Mattresses Page

Visco Memory Foam Mattress Guide

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 14:06:59 +0000

Visco Memory Foam Mattress Guide

by: Charles "Chuck" Harmon

A visco memory foam mattress gets it's name from the visco-elastic material developed for NASA in the early 1970's in conjunction with the space program.

The astronauts in the space program were facing incredible g-forces, at take-off and re-entry, and the materials that were available, at that time, weren't sufficient to cushion their bodies.

Of course, they weren't looking for a memory foam mattress, they needed seating that was more like a big, overstuffed recliner.

Visco memory foam was developed from foam that had some unique characteristics, such as being open celled and able to return to their original shape and resiliency after being compressed.

You may have seen the commercial with the 30 ton steam roller smashing a mattress flat and how it slowly returns to it's exact original shape...or maybe you're more familiar with the picture of a hand above a mattress with the hand print still showing on it.

Both illustrations are meant to show you the slow recovery of visco memory foam.

Because the billions of cells, in a visco memory foam mattress, are open, air can slowly escape from them and pass into other cells that are adjacent.

As you lie on a visco memory foam mattress, it "melts away" from you until your body is completely and evenly supported over it's entire surface.

That's what has been termed by some as feeling like you're floating in space. (Even though I love my mattress, I've never felt like that was a good explanation of how it feels)

A visco memory foam mattress is temperature sensitive, so it reacts to your body temperature by softening where your body is in contact with the mattress. If you have an injury, with a fever, the mattress is softer under that place on your body.

In the beginning developments of this material, it was too expensive to be used for residential consumer mattresses and pillows.

Over time, the manufacturing costs have been whittled to a point that a good memory foam mattress is as reasonably priced as a good innerspring mattress and there is no comparison in the comfort of the two.

Memory foam is now being combined with other materials to meet the needs of the vast multitude of consumers who are looking for:

a better night's sleep

relief from back, neck or leg pain

relief from a partner's restless movement

better circulation

a compromise to a softer feel for one person while maintaining the support the other person is used to from a firm mattress

Schedule some time to do some memory foam mattress pricing comparisons and you'll see that you can, affordably, be sleeping on a mattress that is great for your body, health and your budget.

About The Author

Charles "Chuck" Harmon is a the author of several articles including The 5 Deadliest Sins Most People Commit When Buying A Memory Foam Mattress...And How To Avoid Them. Get the article at: http://www.memory-foam-buyers-guide.org/Memory-Foam-5-Sins-Optin.html

Memory Foam Mattresses Under Oath...The Truth and Nothing But The Truth

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 14:00:55 +0000

Memory Foam Mattresses Under Oath...The Truth and Nothing But The Truth

by: Charles "Chuck" Harmon

Are you thinking about buying a memory foam mattress?

Are you confused about all the hype and confusing claims made by the different advertisements for memory foam?

I've set out to clear the air, remove the "smoke and mirrors", and put into one article all the true information you'll need to make a selection that will thrill you, give you years of value and make poor sleep a thing of the past.

The term "memory foam" or "visco-elastic memory foam" was coined in the early days of NASA's space program. That's why it's also known as NASA foam.

Sometimes, a memory foam mattress is referred to as a NASA foam mattress.

During lift-off, astronauts were being subjected to tremendous g-forces that the human body just wasn't designed to endure.

The need for a new material, that would make these conditions tolerable for the astronauts, spawned the research that resulted in the invention of this brand new kind of foam.

If water, springs, air or any combination of those things had been an alternative, the expensive research that followed wouldn't have been needed, and the need for a new material wouldn't have existed.

Visco-elastic foam has unique qualities.

It is able to mold itself to the shape of any object that puts pressure on it and, yet, when the object is removed, it will slowly return to it's original shape.

The picture that comes to mind is the hand above the memory foam mattress that still has the hand print showing on it.

Memory foam is an open celled foam, which means that air is free to move from one cell to another, so when pressure is applied, the affected cells collapse and you feel sort of like you're floating down into the material.

This collapsing of the cells allows the material to "melt away" from pressure until the entire surface of your body is evenly supported over the surface of the memory foam.

It virtually eliminates pressure points.

Another unique feature of a memory foam mattress is temperature sensitivity.

Within a short time of your body lying on the mattress, your body temperature will start to cause the memory foam to soften.

Any area of your body that has excess heat, such as a fevered injury, will cause the mattress to soften even further where it is touching, making memory foam the ideal material for a comfortable mattress.

The problem with the NASA foam was that it "off gassed", putting off a smell that was overpowering in the confined quarters of a space vehicle.

It was eventually scrapped by NASA. To my knowledge, it was never actually used on any space mission.

At that point, memory foam was just too expensive to be used for mattresses and the off-gassing wouldn't have been acceptable either.

A few medical research companies started experimenting with the material for use in hospitals.

Many patients develop bedsores when confined to bed over long periods of time.

Because it was cost effective for this application, these experiments led to using memory foam in a variety of health industry settings to alleviate pressure points in hospital patients.

Through this medical research, memory foam became more and more adaptable to use as a consumer product in the form of pillows, mattresses, toppers, chairs, etc.

The Memory Foam Mattress Industry Was Born

The memory foam mattress industry started slowly in the early 1990's and then shot into the mainstream in the late 1990's and early 2000's.

So much so, that it's difficult to find a magazine, newspaper, or television that doesn't have several ads for memory foam products running continuously.

With that kind of demand for the product it's no wonder that a lot of people started forming companies to manufacture and sell to an audience with this enormous appetite.

And, yes, as in all industries, some companies are born just to make inferior products and, then, using terminology that is confusing or misleading, capitalize on the lack of good information that's available to consumers.

So let's clear some of the confusion with a few simple facts.

What Is The Difference Between Good And Bad Memory Foam

Memory foam is graded by it's density. Imagine yourself cutting a huge "dice" (yeah, like the kind you throw on the crap table) out of memory foam 12"x12"x12" and slapping it onto the scale in your doctor's office.

The weight of that 12" sized cube is how you determine density.

For example, if your "dice" weighed 5.9 lbs. it's considered to have a density of 5.9, or if it weighs 3.2 lbs. the density is rated as 3.2.

Pretty simple, really, isn't it. Like most things, we all thought density would be determined by some E=IR formula or something terribly complex.

You, now, know more about density than most of the sales people in your local mattress store.

It's also a fact that the less dense foams are made mostly of air, not foam. Less foam, less cost to manufacture...they can sell it cheaper.

For most memory foam mattresses, it's a fact that the human body is best supported by a density of 5.3 lbs. to 5.9 lbs.

Any heavier than this and it tends to be too dense and won't allow the proper cell collapsing that allows your body to settle into it.

Any lighter and you don't get the needed support in the hip and shoulder areas.

Another problem is that the lighter foams won't continue to return to their original shape after a relatively short lifespan. They'll lose their comfort.

Some of the 5.3+ lb. mattresses are still going strong after 15 years being just as comfortable to their users as the first day...and with no body impressions.

Remember, too, that we discussed temperature sensitivity.

Not all foam being advertised as "memory foam" is temperature sensitive.

Make sure it has this feature so you get that "fine tuned" comfort.

A better memory foam mattress will contain 3 1/2", or more, of memory foam as a top layer.

Any less than this probably won't keep you from bottoming out and laying on the underlying base layers of foam.

Those foams aren't meant to be in contact with your body and won't comfortable for you.

They are there to help the memory foam do it's job correctly.

Just remember density and temperature sensitivity, when you go shopping for your memory foam mattress and you'll be miles ahead when you purchase.

About The Author

Chuck Harmon is a the author of several articles including The 5 Deadliest Sins Most People Commit When Buying A Memory Foam Mattress...And How To Avoid Them. Get the article at: http://www.memory-foam-buyers-guide.org/Memory-Foam-5-Sins-Optin.html

Emma's Not Dreaming

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 10:21:53 +0000

Emma's Not Dreaming

by: Cameron Elliott

Emma could not believe her luck. She walked into the kitchen, and it was spotless. The counter was free of her housemates? dirty, grimy dishes. The oven was sparkling clean, a pristine white. And there was Brad, clad in only sweatpants, flipping blueberry pancakes in one pan, and making eggs in another. The aroma of coffee, baking, eggs, and something? else filled the sunny kitchen.

Brad handed her a full mug of coffee. ?I made breakfast. I hope you don?t mind.? He winked at her.

?Mind?! This is unbelievable. I must be dreaming.?

And that?s when it dawned on her.

Emma woke up with a vague feeling of regret, but mostly, she was satisfied, feeling content. Some might have written it off as ?only? a dream. Emma preferred to focus on the fact that it happened at all.

The exact nature of dreams is still unknown. It?s not entirely clear what dreams ?are.? It is known and it is clear that when we dream, our brains act as if we?re awake. One theory is that dreams are a way for our subconscious to work out the things we have to deal with but ignore during the day. But when we?re asleep and dreaming, our subconscious is free to play with whatever is lurking around.

But Emma hasn?t been dreaming. She had been fighting with her with her 3 housemates over petty, inane things. She?s been stressed, drinking too much. She?s been sleeping in a messy room on sheets that haven?t been washed for over a month.

Without dreams, her subconscious hasn?t been able to reinterpret things, or present them in a new way, in a way that might give let Emma see her issues in a different light. She hasn?t had any distractions from her stress. That was before last night. Last night was different. Emma cleaned her room. She washed her sheets. And she dreamt.

About The Author

Cameron Elliott, a sleep specialist, is an internet manager for AirSleep.com where he champions the benefits of a good night's sleep both for individual health and also for a more safe and efficient world. For more information on ordering air mattresses, visit http://www.airsleep.com/overview.php/1.

celliott@create-on.com

Air Purifiers ? Will They Be Able To Help You?

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 07:37:20 +0000

Air Purifiers ? Will They Be Able To Help You?

by: William Bell

The market for air purifiers has become big business these days. More and more people are buying them, or those reading this report are probably in the process of selecting an air purifier for the home. It is without doubt that we are living in a world where air pollution is becoming more of a problem. For some it can be worse than others, having a huge impact on their quality of life. We have written this report to look at some of the issues surrounding air purifiers in order to keep you better informed.

What does an air purifier do?

Allergens that exist in the air come in many forms. They may be dust particles, pollen, from pets or hazardous gases and smoke particles. These can cause misery for some people, which is where the need for an air purifier comes in. Air purifiers come in many different designs, but all work on the basis that they will remove high percentages of these allergens from the air. Air purifiers might use ionic filters, charcoal adsorbents or mechanical filters. Many people who suffer from such conditions as asthma, emphysema, allergies, chronic bronchitis, or any one of the many other respiratory illnesses, will probably tell you that they have benefited greatly by installing an air purifier in their home.

Do they work?

There is much controversy surrounding the effectiveness of air purifiers. To date there has only been limited testing into the benefits. Users will claim great results, but some experts have raised concerns of possible placebo affect due to claims that many air purifiers are ineffective at removing pollen, pet dander and some pollutants. It is also an area where the amount of money you spend could have big affects. The cheapest air purifiers on the market may be pretty much useless. The main controversy at the moment surrounds the ionic air purifiers, which people doubt the effectiveness of creating negative ions. Also these types of air purifiers omit ozone, a harmful pollutant.

What do I need to look out for?

When purchasing an air purifier you should look for one that uses HEPA filters. The HEPA filters have to meet stringent requirements and must be able to filter a minimum 99.97% of pollutants from the air. You should watch out for anything that describes itself as being ?HEPA-like? or ?HEPA-type? as it his highly unlikely that these would be genuine HEPA filters. Also look for the CADR of the particular air purifier you are looking at. This stands for Clean Air Delivery Rating and is a good indicator of how effective one air purifier will be compared to another.

Is there anything else I can do?

It is probably a good idea that you consult your doctor. They should be able to give you sound advice on whether your particular condition is likely to be improved by purchasing an air purifier. It might be an idea to invest in some good filters for any air vents that you have in your home, and spend some time making sure cracks in old door frames or windows are sealed properly. Many people also find positive results just through dusting and hovering more often, and getting rid of old mattresses and covering the new ones with covers that protect against dust mites.

As we said previously, many people find they really do benefit from having an air purifier so it is worth taking your time to look around and find out what all the options are.

About The Author

William Bell writes for http://www.a1airpurifiers.com.

Sleep Disorders: Insomnia

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 06:54:53 +0000

Sleep Disorders: Insomnia

by: Cameron Elliott

Sleep disorders is a broad category encompassing of variety of conditions that affect sleep. Insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome are the most common, but sleep disorders also include sleep walking, hypersomnia, and night terrors. There isn?t enough space to provide an in- depth explanation for each, so starting with insomnia, the four most common ones will be explored properly.

Literally meaning ?no sleep,? insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders: everyone has lain awake all night, has woken up in the middle of night, has woken up hours too early. Insomnia takes its toll on your health, on your peace of mind, on your wallet. When you don?t sleep enough, you?re tired and irritable, unable to concentrate. You lose money by getting in accidents because you?re exhausted, by being unable to work.

There are two types of insomnia: acute and chronic. Acute insomnia is temporary, lasting no more than a month, caused by the situation or environment: after traveling and being jet lagged, after losing your job. It occurs when relationships end, when you lose someone close to you. As the situation gets better, as things return to normal, you begin to feel better, and you sleep.

Chronic insomnia is more serious, lasting a month and more. Chronic insomnia can be the result of a larger condition, a symptom of an underlying condition. Illnesses, other sleep disorders, and psychological or physical conditions can all wreak havoc with sleep. In this case, talk to your doctor. The right treatment will help the larger condition, which will in turn help you sleep.

Chronic insomnia can also be a condition by itself, not simply one side effect of something else. This type of chronic insomnia can be the result of biological factors like having a too high body temperature, changes in your metabolism rate, or increased brain metabolism.

Of course, insomnia, chronic, or acute, could always just be the result of poor sleep habits: smoking cigarettes, drinking caffeine, sleeping odd hours. And, depression and stress are major causes of insomnia.

Treatment of insomnia can be as simple of following tips for sleeping well, practicing good sleep habits. Sleeping aides can help, but talk to your doctor first. Not sleeping quickly gets old: if you?re sleeping poorly, talk to your doctor, follow the tips for sleeping better.

About The Author

celliott@create-on.com

Shopping for a Mattress? Get In the NOW!

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 06:32:19 +0000

Shopping for a Mattress? Get In the NOW!

by: Neil Teasdale

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.

About The Author

Neil Teasdale

Why Sleep On Coils and Springs When You Can Sleep On Air?

We provide the Highest Quality, Luxury and Convenience of air mattress beds, adjustable beds, latex beds and memory foam beds, including mattress toppers and pillows.

Cloud 9 Air Mattress Beds, for more information click: http://www.cloud9airmattressbeds.com

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customercare@cloud9airmattressbeds.com

Memory Foam History...Astronauts, Racehorses and Bed Sores

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 01:47:04 +0000

Memory Foam History...Astronauts, Racehorses and Bed Sores

by: Charles "Chuck" Harmon

With all the advertising about memory foam these days, it's hard to imagine that this material has only been in existence for a little over 30 years.

It's difficult to find an exact date when memory foam first came into being, but it was originally formulated during the early days of manned space flight. Most likely, it was in the mid to late 1960's.

The National Aeronautics & Space Administration, aka. NASA, needed a material that would cushion the astronauts from the unparalleled g-forces of launch and re-entry during space missions.

In response the their request, a material was produced, called visco-elastic memory foam.

I've seen dozens of articles explaining what visco-elastic memory foam means and none of them has the same explanation.

The online dictionary gives no definition for the word visco, but the word is derived from viscous, which means "gummy or pasty." It is a cross between a solid and a liquid.

I think we all know what elastic means, but, again, the definition is, "being able to return to it's original shape after being deformed."

Well...that's enough of the grammar lesson. The point is that this material hadn't existed before...it's unique.

The whole idea, of showing a picture with a hand print, over the top of a memory foam mattress, is to illustrate that this material isn't forcefully pushing against you.

That's why it takes a while for the memory foam to react and slowly return, to it's original shape, once the hand is removed.

The other quality, of visco elastic memory foam, is that it's temperature reactive. When it's heated, it becomes softer and when it's cooled, it becomes firmer.

A body, laying on the memory foam material, will heat it, making it softer under that heated area.

Again, it's not clear whether or not this earlier version of the memory foam material was ever actually used in any space missions.

Some claim that the material off-gassed, producing an odor that couldn't be tolerated in the small quarters of a spacecraft.

Whatever the reason, this material was too expensive to be used in the form of a memory foam mattress or memory foam pillow for the average consumer.

It was not, however, too expensive for use as an aid to recovery for multi-million dollar racehorses who had been injured or were recovering from surgery.

Horses cut off their circulation when they lay down so when horses are recovering, they need to be in the upright position, so that their blood circulation isn't restricted.?

This can be very difficult or impossible, because if the injury is to a limb, the horses massive weight is too much for the limb to support.

Laying the horse on a large, thick, slab of memory foam solved this problem.

Because memory foam melts away from where pressure is placed on it, the body of a horse or human can lay on it without restricting the blood flow.

Blood flow is critical, to healing and recovery from surgery, so it makes sense that recovery is greatly enhanced by sleeping on a memory foam mattress.

Of course, it was only a matter of time until someone thought to apply this factor to the human body.

Medical researchers have more money to experiment than consumer businesses, so it was in medical research that memory foam was found to be a great inhibitor to bedsores.

Bedsores occur when the blood supply to the capillaries is restricted over a period of time. Bedsores are also called pressure ulcers.

Since the unique character of memory foam is it's ability to melt away from anywhere that pressure is applied, bed sores are reduced or eliminated.

It's broad use, in the medical field, finally led to the cost effective use of memory foam for consumer mattresses. Now, memory foam mattresses have come into the mainstream in the mattress industry.

Memory foam mattress pricing, for a quality product, in queen size, is usually about $2,000 to $2,500 which is in line with most of the high quality innerspring products.

About The Author

Not Air Mattress! Air Mattress Bed!

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 01:22:24 +0000

Not Air Mattress! Air Mattress Bed!

by: Neil Teasdale

Many are still confused between the difference between an air mattress and an Air Mattress Bed. Air mattresses are great in a pinch but provide minimal comfort and support and are more for portable use rather than a permanent sleep system. Air Mattress Beds not only give you the feeling of sleeping on air, but with the right materials and construction, it can be a very comfortable and supportive, permanent sleep system. Air Mattress Beds also have the unique property of allowing different comfort levels for each partner?s side of the bed. Priceless!

The idea of sleeping on an air mattress bed was first used in hospitals. Patients who were bed-ridden for extended periods of time were able to rest more comfortably, with fewer pressure points and more even support, than on a regular coil spring hospital bed. It didn?t take long before the air mattress beds made their way into the consumer market, allowing the general public an opportunity to benefit from this exciting and revolutionary technology to achieve a better night's sleep.

With air baffles or chambers in an air mattress bed being the primary method of support, each sleeper can adjust his or her side of the bed to whatever firmness level is most comfortable for them. Why toss and turn with an uncomfortable coils and springs mattress when, with the touch of a button, 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 and encourage restful sleep through relaxation.

And with air mattress beds, flipping your mattress is a chore of the past. Over time, with coil and spring mattresses a body impression in the coils will appear if you do not flip your mattress regularly, leading to shorter mattress life. Although some of the comfort materials, like foam rails, ticking and any layered foam in an airbed can take an impression just like any soft material, the air chambers will not. All this leads to years of hassle-free operation and the comfort and convenience to boot.

What to Look For:

Most air mattress beds are constructed in a similar way, using the same basic components. The difference from one manufacturer's product to another's is in the design and sophistication of each of these components. The reliability, durability, and quality of these components, and how these components are designed to work together are what make the difference in a top quality product. In all cases, always be sure to check the warranty, good products are usually backed up with a 15-25 year warranty. If you see 3-10 year warranties, keep shopping!

- All air mattress beds use foam rails to surround the air chambers inside the mattress cover. These rails provide the exterior support of the air mattress, giving it its shape and providing the user with the ability to sit on the edge of the bed to put shoes on, etc. The foam rails are absolutely crucial in keeping the air mattress bed corners square and the sides straight and true. Most air mattress bed manufacturers use a straight piece of foam on the side rails, with the ends butting up against each other, this is less desirable as it relies heavily on the mattress cover to provide lateral support for the internal components. -- Look for contoured foam rails with concave sides that form a connection and hold the air chambers in place, and actually work in conjunction with the air chambers to keep the mattress square and true. You won?t find any instability or bulging with this type of construction.

- Air mattress beds have air chambers or baffles filled with air to provide the main source of support. Most air mattress bed manufacturers use a one piece baffled air chamber system where the air is distributed throughout the air chamber. The problem with this system is that if you like your mattress soft, you can get a "hammock" effect where your hips are below your head and feet. If you like your mattress firm, you can get a "tenting" effect, where your hips are too high. Either scenario puts too much pressure on the back, doesn?t provide the spinal alignment you need for a restorative sleep and can cause those nagging aches and pains. -- Look for dual air chambers, preferably horizontal. Vertical chambers running the length of the bed can still have a ?hammock? affect. The preferred horizontally constructed chambers form more naturally to your body providing even and comfortable support while helping to keep your head, neck, and spine in alignment. High quality chambers use tough materials and have a lap seam construction and dialectically sealed for stress resistance.

- All air mattress beds come equipped with a pump to get air in and out of the air chambers. This pump and the handheld control allows you to adjust the firmness level on either side of the bed and ?should? have the ability to act as a control system to make adjustments. And a few nice features always help. Many air bed pumps are not that well made and have a tendency to fail at the worst times. -- Look for well constructed pumps that can do the job and don?t sound like a leaf blower. Commercial grade pumps designed to last for 15,000 hours of ?continuous use?, will do the job but watch for the noise factor. A linear pump means firmness levels can be achieved with a touch of a button with virtually no noise. Allowing comfort levels to be adjusted without waking your partner. Also take a good look at the hand controls, make sure there?s two, one for each of you and look to see if there?s a preset memory function. This is a convenient way to always end up where you are most comfortable.

That?s the basics of the air mattress bed, but there are a few other items that the highest quality air mattress beds have. -- Look for an extra layer of ?quality? base foam to provide better support and shock absorbing capabilities. Also look for a layer of memory foam on top of the air chambers in the casing or as a pillow top. Finally, you want your air mattress bed to look and feel extremely luxurious and comfortable, most high quality air mattress beds are sewn with a premium Belgian Damask ticking and use a pressure relieving jump and tack stitching quilted to one ounce of Angel Hair.

Now that you?re armed with the knowledge to shop for an air mattress bed, don?t forget to put it in the lineup when it?s time to shop for that new mattress. It?s a must try!!

About The Author

Neil Teasdale

Why Sleep On Coils and Springs When You Can Sleep On Air?

Cloud 9 Air Mattress Beds offers the consumer the knowledge of how Air Mattress Beds, Adjustable Beds, Talalay Latex Beds, Memory Foam Beds are constructed and in what way these specific mattresses give you comfort and provide you with superior health benefits.

Learn more click: http://cloud9airmattressbeds.com/air_mattress_beds.html

customercare@cloud9airmattressbeds.com

Mattress Shopping 101

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 23:15:51 +0000

Mattress Shopping 101

by: Stuart Simpson

Is it time for a new bed? Is your mattress flat? Do you lie in a wallowed out pit in the middle? I know, because I did and I needed a new mattress. I went shopping and want to give you the scoop on what I found.

Have you seen the ads about foam beds? They pretty much tout the fact that you are sleeping on metal springs your whole life. Which that is true, and what an innovation it was at the time. The foam beds are neat. I looked at one at the mattress store. It does just like they say on TV. The first thing that scared me off was the price. Then my friend told me they tried one. Remember; get a mattress from someone who will let you return it after you sleep on it. Anyway, they got a foam mattress. He said after you lay on it, it conforms to your body. Then, he couldn?t get out of the ?mold? to roll over. He sent it back and got a regular bed.

I started looking at the sleep number beds. They are air beds with individual number settings for each person. Appears that people would get deeper sleep on these beds by allowing their own firmness setting. Your side could be softer than your spouse?s side. This looked like a great potential for a bed. In fact, my in-laws bought one and threw away their mattress. They love it. They said it reduced their back pain and they got better sleep. Did I buy one? No, and the main reason was price. I?m a cheapo.

So I went to a regular mattress store. The one with the foam bed. I started with those and looked my way down. They have inner spring mattresses for the same price as a foam bed. Still too much. So as I stepped down in price, I noticed that basically, the mattresses were the same, they just reduced the amount and quality of layering components on the top surface. Some had fewer springs, so I had to watch and make sure the spring count was still as high as possible.

So what did I finally decide on? A Simmon?s Beautyrest? World Class? Exceptionale? Two Story? Coil on Coil Beauty Rest. It was cheaper than my original 10 year old Serta and I didn?t have to flip it. And it?s enormously thick. I had to rebuild the bed to accommodate the thick mattress. The thickness came into play with all the layers of foam. In fact, it had a layer of the memory foam that the solid foam beds are made of.

You?ll have to decide which bed is right for you. I needed a high quality bed for way under $1000 and I found it. Be sure you get the entire set, as the box springs are made to fit and support the newer, heavier mattresses.

About The Author

Stuart Simpson

http://www.new-mattress-review.com

Memory Foam Mattress vs. Coil Spring Mattress; How Do They Differ?

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 21:26:00 +0000

Memory Foam Mattress vs. Coil Spring Mattress; How Do They Differ?

by: Charles "Chuck" Harmon

Have you ever wondered how anyone got the idea to start sleeping on springs in the first place?

I mean, think about it for a minute, what would it feel like to lay down on the bare springs?

And why is it, that laying on springs with some kind of material over them, is considered any better?

The creation of a coil spring mattress was first documented, by patent, in 1865, and there have only been a couple of minor changes, to that original design, in the following 140 years.

During that same period, we went from plowing fields with oxen, to men living in space.

Don't you think it's conceivable that we could find new ideas and materials to improve the mattresses we spend 1/3 of our life on?

The differences, between a regular coil spring mattress and a memory foam mattress, will be presented, to help you understand the difference.

The Difference In Total Body Support

One way, in which a memory foam mattress is better for you is the characteristic of total body support.

A memory foam mattress and a coil spring mattress differ greatly in this respect. A coil spring mattress makes your body conform to it.

The pressure, or force, from the coil springs, in the mattress, is exerted against your body.

It's kind of like a push and shove match. You're pushing down on the springs, forcing them to retreat and they're shoving back against you, trying to uncoil.

On a coil spring mattress, your body must adjust to the mattress's shape.

This is why you complain of sore muscles and stiffness, when you wake up in the morning.

With a memory foam mattress, the opposite happens.

The foam material conforms to your body, because your body exerts it's force onto it.

So, as you lay down, you will feel the memory foam altering to accommodate you, leaving you with a feeling of total relaxation.

It is because of this ability, of a memory foam mattress, to totally support your body and adjust to your weight, that the movements of the other person in the bed will not affect you.

Since coil spring mattresses do not conform to you, they cannot spread your weight evenly.

Another Difference Is Temperature Sensitivity

Another difference, between coil spring and memory foam mattresses, is that memory foam mattresses have the ability to respond to different temperatures.

The memory foam is able to sense the different temperatures of your body and either remain firm or soften.

This leaves you with a nice cozy feeling when it has absorbed your heat and softened up.

Coil spring mattresses are unable to do this. They cannot react to your body heat, and this is why someone, who is sick with a fever, would feel more comfortable on a memory foam mattress.

Plan a trip to your local mattress store to try lying on the coil mattress vs. the memory foam mattress and see if you don't agree that there's no comparison in comfort levels.

http://www.memory-foam-buyers-guide.org

About The Author

Charles "Chuck" Harmon researches and writes consumer awareness articles. Get his free report: How To Avoid The 5 Deadliest Sins Most People Commit When Buying A Memory Foam Mattress at: http://www.memory-foam-buyers-guide.org.