Meeting in the Middle

May 7, 2013

Capture

Dear Snooze Guru,

My wife and I were recently married, and we’re already having issues. No, not marital issues (but thank you for your concern). I’m talking about sleep issues. I’m a small man and my wife is a large woman. Since we started sleeping in the same bed, we’ve noticed that while we may start the night at opposite sides of the bed, it doesn’t take long for us to collide in the middle. I love my wife and she loves me, but listen, we’ve got to get some sleep. I’m guessing our difference in size and weight is the reason we roll into each other at night. Do you know how to fix this? Should we get a new mattress? If so, what kind do you recommend? We both prefer an innerspring mattress to memory foam. Are there innerspring mattresses that can solve this problem?

-Todd from Bethlehem, PA

Dear Todd,

Thank you for your letter. This is a common problem sleepers face, but fortunately it’s correctable. First, you need to determine if it’s the mattress or your foundation (box spring) that’s the source of the problem. Take your mattress off of your bed to inspect the foundation (or the slats of your platform bed if you don’t use a foundation). If the center support is weakened or missing, then that could be the cause of the rolling. Also, try putting your mattress on the floor and laying on it with your wife. If you don’t experience rolling, then your foundation is likely the source of your problem. If you still experience rolling, then your mattress is to blame. There may be nothing inherently wrong with the mattress, but rather, it might not contain the right coil system for you. If your mattress has a tied coil system, then that could be the reason you roll together. The steel wires in a tied system are all connected, so they tend to transfer motion across the mattress. Purchasing a mattress with an individually pocketed or wrapped coil system (shown above) will likely solve your problem. This coil system gives more support to your shoulders and hips while conforming to the curves of your body. It does an excellent job of preventing motion transfer, meaning you and your wife will receive independent support and not feel each other move throughout the night.

Whether the source of your problem is the foundation or your mattress, you can find relief when you shop with US-Mattress. With an enormous selection of mattresses and foundations, you’ll find everything that you and your wife need to get deep, undisturbed rest throughout the night.

Sleep Well,

The Snooze Guru

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Posted by Tim

Mattress Height

October 2, 2012

Dear Snooze Guru

My name is Evelyn and I have lived with my husband in our home for 57 years. In all that time, we’ve only had three mattresses. How have we hung onto them for so long? Well, we know how to take care of things. Anyway, my husband finally wore me down and convinced me that we need a new mattress. Now I have to tell you, Snooze Guru, I don’t like what I’m seeing when I’m shopping. When did these beds get so tall? I could hardly climb up on any of the beds at the store. Look, we’re old. We don’t need to make an Olympic event out of getting into bed every night. Can you tell me how I can find a shorter mattress? Thank you.

Evelyn from Queens, NY

Dear Evelyn,

Since you haven’t bought a mattress in many years, it’s not uncommon that you’re surprised by today’s mattress heights. They’re quite a bit taller than they used to be. For many people, getting into bed isn’t an easy task. Adding inches to a sleep surface can mean the difference between safe and dangerous sleep. Fortunately, there are a few ways in which you can work with, and around, today’s tall mattresses.

Low Profile Box Springs and Foundations

Purchasing a low profile box spring or foundation with your new mattress is one way to shorten the height of your sleep surface. You’ll get all of the support that you would from a standard box spring or foundation, but you’ll get it at a lower height. This can be an extremely valuable feature for those with arthritis or other physical ailments.

Platform Beds

If you’d like an even lower profile sleep surface, then you should consider purchasing a platform bed. They are designed to function without a box spring or foundation, so even the tallest mattresses on today’s market can be accessible for shorter sleepers. Platform beds are also great for saving space in your bedroom, so by switching from a standard bed, you may gain space that you can utilize in other ways.

Fortunately, US-Mattress.com has everything you need to create a sleep surface that’s best for you. We don’t want size restrictions to keep you from getting the great sleep you deserve, and that’s why we’re committed to finding you the best bed to fit your situation. If you can’t find what you’re looking for online, you can speak with one of our friendly mattress experts about placing a custom order by dialing 1-800-455-1052.

Sleep Well,

The Snooze Guru

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Posted by Tim

Box Spring vs. Foundation

April 12, 2012

If you’re buying a mattress set for the first time in a long while, you might be a little confused about the difference between a foundation and a box spring. You might be thinking things like “What the heck is a foundation?” or “Aunt Nancy always told me that a good box spring is the key to a good night’s sleep. Was she lying to me? Do I need to reevaluate everything else Aunt Nancy told me? Does Uncle Frank know about this?” or “Great, another decision I have to make. This is all I need!” But try not to get too upset. The truth is, there really isn’t a difference between a box spring and a foundation.

Traditional box springs used to have coils inside of a wood casing that provided a slightly softer feeling to the sleep surface. Today, a box spring is made with steel flex rods rather than coils. The rods give slightly under pressure, so they perform the same function as a coil. A foundation is made of the same components. In fact, many retailers use the terms box spring and foundation interchangeably. Since box springs and foundations come in a range of heights, you might notice that lower profile boxes are referred to as foundations, and taller ones are labeled as box springs.

Low Profile Box Spring (Foundation)

Low Profile Foundation

Standard Box Spring (Foundation)

High Profile Foundation

So, as you can see, the differences between box springs and foundations are mostly phonetic and aesthetic. When you buy your mattress set, know how high you want your bed to stand off of the ground. Today’s mattress heights are higher than those in years past, so you might want to consider a low profile foundation to keep you from having to pole vault onto your bed at night. If your bed lies low to the ground, then a standard box spring might be the best option for you.

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Posted by Tim

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