Shopping For A Mattress? Get In The Now!

It still amazes me to see that in almost every walk of life, consumers are looking for the latest and greatest on the market. Except when shopping for a mattress, it still seems that people are drawn to the 'same old same old' one mattress fits all coils and springs. Ouch! But that's not the big kicker; the big deal comes when you actually price these mattresses. To get a top quality coils and springs mattress you have to pay between $1500US -$3000US to get the comfort levels you want and then you are still really buying an expensive foundation with a memory foam pillow top, which is what is providing the comfort you feel. So, let's say you spend $2000US, you now own a 100lb wooden box filled with coils and springs and what sold you was the $200US pillow top.

So why not just take the time to really see what options are out there? You will find so many other choices that take advantage of our newest technology, are not only half the price but provide a much healthier environment for you to sleep. All the new types of mattresses and beds are specifically designed sleep systems that provide the right support to minimize pressure to acceptable levels for different body types and sleeping postures, maintaining back and spine alignment. The coils and springs mattresses can only say this when they come with the memory foam pillow top. The coils and springs can't really "fill in the gaps" to support the parts of your body that do not sink into the coils, such as your lower back.

Coils and springs mattresses' biggest claim to fame is that the coils work independently so when you move, your partner doesn't. Great, but how much does that matter if you're not comfortable and you wake up tired and stiff? And in all honesty, I don't know anyone who actually "bowls" in bed.

So what are the options out there? There are four different types of new technology sleep systems that really are a great bang for the buck and are very affordable and provide many health and convenient benefits compared to coils and springs.

1) Air Mattress Beds - Air Mattress Beds cradle and cushion your body, providing more even weight distribution without the poking and prodding possible from a standard coil spring mattress. Easy to use handheld controls and a state of the art ultra-quiet air inflation system allow each sleeper to quickly adjust the firmness of their side of the air bed to the perfect comfort level, with just the touch of a button. Imagine, now couples can individually adjust each side of the air bed to the exact firmness and comfort level each partner prefers. (Tip: Look for horizontal baffling and contoured foam edges for quality construction.)

2) Adjustable Beds - Now any sincere mattress salesman won't push the watching TV or reading in bed, it's not something that we should recommend. But with today's lifestyles this has become a normal way of life for some people. So if that's the case then you really should think about doing it right! With the touch of a button, adjustable beds move into hundreds of relaxing positions. All without creating pressure, stress or strain on your body. Touch a button again and experience a new concept in comfort, while your own personal massage system helps to relieve tired, sore muscles, and reduce everyday tension and fatigue. Encourage restful sleep through relaxation. (Tip: Concentrate on the frame construction, don't fall for the "mattress included" it's rarely of any quality.)

3) Latex Beds - Latex mattresses provide the most comfortable sleep surface in the world. Already immensely popular in Europe, Latex Mattresses are beginning to boom here in the United States. More and more Americans are learning about the tremendous advantages of Latex Mattresses everyday. The Talalay Process produces the highest quality, most resilient and consistent latex foam in the industry. Its consistent cell structure and exact density result in the most even firmness and feel possible. You can also buy Natural latex products. (Tip: Look for US made foam with layered construction, as this gives you quality foam and creates a variety of comfort levels to choose from.)

4) Memory Foam Beds - Well I think the word is out on this one, I'm sure you've heard all the NASA explanations of why this is used in the Space Shuttle and seen the "handprint" pictures. But, in case you haven't, Visco Elastic Memory Foam Mattresses utilize amazing, space age and NASA developed Visco Elastic Memory Foam. Visco Elastic Memory Foam is temperature sensitive. It actually reacts to the heat produced by your body, conforming to your body in a way no other material can. Where your body is making the most contact with the memory foam, the foam reacts and becomes softer. Where your body is making less contact, the foam stays cooler and remains more firm. The result is pressure being evenly distributed throughout the sleeper's body, leading to fewer pressure points and a more restorative sleep. (Tip: Again, look out for problem European foam; US made Sensus with layered construction for the same quality and comfort level benefits.)

All of these new age sleep systems can be purchased for a fraction of what a coils and springs mattress goes for and depending on the mattress, you can adjust the foam layers to personalize your comfort level as you please. And don't forget about the many major sleep benefits from all the sleep system technology. You just can't miss, if you have to purchase a mattress or sleep system, you owe it to yourself to check these out, not only for your health but for your pocketbook too, ouch again!

Tune in to my next articles where I'll break down what to look for in each of the new age sleep systems.

By: Neil Teasdale