The Healthy Foundations Blog

Here's a recent press release from the American Chiropractic Association that has some really good information on what to look when shopping for mattresses and pillows:

"A good night's sleep is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle; however, an estimated 70 million Americans complain of sleeplessness. This October, during National Chiropractic Month, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) is offering advice to help consumers select comfortable mattresses and pillows that can help limit unnecessary back and neck pain.

"Americans spend one-third of their lives sleeping, so it makes sense to invest in a sleep set that can improve your comfort and overall health," says Scott Bautch, DC, DACBOH, spokesperson for the American Chiropractic Association. "Many people don't realize the reason for their neck or back pain is literally right underneath them-it's their mattress and pillow."

A 2006 study published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine showed that sleeping on a new mattress can significantly reduce stiffness and back pain. Researchers found that study participants reported immediate and sustained benefits after sleeping on a new mattress. This was especially true of participants who entered the study with back pain complaints, as they reported a 63 percent improvement in back discomfort with a new mattress.

When it comes time to purchase a new mattress, the ACA recommends the following:

Shop for Support
Look for a mattress that provides uniform support from head to toe; if there are gaps between your body and the mattress (such as at the waist), you're not getting the full support you need. Mattresses can be too firm; pay close attention to uncomfortable pressure on prominent body features such as the shoulders, hips and low back.

Shop for Comfort
When mattress shopping, give each option a good trial run before you buy; lie down on a mattress for a minimum of five to 10 minutes to get a good idea of its comfort level. If you cannot find a comfortable position, you probably have the wrong mattress.

Shop for Size
Does the bed provide enough room for both you -- and your sleeping partner if you have one -- to stretch and roll over? The ideal mattress will also minimize the transfer of movement from one sleeping partner to the other, which means one person shouldn't feel motion as the other leaves the bed.

Generally, a mattress should be replaced every 5 to 8 years to ensure proper support and comfort. Be aware that life's changes can signal the need for a new mattress as well. For example, people who have lost or gained a considerable amount of weight, those who have a medical condition which has changed the way they sleep, or even those who've changed partners may need to consider a new mattress.

Pillows important, too
After investing in a quality mattress, don't forget to choose an equally supportive pillow, advises ACA spokesperson Steven Conway, DC, DACBOH, Esq. "People will spend thousands of dollars on a mattress and then skimp on a pillow that doesn't support their head and neck properly," he observes.

When selecting a new pillow, ACA recommends selecting one with ergonomically-designed features, which will enhance comfort and limit pain. Look for pillows that are:

a.. Designed to keep the spine in natural alignment. When lying on your side, your head and neck should remain level with your mid and lower spine. When lying on your back, your head and neck should remain level with your upper back and spine. Avoid pillows that are so thick or thin that they angle your head and neck away from your body.

b.. Designed to support different sleep positions, including side sleeper or back sleeper. (It's best never to sleep on your stomach, as it's the most back unfriendly sleeping position.)

c.. Hypoallergenic.There is no such thing as a universal fit when it comes to pillows, Dr. Conway notes. "Find a pillow that is consistent with the shape and size of your body. If you find yourself sleeping on your side with one hand propped under your pillow, that's a clue that you're not getting the support you need from that pillow," he explains."

For more information on our memory foam products, see our memory foam mattress and memory foam pillows pages.

Posted by David Rosenberg at 04:27 AM | Permalink

Recently, I found some great tips off of the website www.helpguide.org, involving some self-help cures for reducing mild snoring. If you do snore, one or two of these might just do the trick for you. Remember, however, that snoring can also have serious health implications, such as sleep apnea, and chronic snorers who are often middle age or who are overweight, might indicate a serious health problem. So, check with your physician if you have these issues to rule out any serious health problems.

1. Lose weight and stop smoking. Losing weight will reduce the fatty tissue in your airway. Eating less and improving your fitness level can significantly improve your ability to breathe freely when you sleep. Stopping smoking or reducing exposure to secondhand smoke can help with the noise and intensity of your snoring.

2. Improve your sleep posture. Do you sleep on your back? If so, you are probably exacerbating your snoring problem - in this sleeping position, the soft tissues in the back of your throat (including your tongue) are more prone to slide backwards, blocking your airway. If you are a mild snorer, switching to sleeping on your side might cure your snoring altogether. However, it can be hard to break the habit of sleeping on your back. Try the "tennis ball trick": sleep with a tennis ball (or any ball of approximately the same size) attached to the back of your pajama top. (You can sew a pocket or safety-pin a sock to the back of the pajama top, then put a tennis ball in it.) The tennis ball is uncomfortable if you lie on your back, and you will respond by turning on your side. Soon you will develop side-sleeping as a habit and not need the tennis ball.

3. Elevate your head. Try sleeping without a pillow; pillows can block your airway by bending your neck. You can also use a specially-designed pillow for snorers, available online or at specialty stores. An even better solution is to elevate the head of your bed four inches, which may make breathing easier and encourage your tongue and jaw to move forward. Elevating the entire head of the bed is better than using a pillow, which can crimp the neck and contribute to snoring. Placing rolled up towels under the head of the mattress is an easy way to change the angle of the mattress.

4. Avoid certain foods, alcohol, and sedatives before bed. If you tend to drink alcohol at night, try to cut back. Alcohol is a muscle relaxant; it will relax the muscles in your airways, which can worsen snoring. Likewise, you may be taking sleeping pills or tranquilizers to help you sleep, but be aware - these sedatives also relax your muscles. Avoid high-fat dairy milk products or soy milk products before sleeping. Non-skim milk products and soy milk products, because of their thickness, can keep mucus from draining properly. The result is mucus retained in the throat, which can lead to snoring.

5. Clear your nasal passages (I did this one using Breathe Rite strips, and it really improved my snoring problem!). Having a stuffy nose makes inhalation difficult, which in turn creates a vacuum in your throat, and noisy breathing. In fact, people who seldom snore often find themselves snoring quite loudly when suffering from allergies or a cold. Nasal decongestants can help you breathe more easily through your nose while sleeping. There are also homeopathic solutions available, like nasal strips that claim to "open" the nasal passages. On the other hand, you should avoid antihistamines for allergies or stuffiness. Antihistamines relax the throat muscles, which can in turn cause snoring.

Posted by David Rosenberg at 04:25 AM | Permalink

Think your old mattress is so uncomfortable or unattractive that it automatically should be thrown away? Think again. There are hundreds of donation agencies across the country that would consider taking your mattress off your hands. Agencies such as GoodWill, Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, Catholic Charities and local homeless or battered women's shelters just might have a need for your mattress. So, instead of adding to a local landfill with your mattress, you really could do something good with it (and something good for the environment). What's that old saying - "One man's trash is another man's treasure"? Well, this is a prime example of that. Typically, if your mattress is still in reasonable shape, with no noticeable stains or structural problems, then most organizations will take them. Many of them will even arrange to pick up the mattress from you! Some agencies will not take a mattress without its foundation, so you'll have to clear that up with them prior to the donation. If you buy a new mattress, and they offer free mattress pick up (where they typically discard the old mattress), try the donation route first with your old mattress. Just think, by doing something kind like this, it just might help you sleep better at night!

Posted by David Rosenberg at 04:24 AM | Permalink

We loved this one, and wanted to share this recent testimonial from Shopping.Com with you. It addresses many aspects of our business:

"This Is How to Do It!!!!

OK, you have read all the incredible reviews on Healthy Foundations. Their amazing delivery speed, the great information on the website, the honesty in which they represent their product. It's all good! So if you are still reading reviews and have not ordered from them, just sit on the sidelines on your old mattress and wake up sore. Like many people, we did our homework, and actually stumbled on to the H.F. website by accident, as we had already made up our minds to buy the Tempur-Pedic Rhapsody bed. We were ready to drop $2899 plus tax, when I thought about trying to ebay one. Found a new one online for $2350 including free shipping. Clicked around a bit more, and found H.F. Not wanting to confuse the issue with another bed choice to my wife, I sent her a link to the H.F. webpage and said see what you think. That night, we both agreed to give it a shot, with a money back 1 year guarantee and lots of positive reviews. That was last Tuesday. We decided that since we were going to be able to save so much money, why not order a new twin H.F. bed for our son. With both beds combined, we were still $350 less than the best deal we could find on the Rhapsody. Get this...we ordered the beds online Tuesday and they arrived on Friday! We unrolled them, let them come into shape and have all had the best sleep the last 3 nights. So don't wait another night. Do yourself and your body a favor and buy this mattress! "

5 Star Shopping.Com Rating

A review by alfisti13 written on Sep 17, 2007

If you are interested in learning more about our mattress, see our memory foam mattress page.

Posted by David Rosenberg at 04:20 AM | Permalink

We talk to a lot of people that are having sleep problems. And while our memory foam topper pads and memory foam mattress help a lot of people sleep better, we thought we would share these tips that we came across from the National Sleep Foundation for better sleep to give those in need some other ideas:

"1. Maintain a regular bed and wake time schedule including weekends. Our sleep-wake cycle is regulated by a "circadian clock" in our brain and the body's need to balance both sleep time and wake time. A regular waking time in the morning strengthens the circadian function and can help with sleep onset at night. That is also why it is important to keep a regular bedtime and wake-time, even on the weekends when there is the temptation to sleep-in.

2. Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine such as soaking in a hot bath or hot tub and then reading a book or listening to soothing music. A relaxing, routine activity right before bedtime conducted away from bright lights helps separate your sleep time from activities that can cause excitement, stress or anxiety which can make it more difficult to fall asleep, get sound and deep sleep or remain asleep. Avoid arousing activities before bedtime like working, paying bills, engaging in competitive games or family problem-solving. Some studies suggest that soaking in hot water (such as a hot tub or bath) before retiring to bed can ease the transition into deeper sleep, but it should be done early enough that you are no longer sweating or over-heated. If you are unable to avoid tension and stress, it may be helpful to learn relaxation therapy from a trained professional. Finally, avoid exposure to bright before bedtime because it signals the neurons that help control the sleep-wake cycle that it is time to awaken, not to sleep.

3. Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet, comfortable and cool. Design your sleep environment to establish the conditions you need for sleep ? cool, quiet, dark, comfortable and free of interruptions. Also make your bedroom reflective of the value you place on sleep. Check your room for noise or other distractions, including a bed partner's sleep disruptions such as snoring, light, and a dry or hot environment. Consider using blackout curtains, eye shades, ear plugs, "white noise," humidifiers, fans and other devices.

4. Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows. Make sure your mattress is comfortable and supportive. The one you have been using for years may have exceeded its life expectancy - about 9 or 10 years for most good quality mattresses. Have comfortable pillows and make the room attractive and inviting for sleep but also free of allergens that might affect you and objects that might cause you to slip or fall if you have to get up during the night.

5. Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex. It is best to take work materials, computers and televisions out of the sleeping environment. Use your bed only for sleep and sex to strengthen the association between bed and sleep. If you associate a particular activity or item with anxiety about sleeping, omit it from your bedtime routine. For example, if looking at a bedroom clock makes you anxious about how much time you have before you must get up, move the clock out of sight. Do not engage in activities that cause you anxiety and prevent you from sleeping.

6. Finish eating at least 2-3 hours before your regular bedtime. Eating or drinking too much may make you less comfortable when settling down for bed. It is best to avoid a heavy meal too close to bedtime. Also, spicy foods may cause heartburn, which leads to difficulty falling asleep and discomfort during the night. Try to restrict fluids close to bedtime to prevent nighttime awakenings to go to the bathroom, though some people find milk or herbal, non-caffeinated teas to be soothing and a helpful part of a bedtime routine.

7. Exercise regularly. It is best to complete your workout at least a few hours before bedtime. In general, exercising regularly makes it easier to fall asleep and contributes to sounder sleep. However, exercising sporadically or right before going to bed will make falling asleep more difficult. In addition to making us more alert, our body temperature rises during exercise, and takes as much as 6 hours to begin to drop. A cooler body temperature is associated with sleep onset.. Finish your exercise at least 3 hours before bedtime. Late afternoon exercise is the perfect way to help you fall asleep at night.

8. Avoid caffeine (e.g. coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate) close to bedtime. It can keep you awake. Caffeine is a stimulant, which means it can produce an alerting effect. Caffeine products, such as coffee, tea, colas and chocolate, remain in the body on average from 3 to 5 hours, but they can affect some people up to 12 hours later. Even if you do not think caffeine affects you, it may be disrupting and changing the quality of your sleep. Avoiding caffeine within 6-8 hours of going to bed can help improve sleep quality.

9. Avoid nicotine (e.g. cigarettes, tobacco products). Used close to bedtime, it can lead to poor sleep. Nicotine is also a stimulant. Smoking before bed makes it more difficult to fall asleep. When smokers go to sleep, they experience withdrawal symptoms from nicotine, which also cause sleep problems. Nicotine can cause difficulty falling asleep, problems waking in the morning, and may also cause nightmares. Difficulty sleeping is just one more reason to quit smoking. And never smoke in bed or when sleepy!

10. Avoid alcohol close to bedtime. Although many people think of alcohol as a sedative, it actually disrupts sleep, causing nighttime awakenings. Consuming alcohol leads to a night of less restful sleep"

Posted by David Rosenberg at 04:05 PM | Permalink

Question:
Shopping.Com - Why We Use Their Consumer Testimonial Database For Our Web Business

Answer:
Shopping.Com's testimonial database, powered by Epinions, is a trusted, well known source for unbiased reviews of consumer's shopping and product experiences with a given retailer. Because of the nature of our business, in which our products are offered strictly on-line (no ability for the consumer to try out our products prior to purchase), we really needed a mechanism for consumers to be able to review honest and unbiased testimonials of our products. Also, we wanted customers to see reviews based on customer service experiences that our past customers have had. We take pride in our customer service, and really try to differentiate ourselves from other web retailers in this area.

We currently have a 5 Star rating and Trusted Store status with Shopping.Com, which is extremely hard to achieve and maintain, due to the constant stream of reviews that come in from consumers. We are extremely proud of this, and strive to keep our product and customer service quality at levels consumers expect from a prospective retailer.

To learn more about our products, check out our memory foam mattress buyer's guide.

Posted by David Rosenberg at 04:00 PM | Permalink

Question: Can you be too heavy for a memory foam mattress?

Answer: This is a question we get pretty often. We generally recommend our memory foam mattress for those up to 250 lbs. Our mattress's memory foam layers were put together to cushion up to these weights, but may not have enough cushion for those over 250.

If you are set on getting memory foam and weigh over 250, you may instead want to consider mattresses using denser memory foams (5 lb or higher memory foam). While these higher density memory foams have a somewhat firmer feel than the memory foam we carry, it provides the kind of density higher weights require. And you may want to go for a bit more thickness as well - maybe 4 - 5 inches of memory foam if possible.

Another option would be to go for a dense mattress like an all-natural latex. This would not necessarily have the cushy feel of a memory foam mattress, but the latex is very resilient and supportive and would work well for heavier weights. If you are interested in the latex option, check out Habitat Furnishings Latex mattresses - they are all-natural and come with a 180 day money back trial.

Posted by David Rosenberg at 11:18 AM | Permalink

Question: Your Memory Foam Mattress - How Long Will it Last?

Answer: There's alot of skepticism out there with consumers regarding mattresses and how long they'll actually be supportive and comfortable before breaking down over time. Cheaper pillow top and foam mattresses can break down after only several months to a few years, with the customer being stuck with the mattress either because of a bad or non-existent manufacturer's warranty or a poorly defined return policy from the retailer. We hear this quite a bit from potential customers. We're consumers ourselves, and really wanted to find a product that can stand the test of time, while offering an extremely fair manufacturer's warranty and generous customer trial period. Our mattress, the 10" memory foam mattress, truly fit the bill for what we wanted to present to our customers. The manufacturer of our mattress performs high pressure, long term roll tests with 330 lb press rollers, simulating 20 years of use. The memory foam and core foam layers of our mattress react to the stress of the test extremely well, barely showing compression (less than 1/4" remaining compression) issues from the pressure testing. Because of this and the high quality foams and fabric used in the composition of our mattress, the manufacturer offers a 20 year, non-prorated warranty. One of the best in the business. The manufacturer, over a 6 year period of selling the mattress, has experienced a .01 percent warranty dispute percentage on the mattress. Truly impressive numbers. Because of our success with selling the mattress, we've been able to extend our no questions asked money back trial period to a full year (we've been offering this for about a year now). Basically, a combination that is unmatched (at least that we've seen) in the industry.

Posted by David Rosenberg at 10:54 AM | Permalink

We got this testimonial recently, and it really caught our attention so we wanted to share it with you:

"Better than expected in every way possible
by dave40261, September 18, 2007

I researched this purchase to death. I just could not justify paying top dollar for the name-brand mattress. Actually even paying the price for this mattress was a stretch. I simply did not expect the mattress to perform up to the hype. After reading the reviews, and given the 1 year guarantee, we pulled the trigger on a Healthy Foundations King Mattress. It arrived quickly, and was in great condition. We opened the bag, let it expand, and slept on it an hour later. There was almost no odor the first night, and none at all by the second night. I have never slept so good! I didn't realize just how poorly I was sleeping on my other mattress. After a month of use I can say that I am just as happy with it as I was the first day. I have absolutely no regrets about spending the money, and I'm glad I found this mattress before I was convinced to drop almost $3000 on the other choice. This is by far the best furniture purchase we have ever made. Buy one today!"

If you want more information about our memory foam mattress, see our Memory Foam Mattress page on our site.

Posted by David Rosenberg at 10:48 AM | Permalink

Question or Title: Recommended Foundation Types for a Memory Foam Mattress

Answer: This is a question we get all the time. Memory foam mattresses, in general, require a solid, uniform foundation, like a wood slat foundation with a board (typically cardboard or fiberboard) over the slats, a posture box foundation (basically a wooden frame with a flat top, covered with a nice fabric cover, and typically made of pine or a similar hardwood, covered with some type of particle board), a platform bed or a newer box spring (less than 10 years old, with a rigid, firm spring system - referred to in the industry as foundations these days, rather than box springs). All of these foundation systems are ideal for memory foam mattresses.

Older box springs will typically have too much give for a memory foam mattress (you'll have to test your existing box spring by pressing on the spring system to determine rigidity/firmness of the box spring, and typically you're looking for minimal give with the springs). But if you have bought your mattress in the last 10 years, odds are that you have a foundation rather than a box spring, and it may well still be firm and reselient enough to work well with a new memory foam mattress.

Posted by David Rosenberg at 10:44 AM | Permalink

Question: Mattress Pads - How Important Are They in Protecting a Mattress?

Answer: A good, high quality mattress pad can help protect your mattress in several ways. One of the most important protection measures a mattress pad can provide is to keep potential allergens at bay. Bacteria, mold, dust mites and other allergens that can penetrate a mattress can be difficult to remove and clean. A good mattress pad will help trap allergens before they get into a mattress - something critical for allergy sufferers.

A properly designed mattress pad can also provide protection in the event of a spill, incontinence and toddler bed wetting issues, or pet accidents. The bedroom is a popular place for these events. Some spills or accidents, without mattress pad protection, can be very difficult to clean off a mattress and, most often, render the mattress useless. A proper mattress pad will prevent a spill or accident from ruining your mattress since a mattress pad should provide a degree of absorption.

For these reasons, many people would like to use a mattress pad on their memory foam mattress. But you want to make sure you use the right type mattress pad with a memory foam mattress. Memory foam mattresses require body heat to soften and contour the foam you're laying on. Since heat transfer is critical for these types of mattresses, you want to avoid getting thicker beefed up mattress pads, that are typically stuffed with polyfill material, since they can block the transfer of your body's heat to the memory foam.

So what type of mattress pad do we recommend to use with memory foam mattresses and toppers? We looked at a lot of different mattress pad options, and finally found the Platinum Mattress Protector pad that really works well with memory foam. That is because it is made of a thin, layered film that doesn't block your body's heat from getting into the memory foam. The Platinum Pad's layered construction also makes it breathable and hypoallergenic as well as waterproof. And we really liked that the new layered construction doesn't have that typical crinkly waterproof pad feel. It is machine washable, and will last through dozens of washings.

We have had tremendous success with this pad, and we really recommend it if you are concerned about allergy issues, spills, or just want to protect your memory foam mattress or topper pad.

Posted by David Rosenberg at 10:28 AM | Permalink