There’s no better time than Memorial Day to buy a latex mattress as well! Our very own Plushbeds Memorial Day Latex Mattress Sale is featuring $1,000 off any latex mattress of your choice, and you receive free shipping and no taxes to boot! Most retail showroom floors that are having Memorial Day mattress sales won’t provide you with such a steep discount, especially for $1,000 off, and on top of that you’ll rarely not have to pay sales taxes. If you have never slept on latex you are truly missing out, as latex is one of the most elegant sleep surfaces available. Take the opportunity during the sale to invest in your sleep and your good health.

We at Plushbeds – from our family to yours – hope you get to experience some of the things that you like to enjoy on Memorial Day. Who doesn’t love time spent with family and friends at barbecues and wonderful fun-filled gatherings, as well as those quiet and introspective moments that you’ll have visiting the graves of the ones you love that have passed on? And anybody up for a good game of horse shoes or croquet (some of my favorite lawn activities)?

So as you honor our country’s heroes, and get out and eat lots of good food and play games (or however you celebrate), just know that we’ll be here when you have a moment to check in with us on your computer via your internet connection. The wonderful thing about shopping online is that you can do it 24/7! So before, after, or in the middle of your festivities this Memorial Day weekend, remember our sale is ongoing, and at your convenience hop on to check out the beautiful latex mattresses that we take so much pride in manufacturing. We will be available via live chat to answer any questions that you may have.

A special thanks to our many wonderful customers and the kind words you have left in your reviews of our custom-made latex mattresses. We strive daily to meet your expectations for high standard workmanship and quality, restorative sleep!

If it’s time to buy a new mattress — after you have assessed some of the above points and determined that it’s indeed time — how do you choose a mattress?

If you are choosing a new mattress based upon price and look alone, stop! Reconsider, you could be in for a world of hurt (literally). Sure, price is going to figure into the equation somewhat, and the look of your mattress may be trivially important, but you should definitely base your decision more upon how the mattress feels to you and if it’s going to hold up longer than the mattress you are replacing. Of course we are biased, but we believe that mattress materials like latex and memory foam are much better solutions than almost anything out there. You’ll get a very robust warranty so you can know your mattress will outlast just about anything else you could hope for at the pricing point they run, and you’re going to get much better pressure point pain reduction. If you have convinced yourself that it’s time for a new mattress already… it might just be time to look into memory foam or latex. And you might be surprised that in the long-run they’re less expensive in terms of cost per sleep hour than the alternatives.

According to this holistic practitioner, the average American adult is getting about 1.5 hours less sleep than the average American adult did 100 years ago. If we truly are a sleep-deprived nation, what can we do to turn this around, and does it really matter?

First, we need to prioritize our sleep, as mentioned in this article by the National Sleep Foundation. Much like we should pay ourselves from our own paycheck before we start paying all of our creditors, we shouldn’t have sleep as a bottom-rung priority, but work things in our daily routine around our sleep schedule instead. That’s about a 180-degree turn from what we usually do (we usually go to bed after we get everything done), but it needs to happen for our bodies and our minds to be able to function optimally.

Think about what’s preventing you from getting enough sleep — a lot of the time we are so stuck with inertia that we don’t realize that we can and should improve something like this in our lives. Do you not get enough sleep because you are spending too much time watching television? Does that extra hour of TV really give you that much more satisfaction that you are not willing to sacrifice it for a better, healthier life.

When we are faced with life-changing decisions like this — whether we should make a change so we can get enough sleep, it’s often helpful to evaluate/imagine what your life could and would be like if you were to adopt the new beneficial habit. Rather than thinking, “I really should get to sleep earlier,” think instead, “My life will be different in xyz way(s) once I start getting to sleep at 8:30 pm every night.” If you think in those terms instead of thinking that you’re bad for not getting enough sleep, it’s harder for you to make the change.

Do you get enough sleep? Do you want to? Then answer to yourself right now — “If I get an extra hour or two of sleep…” and get to making it happen!

Take for example this sleep study that suggests that 8 hours of sleep isn’t necessary. The funny thing about it is that the subjects were exposed to darkness for 14 hours, and they slept for 8 hours in 2 four-hour increments, interrupted by a couple of hours in between. So, the article seems to contradict itself by saying that 8 hours of sleep may be unnatural, but then that the subjects of the experiments did indeed sleep for 8 hours, though not continuously.

Sticking with the 8’s (8 hours of sleep, 8 glasses of water per day), the “new” wisdom on water is that you may not need to drink that much, the recommendation of 8 glasses per day is outdated, and you get much of your water in your food. Well, don’t you think that when the recommendation was made for 8 glasses of water, that it was known that foods (especially fruits and vegetables) contained a lot of water?

I always get a kick out of new studies! I don’t have time to go to bed for 4 hours, wake up for 2 hours and mess around, and then go back to bed for another 4 hours, do you? It feels pretty natural for me to sleep for 8 straight hours, and I think I’m pretty healthy because of it. It may be an interesting study, but how practical is it?

I’ll also not be drinking any less water than I normally do. Seems like a lot of speculation to me. Most people probably don’t drink enough water as it is (and drink too much soda!), and encouraging them to drink less is not a good thing!

I guess the point here is to follow your gut instinct, and don’t be too quick to jump on new fads and bandwagons. Whether you agree or disagree with me, weigh in with your opinion on our Plushbeds Facebook Page.

For those who haven’t yet heard, the Cyber Monday latex mattress sale here at Plushbeds includes not only $750 off a 100% natural latex mattress, but also 2 free pillows (while supplies last). These aren’t just scraps of leftover latex glued together to make pillows. They are high quality Talalay latex, used especially for producing a very fine pillow. And by adding an adjustable foundation to your order, the discount jumps from $750 off to $1,000 off. So, there is no doubt you are getting a really great deal at these prices. On top of those factors, your Cyber Monday order is tax-free as well as shipped to you free of charge.

And last, but not least, a newly-introduced accessory, our organic cotton latex mattress cover has been a real hit for those who have had a chance to “beta test” it and report back to us. Everyone who has had the opportunity to sleep on a latex mattress with this organic cotton cover can attest to its utility in helping the real personality and features of what a latex mattress can really do for a person. Because it is a knitted cover, and not woven, it is fully flexible in every direction and so allows the pressure relieving attributes of the latex to be able to do its job of letting it conform to the unique curvature of your body and spreading your weight out evenly. So, what are you waiting for? Our Cyber Monday mattress sale is almost over!

The reason the quality of a cover on a latex mattress is important is because it either helps or hinders the flexibility and elasticity of the mattress below it. Latex is superior at relieving pressure points, but in order for it to have the full effect it needs to have a cover on it that isn’t tight and woven. We searched long and hard for a supplier that could provide us with premium materials so we could produce a mattress cover that allowed the full personality of our Botanical Bliss latex to shine through. After some struggles to finally get what we expected, the end result has been very pleasing and does exactly what it should. We’re proud to introduce to our Black Friday shoppers our new organic latex mattress cover. Those who have had a “sneak preview” of it rave over it.

The reason why our new organic cotton latex mattress cover is so wonderful is because, among other things, it is the softest and finest quality organic cotton that can be found online. The cover isn’t mass-produced, either. It’s knitted instead of woven, so it can bend in any direction without stressing the fabric. It’s almost like it becomes part of the latex because it’s so stretchable, much as latex material itself it.

If you’re looking for some great 2011 Black Friday bedroom deals, you really should see all of the reasons there are to buy a Botanical Bliss latex mattress from Plushbeds. Keep in mind that the sale is only on for 72 hours, and it’s the best time of year to get our luxurious mattresses at an astonishingly low price! Hurry!

Being a natural product the 100% natural latex mattress has some great properties. Because it retains the original plant defenses of the Para rubber tree, the foam mattress itself is quite resistant to dust mites, it’s antimicrobial and antifungal, and it’s hypoallergenic as well. Some people may challenge the hypoallergenic part, but the reality is that the only allergic reactions that may arise would come from other chemicals that some manufacturers may mix in with the natural latex (or especially if its synthetic latex), or an improper washing of the latex material, leaving behind residues or proteins. That’s why it’s really important to know who you are buying from, and to make sure of the integrity of them and their latex mattress.

Besides the natural latex mattress being more resistant to dust mites, it’s also more resistant to bed bugs, whose population has been on the upswing in the past few years across the United States. The reason latex mattresses are more resistant to bed bugs is mainly because of the fact that there is much less space for them to thrive in. With a coil spring mattress there is generally a lot of empty space. This is the perfect environment for bed bugs to move around, navigate to their food sources easily (you), and to reproduce and lay their eggs. On the other hand, a latex mattress has a very solid core, so it would be more stifling for bed bugs to try to inhabit.

A really great feature of the natural latex mattress is its open-ended cell structure. This provides for superior ventilation. How many mattresses do you know that “self-ventilate”? As opposed to memory foam mattresses, which are temperature activated, the latex foam mattress has a system of thousands of holes that are created during the process where the latex is mixed prior to being molded (basically from the air bubbles). These little holes allow for natural latex mattresses to “breathe”. This breath-ability allows for your body to stay warm when season is cold, and to keep cool in the warmer seasons. It’s kind of like being naturally insulated. And with latex, you don’t feel like you are sleeping in quicksand, which is what some consumers compare the experience to. Memory foam kind of creates a claw and sucks you in, whereas latex still conforms to your body curves naturally, but isn’t quite as snug. The end result is that it keeps you more comfortable while relieving pressures that could potentially concentrate in one area or portion of your body as happens with traditional mattresses.

So are you ready yet for the luxury of a warm latex mattress on a cool fall night? It’s a mattress for every season. You can also look forward to an “air conditioned” bed when it turns into summer again!

Not too far around the corner comes Thanksgiving. It’s a grand time of year when the air gets chilled and more time is spent indoors (and football with Turkey!), and family and friends have more moments together. We have so much to be thankful for, and it warms our hearts to be able to reflect upon the goodness of life. Then comes Christmas, and New Year’s…

We at Plushbeds love this time of year (all of the holidays!); we rightfully enjoy the spirit of the holidays, the nice seasonal dishes (especially the chilis and the soups, and of course the feasts and sweet things, too). And starting now is also a great season for us especially for our wonderful line of sleeper sofa mattress products.

It’s right about now that people start to plan ahead with the realization that they will be having a lot of company visiting their home near Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. Some of the more close-knit families out there would have a really hard time asking their guests to stay in a hotel or any other place then right there with them in their home, and so they start making preparations to make it possible for their loved ones to have the accommodations necessary for the nights.

Can you imagine how well thought of you will be in the eyes of your guests if you go just a little bit out of your way to provide them with one of our delightful memory foam sofa mattresses? We love to hear the reports from our customers about how this one gesture makes a huge difference for them and their relationships at this time of year. It’s just a great little extra that you can provide your loved ones that helps them to relax a little more and take some of the stress off of them that can creep in during the holiday season amidst all the hustle and bustle.

So while you are making the preparations with for your feasts and your gift-giving, and all the rest of the fun events that come with this wonderful season, don’t overlook the downtime for you and your guests’ bodies and minds that comes through truly restful sleep. Consider the peaceful rest of your guests, and know that nerves are greatly calmed with good quality sleep. And take care of yourself, too. If you don’t have your own latex mattress or topper for your own bed, you should really look into it. Nourishing yourself so that you can do the same for others is a great place to start!

We already know that having poor sleep can affect our health. Our immune response is lowered for one thing. Doesn’t it just make sense also that not getting enough sleep could possibly cause weight gain? If you look at the increasing numbers of obese adults in America, there could be many reasons why each one of them has that tendency. This isn’t to suggest that there is one thing (not getting enough sleep) that is causing weight gain in the general population all across the board. But, it could be a contributor that we haven’t really paid much attention to before. Doesn’t stress cause people to overeat? And can’t stress come from not getting enough sleep? Are people getting less sleep overall over the past few years, especially over worries in connection with the economy? Maybe people are working more hours and taking on more jobs for lesser pay. Of course, the studies done have been over longer periods of time, and not necessarily recently, but it does make one wonder if the pace of the obesity epidemic is picking up as of late (just the past few years). It’s pretty evident that there are many changes and commotion in politics, world markets, and other societal influences that could infuse a little bit more stress in anybody that pays attention.

So how do we get over that and have better sleep so we can avoid possibly becoming obese, and to reduce the amount of stress in our lives? Well, studies also show that we are more at ease and less stressed the richer our relationships are. You know how the question is posed – “How does he/she sleep at night?” It may seem kind of funny to you, but there may be some truth to that, and the better cohesion we have with our loved ones, our neighbors, and society in general, the less stress we have. The less stress we have… the better we sleep? But as Johns Hopkins article seems to insinuate, which came first, the chicken or the egg (Sleep deprivation may be the consequence, rather than the cause, of obesity.)? Who really knows, but it sure can’t hurt to enrichen our lives by reaching out, serving other people, loving more, and as a result expecting to be able to sleep better and maybe lose a little weight in the process

Latex mattress shopping is a lot different than what most of us are used to. There is hardly a comparison of apples to apples or oranges to oranges. There isn’t the standard that there is with most other consumable products. And some of it has nothing at all to do with the product itself, but the service, guarantee, and warranty. You’ll find a lot of mattress companies, latex mattress companies included, that want to sell you a product and be done with it. If or when you decide it wasn’t what you expected it to be, you’re either SOL or you have to jump through so many hoops that it isn’t even worth the time to try and get your money back.

Some general guidelines to follow, or some basic things to look for when buying a latex mattress, is to find out exactly what the material is made of. Is it natural latex completely, or some ratio of synthetic and natural? How thick is the latex foam? Are there artificial additives and glues? You also need to know what type of latex the core is made from. A Dunlop core is better because it is denser, and will be much less likely to sag. It’s preferable to also have a Talalay top layer for trigger point pressure relief. Many latex mattresses are either one or the other.

Beyond things having to do with the actual mattress itself, what is the stated warranty? And how long do you get to sleep on your mattress before you make your final decision (i.e. the return policy). Many return policies have very fine print that you don’t realize to basically lock you into your purchase even if you aren’t happy with your latex bed. With some of them you are fully responsible to try and find a way to get the mattress packaged and shipped back cross country, footing the bill of hundreds of dollars.

It’s very important to know and like the latex mattress company you are doing business with. You really need to trust somebody that you are laying a couple thousand dollars with. Are they committed to helping you get what you want and need, or is it just a turn and burn operation for them? Do they have a lot of complaints with the BBB, or is their record clean? How do they field your questions, and what is your gut instinct when speaking with them?

As you can see, buying a latex mattress should be more than just about price. Anybody can be the low-price leader by cutting as many hidden corners as possible, but then when you buy from them issues may rear their ugly head after the fact. Your latex mattress could really cost more than what you bargained for (remember, it’s more about value than price). How much does a great quality latex mattress cost? Expect to pay in the neighborhood of a couple of thousand dollars for a high quality natural latex mattress. In the long run you are getting a better deal even if you pay a little more for a latex mattress and it lasts longer and provides better comfort and reliability than the “latex mattress low-price leader”. Make sure you sift through the price and dig a little deeper to truly compare the features, service, warranty, and guarantee.