Sleep Blog

If you are serious about your pillows like I am, you should look into microbead pillows. Their popularity is on the rise. See our detailed microbead pillow review.

A Dark Colored Bedroom Can Mean Better Sleep

2009-04-20T17:30:00.003-05:00

Many people like brighter paint colors for the rooms of their house, including their bedroom. This can be an obstacle to good sleep however, especially if you are in your bed when the sun is out such as in the early morning.

Light coming through the windows will be reflected or amplified by brighter colored paint. This means that your room will be brighter, and a bright room is more difficult to sleep in than a darker room. This is because light tends to "activate" the brain while darkness tends to "deactivate" it.

Therefore, choose a darker paint color for your bedroom. It will absorb light and make your room darker. Your sleep may improve as a result!

See sleep and darkness for much more information on this and related issues.

Latex Mattress Toppers -- An Alternative to Memory Foam Toppers?

2009-04-20T17:22:00.002-05:00

Based on our memory foam mattress topper research, the toppers tend to have high customer satisfaction. However, they do have some downsides, most notably off gassing.

Based on our latex mattress research, there is every reason to believe that latex toppers would have at least as impressive customer satisfaction as memory foam. Latex does not have most of the disadvantages of memory, including off gassing. Latex, however, can be more pricey than memory foam.

Sleeping Pills -- The Good, Bad and the Ugly

2009-04-17T15:33:00.003-05:00

If you are on Ambien or Lunesta or know someone who is, be sure to look at our sleeping pill research based on data from hundreds of actual users. Granted, this is not a scientific study, but the results, especially for Ambien, are a bit unsettling.

Pillow Top Mattresses -- Should They Be Avoided?

2009-04-17T15:28:00.002-05:00

Check out our new research findings on pillow top mattresses based on data from at least 118 actual owners. Comfort and durability / longevity are discussed. The findings might surprise you.

White Noise / Sound Machine Ratings -- Sleep Better By Blocking Out Unwanted Noise

2009-04-17T15:19:00.004-05:00

If you have trouble sleeping and think that unwanted noise may be at least part of the problem, then you owe it to yourself to try a white noise / sound machine. They are generally effective in drowning out unwanted noise by producing white noise and or nature sounds.

See our detailed white noise / sound machine reviews & ratings based on hundreds of actual owner experiences.

Chronic Insomnia Self-Treatment

2009-04-13T16:08:00.002-05:00

If you suffer from chronic insomnia, you should check out my chronic insomnia success story. It is based on cognitive behavioral principles, not sleeping pills.

Revive an Older Mattress with a Memory Foam Topper / Pad

2009-04-13T16:01:00.002-05:00

With the economy in the tank, people are looking for ways to delay major purchases, including mattresses.

A mattress topper is an inexpensive way to give new life to an old bed. There are many types including feather, latex, wool and regular foam. However, the most popular type is memory foam because the vast majority of people find it comfortable. In addition, you can often get a quality memory foam topper for under $200, sometimes much less.

View our memory foam mattress topper ratings based on over 300 actual owner experiences.

Down Pillows -- Good for Those Looking for Soft, Fluffy, Airy Comfort

2009-04-13T15:51:00.003-05:00

Down pillows have been popular for centuries because they have distinct advantages. For example, they can often be suitable for virtually all sleeping positions. In addition, they can be a good value even though they tend to be pricey because they tend to last many years.

Read our detailed down pillow review.

Serta Mattress -- Research Findings

2009-04-11T15:58:00.002-05:00

In the video below, I discuss our research findings on the Serta innerspring mattress based on over 180 actual owner experiences. Topic covered include comfort rating, sagging and how it compares to the competition.

Latex Bed Disadvantages -- High Weight, Allergies and More

2009-04-11T15:37:00.003-05:00

Based on our mattress research, we have determined that latex beds have higher customer satisfaction as a group than the other mattress types, including innerspring, air, water and memory foam.

There are some downsides of latex that should be mentioned however. First, the mattresses are very heavy. Only water beds and perhaps very high density memory foam mattresses are heavier. Putting linens on a latex bed or transporting it will be more difficult than for a lighter mattress such as a Sleep Number bed which weighs very little because it is filled largely with air.

Also, a fairly small number of people have latex allergies. If you are not sure if you are allergic to latex, then you need to determine this before you buy a latex mattress or even a mattress containing just some latex.

For more information, see latex mattress advantages and disadvantages.

Sleep Number Bed -- Mold and Mildew

2009-04-11T15:23:00.003-05:00

Some owners of the Sleep Number / Select Comfort bed have substantial problems with mold and have filed a lawsuit. According to our Sleep Number bed research based on well over 1,000 actual owner experiences, mold is somewhat of an issue. But for the vast majority of owners, it is not a problem, at least as far as they know.

While the bed can have mold issues, it is only fair to point out that the bed is also potentially healthier than most other mattress types because it can be cleaned thoroughly and fairly easily. In addition, dust mites cannot populate the inside of the bed because they can't penetrate the encasing.

Sleep Number / Select Comfort Airbed versus Tempurpedic Memory Foam Mattress

2009-04-10T21:46:00.002-05:00

In the below video, I compare and contrast the Sleep Number Bed and Tempurpedic Bed based on our mattress research involving over 2,200 actual owner experiences. Topics covered include comfort, durability, suitability for couples, value and more.

Bed Bugs -- A New Report on Health Effects

2009-04-10T21:40:00.003-05:00

There's good news and bad news about bed bugs.

According to an article in the Daily Herald, "...the pest doesn't spread diseases such as yellow fever, HIV, hepatitis B and cancer, a report says. The vermin can cause allergic reactions in their victims through bites, as well as blister-like skin infections, and, in rare cases, asthma and anaphylactic shock, according to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association."

Read the whole thing.

Mattress for the Sports-minded and Highly Active?

2009-04-10T21:28:00.003-05:00

Here's a new specialty mattress for those who are highly active: the Ironman mattress series.

According to a story in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the mattress is "...designed to help people recover from the stress of daily life and a sleep system based on a scientific theory and diagnostic tool that evaluates how each person sleeps... The soy-based core is zoned to provide the most support in those areas where it is needed to keep the body in proper alignment. That is covered with layers of latex for comfort and to eliminate any pressure points. Finally, the mattress is covered in a fabric containing celliant, a specially formulated material that can be knitted, woven or incorporated into fabrics."

Sounds interesting, but I'm a bit skeptical of course. Read the whole thing.

Memory Foam vs Latex Mattress Beds

2009-04-09T20:45:00.004-05:00

In the video below, I compare and contrast latex and memory foam mattresses based on our mattress research involving over 1,700 actual owner experiences. Topics covered include comfort, pain relief, durability, off gassing and more.

The Tempurpedic Mattress -- Pros and Cons of the High-Selling Visco Elastic Bed

2009-04-09T20:29:00.003-05:00

Based on our extensive Tempurpedic mattress research involving over 1,100 actual owner experiences, here is a brief overview of the major pros and cons of the bed:

PROS
Good comfort -- Tempurpedic does well on this issue with about 80% of owners being pleased with comfort. (However, other memory foam mattresses rate a bit higher on this issue.)

Pain relief -- Tempurpedic performs very well on this issue. Owners often say that the bed has alleviated or even eliminated back, shoulder and hip pain, both while they are sleeping and even the next day out of bed.

Durable -- The bed performs respectably here, certainly better than innerspring based mattresses. Expect to get at least five good years from the bed, but there are instances of premature sagging.

Motion isolation -- The properties of the bed allow a person on one side to move without the person on the other side noticing it.

CONS
Heat -- Some owners say that the mattress "sleeps hot." In other words, they say it can act as a heat trap. This is not a widespread problem, but it does exist for a significant number of owners.

Off gassing -- About 9% of Tempurpedic owners report "off gassing." This is what occurs when the bed releases an odor that lasts a few days to a few weeks after delivery. It is a result of the manufacturing and / or packaging method. In fairness, however, reports of this problem have been falling off substantially in recent years.

Heavy -- Because the mattress is dense, usually more dense than other memory foam beds, the bed is heavy. In other words, making it and moving it won't be effortless.

Sealy Posturepedic Research Video

2009-04-08T21:57:00.002-05:00

In the video below, I discuss our mattress research findings on the Sealy Posturepedic innerspring bed based on data from over 200 actual owners. Topics discussed include comfort, sagging and how it compares to the competition.

What's the Best USED / PREOWNED Mattress?

2009-04-08T21:33:00.006-05:00

If you have experienced sticker shock when shopping for a new mattress, it is understandable. New mattresses today are not cheap, but you don't necessary have to break the bank to get a good one.

But what if your budget is very limited to, say, $500 or less? If this is the case, consider buying a used or pre-owned mattress. Generally speaking, the best used mattresses are the ones that make the best new mattresses.

This means you might want to avoid getting a used innerspring bed. In addition to having less satisfaction among owners compared to other types of beds in regard to comfort and longevity, innerspring mattress will typically fill up with dust mites after a few years, not to mention the sleeper's dead shedded skin cells which is what the mites feed on along with the mattress itself.

Memory foam and latex foam mattresses do better than innerspring beds in terms of comfort and durability, according to our research. However, dust mites usually populate these beds too after some time. Even though the mites don't feed on the foam, they can still live in the bed to feed on dead skins cells that have settled into the foam.

This leaves us with conventional bed-style airbeds, such as the Sleep Number Bed, and waterbeds. These types generally make for the best used mattresses. Owners find them to be comfortable and durable. It's not uncommon to find a Sleep Number Bed owner who has had their bed for 12 years or more. Waterbeds are also known for lasting many years, even decades, assuming they are given good care. And since these types of beds are largely filled with air or water, they can't really wear out or sag -- hence their good longevity.

Dust mites are not a big problem with these beds since the mites cannot penetrate the mattress surface, nor can the sleeper's shedded skin cells. However, air beds do tend to have foam on some parts of the bed, and consequently the mites can live in there, but almost certainly not in big populations. In addition, unlike other mattresses, airbeds and waterbeds can be cleaned thoroughly.

In other words, a used airbed or waterbed will almost certainly be in better shape and at least seem newer than a used mattress of a different type. Ebay would probably be a good place to start shopping. Just type in "Sleep Number Beds," for example, and there are several used ones available at least as of this post.

Buying a Mattress on a Budget... or Cheap Mattresses That Aren't Really Cheap

2009-04-08T21:20:00.004-05:00

With the economy in bad shape like it is, readers often ask me to recommend a good mattress that will not break the bank. At Sleep Like The Dead, we don't recommend mattresses. Instead, we provide people with our research findings and let them decide for themselves.

However, our research findings do suggest a few things that mattress shoppers should know during these hard times. First, you don't necessarily need to spend a lot to get a comfortable and durable bed. $1,000 or somewhat less is capable of buying a mattress that you can be at least reasonably happy with for several years, according to our data. (If around $1,000 is still too high for you then perhaps consider a mattress topper to somewhat revive your existing bed. Or consider buying a used mattress.)

For example, our findings show a high overall customer appreciation for Ikea latex and Ikea foam mattresses (not Ikea spring beds) even though they are relatively inexpensive. In addition, there are many lower priced memory foam beds that have high owner satisfaction, such as Novaform. If you want an air bed, like the Sleep Number Bed, but can't afford its high price, there are less expensive alternatives available, such as Comfortaire, Sleep Better and others. However, these airbeds can still get pricey. Sometimes you can find a great deal on a no-frills waterbed. Don't laugh. Waterbeds in terms of comfort rank right up there with memory foam and air beds, according to our research, but they do tend to have certain disadvantages.

What about innerspring / coil mattresses? Yes, you can find these types of beds for cheap, but our research says that people overall are significantly less satisfied with these types of mattresses compared to latex, memory foam, air and water.

Pillow Review Video -- Polyfiber, Memory Foam, Latex, Water, Down and Buckwheat

2009-04-07T21:15:00.005-05:00

In the video below, I discuss the major pros and cons of several different pillow types, including polyfill, memory foam, latex, water, down and buckwheat.

For much more no-hype information and analysis of the different pillow types go to Pillow Reviews.