Monthly Archives: March 2013

Two-Sided Mattresses versus One-Sided: The Showdown

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Mattress buying is tricky, especially since everything has changed since the last time that you had to buy one.  The most glaring example?  Two-sided mattresses.  I cannot tell you how many times PER DAY I have to explain why the new one-sided mattresses are not just a two-sided mattress cut in half.  So, to save my voice, and my sanity, here’s my speech on why one-sided mattresses are not just as good as the old two-sideds, but better.

  • Lifting and flipping a queen or king sized mattress is difficult, and can be dangerous. Additionally, mattresses are made with denser materials now, so they are even heavier.  No one should be lifting a 300 lb mattress and trying to flip it over.  Dragging them around from head to toe is much easier, and may not even be required, depending on the manufacturer.
  • Did you know that you were supposed to be flipping those two-sided mattresses once every two months?  Did you ever do it that frequently?  I didn’t think so.  Since your mattress was designed to be flipped frequently, and it wasn’t, you were putting more wear than the manufacturer designed the bed for, and probably increased their warranty return percentage.
  • Think about a coil system.  Are they more steady sitting on a firm, flat surface, or a bumpy, soft surface?  You can get more even and consistent back support by placing the coils on a firm foundation, instead of balancing them on the other side of a soft cushion.
  • Pillow tops are meant to be soft and conforming.  Would you smash yours underneath 250 lbs of mattress, and 300 lbs of sleepers for half the time?  How do you think that it would maintain it’s loft?  No one wants a dense pancake pillow top.
  • Flammability standards have changed in the past ten years.  Now, each mattress has to have a certain fire retardant fiber underneath the cover on all sides of the mattress.  Only one company makes this fiber, and it’s not cheap.  By making the mattresses one sided, manufacturers only had to use that fiber on the top and sides of the mattress, since the bottom of the mattress is flush with the foundation.  Instead of increasing each queen set by $300, they only increased by $200.

Those are just a few reasons why you need a one-sided mattress, I’m sure that there are more technical support issues, but these are the ones that make the most sense to me.  Of course, if you’re still a die-hard two-sided mattress fan, we still carry them, made by American Bedding.  Check out the Crest Plush or call us at 855-377-6669 to see what other models we have at the time.

Mattress Reviews

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m_beautyrest Stack_01A customer said to me the other day: “I’m not making a decision to buy this mattress until I read some reviews on it.”  What?  I understand not wanting to rush into a decision, and I’m not one to pressure anyone into buying today, but mattress reviews?  What does someone else’s opinion have to do with you?  Sure, if they’re commenting on durability, how long it kept it’s feel, how good (or bad) the customer service was from the manufacturer or the dealer, that information might be useful.  But whether they liked it or not?  No offense to the customer, but here are a few reasons why I think that relying on reviews is ridiculous:

  • Most product reviews are negative.  This is because people are more likely to complain than compliment, especially if they are uncomfortable.  This kind of skews the results.
  • Reviewers don’t include their weight distribution.  The reviewer might be 350 lbs, and 5’2, while you might be 160 lbs and 5’10.  What that reviewer said was way too soft, might be perfect for you.  Additionally, if they reviewed that the edge support crunches after a year, that might be from wear, and it might not happen to you.
  • I’ve read a lot of mattress reviews on websites that say “exactly as described”.  The problem with this is that the description is subjective.  What might feel “plush” to one person, might feel “super plush” to another.  While we strive to have uniformity in our categories, as well as describe the mattress as well as possible, that reviewers opinion might be different than yours.
  • Finally, everyone’s body reacts differently.  What aligned your spine might not align someone else’s.  Therefore, someone submitting a mattress review that states “very supportive” is telling you how it affected their back.  This might, or might not, have the same effect on yours.

On our website, we still publish all the reviews that come in, good or bad.  We do this because some people are really dependent on reviews to reinforce their decision, and we’d like to help with that.  However, remember the points above, and read mattress reviews with a grain of salt.  You never know, that badly reviewed mattress may be the mattress of your dreams.

Comforpedic 365 Day Comfort Exchange

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A common problem for people when shelling out money for a new mattress is: what if they don’t like it in a few months?  Most stores have exchange policies, but they usually involve fees, and are only for a limited time, like sixty days.  Enter in the new Comforpedic line-up. Simmons is so sure that you’re going to love their mattress, that they have given a 365 day comfort guarantee.  In case you were asleep, that’s a whole year to decide if the bed is for you!  It takes a lot of confidence in their product to offer this type of guarantee, and their Comforpedic beds are backing up their claim of better, cooler, more supported sleep!

Comforpedic MattressComforpedic asks that you sleep on the bed for sixty days, because your body will need to get used to the new support system, and new feel.  But if it’s not for you, come back in and reselect another Simmons mattress, from any of their line-ups, and change it out.  How easy is that?  No other questions asked, no run-around, just come in and pick another one out, and that’s it!

This means that if you buy a Comforpedic, which is all foam, you can switch it out for an innerspring Beautyrest, or BeautySleep.  You can even change it out for another model in the Comforpedic collection, or go to the TruEnergy line-up.  The only restriction is that you have to exchange it for another Simmons bed.  Think of all the possibilities!

ComforpedicWe always try to match people to the correct bed the first time, but you never really know until you’ve been sleeping on it for a while.  This new comfort exchange guarantee by Comforpedic will make purchasing a mattress from them that much easier, because you have recourse if it’s not for you.

And who couldn’t use 365 days of try-out time?  I wish that all manufacturers offered this….

Air Mattress versus Innerspring

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memory foamI had an interesting conversation with a potential customer today, regarding specialty mattresses.  They wanted me to compare a regular innerspring bed to an air mattress.  Needless to say, even though I’ve sold both in my lifetime, I had a difficult time.  This particular customer wasn’t happy with their innerspring bed, which was of good quality and only one year old.  They didn’t like memory foam, and wanted to know what I thought about air beds and if they were worth the hype.

At the risk of sounding like a cop-out, I told them that some people swear by air beds, and some people don’t like them.  It depends on the person, and what they want and need out of their mattress.  The same applies for memory foam beds, as well as latex.  These beds that are made of different materials than the traditional innerspring have fans, and have haters.

Different People Different BedsI told the customer that not everyone is comfortable wearing the same shoes, not do we all wear the same pant size.  What is cozy for me might be sinky for them, and what is nice and firm for them might be too hard for me.

I will say, however, that air beds are the only beds that you can buy parts for, and that they tend to last a long time.  They can also change with your body (your support needs change about every seven years, so at some point, your mattress won’t be comfortable anymore).  Additionally, partners can have different feels on the same mattress; they can be drastically different firmnesses, ending the eternal fight over which bed to purchase.

And as for their complaint about memory foam, I love it.  I sleep on a memory foam bed, and wouldn’t ever go back to a traditional innerspring.  But I also like pickles dipped in peanut butter, which I’m pretty sure that no one else on the planet would ever eat.

Mattress Cover Materials: What They Say About You

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I write a lot about coils, memory foam, and edge support, the guts of the mattress.  I have never written about mattress covers.  Mattresses used to be made with polyester covers, which could be wiped clean of stains and soils.  While some would prefer this to the current trend of natural fibers, I, for one, am glad that they are gone.  Those old covers didn’t stretch, and the beds always felt firm.  Also, they were HOT.  There was no breathing done through these mattress covers.  They were like crib mattresses, for goodness sake.  But that’s enough of complaining about the past…

Now, covers are made out of cotton, bamboo, cashmere, stretch blends, wool, just about anything that’s soft, comfortable, and breathable.  What’s the big difference between them?  Cotton mattress covers are the least expensive, but still breathable and soft.  They have varying degrees of stretch, but are a great option for less expensive beds.  My main complaint?  They can pill if something rubs against them too much, but hopefully you’re using a mattress protector, so this wouldn’t be a problem.  Ahem.  A great bed with a cotton cover is the King Koil Eternity Euro Top.

Bamboo mattress coverBamboo (which is my personal fave) is soft, breathable, and comfortable.  Also, it’s renewable!  This means that it’s a green product.  I’m sure it seems weird to sleep on what’s basically wood, but it’s super luxurious, and makes a great mattress cover.  A little more expensive, but as it is always for saving the Earth, right?  For a great bed with a bamboo cover, check out the Spirit Sleep Legacy.

Cashmere covers were all the rage for top of the line beds a few years ago.  They are fuzzy, comfortable, breathable, but they sleep a little warmer than cotton and bamboo.  Also, they are super expensive.  Overall, I’d recommend the previous two over cashmere, unless you have a thing for it, and want to tell all your friends that you’re sleeping on it.  The Luxury Support Cashmere is an air mattress with this luxurious mattress cover.

Stretch blends, such as the Beautyrest Evenloft cover, are great hybrids.  They are a evenloft mattress covercombination of cotton, spandex, and sometimes polyester.  They are breathable, soft, and super stretchy in all directions.  These are great because they really form fit the bed, don’t take away any of the softness, and provide a little extra motion separation.  The Beautyrest Leedsgate Plush Evenloft is a fabulous bed with the patented Evenloft stretch mattress cover.

Finally, wool.  I’m not a huge fan of wool for many reasons, mainly because just writing about it makes me itchy.  If you’re a cold person, these covers will keep you a little warmer, as they are not as breathable as the other options.  Some brands used to have two sided mattresses with wool on one side and cotton on the other, for different seasons.  Those went the way of the cassette when everyone switched to a one-sided mattress, but some manufacturers still use wool covers and wool padding in their beds.  I say, just buy another blanket.  Currently, we don’t have any beds with wool mattress covers.  Coincidence?  I think not.

The cover can make or break your mattress, so select wisely!

The Best Mattress – Direct From Consumer Reports

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As I was surfing the net a few days ago, doing my “research”, I ran across a video about Consumer Reports actually testing mattresses.  Up until now, they’ve had the stance that they cannot recommend a specific model or brand because everyone needs something different, support and comfort wise.  Now, they are apparently having people lay on them and rate them, put them through virtual wear and tear tests, and measuring the disturbance between partners.  Which is the best mattress?  Check it out below:

 

First, the good news – Simmons has been rated the number one innerspring mattress, followed by a Serta model, and a Stearns and Foster in third.  As you already know, I’m a huge Simmons fan, because of their support system, durability, and quality of craftsmanship, so this was no surprise to me.  The one that they tested, while I’m not sure of the model, was probably at the beginning of the Classic line-up, so it had all the guts, but none of the thrills.  Regardless, I’m happy that Beautyrest has received their due and got the best mattress designation, even if they didn’t show up on the memory foam section…

I find a few flaws with this particular endeavor by Consumer Reports.  First, how long did these testers actually lay on the bed?  Did they have back pain?  How does that translate to eight hours a night for ten years?  Were they average sized, overweight, short, tall?  Did they use a variety of different body types and medical issues?  Do they tell you this?  I couldn’t find out myself, because I don’t subscribe to Consumer Reports, so I couldn’t access the whole report.  But when you think about it, I think that probably most people don’t subscribe, so they’re just going to go off of the top three best mattresses that were on the news, and not know the rest of the story.  Did they test every manufacturer, and every model?  Which did they test?  The news story stated that they would be doing more testing and releasing more results in the near future, so I’m sure that they didn’t cover all of the bases.  Finally, are they going to be doing this every year, since models change every year?

I do think that the durability testing and motion disturbance testing is valuable.  Manufacturers have long done durability testing on their own beds, to improve their warranty exchange rates, and it’s great to have an independent third party doing it.

It’s a step in the right direction, but far from perfect.  However, I applaud Consumer Reports for wading into the murky waters of mattresses, and trying to recommend the best mattress for the masses.

Bed Frames are Worth a Second Look

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Bed frames are often overlooked, but they are more important than you think.  If your foundation isn’t properly supported, it can weaken in the middle, and cause your new mattress to sag.  Twin and full sizes don’t need a center support, but queen and king sized beds definitely do.  It’s also preferable to have your center support bar run from head to toe, especially for a king sized mattress, which has two foundations.  Before you put your new mattress onto your old frame, make sure that you double check that you won’t be damaging the mattress.

Headboard Bed FrameLooking to dress up your room?  All headboards can be attached to a regular old bed frame.   They come with their own hardware, and just screw in.  It’s an easy way to complete your look, without spending a lot or having to move a bunch of furniture!  If you elect to purchase a whole new bed set, meaning a headboard and footboard, it will come with it’s own rail system, and you won’t need your existing bed frame.  Just make sure that this new bed has center support bars, or if it has slats, that there are enough to adequately support your mattress and foundation.

At Dr Snooze, we only sell good quality frames, that have lifetime warranties.  We don’tBed Frame see the point in giving away promotional frames that will just break, or cause your bed to sag.  Our bed frames have wheels that lock, and a big center bar that runs from head to toe in queen and king sizes.  This frame will not bend, the wheels won’t break, and it will truly last a lifetime.

The last thing to think about when it comes to bed frames is the type of wheel or glide that it has.  If you like to move your bed often, then wheels would be better for you.  Also, if your bed will be sitting on carpet, wheels are preferred.  If your bedroom is hardwood, then glides are for you, they are like little feet at the bottom of the legs, and will keep your bed from moving around and scratching your floor.  We carry both types, and both are the same quality.

The moral of the story?  Check your frame.  Take your foundation off, and really inspect it. If there is any weakness, missing hardware, a cracked wheel, or any other defect, get a new one.  The cost is relatively low, compared to replacing a brand new mattress that sags!

When NOT to Shop a Mattress Sale

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I know how tempting a mattress sale can be…I’ve bought my share of things that weren’t perfect for me, or that I really didn’t need just because it was a great deal.  Mattresses, however, should be different.  You will be sleeping on this bed for eight hours, every night, for the next ten years.  Take my advice, read the list to know when to throw in the towel, and avoid the sale.

  • If you’re feeling pushed into a bed by an annoying salesperson, stop.  A good salesperson will explain why one bed might be better than another, and will give you as much information as possible so you can make the choice.
  • If you’re overly tired mentally or physically, like after a long day of work, it might not be the best time to shop.  Really, if you’re so beat that you could fall asleep standing up, how are you supposed to discern the most comfortable bed?
  • Back pain Mattress SaleIf you have non-chronic back pain, don’t go out when you’re hurting.  Wait until you’re having a “normal” day, and try then.  Of course, if you have chronic pain, then absolutely go out while hurting.  I’d even go so far as to recommend no pain killers during this time.  You’ll pay for it that night, but if you can find a bed that naturally relieves some of the pain, isn’t it worth it?
  • If you’re pregnant.  Ladies, we’ve all been there.  You’re so uncomfortable anyway, and your crappy bed is just making it worse.  But deal with it.  Your body is going through so many changes, and what’s comfortable now won’t be comfortable once you lose that 40 lbs of baby weight (we can all dream, right?).  Do yourself a favor and wait for at least six weeks after you give birth, then shop that mattress sale till you drop.
  • When you’re in a fight with your significant other: no one should choose a bed by saying “yeah, whatever”.  Every night for ten years, folks!

I also recommend that you do some research online before you go shop a mattress sale in a store, if you’re not into buying it online.  Many sites (including this one) have a filter that will narrow down the mattresses by feel, price, and type.  If you’ve been reading my blogs, you’ll know that side sleepers need a softer bed than back and stomach sleepers, and no one should be sleeping on a rock.  At the very least, compare prices, have an idea of what you want to spend, then go out and get the best deal possible!

The Four Tenets of the Dr. Breus Bed

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Dr. Breus BedsContinuing on my love-fest with the new Dr. Breus beds that just landed here at Dr Snooze, I wanted to share with you his “Four Tenets to a Better Night’s Sleep”.  Once I get some more info on each bed, you know that I’ll be doing a feature piece on each one, but this will have to do for now…

Dr. Breus’ beds are made with Tempsense, which is a “proprietary combination of ‘phase change materials’ that work to create a ‘thermo-neutral’ sleeping surface”.  In ordinary English, it’s a material that’s designed to keep the bed between eighty-two and eighty-six degrees.  Why is this important?  Have you ever had one of those nights where you’re either freezing, or throwing off the covers?  Not being able to get the right temperature can really disrupt your sleep.  The Tempsense molecules respond to the heat on the surface of the mattress – when it heats up, they spread out to dissipate the warmth.  As the bed cools down, they contract back in to maintain an even temperature.

The second tenet is balanced pressure.  We in the bedding industry usually only talk about pressure relief, but there is something to be said for positive pressure.  Dr. Breus states “Sleeping comfort is enhanced by balanced pressure, giving the lower back positive pressure and the hips and shoulders lower pressure”, which makes sense when you think about it.  You want the bed to fill in and create a little pressure on your lower back, but really cushion your hip and shoulder.  This ensures proper blood circulation, and less tossing and turning.

The third tenet is spinal alignment.  Sure, it’s not the most obscure tenet, but still important.  Correct alignment will not only keep you asleep longer, but you’ll wake up happier.

Finally, reduced movement, and less partner disturbance is what Dr. Breus is prescribing (you know that I had to do it) for your better night’s sleep.  No one wants a bouncy mattress, and the Dr. designed his mattresses to not bounce at all, and provide a peaceful sleeping environment.

So these were the guidelines that Dr. Breus is building his beds by.  What else would you need from your bed?

Dr. Breus Makes House Calls?!?

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We’ve finally started to get the new Dr. Breus beds in at Dr Snooze!  My next post is going to be about what the Dr.’s plan is for your sleep and comfort, but I just had to share what I think is a great part of the program: The First Night Kit and the House Call Program.

When you get your new Dr. Breus bed, you will also receive a little box with a free gift and instructions on the House Call Program.  This box is called the First Night Kit.  Your free gift?  A nightlight from Dr. Breus.  Isn’t that cool?

Dr. Breus House CallOnce you have your Dr. Breus bed, you are eligible to join the House Call Program.  You will receive emails from Dr. Breus that will help you transition from your old bed to your new bed, and will give you sleep tips and other info.  Every month, you’ll get a newsletter, also from Dr. Breus, with information about sleep disorders, sleep science, answers to questions, and lots of other great info.  And don’t worry, they don’t sell your information, and you can cancel at any time.  This is really just to help you get a better night’s sleep, and get the most out of your new Dr. Breus bed.

Sure, some people might find this all a little cheesy, but I really think that this is the next step in customer service.  So often, a bed is delivered, and that’s where the communication ends, whether or not it solves the sleep problem that brought the customer to us.  At Dr Snooze, it’s important to us not only to sell a quality product, but to do our best to ensure that the customer is getting all the information that they need to affect their sleep and life for the better.

If you want to check out Dr. Breus, go to www.thesleepdoctor.com, and read up on him.  He’s for real, and he’s developed these beds and this system to help everyday people get a better night’s sleep.  Stay tuned for more info as I get it, but don’t you want a new nightlight now?