Mattress Buying FAQ

1. Why is sleep important?

2. What are some ways to get a better night's sleep?

3. What's the right amount of sleep?

4. What can shiftworkers or people who work at night do to sleep better?

5. Can people make up for lost sleep during the week by sleeping in on weekends?

6. What should people look for in a new mattress?

7. How often should mattresses be replaced? How long do they last?

8. What are the dimensions of mattress sizes?

9. What is CertiPUR-US^(TM)Certification?

10. What is the Oeko Tex(R) certification for Mountaintop Latex?

11. What measures do you take to meet Federal Flammability requirements?

1. Why is sleep important?

   Sleep is a key part of a healthy lifestyle. Like eating right and exercising, sleeping well is essential to feeling your best during the day. It affects how you feel, your relationships, your productivity and your quality of life. While you sleep, your brain goes to work, consolidating the day's learning into memory and re-energizing the body.

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2. What are some ways to get a better night's sleep?

   A few key things should help. Try going to bed and getting up at the same time every day – even on the weekends. This will help keep your biological clock in sync. Develop a sleep ritual by doing the same things each night just before bed. Parents often establish a routine for their kids, but it can help adults, too. A routine cues the body to settle down for the night. Another hint: Unwind early in the evening so that worries and distractions don't keep you from getting a good night's sleep. Finally, create a restful sleep environment – sleep in a cool, quiet, dark room on a comfortable, supportive mattress and foundation – to get your best night's rest. If you're sleeping as much as you need, but still find that you're sleepy during the day, you should consult your doctor to see if you might have a medical condition interfering with your sleep.

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3. What's the right amount of sleep?

   It differs for every person. Some people may need as much as 10 hours a night and others need much less. The average person needs 7-8 hours a night. If you find yourself sleepy during the day, you probably need more sleep at night. Or if you sleep longer on the weekends than during the week, you probably need more sleep during the week.

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4. What can shiftworkers or people who work at night do to sleep better?

   Anyone who sleeps during the day needs to make sure their room is dark – use heavy window coverings to block out the light. This is important for everyone, but particularly for people who sleep when it's bright outside. Also, make sure your room is cool, between 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit (16 to 18 degrees Celsius). Sleep on a comfortable, supportive mattress and foundation that offers you enough space to move around comfortably. And sleep in a room that's quiet. The sleep environment is a very controllable part of good sleep – whether you're sleeping during the day or at night. You can adjust the temperature, replace an uncomfortable or worn-out mattress, block out noise with earplugs or a white noise machine and keep light from your bedroom with dark blinds or eye shades.

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5. Can people make up for lost sleep during the week by sleeping in on weekends?

   No. If you sleep more on the weekends than during the week – and many of us do – this indicates that you have a "sleep debt." A sleep debt accumulates when you don't get enough sleep. The only way to reduce the debt is to sleep as much as your body needs every night. Make sure you're getting the right quality of sleep as well. Sleep in a cool, dark, quiet room on a comfortable, supportive mattress to get your best night's sleep.

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6. What should people look for in a new mattress?

   Four keys to keep in mind are support, comfort, space and matching sets. The mattress that's right for you will keep your spine in proper alignment – how your spine is when it's in good standing posture – supporting your body and cradling it along its curves. The right mattress will also be comfortable for your body. Keep in mind that your comfort preferences are likely to change as you age. Make sure the mattress provides enough space for easy, free movement. Couples should sleep on a queen or king-size mattress. And keep in mind that a mattress and foundation are designed to work together. Buy them as a set and get the most out of your investment in yourself.

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7. How often should mattresses be replaced? How long do they last?

   Mattresses wear out on different timetables. This is due to numerous factors such as how it was used (guest room, master bedroom, doubled as a trampoline for the kids), whether the mattress was cared for properly and/or the quality of the mattress itself. Other important considerations are how personal comfort levels or a person's lifestyle and body may have changed over the years. We encourage you to think about these things and ask yourself the following questions:

   • Are you sleeping better or worse than you did a year ago?
   • Are you waking up feeling stiff and sore?
   • Does your mattress have visible signs of wear and tear?
   • Would a new mattress improve your sleep?

   If the answer is "yes" to any of these questions, then it's time to consider purchasing a new mattress. And because people tend to overlook their mattresses and don't think about them, we recommend that you "check" your mattress using these four questions on a regular basis – at least twice a year – to make sure mattress wear and tear isn't sneaking up on you and disrupting your sleep.

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8. What are the dimensions of mattress sizes?

   Many beds, whether homemade, older than 1950's, custom, etc. can vary in size - especially length, so please measure before making a purchase. A headboard and footboard combination should measure 1.5"-2" longer than the mattress. The width can fit snug unless it is enclosed in the width. (A traditional waterbed frame would be an example of enclosed width.) 
   
   

   76 x 79.5	Standard King
   72 x 84	California or Western King
   70 x 82	King Waterbed Drop-In (72 x 84 frame)
   38 x 79.5	Split King, requires 2
   60 x 84	California Queen
   66 x 79.5	Olympic Queen
   60 x 79.5	Queen
   60 x 74.5	RV Queen (length can vary)
   58 x 82	Queen Drop-In (60 x 84 frame)
   46 x 82	Super Single Drop-In (48 x 84 frame)
   53 x 79.5	Full X-Long
   53 x 74.5	Full
   47 x 74.5	Three Quarter (± half of three-quarter beds are this size - measure!)
   38 x 79.5	Twin X-Long
   38 x 74.5	Twin
   30 x 74.5	Cot
   33 x 66	Youth
   27.5 x 52	Crib (Bowles does not manufacture crib mattresses)
   36 x 79.5	Standard Hospital
   60 x 72	Queen Sofabed
   52 x 72	Full Sofabed
   39 x 72	Twin Sofabed

   
   Sizes may vary by 1/2"-1". Measure your bed to make sure you buy the right size mattress. Note any other size requirements - space available in the spot where the bed is to go, the size of stairwell entrances and ceiling clearance in stairwells, etc. to be sure you can fit your mattress in your space. Also, if your house has unique features - ie: if this is a third floor bedroom with spiral staircases throughout - you might want to take this into consideration when choosing the mattress size.
   
   

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9. What is CertiPUR-US(TM)Certification?

   

   Click the image for a video explanation.

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10. What is the Oeko Tex(R) certification for Mountaintop Latex?

    Mountaintop Latex is certified by Oeko Tex(R) Standard 100. This has been tested for harmful substances and is harmless for human health. Scan the QR code on the linked OEKO TEX® Certificate and scroll down to "Our Standards" and click the Standard 100 link for more information.

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11. What measures do you take to meet Federal Flammability requirements?

    Bowles uses inherent FR Rayon from Precision Textiles. Click here for detailed information.

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