Consumers have been hit with a campaign to replace your mattress every eight years. But is this campaign a true message to promote better health or a stealthy way to get a little more of your money? The CampaignIn the last few years advertising spots on TV and the radio have bombarded consumers with the "if it's over eight, it's time to replace" mantra concerning their mattresses. The advertisement claims that the mattress doubles in weight every eight years due mainly to dust mites and other contamination caused by pets and people sleeping on the bed. Some consumers seem to believe it. Facebook and other social media posts show people asking if they should replace their mattress or being concerned with the age of the mattress they are sleeping on. But is it a health hazard? Does the average person need to shell out hundreds to thousands of dollars every few years for a new mattress set. The answer is mostly: No. What They ClaimThe companies claiming that you must replace your mattress mainly cite health reasons.
They say that due to sweat and moisture, a mattress will double in weight every eight years. The thought is that all the sweat and skin flakes create a great place for the dust mites to live. Because so many people have allergies to dust mites, you may be risking your healthy by not replacing your mattress. Do Mattresses Get Dust Mites?Yes, most mattresses contain dust mites. Dust mites are microscopic organisms that feed on dust and particles that naturally occur where people and pets live. According to Mayo Clinic, dust mites thrive in environments of 70 degrees or higher (the temperature of most homes) and eat the shed skin of people. They are a relative of ticks and spiders. The only evidence that you may have of dust mites is allergy symptoms or feeling like you have a cold. Only an allergist can determine if you are allergic to dust mites or if they are causing an allergy. So mattresses may be the perfect place for dust mites to live. We spend many hours a day in bed, and naturally sweat and shed skin cells.
But is it a problem that can be prevented of remedied? Does the mattress really double in weight? , experts believe that the idea of your mattress doubling in weight every eight years is exaggerated. Experts say this it is not mathematically possible. While mattresses can and do contain dust mites and possibly gain some weight from the absorption of fluids, they are not likely to be gaining weight at that rate. So what can you do about preventing or reducing the amount of dust mites in your mattress? A simple and inexpensive solution is to use a high quality mattress cover. Quality mattress cover extends the life of your mattressA simple and inexpensive solution to stopping or preventing the spread of dust mites is to use a high quality mattress cover on your mattress. Ideally the cover should be waterproof and should be placed directly over your bare mattress. From there you can add your sheets and other bedding. If you use memory foam or an egg crate pad, be sure that the mattress pad covers this as well.
Dust mites can live in that foam as well. A waterproof mattress pad acts as a shield, preventing the skin flakes and moisture from your body from penetrating the actual mattress itself, preserving your mattress and your health. Even if your mattress is older, you can add a mattress cover to prevent any further accumulation of moisture or dust mites in the mattress. It will also provide a barrier between you and the mattress, preventing you from breathing in the dust mite allergens. How do you know it is time to replace your mattress?There are times when a mattress does need to be replaced but it is likely to last longer than eight years. For one thing, experts recommend checking the mattress label. If it has a 10, 20 or 30 year warranty, with proper care you are likely to get about that amount of time out of the mattress. You also want to think about comfort. Are their pressure points? Is it less comfortable than it used to be? Would adding a memory foam pad or egg crate pad alleviate some of these problems?
If you are like most consumers and watching your money, adding a pad may give you few more years out of the mattress. You should also visually inspect it. If it is dirty or soiled it may be time to consider replacing it. Putting a mattress cover on at the start of the use of your mattress may help to eliminate these problems with your next mattress. Picking Out A MattressWhen picking out a mattress, many people have very particular ideas about how it should feel. It is important to get one that is comfortable to you. Consider the quality as well. Watch out for pillow top mattresses that are not able to be flipped over. They are likely to wear down and become less comfortable over time. Don't feel the pressure to buy an expensive mattress. Look for quality and durability. Check a less biased source such as consumer reports to find the right balance of quality and affordability. Other TipsRemember that the biggest point that the "replace after eight" campaign is making is that your mattress will be overloaded with sweat and dust mites.
But you can prevent or eliminate this problem by simply adding a quality, waterproof mattress pad. In order to get the most life out of your mattress and to reduce allergies wash all of the bedding and the mattress pad regularly. Washing in hot water kills the dust mites that might accumulate in the bedding. To prevent wear and tear, remember to flip your mattress every six months to a year, rotating when you flip so that all parts of the mattress have regular wear. If your mattress is uncomfortable or has clear wear and tear, it is time to consider a new one. There is no reason to stress about sleeping on an older mattress. With care a mattress can last a decade or more with no reason to worry. How old is the current mattress you sleep on? 1 to 5 years old 6 to 10 years old 11 to 15 years old 16 to 20 years old Older than 20 years I don't knowSee results Feb. 08, 2014 - 06:45AM JST The cold wave that has brought sub-freezing temperatures to Kanto and other parts of Japan this week has no doubt led many to save on heating bills by retiring early and snuggling under their “denki mofu” (electric blanket).
But now Nikkan Gendai (Feb 4) has thrown a wet blanket on the notion that warm-as-toast bedding is a sensible way to hibernate. It says that humans, due to fewer hours of daylight during the winter months, naturally tend to sleep up to two more hours per night than they do in the summer. But should they have trouble sleeping at night, their biorhythm will become disordered, resulting in dysfunctional sleep that may even extend to the other months of the year. Yohei Sugawara, an occupational therapist and author, advises readers how to improve their sleep. Essentially, he says, the greater the temperature that one’s internal organs drops, the sleepier one will become, and the deeper one will sleep. In other words, once you fall asleep, if the internal body temperature continues to drop, and then the temperature starts rising in synch with the time to wake up, you will arise feeling well rested and invigorated. “In order to reduce the internal body temperature, it’s important to perspire and radiate heat,” says Sugawara.
“If bedding like an electric blanket that continually warms the entire body is used, then even if the body perspires, it becomes harder for the sweat to evaporate, and the body can’t radiate heat. And because the internal body temperature doesn’t drop, sleep tends to be lighter. “Ordinarily a typical futon absorbs sweat during sleep, making it easier to radiate heat,” Sugawara continues. “But electric blankets give priority to their mechanical heating function and are inferior in terms of ability to absorb sweat. Even if the blanket is only used to warm up the bedding when the sleeper first crawls into bed, it makes it more difficult for the internal body temperature to drop.” “In winter, activities by humans decline and their muscular power also diminishes,” Sugawara adds. “Since the back muscles used to turn over in bed also weaken, the number of times we turn over during sleep also declines. But without turning over, air cannot be circulated between the futon and the body, making it impossible to radiate heat, and effective regulation of body heat ceases.
To deal with this, people may keep the heat on in their bedrooms or put on heavier sleepwear, which makes it even more difficult for the internal body temperature to fall.” The most effective way to sleep in the winter is to devise ways to give priority to the parasympathetic nervous system, which functions when relaxing before bedtime. But in winter it becomes easier for the sympathetic nervous system to become active, and is difficult to reduce its operation before bedtime, making it harder to fall asleep. To support the parasympathetic nerve function, Sugawara advises application of heat directly to the “senkotsu” (sacrum), a triangular shaped bone located at the bottom of the spine, just above the buttocks, where such nerves are clustered. “First try holding a hot water bottle or thermal pack against the sacrum and then when you get into bed move the heat source to your feet,” he suggests. “If you warm your ankles, the bottoms of your feet will radiate heat, causing the internal body temperature to drop, which should realize even better results.”