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Frequently Asked Questions
Click on a question below or scroll down for more information:
- Why do 30,000 physicians worldwide recommend the Tempur-Pedic® Mattress for back pain sufferers?
- Are Tempur-Pedic® Mattresses good for allergy sufferers?
- Can I expect my Tempur-Pedic® Mattress to solve my back problem?
- How do competitor visco-elastic (memory) foam mattresses compare to the original Tempur-Pedic® Swedish Mattress that we offer?
- Do customers say good things about their mattress?
- Sounds too good to be true, but are they really as good as:
- a) waterbeds?
- b) airbeds?
- c) coil springs?
- But, I've tried this mattress at a Brookstone Store and I'm not sure that I'd like it, are there any other good alternatives?
- If the mattress shapes itself to my body will it envelope me and make me hot?
- Does the Tempur-Pedic® Mattress last like a coil spring mattress?
- Do I need a box spring (foundation) with this mattress and if so, what kind?
- If I go direct to the manufacturer, will I receive a better price?
- O.K., I'm sold, but you are in Houston, and I'm not; where I can lie on this N.A.S.A miracle?
- Do you have a have trial period, and what happens if I don't like this mattress?
- What is the difference between the popular thicker Deluxe Mattress and the original Classic Mattress?
- I already own this mattress and would like to register my warranty. How do I do so?
- Why do 30,000 physicians worldwide recommend these Mattresses for back pain sufferers?
Most of us grew up hearing: "If you want a good mattress, get a firm one, and the harder the better." However, more recent studies have revealed a fallacy in this way of thinking. The contour of the human body is not a straight line, but more shapely. Normally, when viewing the body from the side, we see a normal transition of curves from the buttocks (spinal base), to the lumbar spine, on up through the thoracic curve (ribs/upper back), and finally to the neck. When viewing us from the back, of course we see parts that stick out from the trunk of the body in the form of hips and shoulders. Sensibly, if we were to lie on our side on a very firm surface (unforgiving), only the parts of the body that jut out like our shoulders and hips will be supported. Therefore our trunk is literally forced into a bent position putting undue stress on supportive ligaments, discs, and muscles. Additionally, excessive pressure will exist at the major points of contact causing sore shoulders and hips. On the other hand, a mattress that is too soft will allow the heaviest parts of our body to seek a low point with our trunk virtually suspended between the shoulders and the hips. This situation sends a signal to our brain telling our postural support muscles to contract in an effort to resist the sagging of the spine. This dangerous situation is called the "hammock effect," and most certainly interferes with our important restorative sleep phase. Remember, 1/3 of your life is spent in bed and that time is for restoration and recuperation. Many people sleep without restoration and recuperation, consequently waking up tired and sore.
DEFINITION: restorative sleep--level of sleep allowing one to best rejuvenate, rebuild energy stores and body tissues in hopes to recover from the work, stress and exercise of one's day; thereby approaching the next day refreshed, renewed, energetic and feeling at least as good, if not better that when retiring to bed the night before. ...(copyright Dr. Brad Lustick/Back Be Nimble).
Ideally, the perfect mattress facilitates the described "restorative sleep" by distributing its support 100% equally across the body's surface while at the same time not allowing the spine to sag (hammock). In our opinion, the Tempur-Pedic® Mattress accomplishes these important functions better than any other sleeping surface we could find. Pressure studies have shown an approximate 90% of the body surface to be supported equally when lying upon the mattress. The highly resilient lower 5 inch foam base in this mattress prevents the hammocking effect often seen in waterbeds or airbeds. These factors combined with the anti-allergy qualities of the Tempur-Pedic® Mattress have earned the praise of 30,000 physicians worldwide.
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- Are Mattresses made of TEMPUR® pressure-relieving material good for allergy sufferers?
It has been discovered by allergists that the average mattress is a haven for the infestation of the "dust-mite". Dust-mites are microscopic creatures that literally feed off your dead skin cells. Of course like most of earth's creatures, when they eat they produce waste products. The majority of folks who suffer with allergies are highly allergic to the fecal products of the dust-mite. Studies have shown that in 4-5 years, 60% of the weight of the average pillow will be composed of the waste and corpses of dust-mites. That's quite a "sickening" thought (pardon the pun). Fortunately, there is a solution to this. TEMPUR® pressure-relieving material is inherently dust-mite free (they simply just don't live there). The cover has been treated with a hypo-allergenic process that renders it dust-mite free. manufacturers, like ours are known for their very "green" (environmentally friendly) production processes and the TEMPUR® material is carefully produced to be hypo-allergenic as well as to not produce (off-gas) any CFCs. The gas that is used to open the air cells which gives the TEMPUR® material its temporary characteristic scent is non-toxic and virtually non-allergenic. We feel that these factors make our mattresses and pillows the premier choice for allergy sufferers.
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- Can I expect my Tempur-Pedic® Mattress to solve my back problem?
At Back Be Nimble, we truly feel that if one were to try to pick the one perfect mattress for most people, it would be the Tempurpedic® mattress. After all, in our search for perfection, all were available to us, and we settled on it. That's not to imply that it is for absolutely everyone or that it will solve everyone's back troubles. We are all certainly unique individuals with our own shape, size, strengths and weaknesses. Although many of us suffer with back pain, one's pain may be a result of a herniated (slipped) disk, while another's may simply be from an inherited scoliosis (improper curvature). One should never expect pain to go away merely from the purchase of any mattress. Don't get me wrong, it does take away the pain for many users, but overall the resolution of a back problem involves many factors, with only one of those factors being sleeping on a great mattress.
EXAMPLE: One of the most common causes of chronic back pain is restricted mobility or joint play between 2 spinal segments. This could be due to arthritis, healing of an old injury, or merely scar tissue from surgery or previous insult. Certainly, sleeping on the right mattress will not restore movement in this segment. However, by combining a mattress that provides a restorative sleep (see #2 above), with rehabilitative exercise, physical therapy, and/or spinal manipulation; one might notice fantastic results. Thus, although not a panacea, this mattress may be considered an important factor in your maintenance and recovery.
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- How do competitor visco-elastic (memory) foam mattresses compare to Tempur-Pedic® mattresses?
This TEMPUR® material is the original product developed by N.A.S.A. and then manufactured by Fagerdela World Foams almost 20 years ago. This revolutionary product was used in astronaut seats to absorb G-forces. During research and development, Fagerdela recognized the unique process necessary to create this special visco-elastic material and decided not to reveal the complex process that would be eluded to in patent protocol. It was their contention that no one would ever be able to reproduce their proprietary process. After years of experience, feedback from 1000's of customers, and our own testing, we at Back Be Nimble have arrived at the same conclusion. Although there are many fine foams on the market, we have not been able to yet find one matching the unique properties of the TEMPUR® material. Those properties are listed as follows:
- This TEMPUR® material is a true temperature reactive product -- we experimented by placing it and several samples of competitor foams in the refrigerator. While our material becomes rock hard at these cold temperatures, all competitor foams tested remained pliable. Whether this is good or bad, it at least confirms the fact the foams are different.
- Qualitative feel -- while many of our Tempur-Pedic® products are individually poured in a mold, as far as we can find, competitor foams are most often cut from sheets to make several mattresses. Pouring a mold creates an outer later(which is called a "skin") that seems to encase the foam. This provides a very discernable difference in the feel of this material when compared to competitive foams.
- Density of the material -- The TEMPUR® material is made with a density rating of "5.4" which is extremely rare because it is more costly, but generally makes for a much better performing material than lower densities used by most competitors. Don't be swayed by those that tell you less density is softer and more comfortable, because although softness sounds attractive, it is NOT an ideal quality in a mattress. We often present this analogy: "One could lie on a piece of granite that was cut to be exactly their shape because the pressure per square inch would be less than any conventional mattress." We don't mean to imply that this mattress is hard like granite, but we do want you to understand that this is a firm material that softens to become your shape and continues to re-form to your body as you move. Therefore the pressure per square inch(PSI) on the body surface is negligible.
- Low risk warranty -- 20 years (10 years non-prorated and the next 10 years prorated) from one of the most progressive and trustworthy companies in the world.
- Physician recommended -- Recommendations from over 30,000 physicians and chiropractors worldwide. To our knowledge, no other competitor can make this claim.
- Rapid market control -- In Sweden, its country of origin, a great percentage of mattresses sold are of Tempur-Pedic® origin.
- Proven in sleep-disorder centers -- studies in multiple sleep disorder centers have shown our mattress to decrease a high percentage of the tossing and turning seen in other mattresses.
- V.A. hospital approved -- was tested in the V.A. hospital and shown to be very beneficial for reducing pressure that leads to bed sores.
- Dust-mite resistant -- one of the few mattresses on the market to be virtually dust-mite free and hypo-allergenic.
There is probably a small percentage of customers that may better be served by a competitor. Yes, although we feel that ours offers the highest quality and most cost-effective product for the majority of folks, it is also a very dense material and although thought to feel "plush" by most, it is not a really soft product. Those looking for a real soft mattress, or those that keep their room tempurature less than or equal to 60 degrees should probably spend their dollars on a competitor's products or look at one of our latex foam mattresses.
Of course, knock-offs are usually less expensive, but it's our feeling that we spend 1/3 of our lives in a bed. Over 10 years, the average purchaser of our mattress will have spent an average of 55 cents per day. We think you're worth it, don't you?
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- Do customers say good things about their mattress?
Our customer response speaks for itself. With an inventory of over 1,000 of the most popular self-care products available our customers prove over and over that Tempur-Pedic® products are one of the top 10 products sold. We continually get referrals from family and friends of our current customers. Like all of our products, this mattress has been tested by our medical review staff for therapeutic value.
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- Sounds to good to be true, but are they really as good as:
- waterbeds? Oh yes, in our opinion, they are far superior. Although waterbeds have the virtue of being heated, which can be nice, we have noticed the hammock effect in too many water-based beds. That is, the water is displaced by heavier body parts and since heavier parts are inherently at mid-body, there is often hammocking produced in such beds putting undesirable stress on the spine. Of course this is purely the opinion of our quality assurance team at Back Be Nimble and is not affiliated with the marketing materials from Tempur-Pedic®, Inc.
- airbeds? Airbeds have recently done a really good job infiltrating the mattress market through all kinds of ad and news media. Paul Harvey is probably the most well known advocate. Granted, "sleeping on air" sounds wonderful, but can we truly get the support we need on an air mattress?
Some airbed manufacturers claim that since they baffle (separate) the air into multiple chambers that these mattresses have a great ability to conform to the shape of the human body. Upon prudent examination, however, an investigator might find that even though the mattress contains baffles, that all chambers are connected via holes between the baffles, thereby using common air and in essence, acting as one large air bladder. It is our opinion that this merely emulates a situation, not unlike a common swimming pool raft. In recent months the premium airbeds have begun to incorporate a top layer of competitor visco-foam which, in our opinion, merely supports the theory that the airbed cannot really do the conformation necessary to properly support the body. They too must understand the superiority of visco-elastic material. The other apparent benefit of an airbed would be the ability to adjust one's side of the bed differently than a partner's side. Although this would be a nice feature, it allows one to adjust to one's perceived comfort, which in our experience is often not consistent with proper support. This is similar to the common finding that a lot of folks will take comfort in the thought of falling into a big overstuffed easy chair, although most of us now know that this type of chair is not supportive and can be destructive to our spine. We spend 1/3 of our lives in bed, and to do this without proper support can be very destructive to our overall health. Additionally, we have found that decreasing the poundage on an airbed to mid to lower values allows dangerous hammocking of the spine and makes it somewhat impractical to even make adjustments in an airbed. Of course this is purely the opinion of our quality assurance team at Back Be Nimble and is not affiliated with the marketing materials from Tempur-Pedic®, Inc.
- coil springs? For many years while in private practice as a chiropractic physician, I often was called upon to advocate a good mattress. Being that I retired a few years ago when foam mattresses and airbeds were not even a consideration, I often recommended Simmons Beautyrest Mattresses because with their individual coil construction, they offered the best ability for conformation to the body surface available. Although I think they are probably still the best coil spring mattress available, I still strongly feel that the Tempurpedic® mattresses offer the most extensive level of support available. As far as coil spring mattresses without individual coils, I truly can't see the value in them. These manufacturers also seem to be noticing the deficit, which is perceived in association with their consistent efforts to add pillowtops and overlays to their coil spring mattresses in an attempt to compete with foam-like mattresses like the Tempur-Pedic® Mattress."
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- But, I've tried this mattress at a Brookstone Store and I'm not sure that I'd like it, are there any other good alternatives?
If you have tried this mattress and don't like it, it could be that the unconventional feel of this material may just not be for you. It is probably also true that other competitor memory foam mattresses would probably not be worth considering either. Our research has determined that the other mattresses that also provide great support and pressure relief are the following: 1)Latex Mattresses Latex Mattresses click here.
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- If the mattress shapes itself to my body will it envelope me and make me hot?
Actually, for most folks this has not been a problem. As a matter of fact, TEMPUR® material was tested in the burn center of the V.A. hospital because of its ability to relieve pressure on sensitive skin and the fact that the material breathes. This is because it is an open-celled material through which air passes easily. To help dissipate heat, several years ago, Tempur-Pedic® added a waffle layer between the base foam and the visco material that serves to improve air flow through the mattress. for those who really have trouble with getting hot at night, Tempur-pedic® created the ultimate solution to this, developing the thicker Deluxe model which has TWO waffled cooling layers for ultimate airflow and oxygenation of the skin.
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- Does the Tempur-Pedic® Mattress last like a coil spring mattress?
In all honesty, the Tempur-Pedic® Mattress has now been around long enough to know it truely has a long life. In the 11 years the mattresses have been on the market, there have been few complaints under warranty. Recently, Tempur-Pedic® fortified their warranty from 10 years to 20 years (10 years non-prorated and the next 10 years prorated). The warranty has been theoretically tested by taking a 220 pound roller and rolling over the mattress 125,000 times to simulate a 220 pound man using it for 10 years. Upon completion of this testing the material has lost 2% of its memory ability which is imperceivable to the human senses.
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- Do I need a box spring (foundation) with this mattress and if so, what kind?
Actually, regular coil box springs are not recommended nor do they qualify under the manufacturer's warranty. Due to the fact that this mattress is purely made up of foam, it doesn't require that it be matched with a particular foundation. The mattress can be placed on a firm flat surface like a wood box foundation, waterbed frame, European wooden slatted or solid frames or the floor. This does not include any existing coil box springs that you might have with a current mattress because Tempur-Pedic® does not consider springs firm enough to provide the proper support for the mattress. It should be noted that your mattress will probably last longer on the proper foundation like that offered by the Tempur-Pedic®. Therefore, we do recommend wood box foundation offered by Tempur-Pedic®. Its cost is very reasonable. Additionally, this foundation is totally noiseless.
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- If I go direct to the Tempur-Pedic®, will I receive a better price?
Actually, although prices are mostly mandated by Tempur-Pedic®, from time to time we do offer some very valuable incentives when you order from us. This is usually in exchange for providing us with useful comments on our website. Additionally, it is not likely that Tempur-Pedic® would try to undercut dealer pricing. Most authorized dealers utilize the Tempur-Pedic's® distribution/delivery service. Therefore all mattresses basically come from the same place. You may request pricing/ordering information at the bottom of this page.
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- O.K., I'm sold, but you are in Houston, and I'm not; where I can lie on this N.A.S.A miracle?
Tempur-Pedic® products are widely distributed in back stores, a variety of exclusive mattress stores and in retail gift and personal care stores called Brookstone, which are usually found in most major malls throughout the U.S. We also offer a trial period - see question 13 below.
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- Do you have a have trial period, and what happens if I don't like this mattress?
Yes, we offer a 90 day trial period. The trial period begins when you receive your mattress and although we have an extremely small return rate, if you should decide to return your mattress, we'd like to delineate terms of the policy as follows:
- In order to initiate a return, you must either call or email us with your request to do so.
- At that point, we will contact the manufacturer with the request and they will arrange the pickup process. The pick-up process may take from 2.5-4 weeks.
- Please keep your original box and plastic bag that comes with the mattress when delivered at least until the time you make your final decision.
- We recommend that when the carriers pick up your mattress that you obtain a written confirmation from them.
- Once picked up from you, it generally takes from 1-2 weeks for us to receive written confirmation from the warehouse that they have the mattress back.
- Upon receipt of this written confirmation, we will promptly apply your refund as follows:
- A-although we may not have charged any outbound freight on your mattress set, if you return it, then we must go back and charge you the cost of any previous unpaid outbound and/or return freight ($159 each way) for a total of $318.00.
- C-If you took advantage of one of our limited time pillow offers with your queen or larger mattress order, then due to the fact pillows are not returnable, we must also go back and charge you 1/2 of the retail price of our pillows.
- D-therefore $318.00 freight + 1/2 the price of the pillows (if applicable) will be subtracted from your total credit on your original purchase.
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- What is the difference between the thicker Deluxe Mattress and the original Classic Mattress?
The Deluxe Mattress is 2" thicker than the Classic Mattress which make it more consistent with the higher profiles of today's mattresses. It sits a little higher in the bedroom which has eye appeal to those who desire a more traditional romantic flare in their bedroom. The increased height of this mattress, combined with the new higher profile foundation facilitates easier sitting or rising from the mattress when one suffers from orthopedic constraints. This is simply because it sits higher from the ground.
The Deluxe mattress has become the most popular model sold. The feel is similar, but slightly softer than the Classic one. It has approximately 4 inches of the top visco-foam material vs. approximately 3 inches on the classic version. The main difference is the increased air flow through the mattress afforded by the fact it has two waffled airflow sections vs. just one in the classic version. Therefore, for those who tend to get hotter and/or perspire while they are sleeping, the Deluxe Mattress would be the recommended best alternative. This super plush deluxe version has perfect body conforming ability characteristic of the Classic Original that N.A.S.A. experimented with almost 2 decades ago.
- I already own this mattress and would like to register my warranty. How do I do so?
If you have already purchased and would like to register your mattress warranty, you may do so HERE.
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