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by Graham Challenger
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I've been "inside" all areas of the mattress and bedding industry, for years. It still amazes me, how little mattress shoppers/buyers understand about the major purchase they are making. It's not your fault. Because the average person purchases a new bed so rarely, most shoppers don’t know how to evaluate or compare mattresses. Much of the confusion comes from the mattress manufacturers, the bedding retail store employees, and/or the advertising you see. I hope my thoughts will help you find the "perfect bed" at a fair price.
The average person spends about one-third of his/her life asleep. You know this trivial fact because the mattress manufacturers and bedding retailers have been using it in advertising forever— but, it happens to be true. Getting a good night’s sleep begins with a quality-made mattress. Any specific brand name won’t make a difference in how well you sleep. In fact, it’s very likely that a fancy name label will increase the price you pay, for no measurable difference in sleep quality. Today’s mattresses are built to support your spine during sleep. However, don't confuse the internal structure with features added to increase the comfort level, and sales appeal, of the mattresses you encounter when shopping. Support and comfort are not the same when selecting a mattress. It's important to understand the difference between the two features. It takes a combination of both for you to get a good night’s sleep. A well made, quality mattress has two jobs. It should hold your spine in place, straight and flat, while evenly redistributing your body weight across a wide area to relieve pressure and allow your muscles to rest. A comfortable mattress has nice padding with cosmetic appeal that provides a "soft" tactile sleep experience. Many misconceptions exist about purchasing a new mattress and foundation set. When the first caveman threw a pile of leaves on the ground, he probably told his neighbor that the maple leaves were "firmer and more comfortable" that the oak leaves. Some retailers still operate within this archaic premise. By generating confusion, some retail salespeople attempt to steer shoppers to the bedding with the biggest commission. Similarly, some retailers will try to push a featured brand or a mattress that is overstocked. Keep in mind that knowledge is power! Use the knowledge, here, and other online resouces to purchase the "best mattress", that your budget allows. One at a time, Let me discuss the difference between support and comfort. Support is delivered to your spine by the innerspring components of a traditional mattress. The innerspring system of all mattresses, regardless of the manufacturer, is constructed of the same basic materials; metal "spring" coils are stacked side by side on a flat surface. They are connected so they can work as a single unit. The "spring"/coils are surrounded by an edge support and wrapped in cosmetic upholstery. This is a huge, oversimplification, but, the point is that current build technology makes it possible for mattresses to be very supportive, while having a soft cushion surface. (The various widely advertised viseo-foam mattresses and "number" air-beds work slightly differently, but the theory is the same.) The innerspring system resists downward pressure, which is applied by your body's weight. A good innerspring system spreads your weight over a wide area and presents a flat surface with consistent upward pressure. Your body feels that as support. In EVERY mattress manufacturers product catalog, the innerspring systems are similar across the brand name and models. Most bedding manufacturers use the same innerspring internal components under all types of mattresses in their product line. In other words, a mattress with a firm surface would provide the same support for your back as the softest Pillowtop mattress from the same manufacturer. Comfort is delivered to your body through the use of exterior padding layered on top of the innersprings. The exterior padding can be traditional or high density foams, or the newer pillowtop quilted surfaces. The marketable difference is in the cosmetic upholstery. This is the pretty, colored or patterned fabric, soft or hard, smooth or pillowtop exterior you’ll feel with your hand when you press down on a mattress surface. The exterior upholstery provides the comfort component of a sleep experience. Many mattress shoppers assume that a "plain" surface traditional mattress labeled “firm” will provide better support than a heavily cushioned, pillowtop-style mattress. As you now know, support and comfort are related, but they are not the same. No reliable standard scale exists within the bedding industry to measure support or comfort levels. Everyone has a different opinion of firm, and comfort is highly subjective. This vagueness allows for mattress manufacturers and bedding retailers engage in more than a little bit of advertising hyperbole. Millions of dollars are spent each year telling you what "firm" means. Ironically, who do you think ultimately pays for all those advertisements? Here’s my personal example of a "mattress comfort" scale from 1 to 5. Remember, the level of "comfort" built into a mattress has very little to do with the actual "support" your spine receives from the innerspring system. Comfort Level #1 Is your bedroom floor carpeted? This is your Comfort Level #1 mattress. Some sleepers like a hard surface—no fluffy padding, just a flat surface. Grab the top sheet, pull it up to your chin, and snooze. Comfort Level #2 If you have a bad back, Comfort Level #2 is what many mattress shoppers assume they need. Throw a heavy winter blanket on the carpeted bedroom floor or zip open a sleeping bag—that’s a hard, supportive mattress with some cosmetic padding. The best orthopedic mattresses are this firm. You’ll wake with no aches, pains, or stiffness in your back. Comfort Level #3 A good, firm support mattress that is showing 2-3 inches of surface padding is Comfort Level #3. Press one finger down on the surface and feel the depth. For obvious reasons, this is the most common mattress. All mattress makers build this comfort level mattress. It’s the safe choice for retailers to keep in stock as it sells most often. It makes a great in-between mattress for a couple with different preferences. Comfort Level #4 Have you added a feather/fiber-filled mattress pad to your bed surface? You can get that soft surface with a fluffy or a pillowtop-style mattress. These mattresses are noticeably padded to the touch. If you press your fingers into this mattress surface, your hand will sink 4-5 inches. These beds are fluffy bed surfaces. Comfort Level #5 If you have ever looked at any of the memory foam mattress, as you walked by them in the mall, then you may know the comfort level at the softness end of the scale. Some add-on, plush, bed-pads are this soft. The memory foam mattresses mold to envelope your body. It's one of the advertised "advantages". Not everyone likes this surface on a mattress, including me. That isn't a comment about the "firmness" of a memory foam bed, just to comfort of the surface. Remember, the innerspring support is the same unit, so comfort is a personal choice and a marketing feature. The bedding with greater Pillowtop padding or the five layers of foam featured in a glossy flyer will be more expensive. Comfort levels vary from one individual to another. It’s a personal preference, which is why Goldilocks chose a Comfort Level #3! “Not too hard, not too soft—it’s just right.” |
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Graham Challenger is a retail store marketing specialist for City Discount Mattress, www.citydiscountmattress.com. City Discount Mattress is a Tampa, Florida-based marketing team that specializes in helping small retailers compete with the large chain and franchise stores. City Discount Mattress helps consumers buy a better mattress for less money by training store owners to offer more product information and less meaningless advertising hype. CityDiscountMattress.com promotes a sales system that delivers more customer service, less sales pressure, and recommends a wider variety of brand choices than is commonly available at big box retailers. If you are a small, single-store or low-unit retail mattress merchant and want to increase sales, ask how City Discount Mattress can help you increase the total sales in your store, while allowing you sleep at night, knowing your business practices are consumer-friendly. Learn how we do it by contacting Graham [AT] citydiscountmattress [dot] com. Visit retailers with City Discount Mattress relationships. Florida www.Tampa-Discount-Mattress.com (Tampa, FL 33604 / 33608 / 33610) and www.Palm-Harbor-Discount-Mattress.com (Palm Harbor, FL 34684 / 33688 ) and www.Wesley-Chapel-Discount-Mattress.com (Wesley Chapel, FL 33543 / 33544) and www.Clearwater-Discount-Mattress.com (Clearwater, FL 33789 / 33790 ) and www.Brandon-Discount-Mattress.com (Brandon, FL 33510 / 33512 ) and www.Naples-Discount-Mattress.com (Naples, FL 334102 / 334103) and www.Ocala-Discount-Mattress.com (Ocala, FL 33470 / 33471 ) and www.Orlando-Discount-Mattress.com (Brandon, FL 33510 / 33512 ) Georgia www.Atlanta-Discount-Mattress.com (Atlanta, Ga. 30030) Marketing and SEO by Cypress Media Group with web site hosting and e-commerce tools from 
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