Mattress Warehouse

I remember those days vividly. I had been suffering from back pain for quite some time now and one fine day I decided to visit my doctor. He said that changing my mattress would give me some amount of relief. A hard, firm mattress was his suggestion.

 A few days on the mattress and my back pain was getting better but now I was confronted with a new problem- a hip pain that would increase every time I went to bed! I was searching on the net for a solution to my problem. It was then that I discovered Tempurpedic(r) mattress.
 
Tempurpedic(r) mattress: the solution?

I found out that I was not the only one suffering from this problem. Someone in a chat room recommended Tempurpedic(r) mattress for my problem. I decided to find out more...

Tempurpedic(r) mattress is made of two layers, the first is soft, made of foam. It reshapes itself to suit the body and is sensitive to body temperature. The foam has something called visco-elastic nature that helps it mould to your body.

And the best part, atleast for me, is that the second layer of Tempurpedic(r) mattress is firm and therefore supports the body. This meant that I would get the firmness that my back needed and yet it would be soft enough to suit the rest of my body. 

But now I was bogged down by the wide variety and pricing. Tempurpedic(r) mattresses come in three types- Classic, Deluxe and Celebrity bed. Here is what I discovered- the softer the bed, the higher the price! It worked like this- the amount of foam used varied according to the type, Classic being the hardest and Celebrity bed being the softest, while Deluxe came somewhere in between.

There is one thing to be noted, though, here even the hardest Classic bed was several times softer than the regular mattress!

The Purchase

Tempurpedic(r) mattresses come at a standard cost, so there was not much choice as far as bargaining was concerned. I decided early on that I had to actually try a mattress before buying it- I didn't what to waste my hard-earned money again!

I have noticed that before one makes any purchase one has to check out the authenticity of the claim. There are gazillion imitations of Tempurpedic(r) mattresses out there and I made sure I had had the original thing. I consulted my wife. To my delight, she fell in love with it while we went to check it out. To cut a long story short, a deal was cut. We went home with the best purchase of or lives
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Tempurpedic(r) mattresses: the blessing in disguise

Ah! I cannot express the sense of contentment that overcomes me every night. After a hard day's work I eagerly look forward to my "Tempurpedic" time. As the bed softly accommodates my form, I can imagine how a baby might feel in his mother's arms. When my wife, tosses and turns in the bed, I no longer am jostled from my sleep because the Tempurpedic(r) mattresses move only beneath the person sleeping!

 My wife could go for as many mid-night snacks as she wanted and I wouldn't know a thing! So, now after three years with my Tempurpedic(r) mattress what do I tell other people who want to buy it? GET ONE NOW!!,

FUTON BED MATTRESS

We Americans have a knack for taking something totally foreign, planting it on our soil and nurturing it till it develops American roots of its own. Take pizzas from Italy or French fries from France, for example. And if you think this trend is limited to food, think again.
Futon bed mattress is a living example of how we adopt a thing and then adapt it to suit our needs. From their beginnings in Japan, to becoming a household name in USA, Futon bed mattresses have come a long way.

The comfortable cotton mattresses that can be folded or unfolded according to our needs are one of the best gifts Japanese have given us. Coming in a variety of designs and shapes, Futon bed mattress are used today in bedrooms, living rooms, offices and in some instances even kitchen! Since they can be folded into chairs and spread into beds, Futon mattresses are favorites in places where that extra bit of space becomes essential.

 The three main parts of a Futon are the frame, mattress and cover. Now, there might be people who argue that frame is the most important of the three. There might be some truth in it but for comfort and durability the mattress is the most important one.

A futon mattress offers a wide range of choice. It comes in single/twin, double/full, queen, king, California King. Initially futon mattresses were made purely of cotton but cotton has its disadvantages. Futon bed mattresses were then introduced with polyester foam, making it lighter. Then came Futon bed mattresses with encased inner springs that help retain shape.
These days even "organic" futon bed mattresses are available!
Your futon bed mattress, if taken care of, can give you much more than a decade of service. If chosen well, futons could be both aesthetic and comfortable. Some tips you could use for better comfort and durability:
-Use dense foam: Be sure that it uses a dense foam that ensures longevity of the futon bed mattress and does not compromise on the flexibility of the futon.

-Get a strong frame: make sure that the frame can easily hold itself as sofa or bed, while being sturdy enough to support the transformation.

-Test before you buy: Futon bed mattresses come in a range of quality, so be before you sign the check, examine it for possible drawbacks.

-Size does matter:  Futon bed mattresses have to serve as BEDS, so if you sleep with your partner or pets, you had better have a mattress big enough for the both of you.

-Take care of your futon: Keep the Futon mattress clean. Leave it in the sun once in a while. Vacuum it regularly. Ensure that your futon is free from termites, dust and moisture.
 With these simple steps you can get the most out of your futon bed mattress. So, while you lay back and enjoy its comfort don't forget to thank the Japanese inventors and the  American innovators.

Water Bed Mattress

Way back in the '70s when water bed mattresses first made their entry, they literally made waves! They were hardly more than water inflated balloons and sleeping on one was like spending the night in a turbulent sea. There were even those who felt seasick on a waterbed!! Wave after surging wave met even the smallest movement.

In the next several years, technology in every sphere was making rapid strides. Water bed mattresses were no exceptions. Gone were the days of sleeping on waves. Constant innovation gave the freedom of choice to the customer. Today a wide variety of water bed mattresses are available. Let us take a look at some of the most popular types.

Based on their property, water bed mattresses are grouped as
  
Softside Water Bed Mattress

It is contains tubes that prevent large waves from forming. The network of tubes ensures relative firmness of the water bed mattress, despite the softness.

Hardside Water Bed Mattress

Hardside water bed mattress is the firmest water bed mattress but it is definitely not as hard or firm as innerspring mattresses.

Alternatively, the water bed mattresses are also grouped as:

Full motion:

It is very wavy as there is no fill inside. It might be seem uncomfortable to many but there are those who might actually consider this an advantage.

Fiberfill Mattress:
 
There is a simple principle involved- the more fiber filling inside the mattress, the firmer will it be. In other words, if the water bed mattress has fiber filling, the wave motion can be reduced.

Hydraulic Mattress:

At the bottom of the mattress, vinyl coils are attached that reduce the wave motion to almost nil and even when your partner move, you will not feel a thing.

There are some common myths associated with  a water bed mattress, let's tackle them one-by-one

Myth1: Water bed mattress, when placed on the floor, can make the floor sag.

 There is no truth in this statement. Weight is transferred evenly due to property of water and hence it causes not damage to the floor at all. As a matter of fact, it is lighter than other appliances we place on the floor!   
 
Myth2: The water in the water bed mattress has to be changed every few days

Water bed mattresses are generally conditioned to prevent growth of algae or other harmful water microorganisms.  You might need to change the water when you shift the water bed   mattress, but not otherwise.

Myth3: If punctured, the waterbed may burst
Firstly, it is very unlikely that you might puncture the water bed mattress unless someone intentionally pricks it and even then the water bed mattress will not burst, the water is only slowly absorbed into the surrounding bedding.

Myth4:Waterbed heaters are highly unsafe

They are pretty safe actually, provided you buy your mattress heater from UL-approved place.

There are many who vouch by water bed mattresses and say that their body ache has reduced considerably since they started using water bed mattress. The feeling of lightness while sleeping on the waterbed must be experienced to be believed. From the uncomfortable balloon beds to the luxurious hydraulic beds, the journey of waterbeds has been a long one. But seeing how many people love their waterbed mattress, the journey has definitely been worth it.   

SEALY MATTRESS

So you purchased a brand new Sealy mattress... what do you do next? Want tips on the best ways to handle your Sealy mattress- wondering what you should be doing, and what you shouldn't? Well, read on to find out.

 The first thing you can do upon purchase, is to register it. The warranty that comes with the Sealy mattresses will be activated only when you register the purchase. While on the topic of warranty, let me add that it is always advisable that you do not tear your law tag warranty. Because this is essential if you ever need to use the warranty.  Also the tags give you information about the regulation the Sealy mattress is meant to meet.

The new mattresses might have an "odor" for a few days. In such case you can remove the plastic and air your mattresses. Do not use chemicals on the mattress as the smell will disappear on its on in a few weeks.

Maintenance of your Sealy mattresses would keep them looking new. Use a mattress pad, this will help longevity and also will keep the warranty intact. Sealy mattresses made of vinyl binding are easy to maintain, as they are stain and moisture resistant, although you could take care to see that it does not get wet. You could see to it that they are not rough used, the Sealy mattresses were not designed to be jumped on! From time to time you can rotate the mattress to get the most out of it.

Don't use dry cleaning chemicals as they could easily ruin the construction material of the mattress. A lot of damage to the Sealy mattress could also be avoided if you do not smoke or eat food in bed.

While transferring the mattress, carry it on the flat side to avoid direct damage, you may flex the mattress but don't bend it more than 15 º.  

You can buy a new box spring to get the full benefit of your new Sealy mattress. Don't place a board between the mattress and the Sprung foundation. A good frame is very important to enjoy the comfort of your Sealy mattress. An ill-fitting frame can ruin the effect of the mattress.

These tips might seem too simple, but follow these  simple tips and you will never regret having purchased Sealy mattress for years to come.

GIANT MATTRESS

Mattress Giant was not always the giant it is today. Till recently, it had been showing losses, the sales pitch was wrong, the advertising and marketing strategy were failing miserably. As any body could see, Mattress Giant needed some changes and needed them now!

 It was at this point that someone in the management decided to do something about it. Always the best place to start is at the beginning. He decided to look at the roots of the whole company and then move upwards to identify every defect on the way.  

Retail stores, sales procedure, distribution chain every thing was looked into. Anyone who had anything to say about Mattress Giant was listened to.  He got opinions on everything from IT department to customer service.

Finance department was the next stop. Every aspect of expense was looked into. Mattress Giant could reduce lot of expenses if the technology was better equipped. Every place that cost could be cut was considered and a new IT proposal was tabled.

The ERP vendor, GERS Retail Systems and finance department of Mattress Giant were taken into the loop. They were consulted and together a plan was formulated to improve Mattress Giant. It as decided that consultation services must be offered almost free if the customers were to be satisfied.

The technology needed to be upgraded next. Online business was pursued more proactively.   Business metric reports were prepared, every department was given special attention. Mattress Giant discovered several discrepancies and saved a commendable amount of money due to this effort.

Marketing and advertising unit discovered that hey had been targeting the wrong market all along! A new communication and media strategy was devised.

Within a year the company started showing change for the better. IT department helped provide solutions and was no longer the problem. Finance department was particularly happy. In the marketing and sales area, the news couldn't be better.

The company  had successfully rebuilt itself. Anybody could see that Mattress Giant had once more arrived!

FIRM MATTRESS

"A firm mattress to lie on, a flat little pillow, a clear blue sky....mmmm, my idea of heaven "
- James Woodworth

Not many of us would consider a firm mattress as the best in luxury zone and definitely no where near heaven. But more and more people these days are opting for firm mattress as a solution to their health problems.

How many of us have heard firm mattress touted as the solution ailments? From backache to varicose veins, from asthma to insomnia- firm mattresses are recommended as a remedy for all! But how much of this hype is true? The fact is, very little!! In fact there is little to support the claim of so-called health benefits of any of the bed "innovations", leave alone firm mattress.

But the ordinary firm, flat bed is much better than waterbed or soft fluffy bed. But this kind of bed has its own drawbacks- it can hardly support the various curves of our body and many people suffer from leg pain as a result of this. As we sleep the  "G-force" or gravitational force exerted changes and firm mattresses are not equipped to support this change.

With the improvement of science and technology, several new kinds of mattresses have been introduced in the market. One such innovation is the memory foam mattress. The great advantage of these mattresses is that they change shape according to our body contours and when we get up, they return to the normal shape. As opposed to firm mattresses which offer no help against G-force, these memory foam mattresses give a particularly weightless sleep.

Tempur-pedic mattresses are yet another innovation of memory foam mattress. They are made of two layers, the upper softer, memory foam layer and the lower firm layer. Tempur-pedic mattress thus combines the best points of memory foam mattress, soft mattress and firm mattress. Their only disadvantage? The cost. A good quality Tempur-pedic mattress can cost you a little fortune.

If you are one of those people who think why is there so much hype about the type mattresses, consider this: one-third of our life is spent sleeping. So whether you go for a firm mattress, a soft mattress or any other type of mattress, be sure to choose wisely. 

DISCOUNT MATTRESS

"Ouch! Aaaaah! Oh no, not again!! " This had become a constant refrain in my home. Every morning either Mary, my wife, or I would be grumbling about our back. After twenty years, our mattress had given us almost as much service as could be expected. But a new mattress was clearly not in our budget; leave alone in the near future.

 We had been thinking of what our options were- we had seriously considered everything from sleeping on floor to getting a new one on installment.

I started asking around for tips or ideas. That was when Paulo, my colleague, suggested discount mattress. Mary was skeptical; the word "discount" was associated with discount mattress which is presumed as shady, cheap, low grade or stolen property in her mind. But I thought there was really no reason to be wary if we did adequate research. Pamphlets, leaflets, Internet, advertisement- I went through every piece of information I could find.

I discovered that discount mattress was cheap because they used lesser number of coils. These coils were not very important actually as I could make no difference between beds with or without coils- and if I could find no difference that was good enough for me. The same went for something they called coil configuration.

I did find out that sometimes "discount mattress" was actually a refurbished mattress. They took your old mattress, gave it a new exterior, while everything inside remained the same. Paulo, who was always around to help me, told me that one should ask if the mattress was meant for occasional use or daily use. A very sensible tip, it turned out to be.

After a few months, I had decided what I wanted. I had two options, either buy discount mattress locally and compromise a little on quality or shop online, where for just a few more dollars I could buy top grade stuff. But first I had to convince Mary.

 We had wasted years waiting for sale seasons, but every time a good sale was around the corner, some emergency came up and all the money was gone! I told Mary if we kept putting this off any more, we would have to pay a bomb on our hospital bills. And what do you know, she agreed!  We tried to decide what we could do.

We knew a few local dealers, who were willing to exchange our old box spring and mattresses and provide us discount mattress in return.

After careful deliberation this is what we did- we went to a local dealer to find exactly the king of make we were looking for. And then placed an order for a discount mattress online. Online salesmen could afford to give discounted mattresses as they did not have to pay for several overhead expenses, like staff or office setup.

This was the reason they gave mattresses on discount. Unlike local discount outfits that had to compromise on quality to offer discount mattresses.

Of course, we double-checked the Internet dealer's credentials before placing the final order. Two weeks later, we had a lovely new mattress and it cost us only $100 more than the local discount mattress would have. For Mary and me the very fact that we wake up without the usual pains is amazing. I think Paulo really deserved the special cake Mary baked him. But for him, we would never have thought of discounted mattress.       

MATTRESS PAD

Like every bride looks incomplete without the veil, like every book looks incomplete without the cover, every mattress is incomplete without a mattress pad. Mattress pads have become increasingly important, so important, in fact, that people take as much effort deciding their mattress pads as the mattresses themselves!

Most of the readers of this article must be aware of  mattress pads , but let me explain anyway. Mattress pad is the covering over the mattress which protects it from potential damage. They come with either plastic or anchor bands to hold them in place. They are actually a cheaper option to buying a new mattress. If one uses a mattress pad, the mattress will last longer.

Actually many mattress companies insist that you have a mattress pad for your mattress if you don't want to lose your warranty!

Mattress pads are meant to keep the mattresses clean. They prevent moisture from damaging your delicate mattress. These days, mattress pads also come equipped to balance the pressure points in the mattress. The range in which mattress pads are
available are almost as varied as the mattresses themselves. Let's discuss some of them

Quilted Mattress Pads:
Snug and almost elastic in feel, these mattress pads are made of cotton and polyester.

Foam Mattress Pads:
They best point of foam mattress pads is that they improve circulation as they distribute weight evenly. They are cool and incredibly soft as they are filled with foam.

Flat Mattress Pads:
Fitted with elastic, they are completely made of polyester.

Woollen Mattress Pads:
They have the traditional advantage of wool and are best in those cool nights. 

Memory Foam Mattress Pads:
This was an innovation using the same memory foam that the mattress uses. These mattress pads mould to your body and are ideal for those with back, neck andlegs complaints.

Mostly all the polyester and cotton mattress pads are washable. All mattress pads come with a label that tells if it can be washed or boiled. One can also be advised to look for mattress pads that are allergy-friendly and anti-bacterial.

Mattress pad manufacturers give mattress pads in standard mattress sizes- king, queen, single, double. But most manufacturers would be willing to make custom-made mattress pads to suit the customers' need. 

SERTA MATTRESS

There is a game that my 10-year-old daughter, Rose, and I play. Every evening after her school we look through the newspaper for "the topic of the day", then we go online and search for more information on the topic. It was on one such day we came across an ad for "Serta mattress". Since Rose wanted to search for Serta mattress, I agreed. It was as good a topic as any. I had no clue about how informative this search was going to be...

At first we came across the usual dealers' websites selling Serta mattresses. Then we came across an article on Serta mattresses that was really an eye-opener. Serta mattresses had developed something called "Fireblocker" technology.  It was a sort of  barrier between the fire and the mattress.

The first question that Rose asked was "Why on earth do they need a fire-proof mattress?" Good question. Each year United States loses thousands of lives to fire accidents. A good percentage of these are domestic fire accidents. Serta mattresses had discovered that many people were burnt in their bed due to casual smokers leaving the cigarette on bed or such carelessness.

What Serta mattresses did was that they prevented the mattresses from going up in flames. Only a part of the mattress was burnt and as the fire did not spread, Serta mattresses saved valuable lives. Serta mattresses were tested against other mattresses like Sealy and Simmons mattresses. While other mattresses could resist smoke, Serta mattresses could resist full-fledged flames!

When in one of the Serta mattress and the other mattresses were exposed to open flame for one minute each, the fire was restricted to only one side. No one can underestimate the importance of this. While we spent so much to ensure the safety of our homes, why not a few dollars extra on Serta mattresses to protect the bed on which our family members slept from accidental fires?

The other article on Serta mattresses dealt with how the company had donated mattresses to fire victims. They were once caught unawares, but the next time they would be prepared! This set me thinking, why wait for such an eventuality, we could protect ourselves right away.

As I looked at my little angel, browsing innocently through the net and the article on the fireproof Serta mattresses, my decision was made. I didn't just learn about Serta mattress, I learnt about saving my family's life.

Simmons Mattress

I recently moved from the city to the suburbs. I had hoarded a lot of furniture in my seven years in the city. Now the time had come to decide what would stay and what would just have to go. I could not lug everything along. It was tough to decide on most articles but the toughest was deciding on whether I should take my simmons mattress along or not.

I have this truly amazing Simmons Mattress – which was of beautyrest type  -  for the last few tears and am utterly, totally, completely satisfied with it. The Simmons mattress is firm without being rock-like. I do not enjoy too soft a mattress and rather have a firm mattress.

 Usually what I have seen is that retailer confuse FIRM mattress with HARD mattress. Simmons mattress was my first experience with "just right" mattress.

It also had a large sleeping area due to something that they did to the edges- I think it is called sleeping edge support. I had paid handsomely for this extra bit of comfort. If only I had know then that I would one day have to contemplate giving it up!

To me it had only three disadvantages. First was the price of a Simmons mattress. I had a whole in my purse when I was done paying! The other was that it was very difficult to find sheets to fit my model. I finally did resolve this problem when I discovered a store that stocked sheets in the size I wanted. And the third one was weight.

The Simmons mattress was really heavy! As I did not need to turn the mattress often, it had not become a problem thus far. But it was now that I realized how significant a problem it was. I would have to pay extra to get my mattress transported.

It was just two days before I moved and I had still not made up my mind.  I decided to sleep that night decide the next day. One more night of peaceful sleep in my perfect bed and I had made up m mind. I just could not give this mattress up. I didn't know if I would ever get a mattress exactly the same in comfort. My Beautyrest mattress had become a companion to me, I couldn't let it go. It came with to my new home.

MATTRESS WAREHOUSE

The mattress warehouse was located in the heart of the city. Wedged between a hospital and dance class, the mattress warehouse looked very out-of-place. It had been highly recommended by my physician. According to her they had these "sleep experts" who would look into my problem and advise me on the kind of mattress to buy. 

 I have been suffering from back pain for quite some time now. After years as a travel photographer, I had attributed my pain to the wear and tear of the work. I had decided to retire month, when my back pain had taken a turn for the worse. I had been under physical therapy.

My physician told me that although my back pain could have started due to my work, my mattress had aggravated it. She suggested I change it. She told me about a mattress warehouse which she felt would be a good place to look.

As I approached the mattress warehouse, a friendly-looking man in overalls came to me. He was a truck driver at the mattress warehouse. I told him what my problem was. He took me to one of the "sleep experts".  He was a man called Paul.

Paul asked my medical history. He enquired into my sleeping pattern. He then handed me a questionnaire to be filled out. It contained a range of questions. Everything from the kind of mattresses I preferred to my eating habits found a mention in it.

Next, Paul fed the answers into a computer. It suggested a few models that would be good for me. I was then led through the mattress warehouse to these mattresses. I started choosing from the ones I could see. Paul told me that this was the worst way to select a mattress.

 "Never select a mattresses without trying it". I must admit, I felt pretty silly. But he was right, as soon as I spread out on the mattress I had liked, I knew I would have chosen the wrong mattress had it not been for Paul.     

I selected a mattress and went home. The mattress warehouse delivered on time. The mattress came with a manual on tips for back care from the mattress warehouse- just adding that "personal touch".

One month later, I'm still on physiotherapy but my pain has reduced considerably. I will be stopping my sessions soon. After that my only physiotherapist would be my mattress from the mattress warehouse. I'm sure it will do its job responsibly.