Glossary

• Breathability

  Mattresses need to breathe. With the amount of fillings and areas of space within a mattress, they can quickly hold heat and moisture. Over time this can influence the way a mattress behaves and also effect the life span of a mattress. 
  
  Manufacturers have developed different ways of tackling the problem of Breathability in mattresses. Some brands have used vents to allow air to pass through the mattress. Some brands use state-of-the-art materials to cover the mattress, such as Coolmax or Outlast. Memory Foam has a reputation of storing heat and moisture, as foam requires heat to soften up.Memory Foam brands have overcome this problem by applying Coolmax and Outlast, they also use Open Cell technology. This technique is to simply allow the foam to settle with larger spaces between the foam cells. This allows heat and moisture to move freely without getting trapped.
  
  Some mattresses are created in such a way that they do not require any additional Breathability methods. These mattresses are generally the entry level mattresses with Open Coil spring units and not a great deal of fillings.
  
  

• Delivery

  Our deliveries are carried out by a small courier outfit called BJS Distribution. We use this company for all Double and Kingsize mattresses and Divan Beds. This service will see all goods taken to room of choice and unpacked, all packaging can be taken away for recycling (upon request). We use NIghtfreight for our smaller products (pillows and headboards etc). Delivery to the room of choice is free!
  
  We operate a next day delivery service on all our stocked items. If you order before 13:00, you can receive you new mattress, bed, pillow or headboard the following day. Delivery is free!
  
  Our couriers will speak with you to arrange a delivery timeslot, and also offer an hours notice within this timeframe. With smaller items, on Nightfreight's service, we offer 30mins notice ahead of arrival.

• Firmness

  MyNextMattress is developing a new and unique solution to the Firmness scale accuracy. Not seen anywhere else in the World, we will be measuring the Firmness of all our mattresses precisely and in detail.
  
  We are the only company in the Country that will actually measure the Firmness of a mattress and give a grading out of 10. We are always aware that choosing your next mattress can be a difficult and time consuming process, therefore we strive to give as much information as possible on every mattress we sell.
  
  The way our system works is by applying weight to a mattress. We will apply weight gradually and measure the amount the mattress dips. The more weight, the more the mattress will 'sink'. We would then measure the distance the mattress dips and plot these measurements (weight and distance) on a graph. This graph can then be used to tell us the Firmness category the mattress fits into, 7 out of 10 for instance.
  
  Our Firmness Device provides a central rod which we apply weights to, on the bottom end there is a disc which pushes into the mattress. The top of this rod supports the weights and will sink according to the 'give' in a mattress. We measure from this point.
  
  As a result of this unique technique, it will be possible for you to shop by the firmness of a mattress, this is not possible anywhere else.

• Hypoallergenic

  Put simply, Hypoallergenic materials do not cause the amount of irritation that non-hypoallergenic materials can. Hypoallergenic materials can still cause irritation in some cases, the chances of this are reduced greatly. People with severe allergies and asthma may still have problems with items called hypoallergenic, but the risk is greatly reduced.
  
  Hypoallergenic materials do not omit the same particles and fibres as other non-hypoallergenic materials. These particles are to blame for causing irritation and discomfort and in some cases the irritation can be dangerous. The Hypoallergenic properties of these materials can be created by number of techniques. Some materials (Memory Foam or Latex) are naturally hypoallergenic, others have been chemically treated.

• Memory Foam

  Memory Foam was invented by NASA in 1966. The idea was to improve the safety of aircraft cushions, but it was not long before th material was developed further and used in more and more products. Memory Foam is an open cell construction, which reacts to body heat and weight. The more heat applied, the softer the material gets. This, in turn, allows the weight applied to sink deeper. Memory Foam can be made at various densities to result in different tensions/firmnesses.

  The crucial element of Memory Foam is that it softens and moulds to the body shape. This ability allows for very accurate contour support and weight distribution. This ability makes Memory Foam a desirable material for mattresses. Some mattresses are completely Memory Foam, perhaps using different layers of various densities. Some mattresses use Memory Foam to compliment a Spring Unit.

  As Memory Foam requires heat to achieve its desired state, the heat is stored. Some people are not keen on Memory Foam as this heat can gradually build, resulting in a warm bed. However, this stereotype can be seen as outdated, as many manufacturers have solved the issue by applying new techniques to compliment the Foam. Techniques such as Outlast and Coolmax. Memory Foam is also Hypoallergenic and is therefore very popular with Asthma and Allergy sufferers.

• Pocket Sprung

  Pocket Sprung units are an adaption of the traditional open coil/continuous spring unit. By placing each spring in its own individual 'pocket' (a fabric sock-like pouch), the spring is not joined to any other part of the mattress. The pocket that supports the spring is then joined to its neighbouring pockets and this effect creates a unique feel.
  
  By creating a spring unit in this way, it allows the springs to move independently, rather than sharing the pressure with surrounding springs. This effect allows for much more accurate contour following and a more comfortable feel overall.
  
  If you were to push your hand into a traditionally sprung mattress, the area around your hand would dip/sink too. With Pocket Springs, this sunken area is much more remote and therefore more accurately follows the contours of the pressure source. There are differences in the techniques used to create Pocket Springs, but more or less they remain the same.

• Pressure Points

  Pressure Points are created in the body when lying on a mattress which is not suitable for a persons physique. The Pressure Points are caused by putting stresses through the body. When the spine is not aligned correctly (i.e, straight), it can cause pressure to build up in the back, hips or shoulders (etc).
  
  When a bed is too soft, the body sinks in, causing certain areas to be under the strain of the rest of the body. When a mattress is too hard/firm, then the weight applied can cause the body to flex/bend in the opposite way - causing a similar problem. Hips, shoulders and so on, are requried to be sunken into the mattress slightly more than the surrounding areas, as they carry the weight. When this is not the case, the lower back may be bent to compensate. The ideal mattress is one which will keep the spine straight.

• Quilted / Micro Quilted

  Quilting is the stitching technique used to join or attach the mattress' surface layers of fibres to the surface material (the ticking). There are various different techniques which can be used to join these layers, but Quilting is common. Traditionally, Quilting offers a softer surface feel than Tufting as the layers are not held together so tightly. Also see Diamond Stitching or Micro Quilting for variations on Quilting.

• Reflex Foam

  Reflex Foam is a man made material designed to offer support and comfort. Created from polyurethane with additional chemicals, Reflex Foam is very similar to Memory Foam. Reflex Foam reacts to body heat, the warmer it gets, the softer it becomes. As a result, Reflex Foam mattresses have commonly developed over the years to compensate for what many believed to be a hot sleeping surface.

  The area directly in contact with the body warms to soften up. This softening results in the foam moulding and supporting the body. The support then results in comfort by aligning the spine correctly and avoids creating pressure points.

• Tension

  Another word for Firmness.

• Zoning The idea behind Zoning is to offer support where it is needed. The body has certain areas under pressure when lying flat. Zones are designed to split the mattress into sections and offer some areas more support than others. The end result will be a straight spine and pressure relieved. Some mattresses are split into 3 Zones, some into 5 Zones and some into 7 Zones and so on. The principle areas requiring support (and therefore their own individual Zones) are the head, shoulders, hips and feet.  The spine should remain level as much as possible when lying on a mattress, therefore the areas with the most weight applied should be slightly firmer to allow for the extra loading. At the same time, the surrounding areas need to compensate for this and will not be as firm to allow the spine to remain straight. The Zoning may be created by simply adding more layers of fibres where needed, or a different type of spring in certain areas. In latex or foam mattresses, it is possible to vary the density of the foam or latex to create different tensions where required. Latex mattresses can also be sculpted in certain areas to remove latex and therefore make certain areas softer.