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 four-piece collage of sleeping women, essential oils, and a candle pasted on to a blue marble background.
So, you got an aromatherapy set for Christmas — here’s how to use essential oils and candles in your sleep routine

By Frances Daniels Published

An aromatherapist explains how to use those unwanted essential oils and candles to fall asleep fast.

Sleep
The Panda London Bamboo Mattress Topper on a mattress. A price drop deals badge is seen in the top left foreground.
The bamboo mattress topper I use to make any mattress softer is 10% off in the Boxing Day sales — now from £90

By Frances Daniels Published

Panda's Boxing Day sale is taking up to 25% off all its sleep products, but I'd check out the Bamboo Memory Foam Mattress Topper

Mattress Toppers
Dormeo's Octasmart Deluxe Memory Foam Mattress on a wooden bed frame. A price drop deals badge is seen in the top right foreground.
I slept on Dormeo's plush cooling tech and loved it — here's the mattress I'd buy in its Boxing Day sale

By Frances Daniels Published

Dormeo is throwing a Boxing Day sale, and its Octasmart Deluxe Memory Foam Mattress is perfect for side sleepers who need cooling comfort

Mattresses
A young family sit on a bed wearing matching green pajamas with a festive pattern.
Dermatologists reveal the gross reason why you should wash your new Christmas pajamas before wearing them — especially if you have this condition

By Frances Daniels Published

Thinking of wearing your brand new Christmas pajamas without washing them first? Skin experts are urging you to think again for this health reason

Sleep
Two female testers change the bedding of a bed in a blue bedroom.
Taking a Christmas vacation? This is what I do before I leave to fall asleep fast when I return

By Frances Daniels Published

If you're about to leave for Christmas vacation, remember to do this before you go — your sleep will thank you for it. Plus, what to do if you've already left...

Sleep
The Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM sunrise alarm on a warmly-lit bedside table.
Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM review 2025: A premium alarm clock that provides a gentle and refreshing wake-up call

By Frances Daniels Published

Editor's Choice

I tested the Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM for three months to see if it lives up to price tag. Here's why it definitely does...

Sleep Tech
A four-image collage of someone making a hard mattress softer.
Over 60% of us have trouble sleeping away at Christmas — 3 tricks to make the guest room mattress softer

By Frances Daniels Published

From a DIY mattress topper to strategic pillow placement, here's how to make their guest room bed more comfortable fast

Mattresses
A group of sleep essentials from Amazon, displayed on a bed, with Christmas lights and a travel suitcase in the background.
Sleep Survival Kit: 12 products to help you sleep well in the busiest of houses this holiday season

By Frances Daniels Published

Noisy relatives? Here's what can help you sleep cozy and uninterrupted this Christmas — including a cheaper-than-Black-Friday white noise machine

Sleep
Christmas hot chocolate with marshmallows
No, hot chocolate isn't good for sleep — health expert explains why you should swap it for this 'golden' drink instead

By Frances Daniels Published

Hot chocolate is the quintessential cozy beverage, but a dietician tells us it's not so good for our sleep...

Sleep
Woman with hair in towel relaxes at night with a bowl of cereal
Doctor warns this common food is wrecking our sleep — and we eat over 30lbs of it a year

By Frances Daniels Published

This popular nutritious ingredient is surprisingly disruptive to your sleep, according to experts. Here's why and what to eat instead...

Sleep Problems
A stack of mattress toppers on top of a mattress
I'm a mattress topper expert — my top 5 tips for getting a good deal this Black Friday

By Frances Daniels last updated

Looking for a mattress topper this Black Friday? Here's a quick guide to finding a good deal in the sales

Mattress Toppers
Two Tom's Guide Sleep Writers lying next to each other on their side on the Saatva Classic mattress
Beginner’s guide to Black Friday mattress deals — 5 key things to remember before you shop

By Frances Daniels last updated

The Black Friday mattress deals have landed — but before you shop, follow our guide to the 5 things you should know

Mattresses
Two of our mattress testers sit on the Siena Signature Mattress on a bed frame in our testing studio. On the left, Nicola Appleton sits close to the side of the mattress to test the edge support. On the right, Frances Daniels sits on the sleeping area of the bed to better understand the comfort.
An expensive mattress isn't always best — meet the cheap memory foam bed that outperformed many luxury rivals in our testing

By Frances Daniels Published

We've tested and re-tested the Siena Signature Mattress, and this budget memory foam impressed in these three benefits...

Mattresses
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
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Archives

Other versions of this page are available with specific content for the following regions: