Information from the experts
In a special edition of the trade magazine "Haustex", there were some interesting facts and graphics that we would like to pass on to you:
Buying a bed
You shouldn't just buy a bed on the spur of the moment. Such an important purchase needs to be well planned. Our mattress guide and guide to buying a bed will help you make the right choice. The first step is to find out which type of bed is right for you: a trendy box spring bed, a back-friendly waterbed or the versatile standard version. Once this decision has been made, important details can be clarified on the basis of the existing bed and ideally noted down before visiting a specialist shop:
Buying a mattress
Once you have decided on the type of bed, we will take care of the mattress in detail. Factors such as size and weight or pre-existing health conditions play a role here. For this reason, we recommend a detailed consultation (including a trial lie-down) in a specialist shop, which may be completely different for each side of the bed. You can find more information on the topic of ‘sleep types’ here.
10 tips for buying a mattress
Spoilt for choice
Nowadays, there is hardly any area left where decisions are made easy for us – because there is only ONE option ... When it comes to mattress materials, several types have now conquered the market: foam, latex and the good old spring core. Ultimately, it is purely a matter of taste which variant you choose. For allergy sufferers, for example, we recommend mattresses that have been tested for harmful substances and have specially coated covers. Here are some details about the spring core option:
Spring core – breathable, permanently elastic, recyclable
In general, spring cores are considered breathable, permanently elastic, recyclable and versatile. The good ventilation of the spring core prevents heat and moisture build-up, ensuring significantly less mite formation. This allows for better hygiene.
Spring core – high-quality steel wire base
High-quality steel wire provides the basis for a good spring core with a long service life (a maximum of eight years is recommended) for guaranteed lasting comfort. Even under the heaviest use, the springs retain their original shape. This prevents the formation of hollows, avoids loss of height and ensures dimensional stability throughout the entire service life.
Spring core – the basis for healthy and comfortable sleep
Spring core mattresses still have the largest market share in Germany. This is certainly due in part to the German consumer's perception that steel springs are particularly durable. As a result, suppliers have long advertised the reliability and durability of this material, and some still do so today, simply by depicting a steel spring on mattresses and in seating areas.
We will outline the different types of springs below. It is clear that a spring mattress is only good, or rather necessary, if the qualities of the spring, the type of spring and the comfort padding used form a harmonious whole.
Spring cores at a glance
Mattress and slatted frame
Team players with supporting roles
An optimal sleep system provides the basic prerequisite for a restful night's sleep. It ensures that the sleeper's muscles relax and the spine retains its natural double S-shape. This allows the intervertebral discs to recover from the day's strain and reabsorb lost fluid.
Classic sleep systems consist of two components: a mattress and a slatted frame; the best-known slatted frame is the slatted base. Perfectly coordinated, the mattress and slatted base literally play a supporting role. The mattress absorbs the body's pressure and transfers it to the slatted base. The slatted base then has the task of cushioning the remaining pressure.
Spring wood slats or disc-shaped elements
Slatted frames are available with elastic spring wood slats or disc-shaped elements that respond precisely to weight shifts. Or with a combination of both.
‘Even the best mattress cannot deliver its full benefits if it is supported by an unsuitable or inferior base,’ according to the British Mattress Industry Association. ‘Conversely, an inferior mattress cannot be upgraded by a comfort frame.’
Slatted frames at "Stiftung Warentest" – October 2015
A report in the magazine ‘test’ published by Stiftung Warenrest in October 2015 caused some confusion. The testers first checked the lying properties of mattresses on a chipboard panel and then tested the same mattresses on ten slatted frames. ‘No model is better than the chipboard panel,’ they concluded, recommending a simple do-it-yourself base with screwed-on crossbars for better air circulation under the mattress. This is inexpensive and, in most cases, more advantageous than a costly slatted frame.
Slatted frames from an expert's perspective
Really?
Prof. Dr. med. Ingo Fietze, senior sleep physician at Berlin's Charité hospital, sees things differently: ‘Don't resort to chipboard. Leave your hammer and nails in the tool cabinet,’ recommends Fietze, also Chairman of the German Sleep Foundation. The fact that a rigid, homemade base cannot spring as well as a technically sophisticated slatted frame is ‘basic physics,’ explains Dr Ulrich Leifeld from the Mattress Association, emphasising that slatted frames and mattresses only achieve their full comfort potential when used together.
Incidentally, anyone can easily test this for themselves by trying out the same mattress on different base frames and feeling how the lying comfort changes in each case. According to Fietze, the industry is doing a lot to improve sleeping comfort in the long term: economic competition among suppliers is also promoting applied science.
Every sleeper is different
Fietze advises taking plenty of time when buying a sleep system; after all, it's about personal well-being – and not so much about how a mattress changes when a roller runs over it a thousand times in a mechanical test procedure. Ultimately, every sleeper is built differently and prefers different sleeping positions.
So there is no one-size-fits-all solution for tall and short people, heavy and light people, or those who sleep on their side, back or stomach. Ultimately, it comes down to individual comfort. And the best way to find that is by trying out different mattresses, with the help of qualified expert advice.
Mattress guide and guide to buying beds: our conclusion
No matter which bed and mattress you choose, you will definitely find the right fitted sheet and the perfect protective cover to go with it!
Enjoy shopping and sleep well!
We would like to thank the "Haustex" editorial team for providing the texts and graphics.