Cheap Mattresses are Sleep Stealers

A recent survey revealed that many health and back problems are due to old or cheap mattresses. The Arc Consulting for the Better Sleep Council found that 82% of 400 surveyed adults believe that their sleep problems are caused by their mattress and almost half described the condition of their mattress as bad or very bad. Although they recognize that their mattress is in bad condition, they are fail to see that it is a sleep stealer and could end up contributing to other health issues.

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When asked the question, what was the main reason why they thought they had trouble sleeping, stress had overwhelmingly outnumbered their cheap/old mattress five to one. Stress does rob you of your sleep every now and then, but if you are tossing and turning every night to find a comfortable position because of the condition of your mattress, it’s time to get a new mattress.

A good night’s sleep is crucial to your day to day performance and well-being. We all sleep. Some more than others! But the bottom line is that most of us sleep on a mattress that is over 15 years old or wasn’t in the best condition new, because it was cheap. A memory foam mattress closely conforms to your individual body shape, cradling your body efficiently and distributing pressure over the whole surface. This reduces the need to toss and turn by around 80% resulting in a deeper more restful sleep. Now I know what you are thinking. I can’t afford a memory foam mattress, especially not this time of year with the holidays coming up. What you probably could afford (or put it on your Christmas Wish list) is a memory foam mattress pad topper. If you have a bad mattress I recommend that you get a topper that is at least 3” thick to support your weight particularly if you sleep with a partner.

Remember though you can purchase a cheaper memory foam mattress topper too. Odor from memory foam is caused by what's known as "outgassing", which is basically the release of the chemicals used in the manufacture of the product. With good memory foam, the odor should be slight and it should go away after a day or two of airing. Low-quality memory foam has very obnoxious, potentially harmful odors/outgassing (Serta is notorious for this) and with some that odor doesn't go away even after months of airing.

With good memory foam, when you press your hand into the foam for a few seconds and remove it, the imprint should linger and very slowly disappear. With cheap memory foam, the imprint will go away instantly or after a second or two. Toppers can be a bit on the firm side when first used and will provide support for months. Cheap toppers lose their support rather quickly. Be aware that cheap memory foam toppers are not made from high quality memory foam. Cheaper brands are usually made in China. The US brands have to adhere to strict rules and regulations when making their toppers. Don’t be taken in with terms such as; eco-friendly, natural, organic or green as the topper can be as little as 5% green meaning it is 95% polyurethane chemicals.

Be sure your topper will support the weight of everyone sleeping on it. The minimum density should be 3 pounds per cubic foot. As I suggested early a 3” topper is better (this is what I have), but for a teen or younger child a 2” topper will suffice. Not only should the topper be at least 3” thick for an adult, it should be of solid foam and not wavy, contoured or of egg crate shape. If your existing bed is sagging don’t expect you topper to work as well. You may want to put a piece of plywood under your mattress first to support your bed. When purchasing a memory foam mattress topper remember the size and dimensions of your bed: King 76” X 80”, Queen 60” X 80”, Full 53” X 75” and Twin 38” X 75”.

There are many brands on the market like: Sleep Better 3-Inch Visco Elastic Memory Foam Mattress Topper I suggest that you read the reviews for each product or go to your local department store, read the label and test the foam. A memory foam mattress pad topper is one of many excellent Christmas gifts for people who can’t sleep. Why settle for a cheap mattress that steals your sleep, believe me I know (I have degenerative disk disease) that my memory foam mattress pad topper was the best Christmas present I ever got.

The content provided in Cheap Mattresses are Sleep Stealers is for information purposes only, intended to raise the awareness of different solutions for you or your families sleep problems and should not be considered medical advice. For medical diagnosis and treatment, please see your qualified health-care professional.