In fact, the survey, which was conducted by Environics Research Group for Better Sleep Council Canada, found Canadians' energy levels fluctuate widely from morning peaks to afternoon crashes and evening recoveries.

“Our research shows that many Canadians are over-compensating for something that is lacking in the bedroom,” says David MacDonald, vice-president, Environics Research Group.

“Consistency in the bedroom is a key to better sleep,” says Gary Baskerville, spokesperson, Better Sleep Council Canada. “Good quality sleep is critically important to be able to function well during the day and smooth out those energy peaks and valleys.”

Established in 2002, Better Sleep Council Canada (BSCC) is committed to educating Canadians about the importance of sleep to good health and quality of life.  Comprised of over 450 manufacturers, retailers and component suppliers from the mattress industry, the council also promotes the value that a better quality mattress and foundation can bring when regularly replaced within the sleep environment. 

The facts
By the time your mattress reaches ten years old, the material has deteriorated by 75 per cent, according to the council. During its lifetime, the upholsteries and fibres settle and compress. More surprisingly, each night we perspire, losing a quarter-litre of fluid. In one year, our bodies shed one pound of skin. Naturally enough, these changes can affect the mattress’ comfort and support. If you wake up with aches and pains that dissipate after two or three hours, the bed could be the culprit.

In Calgary, The Bedroom Shoppe, with its northeast, southeast and northwest locations, has a broad selection of mattresses from Simmons, Sealy, Springwall and others. Trained sleep professionals use a state-of-the-art computerized diagnostic Body Profiler to find customers their best possible mattresses.

New & eco-friendly 
“Springwall has been at the forefront of the ‘healthy’ sleep movement since the introduction of its Chiropractic endorsed line of mattresses in the late 1960s,” says Mark Campbell, Springwall spokesperson.

This year, Springwall’s bestselling mattress has been the Enduring Comfort Chiropractic pillowtop, which has high-density foams and a layer of conforming memory foam. The company’s Chiropractic line is its premium product line, endorsed and approved by the American Chiropractic Association and the Canadian Chiropractic Association.

In January, Springwall is launching a new Eco Series, a green chiropractic line priced from $699 to $2,499. “The marketplace is beginning to support “green” product and we want to move one of our product lines toward a sustainable, renewable message,” says Campbell.

Springwall’s eco line will feature aloe vera natural content covers including bamboo, cotton, viscose (wood pulp) and organic cotton. Its CFC-free urethane foam has a 20 per cent content of soy-based polyoils instead of traditional oil-based foam. While the mattress springs are edge-to-edge steel that are completely recyclable.

Tempur-Pedic
Next month, Tempur-Pedic will unveil its new mattresses at the Canadian Furniture Home Market. Currently, the company offers nine different types of mattresses.

“Our bestsellers are our staples—classic and deluxe beds and our new line of luxury mattresses—RhapsodyBed, CelebrityBed and GrandBeds,” says Jennifer Sylvain, spokesperson for Tempur Canada. The company’s bestselling pillows are the Swedish Neck Pillow and ComfortPillow.

Physical discomfort, soreness and stiffness can be traced to incorrect or unnatural sleeping positions and poor mattress conditions, says Sylvain. When customers sleep on its Swedish mattresses, the company says their spines and joints rest in their natural positions, relieving muscles and nerves.

Back in the early 1970s, initially developed at NASA’s Ames Research Center, the original material was designed to relieve pressure experienced by astronauts during lift-off.  Fagerdala World Foams of Sweden spent a decade and millions of dollars researching a new advanced formula, TEMPUR.

Then the TEMPUR formula was used in hospital mattresses to prevent and heal pressure sores.  Eventually, Tempur-Pedic products became available in the retail market.

The formula, the company says, senses your body temperature and displaces your weight evenly over the surface of the mattress, improving circulation, apparently giving you and your partner individual sleeping surfaces.
“The fact is the company is really focusing on health and wellness and really getting a good night’s sleep,” says Sylvain.

Dress It Up
“The trend is modern with a very soft detail to the linens—high thread count with Egyptian cotton as a must and made in Italy,” says Robert Sweep, owner of Robert Sweep Homefurnishings. New Home Living recently asked Sweep about the best bedding.

Upcoming in 2008, he will be featuring the Kelly Hoppen Abstract Collection, which will be taupe/ivory, 400-thread count Egyptian cotton woven in Italy.

What are excellent shopping tips? “Know quality and finishes and how to clean linens,” advises Sweep. “Work with a store that has a strong relationship with the manufacturer and can assure you quality, dye-lot assurances and support for any problems that can happen.”

Buy Right
What should you consider when buying your new mattress? Better Sleep Council Canada offers these thoughtful tips:

Test drive it. “Lie down on the mattress—in all different sleeping positions. If you sleep with a partner, make sure you go shopping with them and lie down on the bed together.”

Measure up. “Check that the bed is wide enough to fit you (and your partner) comfortably. Sleep studies show that we turn between 40 and 60 times a night and that we require room to move freely so that we don’t wake up. Experts recommend that if you sleep with a partner, don’t settle for anything smaller than a queen or king-size mattress.  A mattress should be approximately four to six inches (ten to 15 centimetres) longer than the tallest person.”

Seek support. “To check if your mattress offers appropriate support, lie on your back and try sliding the flat of your hand under the small of your back.  If the mattress is too soft, you will have difficulty getting your hand underneath; if it is too hard, your hand will move freely beneath you, as there will be a space between the mattress and your spine. The right mattress will allow your spine to rest in its natural S shape.”

Feel firm and comfortable. “Mattresses don’t have to be hard to be good for you. Today, mattresses are built with new cushioning materials that offer you a plush feel on top, yet the core provides you with the necessary support for your body.”

Budget wisely. “The market offers a wide range of prices, from a few hundred dollars for a budget-priced twin sleep set to more than $5,000 for the Rolls-Royce ultra premium king sleep set.
Match sleep sets. “Mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together.  Mismatching sets, putting a new mattress on an old foundation or adding a board between the mattress and foundation can actually interfere with comfort and reduce the useful life of the mattress and foundation.” 

For more information, go to:
www.bettersleep.ca  
www.thebedroomshoppe.ab.ca  
http://www.springwall.com      
www.tempurpedic.ca   
www.robertsweep.com

Take Care
When your new mattress arrives, keep it in good condition with these smart care guidelines:

Move properly.  Arrange for the retailer to move your new mattress and foundation into your home or get advice to do it yourself.

Turn or rotate?  By moving or rotating your new mattress, you can smooth out contours and equalize the wear and tear on it.  But check with your retailer first.

Avoid the handles. When carrying or supporting the full weight of the mattress, do not use the handles—they could pull out the sides and damage the fabric. Typically, the handles were designed to only help you position the mattress over the foundation.

Clean gently. Experts says vacuuming is the only recommended way to clean a mattress.  If stains occur, only use mild soap with cold water and rub lightly.

Cover it up. Investing in a washable mattress pad could protect it from stains.

Check twice.  Twice yearly, inspect the mattress for wear and tear.

Don’t adjust the support.  If you’re considering adjusting the support, never place anything between the mattress and foundation.

Keep matches, lighters and ignitables away!! Fire and mattresses are a dangerous duo.  So keep all matches, lighters and ignitables away from your mattress and furniture, especially out of reach of children.

Discard old mattresses! Old mattresses pose fire safety hazards, so don’t store them in your house, garage, basement or attic.