattress cleaning hack will banish spiders from your bed this fall — here's how

By Frances Daniels, Ruth Jones Published

A cleaning expert reveals why you should be dabbing vinegar on your mattress — it's a must this spider season.

Mattress Care
A woman having trouble falling asleep in bed
Smoking could be the reason why you can't fall asleep fast — health experts explain why

By Frances Daniels Last updated

20% of adults are tobacco users, but it makes it harder to fall asleep and can cause sleep apnea

Sleep
A dinner plate with a circular analogy clock inside it. The clock's face shows the time of 5pm.
Intermittent fasting transformed my sleep — here's why it works, according to experts

By Frances Daniels Published

I asked an expert why eating dinner before 5pm for a month improved my sleep — here’s what she said

Sleep
A woman with black hair wearing glasses and holding a glass of water sits on the edge of her bed and prepares to take a multivitamin supplement at night.
Studies warn that 50% of adults are disrupting their sleep if they take this common supplement in the evening

By Frances Daniels Published

Half of US adults take this health-boosting supplement, but taking it in the evening may not be the best decision for your sleep.

Sleep Problems
A striped background with a photograph of a hand pulling on a mattress to reveal a bed bug in the foreground. A red circle spotlights the bed bug.
Avoid this mattress type if you want to get rid of bed bugs — and what to choose instead

By Frances Daniels Published

While no mattress is immune to a bed bug infestation, this type is the most suspectable. Here's how to protect it.

Mattresses
A professional photograph of the luxury Leesa Legend Hybrid mattress with a blue arrow pointing to a picture of the the cheap EGOHOME Black 12" Memory Foam Mattress taken at a tester's house.
I ditched my luxury hybrid mattress for a cheap memory foam bed and I’ve never slept better — here’s why

By Frances Daniels Published

Here are three reasons why the budget EGOHOME Black 12" Memory Foam impressed me more than the luxury Leesa Legend Hybrid mattress did...

Mattresses
Woman sleeping with eye mask
My 19 best tips to fall asleep quickly

By Frances Daniels Published

Want to fall asleep fast? These are the 19 sleep tips that I've gathered after two years of working as a sleep writer.

Sleep
On the left, an overhead shot of a person using their laptop while sitting on their bed, a phone to one side. On the right, two mattress testers sitting on top of a mattress on a bed frame in a bedroom, discussing the comfort and quality
The 7 tricks mattress brands use to get you to buy — and what to look for instead

By Frances Daniels Published

These seven mattress buzzwords may seem impressive to shoppers, but mattress testers like me know to look for these features instead...

Mattresses
Two Tom's Guide testers feeling the top of the Birch Luxe Natural mattress
How to choose an organic mattress that’s actually eco-friendly, according to a sustainability expert

By Frances Daniels Published

First time buying an organic mattress? Here's how to choose a sustainable bed that avoids greenwashing

Mattresses
A hand holds a bare microcoil in front of a individually-wrapped microcoils on a factory floor.
What are microcoils and why are they suddenly in every mattress topper?

By Frances Daniels Published

Microcoils promise to add comfort and support to mattress toppers, but what are these mini springs and why are they so popular?

Mattress Toppers
A white LectroFan EVO White Noise Machine perched on a grey couch with decorative cushions.
Noisy neighbours keeping you awake? I tried Amazon's top-rated white noise machine to drown mine out — and it actually works

By Frances Daniels Published

Amazon's top-rated LectroFan EVO White Noise Machine features 22 sounds to help you sleep through noisy summer nights.

Sleep Tech
A woman stands by a window of a sunlit bedroom in the summer
I live in a building with no air conditioning — here’s how I get a good night’s sleep in summer

By Frances Daniels Published

Heatwaves can ruin your sleep — especially if you don't have air conditioning. Here are five easy ways I keep my bedroom cool without AC.

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Sleep Problems
A woman showering
Your morning shower is ruining your nighttime sleep, says expert — here’s why

By Frances Daniels Published

Physician and sleep expert says a shower in the morning may make it harder to fall asleep at night

Sleep Problems
A dark-haired young woman wearing glasses and sipping a mug of tea watches TV on a grey sofa in a dimly-lit living room.
Watch this type of TV to fall asleep fast — plus 4 other expert-approved swaps I'm going to make to my nighttime routine

By Frances Daniels Published

From choosing chocolate to revisiting your favorite shows, these nighttime routine swaps will help you fall asleep quicker

Sleep
DreamCloud Classic Memory Foam Mattress on a beige platform bed frame in a sunny bedroom
What is the best DreamCloud mattress in 2025?

By Frances Daniels Last updated

Our in-depth guide to DreamCloud mattresses will help you find the best luxury bed for your sleep and budget.

Mattresses
The Panda London Bamboo Mattress Topper placed on a brightly-lit carpeted floor.
I used a bed topper as a mattress — here’s 5 things I want you to know before doing the same

By Frances Daniels Published

Can your mattress topper save you from sleeping on the couch? I left my air bed in the closet for two nights to find out...

Mattress Toppers
A young woman sits at the edge of her bed in a dimly lit bedroom as she can't sleep due to worry.
Ease nighttime anxiety, reduce stress and fall asleep quickly with this simple sleep hack, says psychologist

By Frances Daniels Last updated

We ask a psychologist all about the Constructive Worry sleep hack to fall asleep quickly

Sleep
The EGOHOME Black 12" Mattress in a tester's bedroom.
I'm sleeping on Amazon's best-selling EGOHOME Memory Foam Mattress — here's what I think so far

By Frances Daniels Published

I've been sleeping on the EGOHOME Black 12" Mattress for a week to see if it really does deliver body-cradling comfort...

Mattresses
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