People often come in looking for a mattress only. With the tough economic times this country is facing it is generally a couple hundred dollars less to buy a mattress without a matching box spring and to continue using an old box spring. It may seem fine but it is very important to keep in mind that even though you are not directly laying on the box spring it is the main framework that keeps your mattress supported and ensures a good nights rest. You would not buy a home if it was missing all of its framework would you? Well think of the box spring in the same manner. It gives support, without it your mattress would fall through your frame. Your mattress would bend, dip and fall apart under even the slightest amount of pressure. A common complaint with mattresses is that over time foam will soften and dip. Quite often this dipping can be related to an old or broken box spring. So it is always worth the extra money to buy a new box spring when buying a new mattress. That box spring will help protect your investment.

Natural Latex is labeled as being 100% hypoallergenic which is not necessarily true. Numerous studies have been conducted regarding natural rubber latex since the ’80′s. Predominently due to an increase in latex allergies spurred by the use of latex gloves in hospital settings. The general concensus is that natural rubber latex becomes an allergen through the manufacturing process. Most studies have been conducted using latex gloves but not latex mattresses. The cornstarch on latex gloves absorbs allergens and releases them into the air which then results in aeroallergens attaching to clothing and on hard surfaces. People with allergies and sensitivities to bananas, pears, kiwis, and avocados appear to more sensitive to natural rubber latex allergies as they share a similar polypeptide. Everywhere I go on the internet looking for information on latex mattresses there are statements exclaiming that natural latex is 100% hypoallergenic. This may not be the case though. Even though mattresses do not have cornstarch all over them to kick up allergens into the air, unpowdered latex gloves have also been found to cause allergic reactions, the percentage of the population with this type of allergy is very low and hypersensitivity is even lower. Not enough studies have been conducted on the general public outside the use of natural latex gloves, i.e. latex mattresses have not been studied for their allergic properties, to conclusively state that latex mattresses are or are not hypoallergenic. You can review the information presented above by googling the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and simply typing in latex within the journals website. Some interesting information that I stumbles upon was an article posted at this website http://checkbiotech.org/node/27610 . Apparently Russian dandelions may be a possible source of natural latex that truley is hypoallergenic to humans, this was a recent article so we can only hope that we will hear more of this in the time to come.

Note: I will be further invesitgating this issue to ensure that this is as accurate as I can make it.

NIAMS. “Handout on Health: Back Pain.” National Institute if Arthritis and Musculoskeletal an Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Back_Pain/default.asp#2

Jacobson, Bert. H., Wallace, T., Gemmell, H. Subjective Rating of Perceived Back Pain, Stiffness, and Sleep Quality Following Introduction of Medium-Firm Bedding Systems. Journal of Chriopractic Medicine. 2006 (Winter), 5(4): 128-134.

Sleep Savvy. “Lack of Sleep Could be Clogging your Arteries.” April 2010.

The truth of the matter is, what I’m about to tell you will not be favorably received by the rest of the bedding industry.  It would be easy to assume that I have a bone to pick or have sour grapes with the rest of the mattress and bedding industry, but I don’t.  I’m also willing to say that if there is anyone out there who reads this article and finds what I am saying to be untrue, then I will humbly apologize in a form similar to this.  The problem that I see with the mattress industry is that there are so many sales people out there who are selling mattresses but they do not know anything about how a mattress is put together, what specifically goes into it, gauges of wire, foam compression (ILD), and so on as far as the nomenclature of our product.   

Let me first say that I believe most people who are in the mattress industry making a good living are probably decent people.  All I am trying to accomplish with this blog  is to make you, the consumer, become educated about this mattress product and believe nothing you hear and only half of what you see and that includes everybody.  One of my pet peeves is the so-called mattress experts who open up the stores which are basically financed by the Simmons, Sealy, Serta,  and the like of the world (those who rule the majority of the mattress industry).  I will not name names, in order to keep from being persecuted or sued, but I know for a fact that there is no such thing as a $4,000 nor $8,000 mattress that can justify the cost.  Unfortunately, we in the bedding industry, take advantage of the uninformed consumer and operate off of their emotions while they are in our stores.  I’m not saying that we need to hold everybody’s hand, I’m just saying that we need to level the playing field by being totally honest to the consumer about what’s really in a mattress and what benefit they can receive from buying that mattress plus what justifies the cost of that mattress.  Most innerspring mattresses, once they get past $800-$900, for the most part, are just “fluff”.  The warranties are bogus, for the most part.  The two-sided vs. one-sided no-flip mattress: they will lead you to believe that the one-sided mattress does not need to be flipped.  I beg your pardon, but YES IT DOES!  What they’re telling you is, we don’t have a two-sided mattress to offer you and if we did, we would charge you double.  The one-sided no-flip phenomenon happened years ago by some smart accountant that said “hey, we can make more money if we tell everyone that they don’t have to flip their mattresses anymore because no one likes to flip their mattresses but we can still charge the same amount as we do for the two-sided and we can put a pretty cover on it and sell the sheen”.  The other thing that I can’t believe that has gotten so far out of hand is the thickness of the mattresses.  Just because a mattress is 24″ thick instead of 13″ thick does not make one sleep better.  In fact, we have seen so many “brand name” mattresses that were supposed to be the “where all, end all” have huge body impressions after only 6 months to 1 year’s use and they can’t flip it over so it can “recover”.  I hope that you don’t think that I’m picking on any one particular brand, because I’m not.  The reason I mentioned Serta, Sealy, Simmons, etc, is because they rule the industry with about 60% or more market share (give or take among the 3).  As the guy said years ago in a movie, “I’m mad as Hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!”  I am willing to discuss this with anyone at length by phone, email, comments, etc.

This is a partial glimpse of the mattress industry as I see it.  Hopefully, this will start a positive dialog with the consumer and the retailer as equals.  Make that mattress sales person, whomever they are with whatever company they work for, explain to you why one brand is better than the other, why a mattress has to be 24″ thick, why they can’t make a mattress that’s two-sided and  why can’t they give you a comfort guarantee that actually means something, such as bringing it in and adjusting the comfort level to suit you.  After all, comfort is what we’re looking for in a mattress, so if they can’t satisfy my craving for comfort, then what does all of this other crap mean?

For questions or comments, visit me at www.Brothersbedding.com or call me at (865) 689-2373.

Have you heard the old saying “The firmer the mattress, the better!” Well….that isn’t always true either! If your mattress is too hard, it can cut off the circulation and cause you to toss and turn at night. The quality of the materials also plays a HUGE part in how well the mattress will hold up over a longer period of time. For instance, let’s say you find a really firm queen mattress for $250. You have just found a bargain, right? Well, not necessarily! The materials that went in to make that firm mattress may have been very cheap quality, which would mean that if you plan on keeping that mattress for several years, the chances of it breaking down are quite large! You may find that after sleeping on it for only a few month, it begins to get softer over time. So, guess what? Now you’re restless again because your spine is out of alignment….again!

Memory foam mattresses have become extremely popular over the last few years. The reason for it is because memory foam forms a “mold” to your body. Memory foam isn’t for everyone, but if you aren’t sleeping well, it may be worth the trip to the local retail mattress store to try one out. Also, while you’re there, try out a latex mattress, as well. The all foam line of mattresses tend to conform to your body’s curves allowing you to get a better night’s rest, while reducing pressure points that can cause the tossing and turning.

A good mattress is designed to keep you sleeping comfortably from the time you climb in to the time you wake up in the morning. When selecting a mattress, you should always try it out in the showroom. You should be able to put your hand underneath the arch in your back and feel the padding right underneath your hand. If you have a friend standing next to you, they should be able to notice the padding meeting your arches under your neck, your lower back, and underneath your knees.

Just remember, if you aren’t sleeping well at night, then it also affects how much energy you will have throughout the day. Here is a statement from The Better Sleep Council: “Though your mattress may not show physical signs of wear, it loses comfort and support over the years. It’s important to inspect your mattress every five to seven years to ensure it still provides optimal comfort and support. Research shows that the age of a mattress directly impacts the quality of sleep. You spend one-third of your life in bed. Be sure to invest in the best quality and most comfortable mattress you can afford to ensure a great night’s rest for a healthier, happier and more productive you.”

If you have any questions on how to shop for that “perfect” mattress, let me know!  Visit us online at www.BrothersBedding.com or call us at (865) 689-2373.