Importance of a good mattress for overall health

[bobby231]

Along with good nutrition and exercise, sleep is now recognized as an important contributor to good health. Lack of sleep

Along with good nutrition and exercise, sleep is now recognized as an important contributor to good health. Lack of sleep and poor quality sleep contribute to depression, poor concentration, high blood pressure, and heart disease. It is also associated with mental illness, road deaths, and reduced productivity costing an estimated $5 billion annually (Sleep Health Foundation) to the Australian economy.

Research shows that around 1 in 3 Australians suffer from poor quality sleep and one important factor that contributes to a good night’s sleep is the right mattress. Considering we spend around one third of our life in bed it is worth doing some research into getting it right.

The right mattress needs to be comfortable whist still being firm enough to provide good postural alignment. Its length should be at least 15cm longer than the tallest person using the bed. This means that you need to try the mattress in store and it is important that both you and your partner are content that the mattress provides comfort and support. This may be problematic for some couples who vary significantly in weight. Some mattress models come with differing comfort layers on each side of the bed and this may be a viable option for such couples.

The most common mistakes people make when choosing a mattress -
- Don’t test the mattresses at the end of a day’s shopping – everything will feel comfortable!
- When testing the mattress try rolling over. If it is difficult to turn it may be too soft, if uncomfortable on the hips or shoulders it may be too firm.

Things to consider when buying a mattress -
-Firm mattress tops are best suited if you sleep mostly on your back or stomach, giving you the proper comfort and support
-Plush layers work best for helping sooth pressure points throughout your body as you sleep
-Pillow top mattress layers are constructed of material soft enough to let your body sink in and are particularly suited to side sleepers
-Make sure the base you have at home is similar to the base in the display room, as a mattress can feel very different on another base.

There are four main types of mattress -
- Continuous or open-coil mattress – Often more affordable but less durable than pocket springs. The springs move as one unit so tossing and turning can disturb your partner.
- Memory foam mattress – These mattresses are topped with a layer of memory foam which takes pressure off joints as you sink into the foam. The downside is that it can feel too warm for some.
- Latex foam mattress – Tend to be durable and the materials breathe, so they are a good option for those prone to allergies (except latex!) and dust mites and there is less chance of overheating.

These mattresses have a solid feel and they can be cumbersome to move due to their weight. Cheaper versions can get lumpy after a time.

Pocket-sprung mattress – a pocket-sprung mattress has up to 3000 springs sewn into individual fabric pockets. They can be customized to have two sides, of different firmness.

They offer good support by distributing your body weight evenly, and will support two people of two different body weights well because the springs are separate. The open-spring construction allows air to circulate. The springs can be customized to different tensions – soft, medium or firm.

They can be heavy to turn and natural materials such as lambs wool can exacerbate allergies.

Buying tip -
Some mattress companies have a comfort guarantee for several weeks and will swap the mattress if you are not satisfied.

[Lucyhere]

Within the last two months three members of my family have purchased the Casper mattress on Amazon. I've not heard such rave reviews about any mattress. Consumer Reports rated it their top mattress. One family member found it a little to firm so added a mattress topper. The others loved it right out of the box. All used their current platform bed or box spring.

[DreamStalker]

I think Bleeping Beauty posted a thread to a cool mattress a few months back.

I custom built my own mattress (similar to the Casper design) with 3 slabs of 2" perforated latex foam (similar to pic below), each with a different density so that I could stack them in different combinations to adjust for different levels of firmness. I had a custom cover made for it ... almost time to have the cover replaced but the mattress itself is over 15 years old now and still just as comfortable as it was when new.



Now to wait for all the hostile comments to roll in about how latex can kill people and causes global warming and attracts rodents and makes people who eat it have stomach problems and on and on and on ....

[kteague]

I had a friend just get one of those purple mattresses and he loves it. Said it gives good support without feeling too firm. I think he's a bit like Goldilocks in his search for the right mattress. He did a YouTube video of the unboxing (unbagging). Can't believe we can now get mattresses through the mail. lol

I guess my bigger curiosity is why the OP is here posting tips on various health topics, unless it's to get us to click the link to his online presence, which just happens to be in the mattress rating business. Oh well, it worked. I clicked it. Wanted to see what their horse is in the race for sleep.

[DreamStalker]

I had a friend just get one of those purple mattresses and he loves it. Said it gives good support without feeling too firm. I think he's a bit like Goldilocks in his search for the right mattress. He did a YouTube video of the unboxing (unbagging). Can't believe we can now get mattresses through the mail. lol

I guess my bigger curiosity is why the OP is here posting tips on various health topics, unless it's to get us to click the link to his online presence, which just happens to be in the mattress rating business. Oh well, it worked. I clicked it. Wanted to see what their horse is in the race for sleep.

Yep. I too noticed the newbie does not ask questions and only posts health topics related to sleep. No harm done IMO though I certainly do not speak for all forum members.

[ChicagoGranny]

Can't believe we can now get mattresses through the mail.

Yes, the mattress business is undergoing big changes, primarily because of the internet. Casper now has lots of new competition - http://www.curbed.com/2016/7/22/1224925 ... edle-leesa

Casper's prices can be easily beaten while matching their quality.

[Goofproof]

I had a friend just get one of those purple mattresses and he loves it. Said it gives good support without feeling too firm. I think he's a bit like Goldilocks in his search for the right mattress. He did a YouTube video of the unboxing (unbagging). Can't believe we can now get mattresses through the mail. lol

I guess my bigger curiosity is why the OP is here posting tips on various health topics, unless it's to get us to click the link to his online presence, which just happens to be in the mattress rating business. Oh well, it worked. I clicked it. Wanted to see what their horse is in the race for sleep.

Yep. I too noticed the newbie does not ask questions and only posts health topics related to sleep. No harm done IMO though I certainly do not speak for all forum members.

I considered him to be a D. H. clone, but then he didn't post anything false. He just needs attention. Jim

[CapnLoki]

I'm thinking its clickbait. If you go to his site, and then order a mattress through his Amazon link, he gets a 8% kickback (assuming he's in the program).

disclaimer: I am not signed up on the program, but I wondered how many people do this. I'm guessing in my case I might make enough pushing batteries to buy a pizza, but I can see how a different topic, with a different audience, this could add up. Selling one mattress could mean $50-100 with no work beyond the reviews and casting some bait out in the forums.

[Pugsy]

I'm thinking its clickbait.

I thought so too but since we have to go to his profile to see the website link (he didn't try to sneak it in the signature line) I didn't report him as a spammer because it isn't right out there in front of you like it would be in a signature or other obvious link.

Let's see..first time poster with some nothing but rather mundane and already well known "helpful" hints for good sleep....and he conveniently has a link to some reviews to help us out...smells like spammer to me but since not obviously breaking the rules and what he posts, even though it's stuff we already know, isn't harmful or full of links to various products I let it slide.
Carolyn has let worse slide.

I will send Carolyn a note and see if she has a problem with the sneaky spam attempt.

[CapnLoki]

I guess the issue for me is on another level. Almost anytime you search for an opinion on the web you get a number of "10-Best-Gizmo-Review" sites. If these are really just there to collect kickbacks, then the illusion is broken. Of course I'm not so naive as to think this isn't always what happens, but I still like to have the pretense of impartiality.

[DreamStalker]

Didn't even occur to me to check his profile and look for click bait links. Geeez you guys are thorough checking backgrounds and all!

Here I thought he was just handing out health tips for free. I need to find me some click bait links instead of my worthless permaculture links.

[ChicagoGranny]

Didn't even occur to me to check his profile and look for click bait links. Geeez you guys are thorough checking backgrounds and all!

My youngest grandson and his friends call that "creeping". "Creeping" is the internet version of "stalking".

has a link to some reviews

And those "reviews" consist of the marketing blurbs that he copied and pasted from the manufacturers' websites.

it isn't right out there in front of you like it would be in a signature

You're giving him marketing tips!

[kteague]

Didn't even occur to me to check his profile and look for click bait links. Geeez you guys are thorough checking backgrounds and all! Here I thought he was just handing out health tips for free. I need to find me some click bait links instead of my worthless permaculture links.

lol Had the question not been in my mind about what his end game might be for what I expected to be spam, I would have never noticed the icon for his website. Just not tuned in to that info on the left unless something triggers me to look. It didn't matter to me enough to click the spam button, as mattresses and general health are relevant topics in my mind and good discussion often comes out of them.

[flightco]

Within the last two months three members of my family have purchased the Casper mattress on Amazon. I've not heard such rave reviews about any mattress. Consumer Reports rated it their top mattress. One family member found it a little to firm so added a mattress topper. The others loved it right out of the box. All used their current platform bed or box spring.

I have tried the Casper, Brentwood Home and one other, cant remember the name. All in the 1000.00 category and all good mattress but not perfect (can't say why, a mattress and pillow are a personal preference). It is new and it takes a few weeks to really know but I think I have found the perfect mattress, the Loom and Leaf. Cost a little bit more 1499 for Cal King) but it really is perfect and does not sleep hot at all .

I believe I could have been happy with the Casper, but am even more so about the Loom and Leaf

[flightco]

I think Bleeping Beauty posted a thread to a cool mattress a few months back.

I custom built my own mattress (similar to the Casper design) with 3 slabs of 2" perforated latex foam (similar to pic below), each with a different density so that I could stack them in different combinations to adjust for different levels of firmness. I had a custom cover made for it ... almost time to have the cover replaced but the mattress itself is over 15 years old now and still just as comfortable as it was when new.



Now to wait for all the hostile comments to roll in about how latex can kill people and causes global warming and attracts rodents and makes people who eat it have stomach problems and on and on and on ....

What a brilliant idea; where did you find the correct foams and latex?