How do I know which bed is best for my body and health issues? We already know how important sleep is to our health. Studies have shown that deep, restorative sleep improves memory and mood, helps the body curb inflammation, encourages better weight control and may even help you live longer. Besides promoting emotional well-being and healthy brain function, sleep plays a vital role in those who suffer from chronic pain or specific health issues. Researchers have discovered that a good night’s sleep can actually make you hurt less – yet another compelling reason to invest in a good mattress if you continually wake up tired or in pain. The sleep specialists at Mattress World Northwest, Oregon’s premier mattress retailer, can customize bedding selections based on your individual health concerns. Lower back pain, herniated discs, shoulder injuries and other ailments call for a particular mattress set up that can alleviate pressure points and ensure quality REM sleep. With 11 convenient locations in Portland, Canby, Clackamas, Salem Wilsonville, Beaverton and Gresham, our showrooms feature the latest bedding collections by leading manufacturers.
Impact of spinal alignment on health ailments Depending on your injury or particular condition, your current mattress could be having a positive or a negative effect on your health and sleep cycles. For instance, the throbbing pain of aching joints is only exacerbated at night if your mattress doesn’t offer proper spinal alignment. Without a perfect balance from head to toe, you’ll experience excess stress on your hips, knees, neck and back. Achieving the all-important neutral spinal alignment may mean switching from a traditional innerspring mattress to a memory foam or latex bed that has been engineered for this very purpose. Another consideration is your body type and shape, which will dictate the kind of support needed in a mattress. For example, if your hips and waist are proportionate or in a straight line, a slightly firmer surface offers better support, whereas a softer mattress is better suited for those with wider hips, since it allows the spine to remain neutral.
In their quest to relieve pressure, many side sleepers will pull a pillow under their shoulders and chest, which encourages poor spinal alignment. A pillow between the knees can alleviate low back pain to some extent, but it’s not a permanent solution. How a mattress can promote better blood circulation Have you ever woken up to find one of your hands totally numb or a tingling sensation in your arm or leg? If so, your mattress isn’t providing enough pressure relief and is restricting normal blood flow. Over the course of the night, these pressure points can cause you to toss and turn, waking up dozens of times as you attempt to find that comfortable sweet spot. Sleep is a critical restorative phase of our lives – a time when your body is recovering and repairing all of the day’s damage. When deep sleep is constantly disrupted, you’re body tells you in numerous ways. Fatigue worsens, a mental fog sets in, and you’ll find yourself more forgetful than usual.
In the end, eight hours of sleep on a poor mattress feels like one or two. Fortunately, there are dozens of advanced bedding options that help you fall asleep faster and experience increased REM sleep. Innovations in mattress technology, materials and design lend themselves to a calm sleeping environment void of pressure points and disruptive movements caused by a restless sleep partner. Get Your Free Sleep Analysis! Foam vs. latex and temperature regulation If you suffer from painful tendons and ligaments (fibromyalgia), you may find relief with a memory foam mattress that reduces pressure points, conforms to your body and offers excellent support. However, “hot” sleepers may fare better with an innerspring or even latex bed, since memory foam does not dissipate heat as well. Innerspring mattresses – whether firm or pillow-top – are generally ideal for extremely overweight individuals as well as those with temperature regulation issues. It’s estimated that more than 60 percent of menopausal women suffer from sleep problems caused by hot flashes and night sweats.
In terms of a more cooling sleep, latex mattresses are equivalent to that of innerspring beds, but with a much longer lifespan (20+years). Sleep specialists with years of experience Here at Mattress World Northwest, our sleep specialists bring decades of experience to the table, helping hundreds of satisfied clients achieve that elusive night’s rest. Whether you suffer from arthritis pain, lumbar issues or another health condition, we can help you choose the right mattress to get the sleep you need. We’re confident our high quality products and professional customer service will exceed your expectations. Get Your Free Sleep Analysis, and Start Sleeping Better Tonight! 5 Signs You’re Sleeping on the Wrong Mattress Sleeping on the wrong mattress can have both short- and long-term negative impacts. Anything from a mattress that’s causing pain… How Do I Know Which Mattress Is Right for Me? When buying a new mattress, it’s essential to choose the right one that will give you years of comfortable, restorative…
The power of a good night's sleep should never be underestimated. As we sleep, our body's serotonin levels are restored, our immune systems are rejuvenated and our memories are sharpened. Because sleep is so integral to our everyday functioning, it is essential that we get a good night's rest. To do this, it is important to sleep on a mattress that is right for you. Doing so will cause you to wake up rejuvenated and refreshed; sleeping on the wrong mattress, on the other hand, will result in many sleepless nights, waking up cranky and suffering from back pain. Choosing the right mattressChoosing the right mattress Mattresses are displayed in stores for a reason. They aren't put there to look pretty, they're put there so you can test them out by laying down on them. Many people believe that proper mattress-shopping etiquette involves simply sitting on the edge of the mattress. You cannot possibly make a decision just by doing that because 1.) You're going to spend the majority of your time laying on it, not sitting on it, and 2.)
When you do lay down, it's not going to be on the edge of the mattress, it's going to be in the middle. Get a feel for the mattress by laying on it in your usual sleep position. If there's two of you, lay on it at the same time to see how it supports your weight. Lie on it for at least 10 minutes.You're going to be looking for two important factors: comfort and support. Support is determined by the coil springs inside the mattress and should be conducive to proper spine alignment. When laying on your side, your spine should be straight, and when you lay on your back it should maintain it's natural curve. Comfort comes from the padding, which serves to cushion your body from the support of the springs and should mould itself to your shape. According to orthopedic experts, you should go for the firmest, most supportive mattress you find comfortable. A bed that is too firm will put pressure on the heavier parts of your body, particularly the hips, signaling your body to turn over and resulting in a night of tossing and turning.
A bed that is too soft will result in your spine not being properly aligned. Your muscles will tense up and have to work harder to make up for the lack of support.** TIP ** Because the springs are what make the mattress supportive, it is important to take their construction into consideration. Ask the salesperson (or refer to the placard if there is one) what the coil count is. A standard twin-size mattress should have at least 300, a queen should have 375 and a king should have 450. Types of mattressesBecause we are inundated with commercials for mail-order mattresses and stores that sell bedding, and with so many to choose from, it can be difficult to figure out what's best for you. Here is a breakdown of the different types of mattresses and how they can best benefit your sleep. Remember, no matter what the mattress comfort level is, they can all offer the same spine support depending on the coil count. Test out different beds to get a feel for which one is right for you. FIRMFirm mattresses have flat-tops with no extra padding.
They typically come with Edge Support for a firmer, yet comfortable edge. Traditionally, firm to medium-firm mattresses have always been recommended for the relief of lower back pain. These mattresses score a 7.5 on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the hardest. Mattress height is approximately 8.5"Sealy Giovanni FirmSealy Posturepedic Baltico Firm CUSHION FIRMCushion Firm mattresses are medium-firm beds. They offer firm support with a slight cusion at the top. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the hardest, customers rate cushion firm mattresses a 7. Mattress height runs from 9.5" to 11.5"Sealy Posturepedic Adriatic Cushion FirmSealy Posturepedic Wyrick Cushion Firm PLUSHPlush mattresses are the softest you can get without purchasing a bed that has additional pillowtop padding. Extra foam layering above the coils provide extra comfort and plush support. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the hardest, customers rate plush mattresses a 6. Mattresses are around 10" in height.Sealy Posture PlushSealy Islandia Plush
MEMORY FOAMMemory Foam was created by NASA twenty years ago but in the long run was never used in the space program. It ended up in mattresses instead. Previously too expensive for the average consumer, memory foam mattresses have become increasingly affordable over the past few years, resulting in a skyrocket in it's popularity. Made from polyurethane, memory foam mattresses are firmer in cool temperatures and softer in warm temperatures. Because it reacts to changes in climate, it also responds to the body's natural heat, quickly moulding itself to the shape of a warm body. Memory foam mattresses are denser and more supportive than standard mattresses. Keep in mind that it takes 15 minutes for the mattress to completely respond to your body's heat and settle into true form. What may feel just right at first may become too soft as the minutes pass, so give it a good, long chance. You can buy memory foam mattresses as well as memory foam overlays, or toppers, to place on top of an existing mattress.
Therapeutic 5" Memory Foam mattress (comparable to Tempur-pedic)Sealy True Form collection ULTRA PLUSHUltra Plush mattresses are super comfortable and sometimes include an additional pillowtop on top of the mattress (which is already plenty padded by itself.) On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the hardest, ultra plush mattresses are about a 4. With a height of approximately 16", depending on the model, these mattresses also sometimes require deeper fitted sheets than the standard mattress.Sealy Posturepedic Hoffman Estates Ultra PlushSealy Posturepedic Granite Peaks Ultra Plush EuroPillowtop PILLOWTOPPillowtop mattresses have an extra layer of padding attached to the top of the mattress to provide additional comfort. Generally speaking, these beds are not very firm due to the top layer, or "pillow", that covers the entire surface but they are incredibly comfortable. Pillowtop mattresses were also rated a 6 on a scale from 1-10, with 10 being the hardest. Pillowtop mattresses usually require deeper fitted sheets than the standard mattress because they can run up to 19.5 inches high.
Solutions for couplesUnless you and your spouse have similar taste in comfort and support, chances are you're both going to be most comfortable on different beds. If one or both of you is willing to compromise, great. If not, several companies design mattresses made especially to accommodate two separate bodies with two separate ideas of what's comfortable. SLEEP NUMBER BEDSThe Select Comfort Sleep Number bed is rapidly gaining in popularity. You've probably seen at least a dozen commercials advertising it's uniquely designed air chambers which it uses rather than metal and springs to provide a level of support that can be adjusted literally at the touch of a button. The Firmness Control System is a remote attached to a pump that allows you to select the bed's firmness level. Even better, the 7000 and 9000 models come with two remotes that allow each person to select the comfort level for their side of the bed.If you can't afford the pricey Select Comfort beds, which can run anywhere up to $4,000, then check out the more affordable alternatives such as the King 9000 Select Number Airbed shown here.
TEMPUR-PEDICTempur-pedic designs beds using the memory foam discussed above to ensure a good night's sleep for both parties. Because memory foam reacts to changes in temperature (firmer in cool, softer in warm) it reacts to the heat your body naturally emits throughout the evening, conforming to mould around your unique shape. When two people are in a full, queen or king size bed, the memory foam will mould around both of you, ensuring a better rest. What may feel just right at first may become too soft as the minutes pass, so give it a good, long chance to adapt to your shape. Twin xtra-long: 39in wide x 80in longTwin: 39in wide x 75in longFull: 54in wide x 75in longQueen: 60in wide x 80in longKing: 76in wide x 80in longCalifornia king: 72in wide x 84in long ) is a great way to save money. But not many people will buy something as important as a mattress sight unseen. Luckily, there is a way to solve this dilemma. First, look online to find a few mattresses you might be interested in.