Lifestyle

How to Choose a Mattress and Achieve Your Best Sleep

Published

4 years ago

October 13, 2021

Getting a good sleep is a crucial part of being a healthy person. If you aren’t getting enough, there are several health drawbacks, such as issues with memory, a higher risk for many diseases and so much more.

One of the best ways to ensure you are getting a better sleep is by choosing the right mattress. But with thousands of different options out there, how can you know which is the best for your unique sleep needs?

Without any further ado, let’s go over some tips on how to choose the best mattress and get your best sleep.

Try Out and Consider Different Mattress Types

The first tip when it comes to choosing a mattress is to try out different types of mattresses to see what you prefer. Many people have only ever slept on one type of mattress, and may not even know what the experience of sleeping on another will be like.

There are innerspring mattresses, memory foam mattresses, latex foam, air beds and many others. Each offers their own levels of support and comfort and everyone has their preference. Some may like a firmer bed for additional support, while others like a soft bed that they can melt into for comfort. Be sure to try out a few and see what you prefer and what helps you sleep.

Also, don’t worry if you choose the wrong one. Many mattress companies and retailers have a trial period where you can try the mattress for a few days or weeks before deciding if it is right for you.

Know Your Sleeping Position

Another thing to think about is just how you sleep. Many mattresses are simply better and more comfortable for those who sleep in a certain way. For example, those who sleep on their backs often require a good amount of support out of their mattress and bed.

If you are a side sleeper, you may benefit from a softer mattress that conforms to your body and doesn’t irritate potential pressure points. Be sure to visit Real simple to learn about some of the best mattress options for your needs. If you are unsure about your position, or you constantly change how you sleep, look for a medium-firm mattress that provides a good blend of support and comfort for multiple different sleep positions.

Get the Right Size

The size of the mattress you end up getting is another important thing to think about, too. There are many different mattress sizes that range from one that can often feel too cramped for one person, to options that can comfortably fit an entire family and any pets they might have.

If you get one that is too small for your needs, it can negatively impact your sleep and you will have a hard time getting comfortable and having enough space to move. In general, it is a good idea to get a bed slightly larger than your current needs, as more space in a bed is always better than less.

Of course, don’t forget to measure the space you have in your room, too. While you might love the idea of a king-sized bed, if your room is small, it simply won’t fit. There are few things more annoying than buying the perfect bed, only to find out it won’t fit in your space.

In conclusion, we hope that this guide has been able to help you choose the right mattress to ensure you can sleep well every night.

Lifestyle

Kat Marie Alvarez: Where Innovation Meets Regulation

Published

1 hour ago

January 23, 2026

Michelle Langton

Regulation is often thought of as a limitation, yet in healthcare, it also serves as a foundation for building models that endure. For Kat Marie Alvarez, Founder and CEO of KATALYST & CO, the framework of rules established by agencies like CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid) and the OIG ( office of the Inspector General) create opportunities to design systems that are compliant, ethical, and transformative. Her approach demonstrates that regulation can be a platform for innovation when it is interpreted with both technical rigor and vision.

Kat’s 25-year career reflects this philosophy. A former nurse who advanced into executive leadership and strategy, she has led $2.7B+ P&L operations, advised on over $5B in healthcare transactions, and guided value based organizations including Innovacare, Cano Health, WellMed, Centene, and Humana through periods of exponential scaling. Her perspective combines clinical, financial, and regulatory experience, giving her a unique ability to design structures that support integrity and accountability while driving measurable outcomes.

Turning Statutes into Strategy

For Kat, regulation serves as a framework for building smarter and more ethical models. She interprets CMS guidance and OIG rules as levers for innovation, using them to advance integrity and accountability. With the CMS V28 risk adjustment model, Alvarez refined coding practices, strengthened clinical documentation, and structured risk frameworks that reward accuracy and elevate standards of care. In addressing RADV audits, she crafted strategies that protect stakeholders while keeping patient outcomes at the forefront. She aligns compliance, cost, and care in equal measure. Her current work as a contributor to the CMS IDea Challenge, an initiative focused on strengthening the foundation of trust in our system, further echoes her commitment to advancing regulations in ways that unlock innovation while safeguarding the integrity of care.

Her interpretive approach brings discipline and vision to every challenge. She engages stakeholders to redesign workflows that meet regulatory requirements and enhance the patient experience. Each policy becomes a mechanism to strengthen accountability and operational precision, shaping a system that is both compliant and humane.

Innovation Built Within Boundaries

At KATALYST & CO, this interpretive approach is carried into every project. Kat has integrated predictive analytics and AI-driven tools into care models, with safeguards that ensure interventions remain clinician-led and ethically sound. For example, AI flags in chronic disease management are connected to human-led actions that improve patient care. The result is a model that benefits from technology while preserving accountability and clinical integrity.

Staffing and infrastructure provide another example of her philosophy in action. By leveraging offshore BPO operations in Latin America, Asia, and Eastern Europe, KATALYST & CO extends capacity for health plans and providers. These expansions are carefully designed to meet data security, licensure, and jurisdictional requirements, ensuring that global reach is paired with local compliance. It is a system that balances scale with responsibility.

The Art of Influence Through Alignment

Kat often describes her role as translating complexity into clarity. Whether she is working with payers, providers, or investors, she builds consensus by grounding ambitious strategies in the language of statute. Value-based care models, utilization management programs, and clinical frameworks are designed to prove compliant ROI for stakeholders while maintaining patient focus.

Her approach begins with people. In integrations, partnerships, and platform builds, she respects legacy strengths, listens to frontline voices, and creates systems that are not only efficient but also trusted. This ensures that compliance does not feel like restriction, but like a structure that supports innovation and adoption.

Redefining the Future of Compliance and Care

KATALYST & CO is scaling with $10M in initial funding, expanded international operations, and a growing advisory portfolio. Under Kat’s leadership, the firm is showing how regulation can be a foundation for both innovation and durability. She demonstrates that lasting progress in healthcare is achieved by leaders who know how to design systems that are bold, ethical, and deeply human.

By approaching regulation as a guide rather than a limitation, Kat Alvarez is building models that prove compliance and innovation can move forward together. Her formula ensures that the future of healthcare is shaped not only by ambition, but also by trust and responsibility.