My name is Ben Trapskin. I founded Yawnder to bring a librarian's research mindset to the mattress world—testing products, cutting through marketing, and only recommending what actually performs.
Before launching Sleep Sherpa in 2015, I spent 13 years as a professional librarian. My work was finding reliable information fast. Today, I apply those same rigorous data standards to help you rebuild healthy sleep through informed choices.
Who We Are
I started testing mattresses because, like many shoppers, I bought three beds in two years that didn’t deliver. I realized the market was crowded with hype and half-truths. I decided to use my background in research to document and recommend only what works.
At Yawnder, every recommendation centers on your objective preferences: feel, support, temperature, and budget. Whether you visit us online or at our San Diego showroom, our mission is to help you choose once and sleep better for years.
From Library to Lab
In 2023, SleepSherpa.com rebranded to Yawnder.com to reflect our broader focus on total sleep wellness. Here is how we got here:
The Librarian Years
Ben spends 13 years mastering research systems, learning how to verify sources and organize complex data.
Sleep Sherpa Launches
Ben reviews his first mattress online after his own frustrating shopping experience.
First Showroom Opens
We open the first "online-only" mattress showroom in the U.S. to let people test bed-in-a-box brands.
Rebrand to Yawnder
Sleep Sherpa becomes Yawnder, expanding into sleep tech, health, and deeper analytics.
What We Offer
- Personalized Sleep Quiz — Identify your unique sleep issues and get matched to the right build.
- Expert Recommendations — Reviews based on physical teardowns and data, not marketing brochures.
- Showroom Experience — Test the internet's most popular brands in a calm, zero-pressure environment.
A Scientific Testing Approach
We combine hands-on evaluations with engineer-built tools to quantify durability, pressure relief, and temperature regulation. We don't just "try" beds; we measure them. See our Testing Methodology for the details.
Meet the Engineers
Chris Monti
M.S. Mechanical Engineering
Chris brings 9 years of aerospace and MIL-Spec durability testing experience to our lab, ensuring we accurately predict how a mattress will hold up over a decade.
Elroy Pearson
M.S. Media Technology (MIT)
An expert in automation and sensors, Elroy helps develop the proprietary technology we use to measure heat dissipation and motion transfer.
Visit the Yawnder Showroom
Founded in 2016, our Encinitas location offers a curated, hands-on experience for high-intent shoppers who want to feel the difference before they buy.
1441 Encinitas Blvd, Suite 116, Encinitas, CA 92024
858-232-5760 | [email protected]