What Is A Natural Mattress

Have you ever wondered what it means for a mattress to be natural?

There are all kinds of terms used these days when it comes to the so called, “natural” mattress. You may have come across terms like bio-foam, green-tea infused foam, natural memory foam, copper infused foam, graphite foam, or the one that companies love to flaunt… bamboo.

So what do all of these mean and what’s the actual definition of a, “natural” mattress? We explain it in the video below.

 

 

3 Things in Your Mattress That Might be Making you Sick

Your mattress is the most important piece of furniture in your house. Let’s face it, what other article in your home do you have as much contact with as your mattress?

The average person spends 6-8 hours every day in their bed. That’s about ⅓ of your life! The mattress is also the only piece of furniture where your face is literally inches away breathing whatever is inside it.

It’s hard to say what is inside every mattress, but there are 3 things that can be found in about 95% of mattresses, (especially within the mainstream and online companies mattresses), that can have a negative effect on your health. If you are sensitive to chemicals or have immune system issues, these are the 3 things I would avoid in your mattress:

 

  1. Polyurethane Foam. – Since the 1970’s polyurethane replaced cotton and natural rubber as the go-to material for padding inside mattresses. It is very inexpensive to make and very easy to mass produce. However, since polyurethane is a petrochemical, it is laden with chemicals that can and most usually do off-gas.
  2. Glues/Adhesives– On average, the typical mattress has anywhere from 2-7 layers of padding. To keep these layers from shifting, mattress companies usually glue these layers together. The problem with gluing these layers together are the many chemicals that are found in adhesives. In some cases, you can still smell the glue many days after it has been delivered.
  3. Chemical-Based Fire Retardants– Since 2007, a federal law was passed that mandated every mattress must pass the fire test. While that law might have solved one problem it opened up the door to a host of many other problems regarding people’s health. A couple of the dozens of chemicals that are used in most fire retardants are Formaldehyde and Antimony Trioxide which have both been shown to be carcinogens.

 

If you have a mattress from a typical mattress retailer or if you purchased online, the chance that you may be sleeping with some of these chemicals is high. But, there is an alternative to your typical mattress. The solution to this problem is an all-natural mattress free of the potentially harmful chemicals listed above. Mattresses where natural materials like natural rubber/latex, cotton and wool are used instead of synthetic foams. Natural latex comes from the rubber tree where the liquid from the tree is used instead of petroleum. Not only is latex a lot healthier but it also is much more durable. The average latex mattress lasts 2-3 times longer than a traditional mattress.

If you are on your mattress shopping journey but confused on how to find the right one. Download our FREE Guide to get all the tips you need for finding your perfect mattress. Just click the image below to get it now.

Categories Web

6 Quick Tips for Choosing the Right Mattress

Mattress shopping can be one of the most daunting tasks we each face at some point in our life. Whether the reason being due to the fact that you have no idea if the mattress you try in the store is going to feel the same as when you buy it, or you are simply overwhelmed by the sea of white rectangles in the mattress showroom, we have come up with five mattress shopping tips to turn a once daunting task into an enjoyable experience.

1. Bring Your Pillow!

The pillow is one of the most important pieces to this puzzle. Your back support and comfort all starts with the pillow. The pillows is 15-20% of your spinal support, so if that’s out of alignment, everything else is likely to follow. A pillow can greatly affect your experience on the mattress. Some pillows respond better on certain types of mattresses. If you are happy with your pillow at home then we recommend bringing it with you when you go mattress shopping. If you’re not happy with it, then make sure you are properly fitted for the right pillow when you are in the store.

2. Know your sleep position

Side sleepers– Most of the weight and pressure is on your shoulders and hips. A mattress that is too firm will trigger those pressure points causing you to toss and turn. A medium to plush mattress is recommended for a side sleeper.

Stomach sleepers– Beware of the soft mattress. A mattress that is too soft will cause you to get in the reverse hammock position and will cause lower back and neck pain. Just an fyi, this is the unhealthiest of the sleep positions because most of our weight is in our midsection and makes it difficult to maintain a neutral spine position.

Back sleepers– The most versatile of the sleep positions. As long as the mattress is conforming to your natural “S” curve then Plush, medium or firm can all be an option. A quick tip for back sleepers, placing a pillow under your knees helps with keeping your spine in alignment.

3. Know Your Support      

Too firm            too_soft             Just_right

      Too Firm                              Too Soft                         Just Right

4. Know Your Materials

The materials of the mattress greatly affect the durability. Latex, Memory Foam, and Polyfoam, are the 3 main materials that are used for padding. Latex is the longest lasting and most expensive, followed by memory foam, and then polyfoam.

If you like latex, make sure you know if the latex you are buying is 100% all-natural latex or blended latex. Some places may mislead charging you all-natural prices when in reality they are giving you synthetic latex.

If you’re leaning toward memory foam, try not to go with anything less than 4 – 5 lb density. Also choose an open cell memory foam as it sleeps cooler than a closed cell and usually is of a better quality.

If you are keen on a more traditional polyfoam mattress, make sure the density of the foam is 1.8 lbs or greater. Foam that is less than 1.8lb density is cheaper quality and assured to wear down quicker. If the shark, I mean salesperson, does not know that, then go on to the next store.

 

5. Know your budget

A new mattress does not need to break the bank. And just because one mattress is more expensive than another doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better for you. Only you know your budget, but a high quality traditional coil mattress should not cost thousands of dollars.

Budget guide  Mattress lasting

1-5 years: $200-$500

5-10 years: $500-$1300

10-20 years$1100-$2500

 

6. Know your comfort

When you first lay on a mattress your body is likely to be tense and not relaxed. We recommend you spend at least 3-10 minutes on each mattress to give your muscles and joints time to relax. Doing this will allow your body to detect any uncomfortable pressure points or pains that are not being relieved by the mattress.comics-WUMO-mattress-soft-572301

 

Bonus Tip  Wear comfortable clothes when mattress shopping similar to what you wear to bed. If you wear your birthday suit when you sleep then make sure you come dressed with loose clothes because ain’t nobody wanna see that.

 

 

If these tips have helped you in any way during your time out mattress shopping drop us a line as we would love to hear from you. If you have other criteria you use when mattress shopping let us know as we would love to hear what helped you ease through that daunting task.

Also If This was just too much information for you take in all at once. DOWNLOAD our FREE PDF by clicking the image below. It’s a simplified version of this article. You can print it out and take it with you while you mattress shop.

 

Off-Gassing… What is it and Should I be Concerned?

What Is Off-Gassing

When it comes to mattresses, off-gassing refers to the chemicals from the foams, glues, and fire-retardants that are being emitted into the air. Specifically, the types of materials that are found in mattresses are acetone, benzene, formaldehyde, and methylene chloride. Such chemicals are named VOCs, (Volatile Organic Compound). These are emitted as gases from the solids that are derived from the mattress. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors, (up to 10 times higher), than outdoors. So it gives off a very distinct smell, most say it resembles the smell of cleaning supplies or a, “new car smell”.

 

Should I Be Worried About Off-Gassing?

VOCs, (Volatile Organic Compound), can have short-and long-term adverse health effects. Some side effects of the off-gassing are irritation in the eyes, throat, and nose, and it may cause asthma. Just as comfort is subjective, chemical sensitivity is subjective as well. It varies from person to person. It really boils down to how chemically sensitive you are. Some people are very chemically sensitive where in they would need a completely natural mattress. To some other people, this issue not a priority. But for those of us that want to be responsible consumers, this is good information for us to have handy.

 

Is there any solution?

Yes! There is a solution, if you love the feel of memory foam or a polyurethane foam, Certipur is your answer! Certipur is a non-profit organization that serves as a certification program that tests polyurethane foams to give consumers confidence in the foam they’re buying. They have rigorous standards placed on foam producers. Part of their standard is that they do not accept any foam made with Mercury, lead, other heavy metals or made with formaldehyde. Here at Mattress Makers we only use foam that is certified by Certipur. The other option, and most preferred, is buying Latex! It’s a natural material with no harmful chemicals! It lasts 3 to 4 times longer than foam and it sleeps cool! These are the two options that are available for consumers that are worried about chemicals.

 

All in All

As we learned, off-Gassing is the the result of VOCs being emitted into the air. Those VOCs are the toxic chemicals that are used to make the mattress, which we learned can be harmful for either the short or the long-term. There are solutions though, first with Certipur. The second and most preferred option is Latex, its a natural material with no harmful chemicals, lasts 3 to 4 times longer than foam and sleeps so cool! This information was provided in order for you to make an educated purchase, but it’s ultimately it is up to the sleeper to decide if they find it a priority to sleep naturally.

If you are currently on your mattress shopping journey download our FREE Mattress Shopping Guide to make sure you find the perfect mattress for you. Just click the image below to get it!

 

 

 

Bibliography

 

Memory Foam-Pros and Cons- https://www.themattressunderground.com/our-articles/memory-foam-pros-and-cons.html

Why Some Mattresses Sleep Hotter Than Others

Do you suffer from sleeping hot? Did you know that there are many factors in determining the heat retention of your mattress? That is what I investigated in order to condense the information for you here today! In my research, 3 themes were consistent, join me as I explain how mattress firmness, the weight of the sleeper and the mattress type have an influence on how hot one sleeps. Welcome to the one stop shop for Heat Retention.

Mattress Firmness and Heat Retention

First up is how mattress firmness affects the heat retention. The level of firmness your mattress is directly correlates to how temperature sensitive it will be. Meaning a firmer mattress will sleep cooler. The reason a firmer mattress will sleep cooler is because the temperature of the bed is linked to the airflow capability of the mattress. A firmer mattress is less forgiving to the persons curves. A plush or soft mattress will significantly fold or bend to meet the persons curves. When this happens, the airflow around the person is restricted. When the airflow is restricted the mattress will have a higher degree of heat retention.

Sleeper Weight

Next, we see how the weight of the sleeper is correlated, too. People that are on the heavier side of the spectrum have a tendency to sleep hotter. It has to do with the principle of airflow we looked at earlier. A heavier person is going to sink more into a mattress than a lighter person will. That action of sinking will restrict the airflow thus making the mattress retain heat creating the perfect conditions for a hotter bed. Also, when a heavier person tosses and turns around at night, they require more energy to move than a lighter person does. As we know remember junior high, energy is heat and that heat is transferred to your mattress.

Mattress type: open cell vs closed cell

Lastly the type of material that a mattress is made of is a substantial indicator of how hot the mattress is going to sleep. Traditionally, some mattresses sleep hotter than others. That is dependent on how the material is structured; if it is open or closed cell. Let’s look at the difference between open and closed cell structures.

Open cell vs closed cell

When it comes to open cell vs closed cell materials, the biggest difference comes from how the cells are composed. In open cell materials the cell walls have been broken allowing air to fill up the material, thus conducting airflow through the material that allows the sleeper to sleep cool. Closed cell materials are best used as insulators, as the unbroken cell walls become highly effective in not letting substances pass through it. Meaning the sleeper will sleep hotter.

Summary

All in all, heat retention is caused by a mixture of these three factors: 1. Mattress firmness 2. Sleeper weight 3. Mattress type: Open cell vs closed cell. In learning about these aspects, you’ll be more prepared for your next purchase of a new mattress, or have more insight on your current mattress.

Bonus Tips

As an extra, here are 4 tips you can use today to help you sleep cooler

  1. Use 100% Cotton or Tencel sheets for the summer as they offer greater breathability and moisture wicking.
  2. Use lightweight covers or protectors on your mattress made of natural, breathable fibers, (as opposed to ones made with polyester or other synthetics that retain heat).
  3. Uncover part of your body, as your blood circulates it will cool the rest of you body.
  4. Stick to natural materials in your mattress such as Natural Latex.

If you want to check out some of our coolest mattresses check out our Natural Latex Mattresses 

If you need some cool sheets, find it here by checking out our 100% tencel sheets

 If your starting your mattress shopping journey download our free mattress shopping guide! Just click the image below to download it for free.

Sources

 

Sleep Like the Dead- http://www.sleeplikethedead.com/memory-foam-hot.html

Open cell vs Closed Cell- https://www.thesleepjudge.com/open-cell-vs-closed-cell-foam/

Sleep Junkie- https://www.sleepjunkie.org/bed-too-hot-or-too-cold-find-a-solution/

 

How to Find the Best Mattress for Side Sleepers

Sleeping Positions - Mattress Store San Diego

Studies show that approximately 60% of the population consider themselves side sleepers. Being a side sleeper myself, I’d like to share some quick tips on how to find the best mattress for your side sleeping position.

First, it’s worth noting the biggest mistake side sleepers make when shopping for a new mattress is choosing a mattress that is too firm. The reason for this is because we’ve been told for most of our lives that a firmer mattress is better for our back. This misconception leads us to fear soft mattresses.

To avoid that big mistake, I have created three things everyone needs to test for when trying out mattresses, especially for us side sleepers. The three things you want to test for are:  

  1. Comfort
  2. Pressure Relief
  3. Support

Comfort

Yes, I know this is a no-brainer, but it still needs to be discussed. Now, of course, comfort is subjective and what may be comfortable for me as a side sleeper may not be comfortable for you as a side sleeper.

When trying out a mattress in the store we typically spend the least amount of time testing the comfort level because most people can tell pretty quickly if the mattress is comfortable or not. Typically, this can take anywhere from 1-5 minutes.

If it feels too firm or too soft for your liking when you lie down, then get up and don’t waste your time trying it any longer. However, make sure you at least lie down, because although it may feel really soft or firm when you sit on the edge, each mattress is designed differently and made to support your whole body as opposed to a concentrated area.

What you are looking for is a mattress that gives you that, “ahhh”, feeling. you may notice a little smile start to form on your face if you have found the right comfort level.


Pressure Relief

Pressure relief is the most important for side sleepers. As a side sleeper, we disburse our weight disproportionately since our hips and our shoulders are our widest and heaviest sections in our body while sleeping.

Typically, if a side sleeper has a mattress that is too firm, they may experience hip pain or shoulder pain. The mattress is pushing against their hips and shoulders rather than cradling it to help alleviate that pressure.

The pressure relief test phase takes approximately 5-10 minutes. What you are looking for is to see if you are feeling pressure in any one spot, particularly in your hips or shoulders.

Support (spinal alignment)

The goal when testing this out is to make sure the mattress is providing your spine with the proper support. If you are currently waking up with back pain, it may be a sign your mattress isn’t providing you with the proper support it needs. If it’s too firm, your body doesn’t have the ability to sink in enough to relieve the pressure points as well as properly align the spine.

Likewise, if it’s too soft, your hips may be dropping too much into the mattress and putting stress on your lower back. This phase takes anywhere from 10-15 minutes to test if you are getting the proper support. Typically for side sleepers, if it’s too soft you’ll start to notice pain or discomfort in your lower back.

In order to save yourself some time while shopping for a mattress, the first test for your comfort level will eliminate a good portion of the mattresses in the store. Once you have found 2-3 different mattress models you feel are comfortable then take the 10-15 minutes on each one to test for both pressure relief and proper support.

If you focus on these three things when testing out mattresses in a store you’ll drastically improve your chances of finding the right mattress for you. Most importantly, be sure to test the mattress ON YOUR SIDE. Most people in mattress stores test mattresses on their backs even when they’re not back sleepers.

If you want a complete guide to mattress shopping click the image below to download it for free.

The 9 Most Common Mattress Shopping Mistakes… And How To Avoid Them

It’s no secret that mattress shopping in San Diego isn’t the most fun and easy thing to do. It also doesn’t help when you have mattress companies capitalizing on customers lack of knowledge when it comes to mattresses and mattress shopping.

This has led to many unhappy customers throughout the industry, and the mattress industry as a whole has gained a very bad reputation that has been compared to the used car industry, no offense if you’re reading this and in the used car business.  

We’re going to share with you the 9 most common mattress shopping mistakes and how to avoid them.

 1. Buying Solely Off Another Person’s Experience

We’re not saying to completely discredit other people’s opinion especially friends and family, but when it comes to mattress shopping you want to keep in mind that your body is completely different from other people. We are each unique and have different preferences when it comes to comfort and a mattress should fulfill our needs for our body. Some people have more sensitive shoulders and hips which may result to enjoying a softer mattress whereas other people may really like the firm surface. Your sleeping position which is a big factor when choosing a mattress may not be the same as your friend who recommended a particular mattress.

To avoid this mistake you want to stay away from specific mattress recommendations and focus on their experience with the particular company they worked with. Ask them about the customer service, did they charge for delivery, were the salespeople knowledgeable in the materials and mattresses or were they using sleazy sales tactics? These are good questions to ask when asking friends and family and reading review sites when mattress shopping so you know who you are working with.

 2. Buying a Mattress that is Too Firm

One of the biggest mistakes people make when purchasing a new mattress is believing the myth that firmer is better. We see it all the time that people convince themselves in getting a firm mattress because they think it’s better for them, when in reality they should have trusted what their body was telling them and go with one that felt better, even though it was a little softer.

Getting a mattress that is too firm can cause painful pressure points on the hips and shoulders causing you to toss and turn trying to get comfortable or even cutting off your circulation.

Another problem with buying a mattress that is too firm, is that it is not conforming to your curves properly. If a mattress does not contour to your body then the muscles around your spine will be forced to overcompensate for the lack of support thus you may end up with back pain.

 3. Suckered Into Outlandish Sales

We love getting good deals just as much as the next person but have you ever stopped and wondered how a mattress store can really sell a mattress for 50, 60, or even 70% off and still be in business? Not only that but it seems like these sales are going on every week. Well, here’s a little secret about the mattress industry. The average mattress retailer marks up their mattress prices 200%-500%! I know it’s hard to believe but it’s true. So a king mattress that may cost a big box retailer $900 typically sell for $3,500-$5,000! With prices that high they’re able to do 50% off sales and still have huge profits. Another reason prices tend to be spiked high is because certain brands have pricing requirements and each mattress is touching multiple hands to finally reach you. So there is a lot of expenses that are spend before it’s on the floor.

So here’s a tip when mattress shopping look for local manufacturers in your area. They don’t carry the big brands so they’re not locked into price requirements and also they’re usually more connected with their customers so they have their customer’s best interest in mind.

 4. Trying Too Many Mattresses

We know it can be tempting to flop down on every mattress to make sure you’re getting the right one, but trying every mattress is a recipe for confusion and “paralysis by analysis”. When trying out too many mattresses it’s so easy to get overwhelmed and confused and then everything else starts to feel the same, almost like wine tasting. Best solution is doing a comfort test first by trying out a firm, medium, then a soft, and picking the best feel in that category. Doing that will narrow down your choices in the showroom and make it a lot easier to select a mattress. We recommend narrowing it down to 2 or 3 mattresses and then taking at least 10 minutes on each one to get a better idea of the comfort that is best for you.

 5. Buying Solely On Price

We understand a mattress purchase is a large investment and figuring out how much you’re willing to spend on your mattress purchase is a good idea. However, you want to have realistic expectations when beginning the process. Just because you saw a $300 queen size set for sale at one store doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a quality mattress even if it did have a really cool cover and design, and if you do decide to buy mattress at that price don’t expect it to give you 10 years of comfortable sleep. Heck, we’ve seen $2,500 queen mattresses last only 2-3 years! So how do you avoid this mistake?

You want to pay attention to the quality of materials inside the mattress. To understand more about how to determine quality materials click here.

 6. Buying Based On Name Brand

Unfortunately in the mattress industry you don’t get what you pay for and purchasing a big name brand is the epitome of this being true. Here’s a little background on the mattress industry, about 60%-70% of the market is owned by two very large companies. We won’t name names here but we’ll call them the “big S” companies (with one T). These companies really drive the direction of the industry and over the years we have seen the quality of their products slowly decline. The mattresses may feel very comfortable and look very nice but it’s what’s on the inside that counts. Also keep in mind with the brand name comes insane markups because of high overhead cost. So instead of focusing on brand, focus on craftsmanship and the material that make up the mattress.

 7. Buying Without Testing

Did you know we spend about a third of our lives in our beds? That is a lot of use our mattress gets. So something that is being used everyday and is very important to our health probably shouldn’t be purchased blindly. Wouldn’t you agree? A mattress is the most important piece of furniture in the home and time should be invested trying out different mattresses. You want to find the one that fits your needs and I’m sorry but there is no “one size fits all” mattress.

To avoid this mistake first understand what the 3 most important things a mattress should do explained here and then spend at least 10-15 minutes on the two you like the most and compare them. Spending 10-15 minutes testing a mattress gives you a good amount of time for your body to adjust to the surface. If you have time to lay longer then go for it. The longer the better.

 8. Buying SOLELY On Comfort Alone

Ok, that may sound blasphemous coming from a mattress store, but we said SOLELY on comfort. We know that comfort when it comes to mattresses is for most people the most important thing. However, buying a mattress ONLY because it’s comfortable after laying on it for a couple of minutes doesn’t mean you should buy it. The truth is it’s not all that difficult to make a mattress with very cheap materials and very low cost feel comfortable, but it doesn’t mean you should buy it. When it comes to mattresses you’re looking for something that is not only comfortable but also durable.

To avoid this mistake during your mattress shopping journey you want to test out several different mattresses and when you narrowed it down you want know what are the materials being used in the mattress. Quality materials is key here if you’re looking for a mattress that will give you lasting comfort.

 9. Buying Based on Coil Counts

One of the biggest traps we see shoppers fall into is falling for the coil count myth. Don’t get me wrong, coil counts can play a role in the quality of a mattress but that should not be a primary motivating factor when purchasing a mattress or determining mattress quality. There are way too many variables in comparing coil counts and coil technology and comparing mattresses based on coil counts can lead to a lot of confusion and misinformation.

Coil quality is affected not only by the amount of coils but also the type of coil, the thickness of the coil and the amount of wire in the coil. So it’s best to avoid the coil count conflict unless you are comparing apples to apples, and even then it’s best not to even go there.

 

So when you are out doing your mattress shopping, remember these mistakes and DON’T MAKE THEM! 🙂

 

For more mattress shopping tips download our FREE Mattress Shopping Guide.


 

Why Do We Sleep?

Sleep… we all know it’s important and it’s something we all wish we can have more of but have you ever wondered why is it important and why do we want more of it?

Russell Foster is a circadian neuroscientist. In this video he answers the question “Why do we sleep?”

3 key points he mentions here on the purpose of sleep is:

  1. Restoration
  2. Energy Conservation
  3. Brain Function

He also talks about the connection between mental illnesses and sleep. Check out the video below to learn more about the importance of sleep and how you can set yourself up for success when it comes to sleep. 

Your mattress is the most important piece of furniture in your house and has the greatest impact on the quality of your sleep. If your sleep is suffering because of your mattress it’s time to reward yourself and invest in a quality mattress. Download our free Mattress Shopping Guide and learn how to avoid the biggest mattress shopping mistakes people make.

5 Tips To Finding The Right Mattress