Mattress Tips

Size:

Most pillows come in 2 sizes: Standard and King. King size pillows can be too long and unyielding, so you may want to consider using 3 standard pillows instead of 2 King Size for a King Size mattress. Some companies offer a Queen Size pillow which is often a happy medium between the other 2 sizes.

Sleep Position:

The position you normally sleep in is a major factor when deciding what pillow you want to purchase for yourself. Back sleepers normally need thinner pillows, while a side sleeper could use some extra support to keep their neck properly aligned. Contour type pillows work well for either situation. Stomach sleepers need to be careful not to get a pillow that is too thick, so they don’t suffocate on the pillow.

Filling:

If you prefer a very thin Pillow, Down or synthetic Down would work fairly well for you. If you prefer a supportive pillow, memory foam or latex would suit you well. Memory foam will react to your heat and the weight of your head and slowly conform around your head and neck to provide great support. Latex pillows are more bouncy than memory foam and bounce back faster. If you move around a lot, a latex pillow would be better for you than memory foam. Memory foam normally takes 30 to 60 seconds to go back to its natural shape and moving during that period could force you to wake up.

Firmness:

Pillows offer different levels of firmness. With a Down pillow you can get one that is very thick or very thin. Which you would choose is based on your preference and how you sleep. Memory Foam Pillows come in different shapes, firmnesses, and densities. For a pillow, 3 lb. density seems to work best. It is soft, yet supportive. Remember that we are talking about pillows and not a mattress. What is good enough to support your head is not necessarily best for your entire body. A contour pillow can be arranged to suit you no matter how you sleep. A comfort or standard shaped memory foam pillow is normally a memory foam shell with small clusters of memory foam inside. This is our favorite pillow due to its level of softness and conformity. A latex pillow is very supportive and conforms without a memory. That means that it will bounce back to its original shape immediately and works well for someone that moves around a lot.

Covers:

The cover you would use for your pillow depends on the pillow itself. Memory foam pillows normally come with a removable, washable cover. A pillow case is not necessary when these covers are included and honestly the memory foam will react to a person faster if one is not used. Latex and standard type pillows should be covered by a pillow case to keep it from becoming stained. Make sure you keep the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions in case your pillow gets dirty.

The Bottom Line:

With any type of bedding purchase, the bottom line is preference. You would be best off testing every pillow you can think of and deciding for yourself what you like. This guide should help to steer you in the right direction.

About The Author

Ross Goldberg is a disabled veteran of the Desert Storm Era. After being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, and Permanent Nerve Damage, he purchased an expensive memory foam mattress for himself. Upon using it he became obsessed with understanding why it cost so much. What you are reading is the result of years of research and comes from a true expert in the bedding industry. http://www.memoryfoamfurniture.com http://www.memoryfoamuniversity.org

Written By: Ross Goldberg

Most people are unaware that their mattress is old and doesn’t provide enough support, doing you more harm than good. If your mattress disturbs your sleep, so that you feel some firm details or even springs under the fabric and cushioning, then it’s definitely the time to it and shop around using mattress ratings and reviews as a guide. A good mattress does more than providing you a soft comfortable place to rest after the long day or a place to cuddle with your loved one. The right mattress may actually improve your sleep and posture keeping your spine in the right position for seven to nine hours.

If your sleep is worse than it used to be a few months ago, check for signs of mattress deterioration. To determine whether you need a new mattress, take note of any stiffness or sore muscles or joints when you wake up in the morning. Any friction of the fabrics, unusual sounds and if there is a noticeable dip formed by one or two sleeping bodies on the mattress will tell you that the mattress needs to be replaced.

Most mattress ratings consider such attributes of a mattress as thickness, the material the mattress is made of, a warranty, price point and special features such as hypoallergenic qualities, stress-relieving design, and the fabric of the covering. After carefully studying the customer reviews and mattress ratings, this is what most people look for in a mattress:

1. The material.

Organic cotton and soft wool have become very popular among health-conscious buyers. However, cotton and wool mattresses are not treated with fire-retarding chemicals required by law. The mattress should not contain any polyester fillings and should be made of pure wool, preferably lamb or alpaca wool or at least latex foam. The perfect mattress should be dye-free, dust mite repellent, hypo-allergenic and anti-bacterial. Ideally, the mattress should be moisture repellent and flame resistant, too. The mattress should be encased in unbleached organic cotton. Memory foam mattresses are highly rated as the most suitable mattresses for allergy sufferers, but some people suggested that these mattresses become stiffer in a hot climate.

2. The shape.

Firm mattresses provide more support and the most upscale models are doctor-prescribed. In general most reviewers prefer soft and thick mattresses which provide more comfort. The most common wish is that the mattress should regain its shape and should not flatten over time. People highly rated mattresses that are durable and are likely to last many years.

3. The size.

Most mattresses reviewed in mattress ratings are available in twin (single), double, queen, king and Californian king sizes. In general, people prefer to buy a mattress from a manufacturer that offers all imaginable sizes.

Your mattress foundation is also important. Ideally, you should get it from the same manufacturer because it will prolong the life of the mattress. When properly chosen, mattress and foundation will keep your spine healthy and naturally curved, ensuring you have a good sleep and pain-free morning. After a good night sleep on an orthopedic mattress your sleep will become deeper, and you will have much more energy during the day.

About the Author

Kathryn Whittaker writes articles on a number of different topics. For more information on Mattresses please visit http://www.mattress-overview.com and for additional Mattress related articles please visit http://www.mattress-overview.com/mattress-articles/

Written By: Kathryn Whittaker

These days, anyone looking to purchase home furnishings is faced with a seemingly endless range of choices. There is enough bedding, bathroom accessories and furniture products available for you to indulge in all your interior decoration desires, but with the wide assortment available it’s sometimes difficult to know where to start!

A popular method nowadays is to decorate a room according to a theme; haphazard dcor displays just doesn’t cut it anymore. For example, you can choose to go the modern route with steel, glass and leather or an Eastern-inspired theme complete with a divan and mirrored bedspreads. However, one the most popular choices among home decorators remains the tried and true theme of a rustic lodge or cabin.

Rustic-inspired furnishings usually feature warm colors and tend towards practicality and comfort. You can co-ordinate your whole bedroom with appropriate rustic bedding accessories, matching drapes, carpets, lighting fixtures and bathroom accessories. One of the more distinctive features of a rustic bedding set is its colors and motifs. They usually come in warm colors like brick red, deep greens, oranges, blues and dark grays all colors inspired from nature. The motifs are distinct in that they sport the themes of wildlife and the wild outdoors. They evoke the comfortable and relaxed atmosphere of a lodge or cabin.

Most rustic bedding sets are available in a wide variety of sizes and sheet combinations. A standard sheet set usually includes a top sheet along with a fitted bottom sheet and two pillowcases. It should be noted that in many cases only a single pillowcase is provided with the twin set of sheets. Rustic bedding sets come in all the standardized sizes Twin, Full, Queen, King and CAL king. This makes it easier for you to choose a set according to your needs and you don’t have to worry about the bedding set being either too small or too large for your bed.

You generally have the choice of two types of fabric: flannel and percale. While flannel is made from 100% cotton fibers, percale is 30% cotton and 70% polyester. The pricing also differs for the two fabrics on the whole the percale bedding sets are somewhat cheaper than flannel ones. Apart from the usual themes like woods, moose, bear, fishing etc., some companies also offer a ‘heritage’ bedding collection. These are classic designs for the more traditionally inclined.

Apart from the regular bedding sets you can also buy matching comforters (available in all the standard sizes), pillow shams and bed skirts. Some manufacturers also provide throw pillows and shower curtains to match your rustic bedding set. To complete the look of your room, you can even go so far as to use compatible window treatments. The drapes usually match the pattern of the comforter, and the headers, rod pocket and tiebacks complete the set. Blanket ensembles made from the finest fabrics are also an option if you’re looking to splurge. Heck, if you are so inclined, you could even invest in an heirloom quality handmade quilt with a rustic theme.

About the Author:

Copyright Jared Winston, 2006. All Rights Reserved.

Are you looking to lend your home a rustic touch? Then drop by Rustic Adornments where we offer a wide variety of free rustic decor tips and advice. http://www.rusticadornments.com

Written By: Jared Winston

This article provides a detailed review of popular adjustable beds available for purchase both on and off-line. Prominent adjustable bed manufacturers include Craftmatic, Sleep Comfort, Sealy, Tempur Pedic, and Spring Air.

Craftmatic Adjustable Beds The Craftmatic Adjustable Bed Company has been in the marketing of adjustable beds for more than 30 years and the company has sold more than 800,000 adjustable beds across the world. A Craftmatic Adjustable Bed with optional Heat & Massage may provide temporary relief from health problems like low back pain; sliding hiatus hernia; poor local blood circulation; water retention or swelling of the legs; arthritis; rheumatism; aches and pains from fatigue; night heartburn; asthma; stress and tension; joint and muscle inflammation; or neuralgia.

Sleep Comfort Sleep Comfort Adjustable Beds are available in two models — Standard and Wall-hugger. The company offers twin, full, queen, dual queen, king and dual king adjustable beds and also in several other sizes and shapes. The company also provides mattresses in Dual Firm Coil, Pillowtop Coil, Latex Foam and Visco Memory Foam models. Based in San Diego, California the company supplies adjustable beds to anywhere in the United States.

Sealy Sealy Corporation is the one of the biggest bedding manufacturers in North America. The company, along with its subsidiaries, produces a vast range of mattress and foundation products. Sealy’s range includes the conventional bedding products (mattresses and foundations) in the Sealy, Sealy Posturepedic and Sealy Posturepedic Luxury Collection. Moreover, Sealy is also a producer of the important component parts used within the mattress. Sealy Posturepedic, Sealy Posturepedic Luxury Collection, Sealy Backsaver and posture premier, and Reflexion Latex Foam Collection are some of the brands from Sealy. Sealy’s products are sold through over 7,000 retailers across North America.

Temper-Pedic Temper-Pedic, Inc. is the name of the company that founded the NASA mattress or visco foam mattress. The temper-pedic mattress is made of 100% visco-elastic memory foam. Temper-pedic foam’s has the unique specialty of responding to the body’s temperature and shape, thus making sleep very comfortable. The Temper-Pedic Company is also known as Tempurpedic, Temperapedic, Tempra Pedic , temprepedic or tempurapedic and is the supplier of the temper-pedic mattress and bed, as well as the temper-pedic pillows and temprepedic mattress pad toppers. The tempurpedic mattress is available in more than 60 countries and is also sold through online retail websites.

Spring Air Spring Air offers the Ovation adjustable base that has the Comfort Reach action. The Ovation looks like a traditional bed but has the Comfort Reach Smooth Glide Action. Its head and foot elevation improves blood circulation in the body and relieves pressure on the back. It also comes with a wireless remote control that has a programmable memory with Easy View glow-in-the-dark. The remote has a memory massage recall for programming the massage program every time it is turned on.

About the author:

Adjustable Beds Info provides detailed information on electric, medical, cheap, and used adjustable beds, as well as adjustable air beds and adjustable bed reviews. Adjustable Beds Info is the sister site of Massage Chairs Web.

Written By: Jimmy Sturo

Putting the right comforter on your bed can make the whole bedroom look fabulous. Comforters are the most visible of all the bedding pieces, so when you change the comforter you make a large change in the decor of the bedroom itself. But comforters are also very functional as they make for a very warm, and soft bed to sleep in too. But getting the right comforter for your bed takes some thought and preparation, and this article will help you make the right decision when you buy.

The first factor in choosing the right comforter is to make sure that it actually fits your bed. This may sound like a simple thing, but not all mattresses are the same size because of their design. If you have a very standard mattress it will most likely fit into one of the conventional categories like “Full”, Queen”, or “King”.

But many mattresses these days are not standard sizes because mattress makers have gone to adding more features like pillow tops on one side or sometimes both sides of the mattress. This means that the mattress is now much thicker than it would normally be. And that will also affect the size of any bedding that you are now able to put on that bed. That’s why it’s always a good idea to measure your bed and mattress to make sure that you know what size comforter to get beforehand and won’t have to be faced with the prospect of having to return the bedding that you love when you find that it just doesn’t look right on your bed.

When considering a comforter look at the TPI or threads per inch too. This figure will often give you a good idea of the quality level that has been put into that comforter. Generally speaking thread counts above 250 produce a soft and comfortable feel and fabric that will last a long time. Try to avoid thread counts below 200.

It’s also not a bad idea to look for a comforter that has patterns on both sides. That way you can change the look of the bed from time to time and not just have the same pattern all the time.

If you are in the market for a down comforter, the most expensive kinds will have pure white down in them, but actually a mixture of down and feathers will do the job nicely and is not as expensive. Just avoid so-called down comforters that have a really low ratio of down to feathers. The higher the down ratio in the comforter the more important that the cover be what is called “down proof” because down is so small and can actually work its way through a normal cover. Usually this designation is listed on the comforter package.

Finally, be sure that a down comforter is stitched so that the insulation material cannot move about very freely or shift. If the stitching is not in place the down can shift so that some parts of the comforter do not even offer much insulation at all. This is widely known, and most down comforters will have necessary stitching in place on the quilt, but just make sure before you buy.

Buying a good quality comforter is an investment in practicality and appearance at the same time. Use these guidelines for choosing your new comforter and you should be happy with it for years to come.

About the Author

Duane Jones – All About Bed And Bath provides free information, resources and tips on finding bedding, comforters, bathroom fixtures, tubs, and more for your home at the very best price.

Written By: Duane Jones