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Rule number 10: Replace when you ache.

Retail stores constantly spend money on advertisements that tell you to replace your mattress on some arbitrary timeline. However, I am here to tell you that this is terrible advice.

Why?

Because your mattress may be fine after that amount of time and you don’t want to fix something that isn’t broken. Or what felt great to you a few years ago might not feel as good now. Our bodies change constantly! We may fluctuate in weight or might have better or worse health conditions---those lead to whether or not we are getting the best sleep at the time.

Our taste buds change every 7 years our support needs may change too!

How can you tell when you should replace your mattress?  Replace when you ache.

If you wake up with a sore back or aching shoulders then you know your mattress needs replaced, because it’s not working for you. If you wake up feeling refreshed when you wake up then your mattress is doing what it’s supposed to, whether it is 2 or 12 years old.

Common life changes may cause you to want a new mattress suddenly.

Changes in weight may require an increase in support. Changes in sleep position may require more pressure relief or more support. Hormonal changes can get you sleeping hot. Sealy Chilland Tempur Breeze cooling technology are huge advances in sleep technology for you if you need to sleep cooler.

If your sleep partner is unhappy with your current mattress many solutions are available today that address the sleep needs for both of you.

Make sure everyone is getting great sleep by sharing information about your sleep issues with your Mattress Direct sleep specialist. We can fit you and your partner for a mattress that makes you both excited to get to bed at night. If either of you are struggling from heat, aches or stiffness when you wake up it’s time to replace your mattress.

Your mattress may have been wrong for you from the start.

Any amount of time spent on a mattress that is wrong for you is too much. Unfortunately, this is a common issue because many retail stores can make shopping so confusing. If you can, put this mattress in a guest room and replace your mattress. Everyone deserves to wake up feeling refreshed. Mattress Direct offers 1 year of comfort assurance to ensure your mattress fits your needs.

All Mattress Direct factory direct show rooms have mattress specialists trained to fit you for the best mattress for your sleep needs.  Plus, Mattress Direct makes shopping for the right mattress easy with our nationwide guaranteed lowest price factory direct savings. You get the lowest prices on everything in our showroom up-front so we can focus on finding the best mattress to help you.

Mattress Direct is a factory direct showroom for Tempur-pedic, Sealy, Stearns and Foster, iDirect, King Koil, and Campbell Mattress of Missouri. We proudly carry mattresses made in USA such as the Sealy Posturepedic, King Koil, Sealy Posturepedic Hybrid, Sealy Conform, Tempurpedic Cloud, Tempurpedic Conform and Tempurpedic Flex, Stearns & Foster Estate, Stearns & Foster Lux Estate, Stearns & Foster Reserve and Stearns & Foster Hybrid. We are locally owned and operated serving the greater St. Louis area and growing. Please visit our factory direct mattress showrooms so you get the lowest price and the very best mattress for your particular needs.

The science of sleep continues to evolve. In the past, scientists believed that sleep was a time when the body and brain shut down to rest and recover. In contrast recent research shows that our minds are highly active while we sleep.

Hormones levels increase during sleep which are shown to aid in cell repair, growth, and digestion. Processes that increase memory and learning also take place in the brain throughout sleep.

During sleep your brain repeatedly cycles through 4 different stages of sleep in a specific sequence. REM stages of sleep involve Rapid Eye Movements and the Non- REM stages do not. You will move back and forth between various stages of REM and Non-REM sleep

Non-REM sleep stages
N1- The transitional stage between awake and sleep. This stage is very light sleep and generally lasts less than 15 minutes. Breathing, heart rate, muscles and eye movement all slow. Your temperature wants to drop in this early stage of sleep.

TIP: Phase Change Material like Tempurpedic Breeze, Sealy Chill, or Bedgear Ver-tex Mattress Protectors can help drop your temperature during early N1 stages of sleep to help you get to sleep faster.

N2- is the next period of sleep. This period generally lasts less than 30 minutes. Your heart rate slows further, brain activity slows, and muscles further relax. Over half of your sleep every night is spent in stage N2.

N3- sleep allows the body to feel rested. This sleep is also called Delta sleep because Delta waves are a type of slow brain wave activity that can be seen on EEG readings during deep N3 sleep. Waking up from this stage is more difficult. Delta wave sleep occurs for longer durations in younger children. As we age our time in N3 sleep decreases.

REM sleep

After you sleep through the first 3 stages of Non-REM sleep you will cycle into and back out of the 4^th and final deep sleep stage. REM sleep. During REM sleep your eyes twitch and most intense dreams occur. Your limbs become immobile, possibly to prevent movement while dreaming. Brain activity increases to levels that may be greater than when fully awake.


Every stage of sleep is important. The key to feeling rested when you wake up is the quality of your sleep in each of these stages. When your mattress keeps you awake tossing and turning or has you  feeling sore in the morning you aren’t getting the deep restoring N3 and REM sleep you need, because your body is interrupted during earlier stages of sleep to subconsciously address your discomfort with your mattress. 

If you are constantly tossing and turning and waking up (even after 8 hours of sleep) feeling tired. It could be that you are not getting the quality REM sleep that you need. Come see one our of sleep specialists to be properly fitted for a mattress. 

Mattress Direct is a factory direct showroom for Tempur-pedic, Sealy, Stearns and Foster, iDirect, King Koil, and Campbell Mattress of Missouri. We proudly carry mattresses made in USA such as the Sealy Posturepedic, King Koil, Sealy Posturepedic Hybrid, Sealy Conform, Tempurpedic Cloud, Tempurpedic Conform and Tempurpedic Flex, Stearns & Foster Estate, Stearns & Foster Lux Estate, Stearns & Foster Reserve and Stearns & Foster Hybrid. We are locally owned and operated serving the greater St. Louis area and growing. Please visit our factory direct mattress showrooms so you get the lowest price and the very best mattress for your particular needs.

Let’s talk about sheets.

Your bed sheets might not seem like a very important choice but you spend 1/3 of your life in bed. Shouldn’t you try to make the most of that time and maximize your comfort? Keep reading and you will know everything you need to make an informed bed sheet selection.

100% Cotton: This is generally American grown and harvested upland cotton. The fibers of this fantastic cotton are generally shorter and less luxurious. This cotton is often blended with other materials like rayon or polyester to improve the feel.

Pima or Supima cotton: This cotton is very high quality and has longer fibers than regular American cotton. If you are looking for a luxurious cotton sheet this is a fantastic choice.

Egyptian cotton:  This cotton is known for its long, luxurious fibers. Egyptian cotton is extremely high quality and is often harvest by hand. The highest quality all cotton bed sheets are generally 100% Egyptian cotton.

Performance bedding: Materials that surpass cotton’s ability to cool the body. Often utilizing the same advanced materials found in high-end sportswear. These advanced materials may feel even better to you than high quality cotton.


What to know about weaves.

It’s not just what you use but how you use it. The weave for a bedding set has a lot of impact on how the fabrics feel and how well they keep the body cool.

Percale weave: This weave leaves more gaps between threads which cause sheets made in this style to have a crisp feel. The space between weaves allows for better air flow so hot sleepers may enjoy percale weave more.

Sateen weave: A weave with less space between threads gives this design a smoother, luxurious feel. Sateen weave sheets glide across the body but that smooth feel may limit some air flow. Hot sleepers may find cotton sheets made in this way are more insulating.

Thread counts you can count on.

Thread count is the number of horizontal and vertical threads per square inch. High quality sheets typically range from 200-800 thread count but may go into the 1000 count and up.  Be careful not to use thread count as the sole sign of quality when selecting sheets. Often, low quality sheet sets with high counts are marketed. These sheets use very thin threads to inflate this thread count number without increasing the quality. However if high quality threads are used, generally, increasing the number of threads per square inch will mean better durability and more luxurious feeling sheets.

As with anything, your personal preference is most important. Just be sure to remember that every aspect of your sleep is important. Find sheets that feel comfortable and make you look forward to lying in bed every night.

As an alternative to traditional cotton sheets with thread counts an innovative company Bed Gear has made an ultra-breathable sheet using their Dri-Tec Technology. They feel light weight and smooth and offer the latest in cooling technology. They provide not only the quality you are looking for but a smooth luxurious feel.  Come into Mattress Direct to be fit for a pillow or a new sheet of gorgeous, smooth, breathable sheets. 

          Kids need a lot of sleep. Depending on their age, children need to sleep anywhere from 9 to 14 hours a night to provide optimal time for their bodies to rest and recharge for the next day. Without the proper amount of sleep kids can be less attentive in school, have delayed response time, loss of short-term memory, and develop behavioral issues such as anxiety and anger management. Not only does it affect cognitive development but not having the proper amount of sleep can also lead to obesity. Setting a proper schedule for sleep in children can help kid’s growth and prevent them from having sleep problems in the future. The average adult who doesn’t get the proper amount of sleep can develop heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, strokes, depression, anxiety, forgetfulness, and impaired judgement. Setting the right schedule when people are younger allows people to continue this into adulthood and prevent future problems.

            Not only can lack of sleep affect behavior in children and have future consequences it also affects growth.  The pituitary gland excretes growth hormone during the day, but most of the gland’s release is right after a child falls asleep and continues throughout the night. If a child is not receiving a full night’s rest of quality sleep the child might grow more slowly or have a lack of regulating hormones in their body. These hormones do more than just regulate growth; they regulate how the body reacts to food and again how children react to certain stresses or situations. When the body doesn’t get enough sleep and hormones children begin craving higher calorie carb food which can lead to insulin resistance and possibly diabetes.

Recommended quality sleep for Children per Day

1-3 Years Old: 12 - 14 hours

3-6 Years Old: 10 - 12 hours

7-12 Years Old: 10 - 11 hours

12-18 Years Old: 8 - 9 hours

                Children need more than just the hours of sleep their sleep quality is just as important, if not more so, as it is in adults. These are the years that people grow the most physically and mentally. Sleep is crucial to maintaining health for child’s whole life. They need pressure relief and support on their young bodies so that they do not develop chronic pain and get the full rest they deserve. When looking at support systems for your child the number one thing is get something new. Hand me down clothing is one thing, but a hand me down mattress produces a myriad of problems. The mattress is older and has been slept on by, more than likely, two people and if the mattress is not providing enough support for the original user(s) then why would it provide enough support for a child? Second a hand me down mattresses have dust mites, sweat, dead skin cells, etc. inside of the mattress and it could create issues for children, especially for those who have allergies.

                When looking at the different types of support for the child let them have a say in picking out a new mattress. It is remarkable to watch children picking out a new sleep system—they really know what they want and how it feels to them. Just like adults the type of support they need is determined by how they sleep. Ask your child what position they like to sleep in. More than likely they will know the answer.  If your child tends to sleep on their side a mattress with more pressure relieving material or foams would be a better choice; while back and stomach sleepers tend to need a little bit less. Finding the right amount of pressure relief is unique to every child. Just because a child can sleep on anything or anywhere does not mean they should. Also children need room to grow and stretch. Get the biggest mattress the space allows for.  

                Starting kids out right allows for them to be healthier for the rest of their lives. 

http://www.babycenter.com/0_the-connection-between-sleep-and-growth_3658990.bc

http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sleep/sleep.html#

Help kids get a better night's sleep with Mattress Direct's new King Koil Kids line! These mattresses are designed to help a child's growing body get the sleep they need and reach their full potential! 

Are you sleeping too much?

You need sleep. You need hours and hours of sleep. How do you know when you are sleeping too much? Does it matter? Can you really get too much sleep?

Oversleeping has been linked to a range of problems like heart disease and diabetes.

So how much sleep is too much?

Your sleep needs change through your lifetime.  During stressful periods your body may crave more sleep. If you are suffering from an illness your body may require more sleep.

How much sleep should your children get every night?

According to the National Sleep Foundation your school age children should sleep 1 to 2 hours more than adults. Preschool children and Toddlers require the most sleep and adults over 65 tend to require an hour less of sleep per night.

Your oversleeping could be a medical disorder.

Hypersomnia sufferers feel tired all day. Naps do not relieve the tired feelings hypersomnia suffers exhibit and going to sleep at night may cause them to sleep for unusually long periods of time. Difficulty remembering, anxiety and extreme lack of energy are the result of their constant need for sleep.

Sleep Apnea should not go untreated.

A very common sleep ailment that can keep you from getting good restoring sleep is sleep apnea. This disorder causes you to stop breathing for moments while you sleep. This lack of air flow disrupts sleep and can cause major health issues.

If you notice you or your partner gasps for breath in the middle of the night, or you are waking up tired and unrested every morning, consult your doctor.

What should you do if you often sleep too much?

You may just need a new mattress. If your mattress has you waking up sore or stiff then you should look at replacing it. If you feel your mattress is too hard it could be causing pressure that makes you toss and turn at night instead of getting deep, undisturbed, sleep.

Sleep needs vary from person to person

You may find that you require more sleep than others. Just be sure that you are following all the sleep rules to ensure you get as much deep restoring sleep as possible while you sleep. – Mattress Direct

Mattress Direct is a factory direct showroom for Tempur-pedic, Sealy, Stearns and Foster, iDirect, King Koil, and Campbell Mattress of Missouri. We proudly carry mattresses made in USA such as the Sealy Posturepedic, King Koil, Sealy Posturepedic Hybrid, Sealy Conform, Tempurpedic Cloud, Tempurpedic Conform and Tempurpedic Flex, Stearns & Foster Estate, Stearns & Foster Lux Estate, Stearns & Foster Reserve and Stearns & Foster Hybrid. We are locally owned and operated serving the greater St. Louis area and growing. Please visit our factory direct mattress showrooms so you get the lowest price and the very best mattress for your particular needs.

Rule No. 3

Keep your Cool

with Cool technology.

There are new advances in cool technology that finally provide a solution for hot sleepers.

 The coolest mattresses use advanced materials like Tempur-pedic Breeze and Sealy Chill. Gel has some limited cooling properties by itself but phase change materials are more advanced and provide more of a cooling effect that will drop your body temperature so you get to sleep quickly.

You have probably already heard of cool mattresses but how do you find the coolest?  

Sealy Chill and Tempur Breeze

Advanced phase change material found in Tempur-pedic Breezemattresses have proven successful in addressing the needs of hot sleepers. Tempur-Sealy is taking the innovation and applying it to more Sealy mattresses with Sealy Chill.

Phase change material like Sealy Chill and Tempur Breeze are designed to absorb heat and cool your body. When your body rests on a mattress with this new innovative cooling technology your excess heat is absorbed quickly so you can fall asleep faster.

Avoid spikes in temperature.

Have you ever pulled your blankets back up in the middle of the night? 

                Phase change material like Tempur Breeze and Sealy Chill help drop your temperature quickly and absorb excess heat to return to you when your body is resting in deep sleep. Your mattress should always keep you comfortable all night long so you get to stay in deeper sleep without interruption.

Mattress Direct is a factory direct showroom for Tempur-pedic, Sealy, Stearns and Foster, iDirect, King Koil, and Campbell Mattress of Missouri. We proudly carry mattresses made in USA such as the Sealy Posturepedic, King Koil, Sealy Posturepedic Hybrid, Sealy Conform, Tempurpedic Cloud, Tempurpedic Conform and Tempurpedic Flex, Stearns & Foster Estate, Stearns & Foster Lux Estate, Stearns & Foster Reserve and Stearns & Foster Hybrid. We are locally owned and operated serving the greater St. Louis area and growing. Please visit our factory direct mattress showrooms so you get the lowest price and the very best mattress for your particular needs.

Keeping the Bed Clean: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Destroying Dust Mites. – by Justin Taylor

How often do you wash your sheets? Do you ever vacuum your mattress? What level of action is really necessary? Follow these tips to ensure a great night’s sleep free from dust mites and other allergens that may infiltrate your bedding.

1. Wash your sheets in hot water at least once a week

 120-130F water will kill those disgusting dust mites that dine on your dead skin cells while you sleep.

If your bedding must be washed in cooler temperatures look for additives that kill dust mites to add to your wash.

2. Protect your pillow
They can’t run, they can’t hide. Often over looked, the pillow is the kind of place a dust mite would want to retire. Many keep their pillows for years.

According to Ohio State University up to 10% of your pillow’s weight can be dead dust mites and their excretions. Pillow protectors will eliminate the ability for mites to infest your favorite pillow. A good quality and well-fitting pillow is worth investing in so be sure to protect it.

3. Protect your mattress    

Either vacuum your mattress at least once a year or better yet, invest in a protector.
Protect your mattress with a mattress protector to keep dust mites, bed bugs, sweat, oils or accidents away from your mattress. Many protectors are now available that not only protect your mattress but allow you to sleep cool all night long.  If you are adding a protector to a mattress that was unprotected it may be a good idea to spend some time cleaning the mattress with a vacuum to remove any dust mites you can before using the protector.

4. Throw your comforter in the dryer

Drying your comforter for 20-30 minutes can decrease the dust mite populations that live within.

5. Keep the humidity low

Dust mites love the humidity. You can slow their growth in numbers by avoiding humidifiers in the winter and running air conditioners or dehumidifiers in the summer in humid climate.

With this 5 pronged attack plan the dust mite populations in your bed shouldn’t stand a chance. Be sure to keep surfaces dusted and carpets vacuumed throughout the house to help eliminate dust mites everywhere else. 

Sleep well!

You will see two main varieties of mattress when you shop for a mattress traditional inner spring mattresses and memory foam. Both are fantastic depending on your own personal preference and sleeping style.

Memory foam you sleep more inside the mattress, while innerspring mattresses you sleep more on top of the mattress.

All memory foam mattresses are made of foam but some mattresses are cooler than others.  Gel has some limited cooling properties, but try more advanced cooling methods like Tempurpedic Breeze technology or Sealy Chill cooling technology if you tend to sleep hot.

Tempurpedic is the most recommended style of memory foam mattress. It is made entirely of advanced TempurMaterial. Tempurpedic pioneered advanced cooling technology with Tempurpedic Breeze which gives mattresses a cool to the touch feel so you sleep cool.

Many cheap memory foam mattress brands come and go. You may have tried a mattress before that was not good quality, but trusted brands like Tempurpedic have very high standards.

TempurMaterial is proprietary just to Tempur-Pedic. Their material conforms better and lasts longer. Plus, Tempur foams adapt to pressure better so you sleep with less tossing and turning. If you sleep with a partner they will appreciate the fact that memory foam mattresses isolate motion.

Tempur-Pedic offers 2 varieties of all foam mattresses. Tempurpedic Contour mattresses are firm, but adapt to provide pressure relief and great alignment. Tempurpedic Cloud mattresses give an initial feel of softness, while still providing a lot of support. Both styles are available with extra Breeze cooling.

Sealy Conform is another great option for those seeking a memory foam mattress. Conform mattresses use different technology throughout their line. Most of their memory foam has what Sealy is known for—their Posturepedic technology. The center third of their memory foam is reinforced to support you where you need it most. The all memory foam Sealy Conform mattresses have new improved Chill memory foam.

If you like the ease of movement that can be provided by an all spring mattress you may wish to look into a hybrid design that uses coils and memory foams in combination. Tempurpedic Flex mattresses and Sealy Hybrids have a more traditional support feel while providing the benefits of memory foam to ease pressure on shoulders and hips.

A hybrid memory foam mattress replaces some of the bottom support layers of a memory foam mattress with a traditional coil support system to bring back the feel of being on top of a mattress while allowing the memory foam on top to conform to your natural curves.

Sealy Posturepedic Hybrid or Stearns and Foster Hybrid mattresses are an excellent choice if you want memory foams but want to keep some of the traditional feel of a spring coil mattress.

If you like a sleep on top feel a traditional spring mattress or a hybrid could be the right one for you. Many of those style mattresses also have many cooling features as well. If you sleep mostly on your stomach, typically a firmer spring mattress (especially one with Posturepedic technology) would give you the support or firmness needed.

The best way to find out which one is right for you is to come in to your local Mattress Direct and feel each type for yourself. Your own unique body will be able to feel how the mattresses conform and support you. So wear comfy clothes and get ready for a nap. The longer you lay in a mattress the better of an idea you will get for the feel of it and how it will be for an entire night. Our sleep specialists can guide you until you find your perfect mattress!

Picking the right outfit for any occasion:  Mattress Shopping

By Justin Taylor

So you’ve decided you need a new mattress and you want to find your perfect bed, but are unsure of what to wear to give you your best result. Do you want to wear that cute workout outfit you bought last week to try a Tempurpedic? Maybe your his and hers matching rompers just arrived and this seems like the perfect evening to try them out laying on a Stearns and Foster.

There are many right answers but here are a few guidelines that you will want to follow when picking clothes to shop for a mattress.

Wear something that does not bind or restrict your movement
Remember to avoid the super tight jeans that keep you from being able to bend your legs. You want to be able to get into that typical fetal position many like to sleep in. Also, no light jackets either.  Jackets tend to keep you from being able move and stretch on a new bed. They obstruct your ability to test a mattress properly.

Don’t add padding with a coat or jacket
Make sure you take off your coat or jacket. It can not only change how you move on the mattress but it will also add additional padding the mattress and make the mattress feel different--- it won’t feel the same when it is in your bedroom.  Also, you want to be able to feel the new cooling features on mattresses like Tempurpedic and Sealy Posturepedic Conform and Sealy Posturepedic Hybrid. Cooling layers make a huge difference on how you sleep. It’s easier to evaluate these new advanced features while wearing thinner comfortable clothing.

Remember to wear pants or shorts
A romper could work too but typically you will feel more comfortable in pants or shorts that allow you to lie down while other shoppers or employees are around. You can turn more freely so when you compare the Sealy Posturepedic with the Tempurpedic you don’t have to move any less naturally than you would in your own bedroom.

You know you want to wear PJs
Everyone has done it. Quick trip to the store, long flight, you love your PJs. You know you want to show off your latest cute PJs. Bring the kids in their latest superhero PJs! While normally it might not be socially acceptable to wear PJs just anywhere--- but shopping for a mattress in athletic shorts and tank tops or t-shirts is very common. It’s about picking the right mattress and not dressing to impress.

Most any modern athletic pants/shorts shirt combo seems to be the best possible outfit. Just avoid heavily padded or bulky clothing and short dresses then you will have a pleasurable mattress shopping experience.

DOs

T-shirt

Shorts

Pants

Pajamas

Under armour

Comfy lighter weight clothing

DON’Ts

Jackets

Coats

Tight Clothing

Skirts/Dresses