Month: October 2015

How Mattress Retailers Get Rich off Customers

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Mattresses San Diego

Mattresses San DiegoEnsuring restorative sleep and proper support in a mattress costs quite a lot these days, especially in terms of nerves and time. Every year literally millions of shoppers get bogged down in an attempt to find the right mattress. What overwhelms them is that every mattress retail shop is a hive buzzing with unique models promising wonders without a whole lot of proof.

Buying a mattress can be such a daunting task because of the name game. Every chain seems to have their own names for models and it’s difficult to compare them because you can’t really open them up and have a look inside. Even if you could, you’d find foam, fiber and fill, maybe coils – but you still couldn’t compare the quality of those. Sounds like you need a battery of chemical tests done in every store to be able to make an informed decision.

On top of the name problem, there’s the price. Shoppers regularly report they could find a mattress in one place for around $1,200 and a pretty similar model (with a different name, of course) for less than $700 in another. How is that possible?

Markups for mattresses quite often amount to unbelievable 100 or 200 percent, which makes it possible for retailers to “cut prices” in order to seal the sale. Nothing in the furniture retail industry is as profitable as selling mattresses. Mattresses are the golden goose the industry wants to protect by confusion and gobbledygook. All the multi-word names are designed to obscure the real value of the product you’re considering buying, so that they can tag it with a hefty price.

They will often hike the price in the beginning and then slash it in half or more to cut great deals for customers. This way, they constantly win and make money scamming people who believe it’s their lucky day.

Want to make sure you don’t fall for one of these tricks? Download our free mattress shopping guide and become a mattress shopping expert.

It’s not just the mattresses now. It seems the whole retail industry has learned something from selling mattresses, so now big retail chains require manufacturers to make minimal changes to products and add recognizable accessories to make the item, such as TV or clothes, appear original and unique. And they can do this, because there are no regulations restricting those practices.

What can you do about this? The first tip is to shop around, but take nothing the retailers tell you for granted. Instead, take everything with a pinch of salt.

Next, look for certificates. If the salesperson is touting the medical benefits or unique manufacture features, ask them for proof. Certificates are the minimum justification for claiming wonders.

Check for reviews of the model, manufacturer and retailer online. You cannot depend on reviews for 100 percent accurate and true information, but you can get a feeling of how the manufacturer and/ or retailer do their business.

Explore ways of buying directly form the manufacturer. This isn’t a problem nowadays and most manufacturers have showrooms, so it’s almost the same like looking around a furniture shop (just without the exorbitant mark-up).

Finally, listen to your gut feeling. Feel free to ask anything that comes to your mind – you might want to make a list before going shopping for the perfect mattress. Pay attention to how the retailer/ manufacturer answers your questions. Are they irritated by your inquisitiveness or are they willing to answer all your questions in a straightforward manner? All of this, combined with the measures mentioned before, should make it somewhat easier to get your bearings in the maize of mattress hunting.

5 Tips To Finding The Right Mattress

Sleep Accessories to Enhance Your Sleeping Experience

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Sleeping Accessories

Sleeping accessories - sleep maskDoesn’t sound like something you’d expect, does it? Sleeping accessories? No, it’s not about fashion or jewelry (in a way…). These are unbelievable items and gadgets that can improve your sleeping experience in different ways depending on your needs and preferences.

For the curious

Are you interested in finding out more about how you sleep every night and how your body behaves? These gadgets will collect information on what your sleep looks like on the outside. And the inside.

Modern sleep trackers are very conveniently put below or on top of your mattress and they gather information on how much you toss and turn around, what your body temperature, heart rate and breathing rate are, etc. Some trackers monitor the changes in your environment to possibly locate the source of eventual sleeping problems. They can also keep track of your sleeping cycles and maybe even wake you up when you’re sleeping light in the morning, so that you wake up easily.

Sleep trackers can double as ambient lights that cancel out blue light that prevents you from getting to sleep quicker. Ambient lights use warm shades to lull you into sweet slumber.

There are mobile applications available to do something similar to tracking, but without too advanced data. However, certain applications can help you remember your dreams. They will use escalating alarms to buzz you out of your dreams and then ask you a series of questions. Storing this data over time will show you patterns in your dreams and much more stuff.

For the light sleepers

If you’re one of those who twitches out of sleep because a car is parking outside your window or someone goes to the bathroom in the middle of the night, these accessories might be just for you.

There are special masks that are not there just to block out light. Masks are now out there that have very subtle electronics in them. They display customized light patterns that should encourage you to have lucid dreams. Hey, who wouldn’t like to feel they can control their dreams?

Some masks are still not in the market, but can be purchased through a pre-order. These are said to be able to improve the efficiency of your sleep. It’s intended for those who sleep restlessly or irregularly and those who travel a lot and struggle with jet lag.

For those who can’t live without music

If only life could be the way it’s in films, where music follows the characters every second of their life… If you cannot imagine a day without music, with these thingies you won’t be able to imagine a night either.

First there are special bud phones made of ultra thin elastic materials that feel like music is just playing in your head. You can enjoy favorite tunes or special sleeping sounds. Of course, nothing stops you from enjoying these inconspicuous music fellas in the daytime.

A pillow that plays you tunes, however, is not something that you can enjoy in the day. This special kind of pillow turns sound into something you can feel and stimulates the bones inside your ear to get you to relax. And all this without annoying your partner.

For the hot-blooded

Do you constantly have problems with feeling hot under the sheets, but you don’t like uncovering yourself? Here’s what might help you.

A bed fan that slides under your sheets to keep your temperature nice and cozy the whole time you’re getting your Zzs.

And if you think a bed fan is too much, why not consider specially designed PJs? Sleepwear made of fabrics that regulate body temperature won’t let you wake up sticky with sweat. The fabrics are very similar to those used for professional sportswear.

For everyone

No accessory can beat a top quality mattress. A mattress that supports your body, doesn’t give off fumes and suppresses allergens is your most powerful ally in getting the best beauty sleep possible.

Mattress Makers are a leading family business that has been producing mattresses for decades. We are driven by the desire to make top quality products affordable to you. Our products and customer satisfaction speak for themselves. In our offer you can find organic latex mattresses, hybrid latex, pocketed coil and innerspring mattresses. Contact us or visit our showroom to get a feel of what we offer and step closer to making a wise investment that will improve your quality of life.

Innerspring Mattresses Have Their Merits

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Innerspring mattress

Innerspring mattressHave you started hunting for a new mattress or are you still thinking about it? Did you know that buying a new mattress is said to be more stressful than buying a new car? It’s not something you buy on very often and the retailers are bent on confusing you. But, if you collect some information before you start, the visits to mattress stores will be much easier to manage.

With all the rave about latex mattresses, some people think innerspring mattresses are the worst kind you could get. However, that’s not true. Different types of mattresses fit different types of profiles and needs. Here is what you need to know about innerspring and pocketed coil mattresses.

Number of coils isn’t the best indicator

People used to believe that the support a mattress would give depends on how many coils it has. However, it doesn’t go quite like that. The quality of coil construction is much more important when you want to determine the support. Double tempered steel coils are made to last and will provide strong support for years to come.

Another thing is that innerspring mattresses are heavily covered in foam layers so they are much more relieved of heavy duty in comparison with their predecessors in previous decades.

What is the foam like

The type and density of foam will let you in on what to expect from the mattress. First of all, check for chemicals it contains. Chemical fire retardants will emit toxic fumes over time. It would be good to get one with foam that has a certificate stating it’s free of toxic chemicals.

Next, most manufacturers produce 1.5lb density foam. Foam that has a higher density than that is bound to give you more comfort for a longer time.

What about the edge?

Mattresses with a strengthened edge will also provide enhanced support as they will prevent roll off and sag at the edges.

Pocketed coil

This type is perfect if one of the partners is a restless sleeper because this type of mattress has a reduced motion transfer. Each coil is independently encased and they usually have more turns to make them stronger because they work separately. The more turns in a coil, the better the support and the softer the bed. This mattress make isn’t the best choice for large people as heavy weight will wear the springs quicker. You should also expect these mattresses to be more expensive than continuous innerspring ones because more material is needed due to their construction design.

The final tip would be to simply go with your gut feeling along with these considerations. You should definitely inspect the quality, certifications and warranties, but don’t buy a mattress just on that basis. You must be able to try a mattress out to find out how it feels for you. If it appears too firm or too soft, there isn’t a certificate that would make that mattress right for you. Simply, take into account how the mattress feels on top of everything else.

If you are checking out mattresses in San Diego, make sure you drop by Mattress Makers showroom. We manufacture premium quality mattresses and deliver them right to our customers, absolutely no middle-men and no mark-up. We can provide you top-notch quality at very reasonable prices because our business goes from our factory directly to customers. Call us to find out more and come to try out our mattresses!

Are You Sleeping With Dust Mites?

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Dust Mites In Bed - San Diego Mattress Makers

Dust Mites In Bed - San Diego Mattress MakersBe careful what you go to bed with. If you have a mattress you haven’t changed in years and  you don’t wash your bedding every week in hot water, chances are high your bed is home to dust mites. In that case, you might be providing these microscopic creatures with everything they need –a soft, warm and humid place to live plus regular meals in the form of skin flakes you shed daily. Sounds gross, doesn’t it? That’s ‘cause it is.

Dust mites live in colonies and thrive best in hot humid climates. If you live in a dry climate, it’s less likely you have these bedmates. It has been said that if your home is full of static electricity that’s a sign of their absence.

Most people go through life never learning about the existence of dust mites. But, with one quarter of Americans being allergy sufferers and two thirds of those being allergic to mites, it becomes clear that hypoallergenic bedding is necessary for many.

The tricky part is knowing whether you fall into that category or no. Many people don’t even realize they’re allergic to mites, because the symptoms vary in intensity, from subtle to obvious. Ask yourself these for a quick check:

  • Is your nose constantly blocked?
  • Do you sneeze repeatedly first thing in the morning?
  • Do your eyes feel itchy when you wake up?
  • Do you suffer from frequent sinus headaches?
  • Do you have any breathing problems?
  • Do you have eczema?

If you answered only one of these questions positively, you should pay a visit to an allergist or otolaryngologist. If you have children, bring them along. Dust mite sensitivity is very wide-spread in children and can lead to asthma.

If it so happens that you are allergic to dust mites, the one thing you can do for yourself is reduce the exposure. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recommend patients with asthma and dust mite allergy to use hypoallergenic or allergen-free encasings for their beds, which has proven successful in relieving symptoms.

Natural hypoallergenic materials are the best, because some studies have found that chemically-treated beddings that advertise as allergen-proof could cause asthmalike symptoms as well. Natural latex mattresses are an excellent choice as they present an inhospitable environment for mites.

If you cannot consider buying a new mattress, then you should invest in some allergen-proof encasings. They are woven very thickly which keeps mites away. Give new pillows a serious thought – since they are major collectors of dust mite feces as well. We haven’t mentioned that already, as it just sounds more disgusting, but it is the dust mite feces people get allergic to. Over a period of 2 years, your pillow can accumulate up to 2 pounds of mite excrements. Yuck!

Apart from a latex mattress and hypoallergenic encasings, a good preventive is washing your linen, together with comforters and covers, in hot water once a week and drying them in a hot dryer. If you spill any liquid on your duvet or comforter, it might be best to replace them. Otherwise you could be risking getting mold or mildew which would only make matters worse. Mattresses should be cleaned late in winter or early in spring, because that significantly reduces their numbers before the hot months come.

For the most severe symptoms, it would be recommendable to remove carpets and fabric drapes out of the bedroom. Mites can take up residence in carpets and drapes, but luckily not on hard and plastic surfaces.

The Perfect Bedtime?

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What Is The Perfect Bedtime? - Mattress Store San Diego

What Is The Perfect Bedtime? - Mattress Store San DiegoHave your grandparents always nagged to you about going to bed late? Did they reiterate: An hour before midnight is worth two after? Well, maybe you’ll be pleased to know that they’re not quite right. Dr. Matt Walker, who teaches at the University of California, says that there is no magic sleep that goes away at the stroke of midnight, but the time of night does affect the quality of your sleep. Hm… Yeah, there’s no straightforward answer, but there is some insightful information to help you understand our sleeping lives better.

Walker says that as the moon runs its course across the sky, the structure and quality of our sleep changes. Our sleep has a circadian rhythm in 90-minute cycles. During sleep, our brain moves from deep, restorative, non-rapid eye movement (REM) sleep to dreamy REM sleep. The cycle is quite stable, but as the night wears on the ratio of non-REM to REM sleep changes.

According to Walker, deep non-REM sleep dominates the early night. As sunrise gets closer, REM takes over. Is that what the adage had in mind? Maybe, though both types of sleep have their respective benefits for the body.

How does this connect to the best bedtime? The transition from non-REM to REM sleep occurs at certain times of night and the time when you went to bed doesn’t matter. If you turn in late, like 4 a.m., you’ll get REM sleep, which is lighter and dream-laden. But, when you get up, you won’t be up to your best.

That is bad news for those who regularly work night shift. Dr. Walker says efficient sleep just isn’t possible at unconventional times of night and day.  It’s unfortunate that our circadian rhythms of sleep and wake, which have been tuned for hundreds of thousands of years, don’t leave a lot of room for change. If you go to bed late because you’re a bartender, a nightshift worker or a student who likes studying at night, the fact you’re doing that for a few years or even decades is nowhere near enough to shift the cycles which have been inscribed in our bodies.

Between 8 p.m. and 12 a.m. approximately, you can get all the non-REM and REM sleep you need, if you like to sleep little. Maybe that’s the reason why we sometimes wake up in middle of the night completely refreshed if we go to bed very early.

And, your genes dictate whether you’re a night owl, an early bird or something in between. So, depending on your genes, you have a preference for an earlier or a later point in that 4-hour window before midnight.

Dr. Allison Siebern of Stanford University confirms that going to bed early defies the physiology of night owls. The same goes for early birds who try to hit the sack late. For both of these sleeper types, and all those who are somewhere in between, the best advice is to listen to their body and go to bed when they feel most sleepy.

Dr. Siebner explains that there’s no point in forcing yourself to go to bed when you don’t feel like it. The catch is that your family and work may have the deciding influence on when you go to bed. The best would be to try to match your biology to your schedule and get 8 hours of shuteye.

Both Siebner and Walker say that our sleep schedule transforms as we get older. Small children are usually morning larks, whereas college students feel sleepiest around midnight. After college, at the beginning of working life, you tend to turn in earlier in the evening, and this trend is likely to progress with age.

Siebern’s advice is to experiment and focus on the signals your body sends you. Feeling sleepy is your best indicator to go get your Z’s. And you should try to get up at roughly the same time every day. It’s ok to sleep an extra hour when you’re not working, but don’t make huge swings, so that you don’t make it harder for yourself to find the best bedtime for you.

Tricks to Fall Asleep Faster

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Tricks To Fall Asleep - Mattress Store San Diego

Tricks To Fall Asleep - Mattress Store San Diego

Counting sheep, hot cocoa and a warm bath don’t do the trick for many of us who find it difficult to fall asleep. Here is a list of some tried and tested hacks that are very likely to get you to your Z’s.

Breathe through the left nostril

This breathing exercise comes from yoga and its aim is blood pressure reduction and calming down. Lie on your left side and close your right nostril with your right hand. You should draw deep breaths through your left nostril. Besides being good for relaxing, this technique is efficient when you overheat and for women with menopause.

Work the muscles

Relaxed muscles should have you fall asleep quicker. Squeezing them and then releasing will serve as a small exercise and relaxation. Lie on your back, breathe slowly and deeply through your nose into your stomach and simultaneously bend your toes as of you want to curl them under and release the squeeze as you exhale.

Next, repeat the procedure but now bend your whole feet toward the knee. You should go on, or up, repeating this for every group pf muscles: calves, thighs, bottom, belly, chest and arms.

In the end, your breath should be deep and steady and you should feel ready to doze off.

Try the opposite

There’s something called the sleep paradox, which says that the more you try to stay awake, the more your brain will want to head to sleep. So, while keeping your eyes wide open, say to yourself over and over again “I will not fall asleep.” The thing is our brains are not very good with processing negatives, so it will see this as a command to go to sleep. It’s the same when someone tells you: Don’t think of a great purple elephant. What do you imagine?

 

Go back through your day

Rewind the day in your mind focusing on conversations and what you saw or heard. Try doing this backwards, instead of the way it happened. Your mind should grow tired and mellow, making it easier for you to fall asleep.

Roll your eyes

With your eyes closed, roll your eyeballs three times or more. This imitates what naturally happens during sleep and so, it may spark the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone.

Visualize

It’s common knowledge that visualizing our happy place helps us relax and calm down. The addition would be that you should try to activate at least three senses while you imagine. For example, if you’re visualizing a tropical beach, imagine the feel of warm sand beneath you, the sound of waves lapping and the salty smell of the sea.

Hum

This is another yogic breathing exercise. You should be in a sitting position for this one. Closing the eyes, make sure you relax your shoulders and let them drop slightly and also relax your lower jaw. Your lips should be closed.

Inhale through the nose slowly and deeply. Make sure you breathe into your stomach – so, your belly should act as a balloon filling with air as you breathe in, and it should retreat toward your spine as you breathe out. Your chest shouldn’t move.

So, you inhale through the nose, but you exhale through the mouth, with you jaw dropped and the lips closed. This will create a humming sound and it will vibrate in the chest. Focus on that sensation. Try to keep the humming steady until you fully exhale. Repeat for at least six times and then suggest yourself you’re ready for bed.

Acupressure

According to ancient Chinese medicine, pressing certain spots on our body gently and firmly stimulates internal organs and triggers processes. As you’re lying in your bed, put your thumb between your eyebrows and move down just a little until you hit an indent between the bridge of your nose and your forehead.

Breathe 4 – 7 – 8

This technique was recently put forward by Dr. Andrew Well of Harvard University, you who explores holistic breathing. His technique says you should inhale to the count of 4, hold it to the count of 7 and exhale it to the count of 8. An important note is that you should curl the tip of your tongue and press the back of it against the ridge above your upper front teeth. This will make sure your throat is open and your breath is fuller. Repeat the exercise for 3 times at least.