Special Foam Makes Sleeping Magic

The sign looks a little out of place in a shop that specializes in selling mattresses. Posted over one of the sample beds in The Foam King, its bold red type reads 'Warning. Do not lay on this mattress.'

The sign really peaks people's curiosity," said Don Hutchings of The Foam King. "They want to know why they shouldn't lay on that particular mattress, and I tell them that if they lay on it, they're going to want to buy one. It's that comfortable."

The mattress in question is the 'Sleep Magic Sensus^TM', a new addition to the lines of latex and polyurethane foam mattresses that Hutchings sells. 'Sleep Magic Sensus^TM' was developed for people who suffer from back problems or insomnia. It's made of a visco-cell foam that responds to body heat and pressure to conform to the body's natural curves and provide support to the areas where it's needed most. The mattress returns to its normal shape within a few minutes of a person getting up.

"People who liked having a waterbed because of the way the water fit around their bodies will love the 'Sleep Magic Sensus^TM' mattress," said Hutchings. "It's almost like a waterbed, but it isn't 'gushy' like one and it provides better back and neck support."

In fact, Hutchings often sees people coming into his store looking for an option to replace their waterbed insert without having to buy new furniture. Custom-cut waterbed mattress replacements are one of the popular services offered by The Foam King. Foam mattresses can be custom cut to any size, shape or thickness.

For those customers who suffer from headaches and neck pain. The Foam King also carries a line of 'Sleep Magic Sensus^TM' foam pillows. The pillow conforms to the head and neck allowing the muscles in the neck and shoulder to relax while providing personal support. Hutchings says this pillow is the solution for people who punch, pound or fold their pillows trying to make them comfortable.

"You don't have to fight with our pillow to make it comfortable, the pillow's special construction automatically adjusts to you."

Speaking to Hutchings is a bit like taking a course in 'Foam Mattresses 101.' He believes in educating people about the advantages of foam while correcting some of the misconceptions people might have about foam quality.

Some people are reluctant to try a foam mattress because they think of the camping 'foamies' they slept on as kids, "said Hutchings. "They don't realize the vast difference between that type of foam and a good quality foam."

Another common misconception is that a harder mattress provides better support than a soft one said Hutchings.

"A lot of people think a really hard mattress is good for their backs, but people usually sleep on their sides. If the mattress is too hard, it won't give proper support to the body's pressure points at the neck, hip and shoulder and you will wake up with a stiff neck or sore shoulders."

Foam's quality is determined by its density and weight, not its firmness. Denser foam has thicker cell walls which stand up better to years of expansion and contraction. A quality foam mattress can also be a bargain because it's less than half the cost of a traditional spring-filled mattress. Foam mattresses cost less because of their simple construction - no 'springs' attached.

Other benefits of a foam mattress are cleanliness and comfort. Allergy sufferers praise foam's non-allergenic nature. Unlike a conventional mattress, foam can be cleaned by vacuuming it and there is no place for dust mites to grow. Each Foam King mattress has a zippered polycotton cover that can be washed and dried.

A foam mattress is more comfortable because it provides individual support. Foam doesn't allow motion to transfer from one side of the bed to the other. If one partner has a restless night, the other can still sleep comfortably because foam absorbs, the motions created by tossing and turning - now if it could only stop a 'blanket thief' from stealing the warm covers and letting the cold air in!

"Actually, warmth is another one of foam's features," said Hutchings. "Foam warms up to body temperature within moments, but it doesn't make you sweat because foam breathes. It has an open cell construction that acts like a set of bellows by letting air in and out.

"The way foam warms up was an unexpected bonus that my wife and I discovered when we first switched to a foam mattress about 15 years ago. You can get to sleep faster because you don't have to wait long for the bed to warm up, and there are no cold spots to roll onto and wake you up in the middle of the night. That's something I really appreciate on those cold Alberta nights."

The Foam King sells four types of foam mattresses. Polyurethane, Latex, Sleep Magic Sensus^TM and Sleep Magic Reflex^TM.

-Taken from the Edmonton Examiner - October 8, 1999