Monthly Archives: June 2013

Why You Can’t Get a Discount Mattress For What You Paid in 2000

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Trying to shop for a discount mattress?  Having a little sticker shock?  I hear it all the time: “Why are mattresses so expensive?”  The short answer is: they’re not.  I’m splitting the long answer over two posts, since it really is such a long answer.  This post is going to be about what it actually in mattresses, and the costs that are associated with making and shipping them.  The next post will cover why, in the overall scheme of things, it’s one of the cheapest things that you will every buy.  Really.

Let’s start with the components of a regular innerspring mattress: there’s the coil system, and then the padding.  The coil system is made out of steel, and the padding is a petroleum based product, and petroleum is made from oil.  Two of the most expensive and volatile things on the planet.  Check out this extremely hi tech chart I made of the prices over the past thirteen years:

CostRidiculous?  I think so.  Steel prices increased by two and a half times from 2000 to 2013, and oil rose about 3.8 times in the same time period.  So, just taking these two components into consideration, if you paid $700 for your good quality bed back in 2000 (which is what mid range beds cost back then), it would make sense that the same quality would cost you roughly $2100 today.  Even if you bought an all foam bed, you may escape the high steel prices, but memory foam is a petroleum product, and latex, while not a petroleum product, is natural (from trees), and is not a cheap commodity either.

Discount MattressManufacturing also costs more today than it did 13 years ago.  Most of the workers in mattress plants are skilled and unionized, but since I don’t know how much they make, we’ll compare minimum wages.  In 2000, the federal minimum wage was $5.15.  In 2013, the federal minimum wage is $7.25.  Not a huge change, but someone has to pay for it.

All mattresses are still put together by people, not machines.  They are sewn together by hand (with a sewing gun, not a needle and thread).  They are inspected by humans, loaded onto trucks by humans, and driven to retailers (and eventually customers) by humans (in large trucks that cost a lot and burn a ton of fuel).  It is a labor intensive process that costs money.  All of this has to be factored into the price of the bed.

Discount MattressAdd this to the price of actually running a plant, from the land to the permits to the insurance, as well as the non-manufacturing workers, such as marketing, customer service, and accounts receivables, and you’re adding a lot more to the price of each mattress.  Furthermore, many of these manufacturers are constantly trying to make their product better, to innovate beyond what is the norm.  These R&D departments cost money too, but you can thank them for breathable materials, memory foam, non-allergenic latex, gel, and the awesome back support systems that help you sleep better at night.

Ok, now that you’re almost asleep with all of this technical info, here’s the real part: you don’t have to spend $2100 to get an average quality mattress.  Sure, some corners have been cut, but you can still get a good quality bed for much less than you think, and much less than you’ve seen at the furniture stores and national retailers.  Beautyrest has a great line-up of Recharge beds that are at great price points, like the Americas or the Bernardsville Plush Pillow Top.  If memory foam is more your cup of tea, the Comforpedic Advanced Rest is reasonable, and the Spirit Sleep Serenity is downright inexpensive.

Sure, I’d love to sell everyone a $2000 mattress, and we have mattresses that are in that price range, that are worth every penny.  But you can get a great deal on a discount mattress, without sacrificing quality.  Just remember, it’s the components and the labor involved, not the mark-up, that are making quality beds more expensive.

Stay tuned to find out why a mattress is the cheapest thing in your home.  Really.

A Middle-Aged Sleep Problem: 9 Ways to Fix Your Night Life

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I write about sleep a lot.  I think about sleep a lot.  I don’t get enough sleep, a lot.  I usually base my research and posts about either children, or retirement aged people, and tend to ignore my own sleep problem demographic, the thirty to fifty crowd, but no more!  Here’s how it started:

Toddler Sleep ProblemsToday, I was waiting for my 3-year old to wake up from his nap.  It was about time for him to get up, so I let myself do some noisy chores, like the dishes, in hopes that he would wake up.  Every few minutes, I’d check on him, and he’d still be sleeping soundly.  I even went into his room to clean, and he slept right through it.  As I sat on the edge of his bed, dreading the impending crankiness at being awoken, I realized that this kid is getting great quality sleep, and I’m getting next to nothing.  I’ll admit it, I’m jealous of my toddler.

I have always assumed, like many of you, that as we get older, our sleep quality decreases.  I think I’ve even written posts and articles on the topic.  However, there was an article in the LA Times last year that states that if you weed out illness, the sleep you get in your middle age and older is the same as what you got as a kid.  Impossible, I say!

So I did some more research, and found evidence for both sides of the argument.  As we get into our thirties, our sleep is disrupted by work (yes), social events (yes), and children (triple yes).  If we can manage those areas of our lives, then we can get that sound sleep that we enjoyed in our youth, and can stop feeling like zombies all day.  It really is possible.

Some doctors and other experts still believe that our quality and quantity of sleep deteriorate as we get older, due to less melatonin production.  Combine this with the higher instances of illness and stress, and it’s a natural assertion that sleep will suffer.

What can you do?  I’ve given this list a million times, but here it is again with some additions:

  1. If you have kids that disrupt your sleep, figure out how to make them sleep better.  I’m a horrible example, because even at 3, my son is still not sleeping through the night, but I know that it is possible, I’ve heard stories.  It will make everyone more pleasant in the morning, apparently…
  2. Go to bed at the same time every night, and wake up at the same time every Frazzled Sleep Problemsmorning.  This may mean changing your Girl’s Night Out to a Women’s Luncheon, but maybe you won’t have to drink twelve cups of coffee to make it through the next day.
  3. Sleep in the dark.  It’s a novel idea, and it really works.  Use shades on your windows, turn the clock the other way, and don’t leave the bathroom light on.
  4. Keep your room cool – it’s easier to sleep snuggled in a warm blanket, than sweating on top of the sheets.  Try using a fan if you don’t want to keep your A/C on as high.
  5. Reduce the amount of noise in your bedroom.  This may be street noise, the TV, or an offending partner’s snoring; regardless, eliminate it.  Sleep in separate bedrooms, use a white noise machine, make everyone else in the home watch TV in the basement, anything to keep it quiet.
  6. Find a bed that limits motion disturbance.  We all know that I’m a fan of Comforpedic memory foam, but other memory foam products also do a great job, as do Beautyrest mattresses.
  7. Pretend like your workplace is Las Vegas: whatever happens there, stays there.  Don’t let your job stress compromise your sleep, because it will become a vicious cycle (when you are tired, you’re going to underperform, and lose your mental quickness and memory capabilities).
  8. Limit alcohol and food intake right before bed.  A full belly can make comfortable sleeping difficult.  Also, alcohol creates disruptive sleep, as hard as it might be to believe.
  9. Make sleep a priority.  We have all been guilty of putting off sleep to get other things done, please a loved one (why are so many major sporting events on in the evening, until midnight!!!), or to just get some time alone without people wanting you to get them things that they can easily get themselves.  For a week, put all that aside, and focus on sleeping.  See how much better you can feel, and how much more pleasant you can be.

All of this is great, but I am the eternal pot, and you, of course, are the kettle.  I will make an effort to be more conscious of my own sleeping habits, and will report back to you.  Feel free to report back to me in the comments, and tell me what works best for you.  We will get through this middle-aged sleep crisis together.  And if not, eventually the kids will grow up, we will retire (hopefully), and my friends will be more “let’s have mimosas at a Sunday brunch” instead of “let’s ride the mechanical bull at the country bar until 3am” kind of people.  We can all hope.

Gel Mattresses – Info You Need

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Every few of years, a new innovation hits the mattress market.  About ten years ago, memory foam was the new “it” thing.  Then came beds that felt different on each side.  Now, gel mattresses are popular.  But what is gel, and what does it do?

gel mattresses

A new pillow with gel layered over memory foam. Coming soon!

A simple online search brings up a lot of retailer websites with gel, as well as a lot of manufacturer websites with gel.  What’s missing is real information about what benefits there are to gel, without the tint of a sales pitch.

Ladies and gentlemen, that’s why I’m here.  After finding little to no research about gel out there, I have searched my own brain to explain these gel beds to you.

  • First, there are two types of gel mattresses.  The first has the gel layered on top of the foam in the mattress.  I have found that this type of mattress is cooler, usually firmer, but always more expensive. The other type is made of gel infused memory foam, with little globules of gel suspended throughout the foam.  I have found that this type is usually less expensive, definitely cooler, and feels more like a regular memory foam mattress (it doesn’t change the feel of the bed).
  • Just so everyone is clear, this gel is not the consistency of gel toothpaste, it’s much firmer.  However, it is softer than the gel that is used in shoe insoles.  The gel that is used in beds is like very firm Jell-O, but it’s also a bit elastic, so it doesn’t break apart easily.  For the gel that is layered by itself in a mattress, it can be sticky if the membrane surrounding it is broken, but it will still maintain it’s shape.
  • All gel is man-made, but it is non-toxic.  There is no smell, no residue.
  • The main reason why gel is advantageous is the temperature factor.  Gel absorbs excess body heat and keeps it away from the body.  It always feels cool to the touch, and can help with warm sleepers, women in menopause, or anyone who likes a cooler sleep.
  • Gel is also very durable, and keeps its form even after prolonged compression.  This feature makes gel mattresses a no-brainer.
gel mattresses

AirCool Memory Foam with TruTemp Gel

Is gel a fad, or is it here to stay?  The number one complaint about memory foam is that it sleeps warm, and gel fixes that without drastically changing the feel, and with virtually no change to the support.  The three factors turn a great night’s sleep into a horrible one are sound, light, and temperature.  Gel could help many more people get a great night’s sleep.

If you would like to see some of our products that have gel in them, check out:

  1. All Comforpedic products have AirCool Memory Foam with TruTemp gel.  This is the type of gel mattress that has the gel suspended in the memory foam.  Lab studies have shown that these mattresses dissipate heat 2.8x faster than the competition.
  2. All Beautyrest Recharge and BeautySleep beds have GelTouch foam in them, which is a gel and polyurethane foam blend.
  3. All Beautyrest Recharge World Class beds have 1/2″ of actual TruTemp gel in the upholstery (not blended with memory foam, this is straight gel).
  4. In addition, the Dartmouth Drive and Trident Collections by Beautyrest Recharge World Class have AirCool Memory Foam with Micro GelTouch layers (this is a blended product).
  5. All iMattress models have iFusion Gel Memory Foam (this is a gel and memory foam blend).  iMattress states that their proprietary blend makes the mattress easier to move around on, as well as cool to the touch.

As we add more gel products, we will keep you updated.  Try out one of our gel mattresses today, and experience some cooler, more comfortable sleep!

A Latex Mattress Can Help You Go Green

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Nowadays, there is so much emphasis on going “green” and returning to more natural ways of living.  I’ll admit, it’s important to me too, and I buy organic produce and meats, prefer real sugar to sweeteners, and dress in all natural fibers like cotton and wool.  We don’t use chemical cleaners in our home in favor of vinegar and citrus, and we’re looking into purchasing a hybrid vehicle.  Usually, all this natural stuff can be significantly more expensive than the traditional man-made items.  Do you need to spend $5,000 on a specially made organic mattress?  Not when you can get a great latex mattress for less than you think.

Organic BedsWhether it’s an allergy issue, product sensitivities, or you just like the idea of knowing what is in your home and on your body, the next step to purifying your life might just be your mattress.  It can be hard (and ridiculously expensive) to go out and find an all organic mattress (and they might not be too comfortable either).  While we don’t have an all cotton or all wool mattress, we do have choices that can be healthier for the environment, as well as healthier for you.  Check it out:

  • We have a variety of latex mattresses from Nature’s Way and King Koil Contour Response.  These mattresses have no coils, they have a base foam instead, with layers of latex atop that base foam to add support and comfort.
  • Within the King Koil Contour Response Collection, the Opulent and the Essence are all latex.  They have a 7″ Dunlop (man-made) latex core, with Talalay (natural, as in Latex Mattressfrom the tree) latex padding layers.  The Glorious, Harmonious, and Lavish have the same Dunlop core and Talalay padding, but they also have memory foam padding layers also, which is a man-made polyurethane foam.
  • Some of our mattresses, such as the Renaissance Euro Box Top, have bamboo covers.  Bamboo is soft, resilient, breathable, and renewable.
  • If you don’t mind man-made, but don’t want all the toxic chemicals, Comforpedic may be your brand.  Their entire line-up of memory foam beds are CertiPUR-US certified, which indicates that there are no toxic or questionable materials within their mattresses.  They are also great because they last for so long (they have 25-year warranties), you won’t have to replace (and throw out) the mattress for almost twice as long as a regular bed.
  • Concerned about polyurethane foams?  There may be some off-gassing, it’s just part of the process.  However, King Koil’s Everlast foam (which is in almost all of their beds) is 58{d066f20f781a5b527d275b31e1f8758c7870657f3e5775941a299b25a4f5af5a} soy based, so it’s a more natural polyurethane than is offered by other brands.

There are many options to try to rid your life of unhealthy chemicals and processes, and more are coming out every day.  We will keep you updated as we get new “green” beds in.

Back Pain and Mattresses: Is Memory Foam your Best Bet?

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Back pain.  Ugh, is there anything worse than unexplained back pain that just goes on for months?  (I know, there are a lot of things like cancer, paralysis, PTSD, Huntington’s Disease etc., but stay with me here).

I woke up a few days ago with a pinched nerve in my back, which is keeping me from moving my head, lifting my arm, and, according to my family, it’s also keeping me from being even slightly pleasant to be around.  I don’t know what I did to it, I sleep on a great mattress, and I don’t remember lifting anything that was especially cumbersome.  There was no crack, no pop, no immediate stabbing pain.  I just woke up and tried to get out of bed, and saw stars.

But this post really isn’t about me; it’s about you (as in the 248 million people that have had back pain in America).  My own back pain just got me thinking about what we are all doing to ourselves, and how intricate (and delicate) our bodies are.  I was forwarded this awesome infographic from www.top-nursing-programs.com a while ago, and my own recent back agony brought it back to memory.  Check it out:

Back Pain and Memory Foam

There is a ton of great info listed here which everyone can use, regardless of current back pain or not.  I realized that I am not sitting right, and while my sleeping posture is perfect (of course), I should probably beef up my core with Pilates, and get back into yoga.  When I can move my neck, of course.

Now we all know that I can’t actually make it all the way through a post without bringing up mattresses, since this is a mattress blog and all.  I have been scouring the internet for the past few days doing research on a different but related article about herniated discs, and would like to share that info, since I really believe that it applies to all back pain:

  • Try memory foam.  It fills in your lumbar region, you will toss and turn less, your circulation will improve, and it helps keep your body in its natural, aligned position.  If you’re concerned about getting out of it, try a Comforpedic (which is quicker reaction than most others), in a firmer feel such as the Advanced Rest.
  • Adjustable beds aren’t just for hospitals.  You can lift your feet a little and take the pressure off of your lower back.  We usually pair ours with memory foam beds, but you can use any Beautyrest, latex, or most air mattresses.
  • If you MUST have an innerspring, go for medium firm with excellent lumbar support, like a Beautyrest Luxury Firm, or maybe an iMattress XS1.

Remember, I am not a doctor, and should not be considered an expert in back pain or what may be the best for your back.  However, I can tell you that I sleep on memory foam, and usually have no back pain whatsoever.

Another big thanks to www.top-nursing-programs.com for the infographic, and for showing me how my computer hunched ways may be further damaging my back.  Keep ‘em coming!

Saggy Beautyrest Mattress? Not Necessarily.

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I spoke with a customer the other day, and her main complaint about her bed at home was that it was “sagging”.  When I asked her about doing a warranty exchange, she said that she already spoke with the retailer that she bought it from, and the bed is not defective according to manufacturer standards.  To save everyone some aggravation and time, I decided to write this post about the difference between a sag and a body impression, and why a sag is a defect and a body impression is normal, and will occur in 99{d066f20f781a5b527d275b31e1f8758c7870657f3e5775941a299b25a4f5af5a} of the innerspring beds out there.

A sag is when the mattress is dipping down over an inch and a half, or two inches.   This happens when the coil system is damaged, and doesn’t return to its normal shape.  Because the issue is with the coil system, a sagging bed will not provide correct support, and will not ever return back to normal.  The great news is that if this happens to you, your warranty kicks in and chances are you’ll get a new bed.

A body impression is a slight depression of the foam on the top of the mattress.  If you think logically about the components of a bed, it’s just common sense that this would happen.  You are putting your whole body weight in the same spot for eight hours a day for ten years.  Foams will compress and mold to your curves, especially with this type of wear.  Your shoes become more comfortable when they’ve formed to the bottom of your foot, and your couch would surely develop an imprint if you sat in the same spot for eight hours a day, every day.  To expect your mattress’s foam to maintain its loft is unrealistic.  Body impressions don’t change the support of the mattress, nor do they drastically change the feel; they are a normal part of the wear of the mattress.

Here’s the key to reducing body impressions: the more padding that’s on the bed, the bigger the chance that body impressions will form.  The less padding, the less that these foams will compress, and the less likely that a body impression will show.  Does this mean that you need to sleep on something that’s hard as a rock?  No, of course not.  You can get a mattress that has a medium amount of padding on the top, but that has a more conforming coil system, like a Beautyrest.  Beautyrests have individually pocketed coils, and they contour to your curves so the padding isn’t doing all the cushioning, and you’ll need less of it to be comfortable.

Body ImpressionAnother option is to make the move to memory foam or latex.  These specialty foam beds don’t have the body impression problems like regular foams do, since they are much denser and more resilient.  Even if you don’t want to buy an all foam mattress, you can find innerspring beds that have memory foam or latex in the padding layers, like Beautyrest Elite and World Class beds.

The bottom line is that body impressions are normal, and they will happen to every bed, regardless of how much you pay for it.  It does not change the feel, the support, or the life of the mattress.

However, if the problem is deeper than just the compression of the padding, a warranty claim might be in order, to make sure that you’re getting the correct support that you need.

The Best Mattress for You AND Your Partner, Together

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I have told my customers hundreds of times “finding the best mattress for you is the most difficult thing that you can shop for”.  There are so many different choices, you’re never sure if you’re getting a good deal, and how are you supposed to know if you’ve got the best mattress until you’ve been sleeping on it for a few weeks?  As difficult as each of those problems are, to me, there is an even more difficult facet of buying a mattress.

Compromise.

Many, if not most, of our customers are couples that both sleep on the same bed.  And while the dynamics of every relationship are different, there is usually a “decider” and a “go-along”.  This “go-along” often says that they can sleep on anything, that the “decider” has worse back problems, or that their comfort isn’t as important as the “decider’s”.

Is Your Mattress the Best Mattress for You?Alright, “go-alongs”:  I am as much of a fan of choosing your battles as the next person, but this is a battle worth choosing.  Why?

  1. You are going to spend a THIRD of your life on this mattress, for the next ten years.  Don’t you deserve to be comfortable, as much as your partner?  If there is a possibility, even if it’s slight, that you won’t sleep well for TEN years, isn’t it worth looking into?  That’s 29,200 hours of tossing and turning.  You deserve the best mattress for your body type and support needs.
  2. Your partner’s back might be worse now, but who’s to say that yours won’t catch up?  Or that your hip and shoulder pain is less important?  Or that you won’t DEVELOP back pain from sleeping on a mattress that isn’t the best for you?
  3. One word: RESENTMENT.  If you’re not sleeping well, you will resent your partner for not only choosing the bed, but for sleeping well on it while you’re up at night.

Not to worry, if there cannot be a happy medium, there are other solutions that don’t involve separate bedrooms.  Here are some ideas so that everyone can be happy, rested, and pain free:

  • Beautyrest makes beds that have a softer side and a firmer side, but not for long.  It was last year’s feature, and isn’t available for this year’s models.  Call us for details and to see if they’re still available.
  • Memory foam is great for people who need different levels of support, or are of Your Best Mattress May Be Two Instead of One!different body types.  The memory foam responds to your body’s unique curves, and gives everyone unique support, complete pressure relief, and a motion free sleep.  One mattress may be the best mattress for everyone!
  • If you’re buying a king, you may want to consider two twin extra-long beds placed next to each other on a frame.  This set up is exactly the same dimensions as a king size, so your sheets and covers won’t be different.  We even have a device that will strap them together, and fill in the center crevice, called a Create-a-King.  We can help you select mattresses that will be the same height, and that way each person has their own unique feel and support.  This idea is also used all the time with adjustable bases…

So for all you “go-along” partners, remember that you deserve to be comfortable too.  Sure, there are times that giving in is easier than fighting for what you really want, and I’m a big proponent of letting everyone win every once in a while.  But don’t forget that this new purchase is a mattress, and can make your life great, or really exhausting and uncomfortable.  Your choice.

Bed Recommendation for Scleroderma Sufferers

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If you suffer from scleroderma, then you know that there are a bevy of often misdiagnosed symptoms, as well as so many complications that it’s hard to keep them all under control.  I’ve written articles about fibromyalgia, arthritis, and sciatica, but have never tackled a bed recommendation for such an intricate and difficult problem as this disease.

scleroderma bed recommendationThis all came about when a customer inquired about a bed recommendation for someone who suffered from scleroderma.  I did some research online, but found the most information by snooping around on the forums, and made a list of what people recommended the most.  Remember, I am not a doctor, and I don’t have this disease, this information is compiled from online posts of people who do suffer from the pain and complications of scleroderma.  These recommendations may, or may not work for you, but they’re worth a try.

  • The easiest problem to ease is GERD.  Acid can be kept in the stomach by elevating the head of the bed, and sleeping at an incline.  Of course, adjustable beds are great for this, they are recommended for acid reflux problems.  A great option is the Pro-Motion base, which has all of the movement functionality, but not any of the expensive extras.  However, as many contributors noted, if you need a pretty steep angle, and you’re a side sleeper, this configuration is not going to work.  Another great option is a wedge pillow, and there are longer versions that can be comfortable for side sleepers.  My bed recommendation is to use one with a memory foam bed (such as a Spirit Sleep or Comforpedic), because it will form to the wedge better, and not slip.Comforpedic: bed recommendation for scleroderma
  • Similarly, if it’s breathing difficulty that needs to be addressed, due to decreased lung function, sleeping at an angle can assist with this as well.  Again, adjustable beds are great, or the wedge option can work as well.
  • Finally, for this customer, the problem was pain.  Unexplained (and undiagnosable) bone pain can be the worst symptom to address.  The issue with this problem is that everyone will be comfortable on different beds, and one size does not fit all.  However, it makes sense to me that the goal of the bed recommendation should be pressure relief.  You can get good pressure relief from a thick pillow top (check out a Bernardsville Plush Pillow Top), or great pressure relief from a softer memory foam bed (the Balanced Days is an idea).  Another benefit of these softer mattresses and memory foam beds is that they increase circulation, which can help with stiffness and pain in the extremities.

It must be intensely frustrating to not only feel terrible and have it misdiagnosed, but then to find out that there is no tried and true treatment, and no cure.  You never realize how important comfort is until you don’t have it anymore.

One forum contributor said that they have been sleeping for the past two years in two hour intervals, throughout the day.  While this isn’t optimal (or possible for some with regular out of the home jobs), it is a sustainable way to get your rest.  The key is to take the time to find the most comfortable bed for you, and not to be concerned about price (you will feel better and can possibly get better quicker when you’re getting quality rest).

On a last note, wherever you decide to buy your mattress, wedge, or other option, make sure that they have an exchange or return policy.  We have both, and are more than willing to work extensively with any customer who has chronic pain like scleroderma.  Good luck, feel better, and if we can help, let us know.

Some Helpful Resources for you to Download –

Download Free Scleroderma Information Packet – Scleroderma.org

Download Sciatica Resource Guide.

Free E-Book – Foods for Fibromyalgia. Sign-up To Receive Your Copy Now!

Exercise for Arthritis – YouTube

Why Comforpedic is considered as the Healthiest Mattress?

Why Your Aggravation May Be Necessary to Get the Best Price

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What’s the deal with different names for the same bed?  We’re not trying to make it difficult for you, or to cheat you out of a good deal.  There are a few reasons why different names are employed:

  1. Manufacturers do it to maintain their brand’s price integrity.  True, it’s harder on you the consumer, but they believe that their product is worth a certain amount, and want that price to be charged.  If everyone had the same names and the same beds, it would just be a price war, and the value of the product would go way down.twins3
  2. Often, there is one set for internet sales, and one set for in-store sales.  This is done to protect those brick and mortar stores.  Their cost of doing business is much higher than the internet sites, which don’t have to pay salespeople, rent, and sometimes don’t even carry inventory.  By separating the internet models from the in-store models, it evens the competition, and attempts to ensure that online retailers are competing against other online retailers and physical stores are only competing against each other.  Comforpedic is one of these brands, that has internet and in-store names, check out the graph below.What’s the deal with different names for the same bed
  3. Some stores (not us) like to be able to tout exclusivity, even if it’s in name only.  They don’t want to compete head to head with others, because they like to keep their prices high and competition scarce.  However, most of us have comparison sheets directly from the manufacturer, which can help decode the puzzle.
  4. Sometimes, the beds aren’t really the same.  I mentioned exclusivity in #3, and how it can be misleading.  However, some retailers really do have exclusive products and features that aren’t offered by others.  These changes may be upgraded covers, or an extra layer of foam, or other small change.  Additionally, most major manufacturers carry many more models than any traditional store would have room for, so retailers will choose which models they want to carry.  Also, to make sure that they have even distribution, manufacturers will try to make sure that all of their models are available within a certain market area, meaning that each store will have minimal overlap in models, and they will mostly carry different models.
  5. It may be frustrating, but this isn’t necessarily bad for the consumer.  Because everyone carries different models, there are many more choices on the market to choose from.  Most retailers have comparison sheets, and are willing to match and beat competition pricing, whether online or in store.And think, if there were only three different choices, and everyone carried the same thing at the same price, how would all of these different businesses survive?  Eventually, one retailer would have the monopoly, and they would be able to charge whatever they wanted, give horrible customer service, and limit the selection that was available.  Different names might be more convoluted, but you can ensure that you’re getting the best bed for you, at the best price, with a little effort.

5 Helpful Benefits of Adjustable Beds for Seniors

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Adjustable Beds for SeniorsAdjustable beds are traditionally thought of as for people who are in hospitals, chronically ill, or in debilitating pain.  However, many otherwise healthy seniors can benefit from using an adjustable bed.  There are specific changes that occur within the body as it ages, and these changes may turn into inconveniences or ailments once the body reaches sixty to seventy five.  Here are some common problems that seniors face, and how an adjustable bed can assist:

  1. Edema is a common problem among older people; it is a buildup of fluid, usually occurring in the ankles, feet, and legs.  While it is not always painful, it can make walking difficult, and can make the legs and feet feel very heavy.  WebMD states that leg edema can lead to skin ulcers, and can interfere in blood flow.  For more serious cases, medication can be prescribed, but other options are available.  By raising the legs above the heart, fluid can disperse and make walking more comfortable.  Utilizing an adjustable bed is the easiest way to raise the feet and legs comfortably, for an extended amount of time, with minimal effort.8" Anacapa Mattress with V100 Adjustable Base
  2. As we age, the cartilage and ligaments that hold together our vertebrae in our spines becomes thin and less cushioning.  This can lead to back aches, and chronic pain.  An adjustable bed can be moved to any position that takes the stress off of the affected vertebrae, and can be changed to react to the pain location of the moment.arthritis
  3. Arthritis is a common problem for seniors.  There are many different types, but the end result is the same: stiff, painful joints.  Adjustable beds can be positioned in any way that is comfortable for the sleeper, a position that will take away the ache and allow the person to sleep comfortably.  Additionally, the morning is often the time where arthritis sufferers feel the stiffest, and it may be difficult to get out of bed.  By raising the head of the bed and lowering the foot, adjustable beds effectively help “push” the sleeper out of the bed easily.
  4. Older people get less sleep than younger people do, and often find it hard to stay asleep once they get to bed.  While as we age we need less rest, the rest that we do get needs to be restorative and rejuvenating.  Seniors are more affected by the side effects of not sleeping well: memory loss, confusion, and cognitive difficulties, to name a few.  By ensuring that the few hours of sleep they get is completely comfortable and restful, it will keep their minds sharp during the day.
  5. Finally, for those that are bedridden, it’s more than just avoiding bedsores and maintaining comfort.  For those who are restricted to their beds, the hardest change to accept is sometimes the lack of freedom and autonomy.  By resting in an adjustable bed, the patient can adjust themselves, make themselves more comfortable, and even take over some tasks that can be done sitting up.  They are also able to put up the head of the bed to watch TV, read, write letters, work on a laptop, or a hundred other tasks that wouldn’t be able to be done on a flat bed.

Adjustable beds are not just for the infirm, they can be for anyone that wants a more comfortable lifestyle.  Whether its edema, arthritis, back pain, lack of quality sleep, or being confined to bed, an adjustable bed can make sleep time and awake time more enjoyable.

Some Interesting Links for Seniors to Read!

What Causes Sleep Problems in Older People?

Dr. Vitiello, studied older people who reported no sleep problems – NYTimes.

For Older Adults - What can I do to sleep better?