If you wake up feeling tired and irritable, you are not alone. A National Sleep Foundation survey found that some 47 million Americans are not getting their necessary eight hours of sleep.
You need the comfort and support of the perfect handcrafted mattress, but steer clear of anything labeled “firm.” Research shows that a firm, inflexible bed can cause discomfort and pain in the back, neck, shoulders, and hips by forcing the spine to adopt an unnatural position. Hence, the trend today is toward a softer sleep surface.
The Swedes continue to be on the cutting edge of innovative sleep technology. The DUX sleep system by DUX of Sweden (available at Duxiana stores) offers advanced conventional bedding that is supportive, comfortable, and long-lasting. Each DUX bed is handmade, from the Swedish steel memory springs to the plush top pads. The revolutionary DUX 7007, with a patented Pascal sleep system, features three interchangeable spring modules with different densities to provide separate support zones for shoulders, torso, and legs, and allows two people sharing the same bed to customize their own sides.
Hästens (available at ABC Carpet & Home in New York), Sweden’s oldest mattress manufacturer, was among the first to eliminate all foam rubber and latex and embrace natural materials that comply with strict environmental requirements. The filling is made of horsehair combined with cotton, flax, and pure new wool, which wick moisture away and allow the air to circulate, make the bed soft and flexible, and take on the shape of your body’s contour. Hästens’ spiral spring system allows every part of the bed to respond individually to every part of the body, which means that you will not notice your partner turning over. The Hästens 2000T has individually fitted springs in their own independent fabric pocket for greater flexibility.
Fagerdala World Foams of Sweden launched its Tempur-Pedic Swedish Mattress with Tempur material in North America 10 years ago. It is a perfected version of breathable, temperature-sensitive viscoelastic developed by NASA to relieve astronauts of the incredible g-forces experienced during liftoff. The 10-inch Tempur-Pedic Swedish Mattress Deluxe is composed of billions of viscoelastic memory cells that sense body temperature and weight. Combined with an adjustable bed and pillow, you have the Tempur-Pedic Adjustable Swedish Sleep System, which is guaranteed for 20 years.
English ingenuity also knows no bounds when it comes to getting 40 good winks. Vi-Spring invented the pocketed coil in the early 20th century, and the 100-year-old Vi-Spring mattress is made essentially the same way, with added luxury refinements. Individual coils of vanadium-treated wire wrapped in calico cotton and configured in honeycomb nesting eliminate gaps and extend life, strength, and elasticity. The result? Each person lying on the mattress enjoys his or her own uniquely contoured feeling. All natural fibers—horsehair, pure Asian cashmere, New Zealand lambswool, and rich cotton felt—wick and draw moisture out. Other features include Belgian woven damask coverings, hand tufting, and rows of hand side stitching that eliminate the need for support bars. A king-size, top-of-the-line Magnificence mattress with silk woven into the damask ticking and the option to personalize the box spring with metal medallions engraved with your name costs about $20,000.
Each manufacturer will customize products. So evaluate your sleeping needs and remember—you cannot put a price on a good night’s sleep.
DUX, Duxiana stores, www.duxiana.com;
Hästens, ABC Carpet & Home, 212.473.3000, www.hastens.com;
Tempur-Pedic, 888. 245.3160, www.tempurpedic.com;
Vi-Spring, Bedroom Eyes,480.948.9488
