Podcasts and Articles

Bed Basics: How to Select the Right Mattress

Whether you’re purchasing a mattress for the master suite, kid’s room or guest room, selecting the right mattress is crucial. For many, mattress shopping can be daunting. While everyone recognizes the necessity of a good night’s sleep, few understand what to consider when it comes time to purchase a new mattress. Industry experts suggest you do some research to help you select the right mattress for every room.   There are four basic pillars* you’ll need to consider when you go shopping for your new mattress: Comfort, Support, Durability and Space. In order to test these pillars you should try out the mattress at the store by removing your shoes and lying down on several different models. Take your time to consider each of these and try various positions, especially the one you sleep in.

Comfort: The days of a super hard mattress are gone. It’s proven: you will sleep better if your bed helps you feel cradled in comfort. You’ll notice that today’s top quality mattresses are built for this type of superior comfort and use new cushioning materials and extra-soft surface treatments to create a plush, more comfortable feel.

Support: Correct support is essential for a healthy body. A good mattress will gently support your body at all points and keep your spine in the same position while sleeping as a person with good posture while standing. When considering support, pay attention to your shoulders, hips and lower back, as they are the heaviest parts of your body. Without proper support here, you’re likely to experience back pain. On the flip side, if the mattress is too hard, you’ll experience discomfort as well. Regardless of whether the label specifies firm or extra-firm, you’ll need to determine for yourself which type of support you prefer.

Durability: The quality of the materials used and how they are put together will indicate how long the mattress will provide comfort and support. Consider this when deciding what you can afford in a mattress.

Space: Cramped quarters can turn sleeping into a nightly wrestling match. Given that a healthy sleeper moves anywhere from forty to sixty times a night, including a dozen full body turns, freedom of motion while you sleep is key to getting a good night’s rest. If you sleep with a partner, you should definitely consider a queen or king size bed. Now you are prepared to shop with confidence and select just the right mattress for the entire family.

The “Zzz” Test: How Sleep Deprived Are You?

Most people know that lack of sleep can cause a variety of serious consequences ranging from poor work performance to relationship troubles to increases in mortality rates.  What most people do not know is whether their own lack of sleep is truly considered ‘sleep deprivation.’ And, if they are sleep deprived, to what degree is sleep deprivation affecting their lives.

According to recent reports, 93 million Americans are chronically sleep deprived¹. In other words, 93 million Americans are not getting enough sleep to be fully alert, mentally sharp, creative and energetic throughout the day.

For some, a good night’s sleep does not become a priority until they understand how sleep deprivation can ultimately hurt their career, disrupt their family or create health problems.  For others, simply becoming aware that they need more sleep at night will help them address and correct sleep issues.

One way to gain a better understanding of your sleep habits is by taking the “Zzz” test.  The results will help you determine how sleep deprived you are. It’s easy. You’ll just need to circle the option that best describes your situation.

1. During boring meetings or class, I...
   1. doodle or catch up on other work.
   2. fight to keep my eyes open.
   3. occasionally fall asleep.
2. My family or co-workers would describe me as...
   1. patient and understanding.
   2. occasionally tired and cranky.
   3. the poster child for stress.
3. I nap...
   1. never or almost never.
   2. once in a while.
   3. frequently.
4. I can fall asleep...
   1. only when I go to bed at night.
   2. after a heavy meal or while watching TV.
   3. anytime, anywhere.
5. When going to bed, I fall asleep...
   1. after about 20 minutes.
   2. after 5 or 10 minutes.
   3. before my head hits the pillow.
   4. after an hour or more.
6. In the morning, I...
   1. wake up without an alarm.
   2. use an alarm clock to get up.
   3. hit the snooze button more than once.
7. Most nights I sleep...
   1. at least 8 hours.
   2. around 6 or 7 hours.
   3. 5 hours if I'm lucky.
8. After I wake in the morning...
   1. I get up and start my day.
   2. I stay in bed at least another hour.
   3. I try to go back to sleep until my alarm goes off.
9. I wake up...
   1. bright and early in the morning.
   2. once a night to visit the bathroom.
   3. a few times during the night.
10. On the weekends I...
    1. wake up and go to bed at the same time as during the week.
    2. stay up (and wake up) a little later.
    3. sleep in at least a few hours.
11. Right before sleeping, I usually...
    1. read or listen to soft music.
    2. pay bills, exercise or watch the news.
    3. lie in bed planning my next day.
12. My bedroom is...
    1. my peaceful sanctuary.
    2. fine except for traffic noise and streetlights.
    3. like Grand Central Station at rush hour.
13. When I go to bed with a back or muscle ache...
    1. it's usually better after sleeping.
    2. it's the same in the morning.
    3. it's worse after sleeping.
14. After going to bed, I...
    1. sleep soundly in my usual position.
    2. keep shifting to get comfortable.
    3. find my arm has fallen asleep.
    4. toss and turn all night.
15. I consider myself...
    1. a nonsmoker and nondrinker.
    2. a light to moderate smoker or drinker.
    3. a regular smoker or drinker.

Now that you are finished, add up all the numbers you’ve circled for each question on the previous page. Once you have a final number, compare your sum to the four categories shown here, and you’ll be on your way to understanding just how sleep deprived you are.  This is the first step along the road to getting much better night’s sleep.

15–20 Points: Sleep Savvy

You’ve developed good sleep habits. You’ve probably already realized that even six hours of quality sleep are better than eight hours of interrupted sleep. Energy and alertness are your reward.

21–30 Points: Sleepy

Unfortunately, you’re not getting the highest quality sleep. The good news is, you already have some good sleep habits to build on. You’ll be amazed at the benefits quality sleep brings to your mind and body. With quality sleep, your mind consolidates the day’s learning into memory, stimulates growth, repairs body tissue, even strengthens your immune system.

31–40 Points: Sleep Deprived

You’re like nearly 93 million other Americans: sleep deprived. You’re depriving your mind and body of the chance to reboot, producing serious daytime consequences in terms of learning, thinking, memory and performance. You need to make quality sleep a priority to improve your quality of life.

41–50 Points: Sleep Starved

Numbers in this range may be a sign of chronic sleep deprivation. If you feel you’re seriously sleep deprived, you should consider consulting your doctor or a sleep specialist.

 

Wherever you fell on the “Zzz” test, clearly understanding your existing sleep state is important in helping you to identify what you’ll need to do in order to modify your sleep routine.  The following tips are guidelines to help you to establish good sleep habits from today forward.

10 Ways to Banish Your Sleep Deprived State and Sleep Better Every Night

1. Give yourself “permission” to go to bed. Put away your to-do lists and make sleep a priority.
2. Unwind early in the evening. Try to deal with worries and distractions several hours before bedtime.
3. Develop a sleep ritual. Doing the same thing each night just before bed signals your body to settle down for the night.
4. Keep regular hours. Keep your biological clock in check by going to bed and waking up at the same time, even on weekends.
5. Create a restful place to sleep. Sleep in a cool, dark room that is free from noises that disturb your sleep.
6. Sleep on a comfortable, supportive mattress and foundation. It’s difficult to sleep in a bed that’s too small, too soft, too hard or too old.
7. Exercise regularly. Regular exercise can help relieve daily tension and stress–but don’t exercise too close to bedtime or you may have trouble falling asleep.
8. Cut down on stimulants. Consuming stimulants, such as caffeine, in the evening can make it more difficult to fall asleep.
9. Don’t smoke. Smokers take longer to fall asleep and wake up more often during the night.
10. Reduce alcohol intake. Drinking shortly before bedtime interrupts and fragments your sleep.

Now, go on and get some Z’s.  And in a couple of months come back and take the “Zzz” Test again to see how much your sleep has improved.

^{1 Dr. James B. Maas of Cornell University, and author of Power Sleep. 2 The Better Sleep Council.}