Replacing Your Old Mattress the Right Way

Are you awake out there 8-)

Okay now that  I have got your attention, check out this article.

My Mattress Direct from me to you! 

All of us need proper rest and peaceful sleep. If we don't get restful sleep at night, we cannot be productive the next day. We will be dull and listless, feel tired and find it difficult to concentrate on our work. In order to be in high spirits when we get up in the morning, we need to have an undisturbed sleep at night. For this reason, we should never hesitate to invest in a good mattress.

Many people underestimate the importance of buying a good mattress. If you wake up feeling as if you did not get proper rest, or if you suffer from aching muscles or joints when you get up from bed, it could mean that the mattress you are using is not in a good condition. Maybe it has become old and cannot provide sufficient firmness and support to your body weight.

It is a good idea to replace your old mattresses every few years. Some mattresses might last up to 10 years while others may need to be replaced within 5-6 years. There are some signs you can look for which would be helpful in deciding whether you need to change your mattress direct or not, for example -

• Is your mattress damaged or worn out?
• Do you feel any pain in joints or muscles upon waking up?
• Do you feel uncomfortable while sleeping on the mattress?
• Is your mattress very old?
• Does it sag either in the middle or along the edges?

The above questions can help you decide whether to continue using your current mattress or go for a new one. You should keep in mind various points when purchasing a new mattress direct. Buying the right mattress can be tricky. It is easy to get confused and end up making a wrong decision if you are inexperienced. So you should arm yourself with sufficient knowledge to help you decide on the right kind of mattress direct.

Few Things to Keep In Mind While Buying a New Mattress

1. Durability - You want the mattress to last for at least 6-10 years. So don't compromise on quality in order to save a few bucks.
2. Warranty - Many big companies provide many years warranty on mattresses. Some even provide up to 20 years of warranty. So never go for a mattress which comes with only 1 or 2 years of warranty.
3. Softness or hardness - Which mattress do you prefer, hard one or a soft one? Choose a mattress according to your taste. The best method of judging is to lie down for a while on the mattress. Does it feel comfortable? Don't purchase any mattress blindly because of its brand name. Always test it out for comfort.

http://www.mymattressdirect.org/mattress-direct/mattress-direct-consider-this-when-buying-a-mattress http://www.mymattressdirect.org/

Weight loss and Sleep

Hello All

Came across a great article on the subject Weight loss and Sleep.

Give it a read, it is very informative.

My Mattress Direct straight to you.....

How Lack of Sleep Impacts Your Health & Your Waistline

Posted on : 27-09-2010 | By : Admin

 | In : Health

1

Understand Your Lack of Sleep Impacts Your Health & Your Waistline

Your circadian rhythm aligns your physiology with your environment. For most of you, your body clock is “set” to sleep at night and stay awake during daylight hours.

If you deprive yourself of sleep, or switch your waking/sleeping rhythm due to shift work, for example, you send conflicting signals to your body.

Too little sleep impacts your levels of thyroid and stress hormones, which in turn can affect your memory, immune system, heart and metabolism, and much more. Over time, lack of sleep can lead to:

• High blood sugar levels and an increased risk of diabetes — Sleep-deprived subjects tend to eat more sweet and starchy foods rather than vegetables and dairy products. Researchers suspect these cravings stem from the fact that your brain is fueled by glucose (blood sugar); therefore, when lack of sleep occurs, your brain searches for carbohydrates.In short, sleep deprivation puts your body into a pre-diabetic state, and makes you feel hungry, even if you’ve already eaten.
• Weight gain — When you are sleep deprived, your body decreases production of leptin, the hormone that tells your brain there is no need for more food. At the same time it increases levels of ghrelin, a hormone that triggers hunger.
• Accelerated aging
• Hypertension (high blood pressure) Depression
• Increased risk of cancer by altering the balance of hormones in your body. (Tumors grow two to three times faster in laboratory animals with severe sleep dysfunctions)

A number of studies indicate shift workers face a higher risk of heart disease — possibly due to the metabolic effects of working and sleeping unusual hours.

In the latest study published in the journal Sleep, your risk of heart disease and stroke are also significantly increased if you sleep fewer, than seven hours per day:

Can You Really Make Up For Lost Sleep?

The second Sleep study mentioned above found that by sleeping in, say on a Saturday, you can relieve some of the symptoms of sleep deprivation.

According to David Dinges, head of the sleep and chronobiology unit at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine,
“An additional hour or two of sleep in the morning after a period of chronic partial sleep loss has genuine benefits for continued recovery of behavioral alertness.”

However, for most people who don’t sleep well, it has become a lifestyle pattern, and sleeping in on the weekends is not going to undo the damage being done.

A chronic lack of high-quality sleep simply cannot be recovered. You may feel rested and mentally sharper after sleeping in, but the mental benefit is temporary, while the graver health hazards are compounding.

Remember, your body does most of its repairs during sleep, so not getting enough of it can impair your immune system, leaving you less able to fight off diseases of ALL kinds.

According to Dr. Dinges,
“Loss of sleep insidiously affects sustained attention, cognitive speed and accuracy, working memory, reaction time, and overall behavioral capability, often without the sleep-deprived person being aware of the deficits.

Likewise, chronic disease states such as heart disease and diabetes take time to develop, and are therefore also influenced, long-term, by your sleeping habits over time.

What is the ideal amount of sleep?

Studies suggest that healthy adults have a basal sleep need of seven to eight hours each night, corresponding nicely with the research findings just discussed.

But your individual sleep requirement may be anywhere between six and nine hours of sleep a night.
Your best bet is to listen to your body!

If you still feel tired when the alarm goes off, you probably aren’t getting sufficient sleep.

It’s best to observe how you feel immediately upon awakening rather than after you’re up and moving around. Those first few moments of wakefulness, before your mind fully kicks into gear, are a better measure of how your body is feeling.

How to Improve Your Sleep

First of all, if you’re staying up late watching TV, surfing the Web, or working, it’s time to set some limits. Determine a set bedtime for yourself, just as you do for your children, and avoid watching TV or using electronics for about an hour prior to going to bed. It is too stimulating to your brain, making it more difficult to “shut down” and fall asleep.

Instead, try spending this wind-down time doing something that soothes and relaxes your mind. You may want to spend time journaling, meditating, sipping herbal tea, washing your face, or reading a calming or spiritual book.

More tips for getting good quality sleep…

• Avoid before-bed snacks, particularly grains and sugars. This will raise blood sugar and inhibit sleep. Later, when blood sugar drops too low (hypoglycemia), you might wake up and not be able to fall back asleep.
• Eat a high-protein snack several hours before bed. This can provide the L-tryptophan need to produce melatonin and serotonin.
• Keep the temperature in your bedroom below 70 degrees F.

If you’re even slightly sleep deprived I encourage you to implement some of these tips tonight, as high-quality sleep is one of the most important factors in your health and quality of life.

For additional information on Sleep and Weight Loss go towww.DoctorWeightLossProgram.com

The Inside Track To Mattress Buying

Hello Everyone!

I just came across a fantastic article on whom I refer to as mattress merchants.

This a good follow up to Mattress Buying Tips. You will enjoy this story!

As alway My Mattress Direct to you 8-)

The Mattress Industry is One Big Scam

The last time I bought a mattress for myself was about 11 years ago. I bought a fairly new full-sized one off a coworker. Four moves and a decade later, we’ve decided it’s time to replace it with an adult (and sometimes an extra toddler)-sized bed.

Shopping Blind

When we started looking, I was shocked at the prices. $3000 for a mattress? What the heck are these things made of? Knowing very little, we went shopping for a mattress and other things on a Saturday morning. The first place, we stopped,Sleepy’s, seemed nice enough. We laid on a few and honed in on the one that we both felt most comfortable in. Meanwhile, Audrey discovered the fun of letting herself fall backwards onto mattresses and did it all over the store. She was giggling and the whole store couldn’t help but look and smile at her. Unfortunately, we soon stopped smiling.

When we found something we liked, the seemingly helpful salesman started to get more aggressive. He asked how much we were looking at paying and I made up a number on the spot, something way below the listed price on the bed. The said he would “talk with his manager” and see if he could get us that price. Then he started asking us if we could commit and have it delivered tomorrow. Anne had walked outside to give Audrey a break by that point, so I said I had to go out and talk with her about it. We talked about it for a bit, then decided we didn’t like the high-pressure sales pitch, so we got ready to leave.

I had the car started up when the salesman came out and approached the car window. He then said that he had “talked to his manager” and he could give us the price we wanted AND a free “platinum package”. I said we would talk about it and let him know. We again decided this was sketchy, but to make good on my promise, I went in and gave him my phone number and left.

Later that day we went to Jordan’s Furniture, generally known to be a reputable place with reasonable places. The salespeople there were nice and NOT high-pressure. Prices were generally lower, but strangely, we couldn’t find the mattress we found at Sleepy’s. They had Sertas, but not the one we liked.

Being indecisive, we left with a couple new names of ones we liked. Later, we went toMattress Discounters. The woman there was not pushy and told us about the BBBcomplaints that Sleepy’s (a 700-store chain) had gotten. We decided to think some more and head home.

At home, I did some research online and I found something strange – I couldn’t find much of anything on the mattresses we saw that we liked. I found some mattresses, many of the same brand, but not the same models.

One Big Scam

I later came to find out that this was completely intentional. The mattress industry is one big scam. There is no way to make an objective decision on a mattress using actual facts.

Here’s a few things that the mattress industry does to get you:

1. They mark up their prices 100% to 200%!! No wonder the first guy was able to get his “manager” to give me such a steep discount. They were probably still going to make hundreds of dollars of profits on it.

2. They give the same mattresses different names in different stores or they set up exclusivity agreements by mattress line in certain stores. This makes it impossible to comparison shop because…

3. They make it really had to get actual facts about the mattresses. Stuff like coil counts, materials, overall construction are shrouded in secrecy. But that doesn’t really matter because…

4. There’s no objective measure of mattress quality. Consumer Reports won’t rate them because they can’t get the data and there’s no testing that actually says higher coil counts are better or the number of wires in the coils makes a difference in any way. You’re left to deciding how much you believe the marketing. Is a pillow top made of alpaca hair any better than one made of cotton? Your guess is as good as mine.

5. There’s very little online reviews of mattresses, probably because the model names are so fractured. The ones I did find looked more like content-free sites designed to attract referral credits.

Cracking the Code

With some more research, I found out that it was somewhat possible to compare mattresses models from different places. It turns out that they really only make one hardness variation in each line. So you can assume that a Plush Firm mattress in the “Classic” line, is the same as another Plush Firm in the Classic line, even if they have different names.

US-mattress.com was very helpful in figuring this out. We were able to understand which mattresses we saw and how they related to each other. For example, the mattress we liked at Jordan’s was a product line better than the one we saw at Mattress Discounters, even though they came out to the same price! Clearly Jordan’s had the better deal, but US-Mattress had an even better deal.

So I did something I never thought I could do, buy a mattress over the internet. I’m pretty sure it’s the same one we saw in the store and the free delivery and frame were a good deal. I’m sure that even if I’m getting it at half the price I saw it listed at elsewhere, they’re still making a decent profit on it.

Anne and I agree that buying a mattress is worse than buying a car. While both have sketchy salespeople, when you buy a car, you can compare them on MPG, size, features, etc. Multiple dealers have the same models so you can compare prices and make an informed decision based on their invoice prices. There’s none of that when buying a mattress.

Our mattress should arrive in a few weeks. Hopefully we’ll just find it comfortable enough to have to avoid going through buying a mattress again for at least another 11 years.

UPDATE: The mattress arrived quickly and in good condition. We’ve been sleeping on it for several nights and while it feels comfy, I’ve had some upper back soreness which seems to be related to the new mattress. I’m going to keep trying it for a few more weeks and see if my body adjusts as the US-mattress.com website suggests. Hopefully it will go away. Otherwise, we’ll have to find another one and do a $100 exchange I guess.

http://boulter.com/blog/2008/08/20/the-mattress-industry-is-one-big-scam/

Negotiating price for mattresses (Tips 4-6)

My Mattress Direct has got your back! More tips for buying your mattress.

Tip 4 - Don't be an impulse buyer!

Do not buy a mattress your first day shopping. You want to control your urge to purchase right away and consider all your options. You will save much more money going from shop to shop taking notes and comparing beds, plus you will end up with a better mattress anyway.

Learn this line for the first day, "Thanks, but I'm just looking."

Make sure to memorize that line if you typically buy products without any additional information, research or deliberation.

Remember, the salespeople will try to convince you that your favorite bed is on sale for today only. No matter what he/she says, just say, "Thanks, but I'm just looking."

If that doesn't work, then bring a partner or pretend that you have one.

Even if you only have time to visit two mattress stores you will certainly have made a better purchase decision than a single store purchase.

Tip 5 - Bring a partner

Bringing your spouse/partner or one that can pretend to be your partner would not only be helpful in buying the best mattress but you can also use each other for negotiating tactics.

For example, you can pretend that you and your partner make autocratic decisions. This is when certain purchasing decisions are made by one of you and the other has no say.

You should decide going into the store which one of you has power in making the decision for buying a mattress. This way, you both can strategically work the salesperson at different angles.

One can play the semi-good guy role and say things like, "This is comfortable but a little expensive," while the other can play the bad guy role and say things like "We can't afford a mattress, I don't know why we're here," and, "This is way too expensive."

Upon hearing this, the salesperson will almost certainly drop the price if he/she thinks the person playing the bad guy can be persuaded.

Another effective method is what is called using the synoptic ideal. This calls for the two people shopping to take a common view and act as joint decision makers.

Using this principle, you can carefully weigh alternatives, assign one another well-defined roles, and calmly make mutually beneficial consumer decisions.

For example, both of you could use the same tactics discussed before and kind of double-team the salesperson. Let's say you really like a bed in the store you are in, but the store's competitor had a similar bed which was not as comfortable but was at a cheaper price.

Well, if you both make strong points about the specifications and prices that were in the competitor's store, the salesperson will most likely match the price and perhaps lower it a little more.

Tip 6 - When going alone...

If you must go alone, pretend that you do have a boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife. After using the other negotiating methods we discussed, tell him/her you're interested in buying the bed but you first have to consult with your partner.

This is a very powerful way to negotiate a price because the salesperson will not want you to leave his/her store without buying a bed, especially since your partner seems to have the potential to overrule your decision. Therefore, the salesperson might even lower the price some more!

Direct Mattress Negotiating Tips (Tips 1-3)

Valuable information from My Mattress Direct. Enjoy!

Negotiating price for mattresses (Tips 1-3)

Tip 1

There are two things you should bring when going shopping for a mattress; our framework provided below and a notebook. Not only will this help you compare mattresses at different stores but you will also get the salesperson's attention and most importantly, his/her respect.

The mattress salesperson will see that you are doing your research and realize he/she will have to work hard for your business, which means a better deal for you.

Our framework and a notebook will also help you sort out all the statistics of the beds you are interested in. This is called the Buyclass theory of purchasing. This refers to a scheme that divides organizational buying decisions into types based on the complexity and effort required to make them.

There are three decision-making decisions you are doing here, which will most certainly impress the salesperson and help you make the right buy:

1. You are gathering as much information as possible prior to making a decision.

2. You are also considering all possible alternatives seriously.

3. Lastly, you are becoming familiar with the type of purchase you are making.

Tip 2 - How to Comparison Shop for a Mattress

Now we are going to teach you to comparison shop for a mattress, also known as making an Accommodative Purchase decision. This is a process that uses bargaining, coercion, compromise, and the wielding of power to achieve an agreement with the salesperson who most likely has a different preference or priority than you.

So, now that you have your trusty notebook and our framework, you can begin taking down information and statistics on your favorite mattresses now you are ready for some cognitive learning.

As you are taking down some statistics, try out the mattresses you are interested in by lying on them. Make sure you lie on each one for three to five minutes so you get a good feel for it. Also, roll around a bit to see how the mattress responds to your body.

After lying on a bunch of them, pick out your favorite two and write down the statistics for the bed (manufacturer, best price, coil count, coil gauge, ticking, etc.) If the information is not available, ask for the spec sheet.

After you do this, ask the salesperson what the absolute best price is for one of them. Whatever the price is, even if it sounds like a bargain, reply by saying something like "Wow, that's pretty high." Then, do the same thing with your other favorite mattress.

The salesperson will try to convince you to buy one right then, but make sure to leave the store without buying anything!

When you get to the next shop, ask that salesperson for the brand with the same specification of your favorite mattress that was in the other store. It will most certainly be called something else but it is probably the same exact bed.

Once the salesperson shows you the mattress with the same specifications, lie on it and see if it feels similar to the one in the previous store. Then ask the salesperson what the best price is for this specific mattress.

After he/she responds, say something like, "Wow, that's a lot higher than (name the previous store you were in)" your competitors have a lower price on this one, how about another one?? Then ask about your second favorite mattress and do the same exact thing.

By using these tactics, you will compare apples with apples and get the best price from your respective salesperson.

This is called using Compensatory Decision Rules. These are a set of rules that allows information about attributes of competing products to be averaged in some way; good standing on one can potentially offset poor standing on another attribute.

You are doing this by rating your two favorite mattresses and taking down the specifications for each one.

For each mattress you evaluate make note of each of the following categories. This is the key to changing your mattress shopping experience from subjective to objective.

Retailer:
Manufacturer:
Make:
Model:
Coil Count:
Good/Better/Best:
Plush/pillow-top/firm/x-firm:
Ticking:
Comfortable:
Best Price:

Tip 3 - Everything is always on sale!

You are going to hear a lot of this, "We actually have a special sale on this particular mattress." And "Unfortunately, the sale ends today." Don't believe it!

Almost every store will have a "special sale" that day to make you think that the sales price is non-negotiable when in fact, it is. Make sure to look at the price they are offering as a starting price and not a sales price.

Remember this important rule:

EVERY MATTRESS PRICE IS NEGOTIABLE!

Tips on Buying a Mattress, How to Select the Best Mattress, A ...

The following are useful tips on buying a new mattress and selecting the best mattress for you if you are a woman. This useful information is provided by Simmons BeautyRest. (©2007 Simmons Bedding Company. All rights reserved.)

If you answer yes to any of the
following, it’s time for a new bed.

• You wake up tired or achy.

• Your bed dips like a hammock.
• You bought your mattress when Monday night meant Melrose Place.

If you’re still reading, you probably have a bed that’s more than seven years old, which is the age The Better
Sleep Council says a mattress stops giving you the necessary support it should. After all, your body changes a lot
in seven years, and your mattress should keep up with your needs. And although you’ve probably dreaded looking
for a new bed since you bought the last one, just know that with the right information at hand, this shopping
experience doesn’t have to be unpleasant. Just remember that more comfortable, restful nights await you.

We at Bedding Down Mattress (in Basalt, Colorado just outside of Aspen) are here to  help customers achieve a superior night’s sleep, alleviate pain, and increase comfort through unique and exceptional sleep systems that aid overall health and well-being. Our line of Simmons BeautyRest mattresses can do just that.

What’s your type of mattress?

As with finding the perfect cocktail dress, getting feedback from friends is nice.

But remember, this is one of the
most personal things you’ll ever buy. It has to work with your curves. So don’t limit your testing. The best way to
find the perfect bed is to try models with different levels of firmness. Read on to learn about several basic types
of mattresses. All are designed to give you comfort and support. You just have to find the one that feels right.

• Innerspring mattresses, the most traditional type of mattress set, typically use systems of open coils or metal springs layered between padding.
• Hypoallergenic memory foam mattresses are constructed of high-density polyurethane and conform to the body to reduce pressure points and provide natural body alignment.
• Air mattresses use air chambers as their primary support. A quality air mattress will mold to body contours. Some models come with adjustable air chambers, so you can change your bed’s firmness whenever you like – which comes in handy when you overdo it at the gym.
• Water mattresses come in several varieties but are all designed to conform to the body to reduce pressure points. And today’s designs have reduced the uneasy feeling of sleeping on the high seas.

Find your comfort zone.

There are various levels of firmness for mattresses,

such as firm, pillow top and plush. Firm mattresses provide
more resistance against pressure from the sleep surface, making them as their name indicates, the firmest style of
mattress. The plush models utilize various comfort layers to create a softer sleep surface. Lastly, the pillow top
models utilize multiple layers of foams in the top upholstery to create especially soft, enveloping sleep surfaces.
Just note, the top upholstery may be attached to the mattress in a variety of methods, resulting in pillow top
models that feel and appear different.

Click here to view more about our selection of Simmons BeautyRest Mattresses and the New BeautyRest Mattress Collection.

Some Good Advice for Better Sleep.

• Make sure your bedroom is dark, cool and uncluttered.

• Prepare your mind and body for sleep: read for pleasure, take a hot bath or stretch before bed.
• Limit the use of TV or a computer in your bedroom and turn your clock away from you.
• Establish a regular sleep schedule and don’t sleep in. Instead, take power naps if possible.
• Try not to drink caffeinated beverages or eat chocolate after 2 p.m. We know this one is tough, but it’s for your own good.

For more information, visit www.simmons.com ©2007 Simmons Bedding Company. All rights reserved.

Following are more tips on buying a new mattress and selecting the best mattress for you:

A Senior’s Guide to Selecting the Best Mattress

A Man’s Guide to Selecting the Best Mattress

A Senior’s Guide to Selecting the Best Mattress

Bedding Down Mattress provides luxury mattresses including Simmons BeautyRest Mattresses to residents of Aspen Colorado and the surrounding communities of  Snowmass, Basalt, El Jebel, Carbondale, Glenwood Springs,  Edwards,  Avon and Vail Colorado. Click here for directions to the store or call us today at 970.927.6630.

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The best mattress information at Mattress Direct