Good sleep is the bedrock of good health and US alpine skier Lauren Macuga knows better than anyone just how imperative quality rest is for strong physical performance.
It's been a big year for 23-year-old Macuga; January saw her first Alpine Ski World Cup victory, where she made history as the first American woman to win the St. Anton Super-G. She's now gearing up for her first Winter Olympic Games at Milano Cortina 2026, which take place in February.
“Everyone knows when you sleep well, that’s when you feel your best”
Lauren Macuga, US alpine skier
But striving for the best doesn't mean compromising her well-being in the process. In fact, Macuga is a big advocate for finding balance between training and rest. "Everyone knows when you sleep well, that’s when you feel your best," she says.
Off the back of her breakout 2024/25 season, Macuga has recently partnered with the brand behind the best mattress we’ve tested this year, Saatva, to level up her sleep quality as she charges towards her debut Winter Olympic Games.
Macuga credits a good night’s sleep for helping her stay alert and focused on the slopes. “I can feel it in the morning if I’m not able to fall asleep,” she says. “I wake up feeling a little groggy, and when you're going 70 miles an hour on blades, you're like, okay, I kind of need to be focused.”
23-year-old Lauren Macuga is an American alpine skier and ambassador in Saatva’s Olympic partnership. She achieved her first World Cup win in January this year, claiming the bronze medal in the Women's Super-G. Macuga will make her debut Winter Olympic appearance at Milano Cortina 2026.
“This [was] actually one of the hardest summers I’ve worked, but it’s actually the strongest I’ve gotten," she adds. "And I do think it is because I’ve had some of the best recovery" which she notes is "since working with Saatva and really focusing on that.”
How has that recovery looked for Macuga? She’s been aiming to sleep at least eight hours a night on the Saatva Classic Mattress.
Better sleep, higher performance
On the Tom's Guide's sleep desk we're often shouting about how sleeping well is key to recovery and bolstering your athletic performance, whether you're a recreational marathon runner or Travis Kelce competing at the Super Bowl.
1. Keep your bedroom cool to help your body reset naturally.
2. Take time before bed to wind down from the day with calming activities like reading.
3. Get at least seven hours of sleep (preferably eight) to feel your best.
In Macuga's case, the many hours she spends on the slopes puts a lot of strain on her body.
She explains: “You tear [your muscles] during the day and they're able to reform best at night.” That means it's all the more important for her to rest well at night, and her partnership with Saatva has helped facilitate that restorative sleep.
Macuga follows a simple routine before bed to ensure she sleeps well and wakes up feeling her best. She says she always tried to read before bed rather than spending time on her phone as this helps her "disconnect from the day" and go to sleep with fewer worries.
The athlete always tries to stick to eight hours sleep, but when European dinners run on and she has early starts, she settles for at least seven hours.
The result? She wakes up refreshed and ready to hit the slopes. “We just did testing two days ago, and it's the strongest I've ever been," she says. "So, I know what I’m doing is working and I’m loving it.”
Macuga's solid rest routine is certainly reflected in her confident, warm personality.
“I was looking for something that would really help my back”
Macuga says she had back issues before working with Saatva, after sustaining an injury earlier this year. So she was in the market for a comfortable, supportive bed that would soothe her pain and help with recovery from intense training.
Defining her ideal mattress, Macuga says she was looking for something that a) was cooling and b) could support her back. With this in mind, she landed on the 11.5" Saatva Classic in Luxury Firm, which we rate as the best mattress for back pain you can buy.
After sleeping on the premium hybrid mattress since March, she reports a great improvement in her sleep quality and pain levels. “Right after I did my back, I got my mattress and it started to improve a lot,” she says.
Considering that the Classic is endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association for the quality of its lumbar support, the Classic was an excellent choice for Macuga to recover on. Because while the Classic is an excellent all-rounders for most sleepers, where it really excels is back support.
A combination of a dual-layer of recycled steel coils for stability, a layer high density CertiPUR-US certified memory foam and a 3" thick Euro top cover (complete with zoned quilting in the central third of the mattress for lumbar support) ensures the Classic strikes the right note of pressure relief and reliable support in every sleep position.
“One of my biggest things is sleeping cool”
Aware of how our bodies are able to rest best when cool, the first step in Macuga's nighttime routine is opening her bedroom window. Ensuring that your bedroom is set to the best temperature for sleep can help induce the core temperature drop that cues the body's circadian rhythm to wind down for sleep.
As one of the best cooling mattresses we've tested this year, the Saatva Classic also helps her maintain a cool, comfortable body temperature throughout the night.
This is great for sleep quality and muscle recovery as sleeping cool reduces inflammation and regulates sleep hormones, ensuring you're entering those crucial deep sleep stages where muscle repair happens.
Breathable and supportive, the Saatva Latex Pillow completes Macuga's cool sleep space. She says this pillow has "totally upgraded [her] whole game, on and and off the road," — she even takes it travelling with her.
Our reviewers also love this pillow. Our lead tester says "it felt like I was sleeping on a cloud" and admits she'll be holding on to it, rather than passing it on to family as she usually does after a pillow testing period.
The team at Saatva are super excited to have Macuga on board.
“At Saatva, we know sleep unlocks a superpower in all of us,” says CEO Ron Rudzin. “Lauren Macuga is a rising force in alpine skiing, embodying the passion, resilience, and character we admire. We’re thrilled to support her and Team USA on the road to Milano Cortina 2026.”
Macuga concludes: "Going into Olympic season, I couldn't be more excited. I'm already slowly making my way towards Copper for our last training block and, yeah, I got my pillow in hand. I got my eye mask, I am so ready."
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