You don't have to be an insomniac to know the health benefits of a good night's sleep, or how the right bedding can help lull you to La La Land. But can a mattress really help you recover from a triathlon?

T3 Recovery Products thinks so.

The Seattle company offers a luxury mattress aimed at the nation's growing number of swimmers/bikers/runners -- or anyone who's physically active, for that matter. At the core of its "Ironman Sleep Technology" is celliant, a material increases oxygen levels and helps regulate body temperature when woven or knit into fabrics. The idea is that increasing the blood flow to a triathlete's tired muscles will speed his or her recovery. Price of the T3 mattress: $1,500 to $2,500 for a queen, depending on the model.

A sleepy economy has sent mattress sales downward an unprecedented 25 percent in the past two years. But makers of specialty mattresses and bedding products -- defined by the Specialty Sleep Association as anything "futuristic or innovative -- aren't taking the sales slump lying down. They're taking the fight to the mattresses with a slew of high-tech products.

"People are putting high value on performance and lifestyle-improvement materials," says SSA president Dale Read. "The key word is innovation."

One of the hottest trends to emerge in recent years is natural and green bedding. Consumers' growing fondness for eco-friendly and sustainable products has translated into mattresses made from soy, bamboo, wool, 100 percent cotton and even sea algae. Even high-tech memory foam mattresses, which have grown in popularity over the past 15 years, are part of the mix.

Unlike traditional mattresses, which are made with petroleum-based polyester, polyurethane and chemical flame retardants, green mattresses are chemical-free. Essentia's memory foam mattresses (queen-size starting at $2,165), for example, are crafted from 100 percent natural, allergy-free latex rubber, essential oils and plant extracts.

Organic Mattresses Inc.'s line of OrganicPedic bedding ($1,595 to $4,395 queen) also is made from certified organic cotton and natural rubber, along with cruelty-free "eco wool." Even greener, they're manufactured by hand in a 100 percent organic, chemical-free factory in Northern California. How green is this place? Employees aren't allowed to smoke, wear fragrances or use fabric softener on their clothes.

Along those same lines, the GeoEthic collection from the Italian bedding company Magniflex ($1,299 to $4,499 queen) and eco-friendly memory foam bedding from Anatomic Global's Ecomfort collection ($2,299 queen, marketed under the private label PureFit) are vacuum-packed and rolled for shipping, making it not only more hygienic but also easier to ship.

Aireloom, a luxury bedding company that's favored by the rich and famous -- when Ronald Reagan was president, there was an Aireloom mattress in every bedroom in the White House -- also has gone green, offering mattresses made from natural cotton and bamboo, with sustainable wood frames. Prices start at about $2,000 at select Macy's.

If money -- or being a poster boy for conspicuous consumption -- is not an issue, E.S. Kluft is happy to sell you one of the world's most luxurious, and expensive, mattresses. The hand-tufted Beyond Luxury "Palais Royale Plush" is made from a blend of cashmere, mohair, Jomas wool and Talaly latex and conforms to the body. Price: $27,000 for a queen or $33,000 for a king at Bloomingdale's.

Or maybe being kind to your back (or significant other) is more important than being kind to the environment. Several companies now make bedding that allows firm mattress-lovers to sleep comfortably next to those who like their beds a bit more plush. The DualComfort Magnifico from Magniflex offers essentially two twin memory foam mattresses under one removable cover. Hollandia's Platinum Luxe Mattress features softer winter and firmer summer sides (you flip it with the new season) and a "flexible shoulder comfort zone" its makers say eliminate the numbness and tingling caused by a lack of circulation during sleep.

Magniflex's Lavender Comfort mattress ($2,299 queen) embraces the soothing powers of aromatherapy. Infused into the mattress's covering fabric are millions of microcapsules of lavender; the more you move as you rest, the more of the essential oil gets released, making you feel relaxed. Layered into the core are two types of eco-friendly, open-cell memory foam: a softer one for flexibility and denser one for support.

If the sweet smell of lavender isn't your thing, you also can buy mattresses perfumed with vanilla, chamomile, roses or green tea.

For those who have trouble regulating their body temperature -- women in menopause come to mind -- there's a new crop of bedding with moisture-wicking and cooling properties. The Ultimate Mattress by Dormia ($799 to $2,999) features a new fabric called "CoolMax" that allows air to circulate between the fabric for a cooler sleep surface. (The structure of the fibers carries any moisture released during sleep to the top of the fabric, where it quickly evaporates.)

Hollandia also has a collection of mattresses made with a removable three-dimensional braided fabric that's similarly breathable, not to mention machine-washable. Queen prices start at $2,839 with a flat foundation and $6,000 with an adjustable foundation. The upholstered frame costs an additional $2,600.

Considerably less is the Chilipad by Chili Technology ($499 for a single zone, $599 for double in queen). Water pumped through soft coils in the mattress pad cools the bed one degree at a time to 46 degrees. Or if you prefer things toasty, it warms the surface of the bed to 118 degrees.

Considering that women make 85 percent of all bedding purchases, perhaps the most outrageous mattresses are those geared specifically toward men, with cutting-edge design and flashy accouterments. The Tonino Lamborghini bed by Magniflex ($1,999 in queen) is touted as being the only bed that brings the sexy excitement of the Italian sports car to the bedroom ... at least in grown-up sizes. (Little Tykes' Lightning McQueen roadster toddler bed costs $200 at Toys R Us.)

If you really want to go for a ride, though, try out one of these bad boys from Hollandia. The Executive bed (starting at $20,000 in queen) features a retractable 32-inch Sony flat-screen TV that rises from the footboard. The Elite is even more tricked out. In addition to the TV, it comes equipped with a Sony Bravia Theater System with a five-DVD/CD changer, surround sound and subwoofer.

The 250-pound, $30,000 bed also includes an i-Pod docking station built into the headboard, 12 massage programs, an automated head and foot adjustment system and -- because it is, after all, a bed -- a luxury latex mattress that absorbs perspiration.

With all those exciting options, it's almost a shame to fall asleep on it.

Doug Oster writes a blog, "Growing With Doug," exclusively at PG+, a members-only web site of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.