Let’s start with the most eco-friendly materials and components first, and scale back from there.

1. Natural Latex – Natural Latex is derived from the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) by a process of extracting the sap (much like the process of harvesting maple syrup) and whipping it to create the right consistency. It is then baked and cut into the correct size for the mattress being manufactured. If you get a chance to see what the foam looks like before having the ticking, or cover, put on–you’ll notice that it is covered in holes spaced out at every inch. This is to ensure that the latex “cooks” at a consistent temperature, to ensure that the mattress feels the same throughout, as well as helping with airflow.

2. Organic Cotton – Organic Cotton is cotton produced without pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, dyes or other synthetic fertilizers, but rather use human or mechanical efforts to control pests, and promote healthy growth. Mattresses made using organic cotton are free from chemicals that can off-gas and leave consumers with headaches and other ailments. Also, purchasing a mattress sourced from organic cotton is better for the workers who built it, so they are able to steer clear of the hazardous fumes and toxins as well.

3. Organic Wool – Organic Wool is moisture and temperature regulating, naturally hypoallergenic and dust mite resistant, and eco-friendly to boot! When cruelty-free shearing practices are followed, sheep are shorn and their wool is harvested without any injury or negative effect on the animals. Since wool does such a great job at wicking away moisture, it is naturally dust-mite resistant since they thrive in moist places. Wool is also a good temperature regulator, by keeping you cool when it’s hot and warm when it’s cool.

These materials drastically reduce allergies by promoting great air flow, and helping the mattresses they are made from to be antimicrobial and hypoallergenic. They also are free from harsh chemicals, which is huge help in relieving headaches associated with the off-gassing that synthetic fibers and materials can create.

We’re so excited to finally launch the new Sealy Optimum collection! We saw these back in January at the Las Vegas Furniture Market, and I’ve been dying to get them on our floors ever since! These are such comfy, supportive, and attractive products!

The Optimums are in the class of Gel Memory Foams, and are made even more special by the fact that they feature one very surprising elements to help keep you cool. The proprietary gel/memory foam blend, OptiCool, is fused with OUTLAST material “proven to be more effective for removing excess heat during the night”. Yes, you read right. Sealy is including that material that we’ve loved in our favorite tennis shoes, high-performance outdoor clothing, and more. OUTLAST has been proven in hundreds of end-use applications to reduce perspiration significantly, and the new Optimums are no exception. In fact, the fusion of OUTLAST to the OptiCool foam is “12 times more effective than stardard memory foam or other gel memory foams” at removing excess heat.

Not only do the Optimums give you a huge help in the heat department, but they also offer top-of-the-line comfort as well. Just below the top layer of OptiCool (2 inches in every model) is a layer of another proprietary foam, called OptiSense. OptiSense is the element of the construction that offers you different levels of comfort, or “feels” depending on how large this layer is (1-5 inches, model dependent), and ultimately is responsible for the price differences between models. OptiSense is a “layer of body-hugging, contouring material [that] conforms to your body’s unique shape and weight” and provides a feeling of customization. It significantly reduces–if not eliminates–motion transfer, which is when you’re able to feel your partner’s movement affecting your sleep. The Optimum line “is designed to absorb motion, creating a calm, stable sleeping environment that lasts all night, every night”, and are all designed to be adjustable base compatible for even more luxurious comfort.  And it wouldn’t be a Sealy without having great support under all that comfort! The Optimum line features Sealy’s patented core support, OptiCore: “a firmer section at the bottom of the mattress, which provides a deeper level of support as well as a reinforced edge for a solid seating surface.

The Optimum profiles range in thickness from 9-14 inches, and generally speaking feel softer with each additional inch of OptiSense foam. The gel infusion gives these mattresses a little more softness than what would typically be expected out of an all foam mattress. The best thing about the Optimums, though? They’re HERE! Hurry in to check one out for yourself and enjoy introductory perks!

Some immediate effects of a sleeplessness are irritability, slower mental reactions, trouble concentrating, and even impaired motor skills. Interestingly, you are also more prone to overeat on days when you had a bad nights sleep, because you are trying to compensate for the lack of energy which manifests itself in food cravings. Over time, this can lead to significant weight gain. (As if the bags under our eyes weren’t bad enough already…)

More serious conditions occur when we are in a sleep deprived state for long periods of time, like insomnia. Symptoms of insomnia are: difficultly falling asleep, trouble sleeping through the night, waking up too early, daytime sleepiness, decreased alertness, and irritability. Acute insomnia occurs when an individual has these problems from one night to a few weeks and then falls back into a normal sleeping pattern, while chronic insomnia is characterized by poor sleep at least three nights a week for several months. Insomnia is often caused from stress or anxiety, and follows when people are unable to “turn off their mind” from worry or let go of tension. The irritability that accompanies sleeplessness can also make people less equipped to appropriately handle stress, or to become stressed more easily, furthering the problem and often causing difficulties in important personal and work-related relationships. Insomnia also causes an increase in a person’s likelihood to develop heart disease as well as diabetes.

Luckily, there are a few things you can try if you’re experiencing acute insomnia. Writing down worries of the day and vowing to take care of them when you wake up rather than brooding over them at night helps some people. Practicing good “sleep hygiene” as outlined in the post “Sleep Environment & Rituals”, and sticking to them can help promote relaxation and the feeling that the bedroom a place for rest and rejuvenation. Also, eating a light meal of dairy and carbohydrates can help induce sleep by increasing tryptophan levels in the blood, which help you sleep. Some combos to try would be cereal and warm milk, or a small plate of cheese and crackers. Be sure to avoid spicy foods of any sort, and meals high in protein as protein is difficult to break down and will keep your digestive system working hard into the night. Melatonin tablets and chamomile tea are also natural ways to help promote better sleep.

Generally speaking, consumers can expect to pay about 20% off of the lowest previously advertised price for a floor model. Though the manufacturer’s warranty should still apply, make sure to double check with your sales associate. Also, most companies that offer “comfort trials” where you can sleep on the mattress for a certain number of nights, will usually not apply to floor model purchases. Other than that, Floor models present an opportunity to take advantage of great values all retailers clean their floors of this “discontinued” merchandise. Think of it as buying last year’s model of a car, but still on the new car lot. Also, be aware that if you’re going to go after floor model specials, you need to be looking at beds that are the size you’ll be purchasing. Often times, companies don’t have any other of these items in stock, and it’s never fun to fall in love with a bed and then find that it’s a one of a kind with a size that isn’t going to match your needs.

Also, while these beds will have been well-cared for, and kept clean, be sure to purchase a mattress cover. These are recommended for all mattress purchases in general, but are especially important when buying a bed that has been out of the manufacture’s plastic that it’s put in at the factory. This just makes sure to keep anything (dust mites, skin cells, ect) that could be in the mattress from coming in contact with anything inside your home, and also from any more of these things from getting in as well. Protective mattress covers are usually waterproof (and avoid getting one that isn’t), and is a sound investment at less than a hundred dollars. It will help preserve the integrity of the foams used to make your new mattress feel good by keeping out moisture that would otherwise break them down and cause the comfort life of the mattress to be diminished.

Definitely hurry in to your mattress retailer to see what floor model sales they’re dying to offer you! Have a great weekend!

One of the innovative premises of this line, which was created after extensive consumer research lasting 2 years, is the view of all components of the mattress set as a whole system, designed to work together to give you long and lasting sleep. The new line also coincided with the launch of a new logo, tag line, and national campaign; a full brand and product overhaul.

Simmons Bedding Company explains: “The Beautyrest® Recharge™ Sleep System is a fusion of AirCool™ Memory Foam, legendary Beautyrest® Pocketed Coil® technology and proprietary AirCool™ Design. It delivers the comfort you want and the support your body needs so you wake up… Living Life Fully Charged™.”

So, there are 3 main components of the Beautyrest® Recharge™ Sleep System. The first, AirCool™ Memory Foam is “an open cell structure [that] helps dissipate heat and keep you and your ideal sleeping temperature. This unique design conforms to your body, while providing pressure point relief and freedom of movement.” Some of the new Beautyrest models also feature AirCool™ Memory Foam with GelTouch™, adding to the overall pressure relief the foam provides.

Next up is the Beautyrest® Independent Support™ Technology. This is described as “technology [that] utilizes a dual action design to enhance conformability and to provide independent back support. A tapered top provides initial comfort and contouring while a barrel-shaped lower section offers progressive layers of personalized back support.” Here, Beautyrest® has amped up their original individually wrapped coils with a more progressive shape, as well as using 3 times the length of industry standard steel for optimum support and durability.

Lastly they’ve developed the AirCool™ Design, and also includes the AirCool™ BeautyEdge® Foam Encasement. “It’s ventilated design enhances airflow through the mattress as you sleep while also providing comfort all the way to the edge. a hi-tech AirCool™ Mesh Border Fabric with Breathable Surround allows the mattress to breathe so you can sleep more comfortably.” The Aircool™ Design also includes the Evenloft® Surface, “a luxorious, smooth knit cover without quilting or tufting that lightly stretches to form to your body”, further keeping you cool and comfortable.

Check out the new Beautyrest® hybrids at a Sleep Outfitters near you, and be sure to watch for their upcoming national ad campaign!

Typically, hybrid mattresses feature a full 8 inch coil system, but differ from traditional innersprings in that they have ample memory foam layers; some boasting 3 or more inches of full memory foam sheets. There are positives from multitudes of angles about this construction and how it benefits consumers. First, the springs help give a hybrid mattress more ‘bounciness’ and a greater, more traditional looking profile than an all memory foam option. The coils give more contouring support than a lower end memory foam bed with a polyurethane core.

The thick memory foam layer relieves far more pressure than typical foams, and hold up much better, resulting in longer warranties (some up to 20 years) as well as a huge reduction in body impressions. These benefits come from the memory foam layer being so much denser than normal foam. Also, traditional innerspring mattresses usually use many different foams in varying thicknesses on top of each other to give different “feels”. Sometimes, this construction has a tendency to shift, which can cause lumpiness or inconsistencies in the way the bed feels. Since hybrids offer 1 or 2 very thick layers of memory foam, the likelihood of these issues decreases significantly.

Another huge perk of the hybrid is that it’s adjustable base compatible. Since the coils are pocketed and function independent of one another, their is no risk of compromising the coil system by putting it on an adjustable base. Note that hybrids are fairly thick, and might not accommodate sheets that have not been purchased recently. If in question, be sure to look for ‘deep pocketed’ sheets that will fit a mattress of at least 15″.

Hybrids are just fresh. They offer a new approach to solving common complaints of both memory foam and innerspring mattresses in a way that makes sense. They’re new and improved products that have taken the technology available and the learnings acquired through extensive industry research, and added in comfort and value that just can’t be matched. If you’re shopping for a new mattress, be sure and don’t miss the opportunity to check out this up and coming member of the mattress family! You won’t regret it!

It’s a fact that a good mattress can actually help ease the ailments of a bad back–but which one? And how?

First, there is NO SUCH THING as a specific mattress that heals chronic back pain. However, depending on your body shape and size, preferences, and budget, there are many options available that can significantly reduce back pain and inflammation. The number one focus when looking for a mattress to help with back pain is support. Back pain occurs when the spine is not kept in good posture throughout the night, usually due to an unsupportive mattress allowing the spine to sink further into the mattress than would be ideal. When this happens, the natural c-curves of the spine are over-pronounced, and stress is put on these areas for hours at a time, causing you to wake up with pain and stiffness.

Sometimes people make the mistake of confusing support with firmness, and feel compelled to buy the hardest mattress that they can find. Not only will this keep you from being comfortable, but it actually makes the problem of back pain worse by disallowing the spine to bend as it should altogether. The trick is to find something that has a very supportive middle–whether innerspring or foam–and then find the softness on top that allows your body to sink in where is needs to (neck, hips), to be kept in good spinal alignment.  This balance will be different for everyone, and will also need to take into account your preferences as far as materials, craftmanship, price, ect.

The second most important thing to consider is conformability, or the mattress’s ability to mold itself to fit the shape of your body, and most importantly, spine. I believe that this is best accomplished with either a pocketed coil innerspring, memory foam product, or combination of the 2. Traditional spring mattresses don’t conform as well as the newer pocketed coil designs because they function all as one unit, rather than self-customizing. Memory foam mattresses like TempurPedics have always done a great job at conforming because the foam can wrap itself around your body’s every nook and cranny, cradling you in conforming support.

With innersprings, look for mattresses with a strong steel gauge, and know that they are also options with reinforced middles to better support the heaviest parts of our bodies that are worth checking out, like the new Sealy Posturepedics. With foam, know that the higher the foam density the more support you’re getting, and make sure that you’re considering mattresses that are at least 4 pounds per cubic foot to be sure that you’re getting good quality foam.

Always replace your mattress and foundation together. Sometimes people make the mistake of trying to save a few bucks by keeping their old foundation, only to realize that it causes their new mattress to sag. Remember, the mattress is only working while you’re in it sleeping, while the foundation works constantly because it’s always supporting the weight of the mattress.

Ultimately, make sure that you’re spending significant time trying out the mattress in all of the positions that you would lie in throughout the night, noticing if you feel supported and aligned. Sometimes a friend or sales associate will be able to tell you which mattresses keep you best aligned if you’re having trouble.

One of the first places to start when selecting a new pillow would be with the material. We’ve come a long way from plain stuffed synthetic batting, and feather being the only options. There are foam pillows, latex pillows, fluffy white down pillows, buckwheat hull pillows, and hypoallergenic organic cotton and wool pillows. Not to mention all the shapes and sizes they come in to help with various issues, like sleep apnea or pinched nerves. There are SO many choices, that if you’re going and picking up one out of a bin without really taking time to select it–you’re selling your self short. Like mattresses, now there really is a pillow for every body (or, head and neck).

Typically foam and latex pillow are good for people who need quite a bit of neck support, as they tend to break down the least. When these materials are all one piece they will tend to feel firmer than if they are shredded, or hole punched as many are. Latex and foam pillows are also beneficial in that they do not harbor dust mites or molds. If you don’t experience much neck pain, and have a lot of sleeping positions, something that gives you more flexibility to mold and shape it would be a good choice–like a cotton or down option. Also, for those with allergies, there are lots of hypoallergenic and organic pillows that reduce allergies and keep dust mites from getting in.

The most important thing to consider when selecting a new pillow is to make sure that it keeps your head and neck well aligned with your body. This will require different heights and lofts depending on the shape of your body and sleeping position, so it’s always best to try a pillow in the store before taking it home, or make sure that the store has an exchange policy to return it if it’s not working out for you. It’s also a good idea to have multiple pillows for certain aches and pains. Sometimes it might feel good to place a pillow under or between your knees if you’ve had a longer than usual day on your feet, or a hugging pillow if that special someone is out of town and you need something to snuggle.

WebMD and Dr. Breus, a Sleep Doctor and best selling author, have joined forces to tackle the issue of pillow selection. Check out this link for more info!

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/snuggle-up-with-the-perfect-pillow?page=3

There’s no doubt that Tempur-Pedic foam mattresses are the most highly recommended beds in America, and now they’ve introduced a product that makes owning one much easier.

Introducing the Tempur-Simplicity, a mattress with “all the benefits you need and nothing more”. Prior to the Simplicity, consumers would need to shell out at least $2,000 to own a Tempur-Pedic. With this new addition “mainstream, non-premium consumers [can] enter the Tempur-Pedic brand at a more comfortable price point”, at $1500 for a queen set. Research indicates that 39% of customers that set their budget at $1000 would actually pay the $500 more to own a Tempur-Pedic, and over half of all potential buyers in a 2010 survey listed price as the primary objection to why they bought something else.

Memory Foam products, and Tempur-Pedics specifically, are attracting the kind of attention that the mattress industry has never seen before. The way that this material contours and supports the body has been life changing for millions of individuals all over the world. In fact, Tempur owners are so pleased, and brand loyal that they share their positive experiences with 13 friends, family, or acquaintances.

The new Tempur-Simplicity is being offered in 3 different feels-soft, medium, and firm-all at the same price of $1500/queen set with choice of 5″or 9″ flat foundation. There is also the option to upgrade to a Ergo lifestyle base for $2500/queen set. All 3 models are 8″ thick, and are made of 2-2.75″ inches of TEMPUR-Essential material (model dependent) on top of 5.25-6″ inches of SimplicitySupport base foam. They carry a full 10-year warranty and are wrapped in a 100% polyester Micro-Denier knit cover, which is both hypoallergenic and washable.

It is important to note that the Simplicity Collection beds are not made from the traditional Tempur foam, but are made from an entirely new foam, called TEMPUR-Essential, that “only offers the essential comfort and support benefits of Tempur and has its own unique feel and properties that are distinctive from [the] other proprietary formulations.

We’re so excited that so many more people will be able to enjoy Tempur-Pedic mattresses! Keep your eyes peeled for their new national ad campaign, too!

If you’ve assumed that adjustable bases are just for the elderly or for people who watch tv in bed–think again. These are wonderful additions for young and old, couples and singles, tv watchers, readers, people who use their laptops in bed, or anyone who simply wants to reduce lower back pain. Many of the options available today are super stylish, and allow you to get away without using a traditional bed or bedskirt. Many even come with iPod and iPhone docks too!

Lifestyle bases come in a variety of prices and accommodate many mattress types. Generally speaking, foam mattresses of any kind are compatible, as well as pocketed innerspring mattresses, like Simmons and Stearns & Foster. If you’re considering several bases, be sure to fully understand the features that differentiate them. For example, some people might prefer the idea of a corded remote versus a wireless, because they are easier to keep track off, and save you a few hundred dollars. However, after getting home you might realize that when you bring the head up, the base pushes you farther from where your nightstand is. Bases that adjust up but keep you next to your nightstand where everything is in reach are called “wallhugging”, and in my experience, this is a feature that is hugely important to most people. Your Sleep Specialist will be able to walk you through all of the differences and find the base that best fits your needs.

And remember, your current mattress might be compatible with a new base, so never be afraid to check them out even if your mattress doesn’t need replacing yet. In fact, by going with an adjustable base you may find you’re able to get more life out of your mattress than you would otherwise because of the pressure relief it provides!

Happy reclining!