IF it's been a year or two since you've shopped for a mattress, you're in for some surprises. That memory foam bed that once seemed so novel? It's now decidedly mainstream. Latex is the hot material of choice. And that's not all that's changed.
Choices are multiplying -- especially on the luxury end -- and prices are too.
Today, along with the traditional innersprings, you'll find a growing selection of specialty mattresses made of hypoallergenic latex foam, gel, organic wool and cotton, even magnets (for fans of magnet therapy), not to mention the viscoelastic memory foam and adjustable air chambers that already have garnered so much attention. Many of these command $1,500 to $4,000 for a queen.
Manufacturers also are tucking layers of pricey latex or memory foam into their traditional innerspring lines, creating plush hybrid models. Yes, hybrid beds.
"It used to be rock-hard beds sold a lot," says Larry Miller, cofounder and president of Sit 'n Sleep, which has 18 mega-stores in Southern California. "Today we're selling a lot of plush beds with support, a lot of latex, a lot of memory foam, a lot of air products and new types of innersprings with latex or memory foam, or a combination of foams."
In 2001, 1 in 7 mattresses sold for $1,000 or more, according to the International Sleep Products Assn. By 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available, the number had risen to more than 1 in 5.
Two trends are converging: advancements in mattress technologies and the aging of baby boomers who are willing to spend money on premium products.
"Around age 50, your body really starts to change in regard to sensitivity to pressure points," says Consumer Reports senior editor Tod Marks, who headed up the magazine's most recent report on mattresses. Changes can even be felt at age 40, he says. "That mattress you found comfortable 10 years ago may no longer be so comfortable. You may want more padding on top."
Doctors and bedding professionals used to think that a firm mattress was best for the back. Not anymore. Today, a combination of support and comfort is thought to be ideal -- whatever feels best to each person. And what feels best to many people, especially as they get older, is a mattress with a little "give." That's where specialty beds come in.
