The following information is adapted from The Better Sleep Guide, a free brochure from the "Consumer Information Series."

If you're tossing and turning night after night and not getting the deep, restful sleep you need, you may wonder whether your mattress and foundation could be stealing your sleep. The Better Sleep Council recommends carefully evaluating the comfort and support of your sleep set at least twice a year. Your Sleep Doctor representative can help you evaluate your needs.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Any recent lifestyle changes? Moving to a different house or getting married may call for a change in your mattress.
• My body? As we age, our bodies change. What was once comfortable may no longer meet your changing preferences. The amount of space that's right for you also changes. Make sure your mattress along with your children's, continue to provide support, comfort, and the space you need as you age and your children grow.

If you're a detail oriented shopper, click on "Bedding Basics". For an interesting overview, see question 5, "Comfort Preferences", further down in this FAQ section.

• Rotate it. A new sleep set will feel different from an old set. The important support that the back and the spine need is complemented by the layers of polyfoam, dacron, insulators, and sometimes even wool, silk, or cashmere. The layers of upholstery in old mattresses become compressed and flattened over the years. Upholstery layers in a new mattress have a certain amount of air in these materials, therefore a break in period is required. This is when new materials begin to settle and conform to the shapes and curves of your body. While this adjustment is taking places, creases (or "body impressions") may be noticeable.

• This is a natural process and these creases are not defects. This settling of materials can be evened out by rotating the mattress on a regular basis. It is recommended that the mattress is rotated once every two weeks for the first three months, and then once a month after that. The foundation should also be turned every 12 months.

• An important part of the bedding investment is the use of a proper frame. A queen or king size bed needs to have a frame with a center support to compensate for stress in middle of the set.



• Don't use the handles to support the full weight of the mattress. Typically, handles are designed to help you position the mattress over the foundation. If used improperly, handles may pull out and damage the fabric.



• A quality, washable mattress pad is the traditional method of keeping the sleep set free from stains. The factory may void your warranty if the mattress is statined.

If you wish to switch from a waterbed to a traditional style mattress and foundation because it's hurting your back or you're simply sick of it, there is good news -- you have options!!

The question is: do you want to keep your platform and/or matching furniture? If you do, read the following information. If not, refer to "Comfort Preferences - Should everyone have a firm mattress?" section in this FAQ.

We have inner spring mattresses that are custom sized to fit perfectly inside your waterbed cavity. A regular sized queen or king size mattress doesn't fit properly. Consider the following chart:

	Super Single	Queen	King
Your waterbed (inside) cavity size:	48 x 84	60 x 84	72 x 84
Traditional Mattress Size	None x 80	60 x 80	76 x 80
Custom sized waterbed "insert" mattress	46 x 82	58 x 82	70 x 82

When you compare your waterbed cavity size to the traditional size, you'll notice:

1. They're not long enough
2. Width of the traditional king size is 4 inches too wide

When you compare your waterbed cavity size to the custom size, you'll notice:

1. There will be one inch completely around the perimeter of the mattress to tuck in sheets and bedding
2. It fits perfectly in width and length
   

   Other Information
   The inside height of your waterbed side board is 9" from the platform. The recommended mattresses are a minimum of 9" thick, therefore most will crown beautifully above the side rail to make it easy to get in and out of. You don't need a boxspring.

   
   

No retail store or salesperson can tell you what mattress would be most comfortable for you because people have varying preferences. However, there are some parameters that do affect the type of mattress you should buy.

Three basic types of mattresses are available:

1. Firm - a mattress that has a "firm" combination of padding on top of the springs that gives the top of the mattress a stiffer feel.
2. Plush - a mattress that has a "soft" combination of padding on the top of the springs that gives the top of the mattress a softer feel.
3. Pillowtop - a mattress that has a "soft" combination of padding on top of the springs, but the top several layers are sewn separately to a pillow (generally 1 - 4 inches thick), then sewn on top of the spring system.

Some models found in stores have the same name, same fabric, but are available in all three types: firm, plush, and pillowtop.

Different types of mattresses are recommended based on your sleeping position. The question is, are you a side sleeper, stomach sleeper or back sleeper? If you are an all over person, in what position do you wake up?

Besides Simmons and a select few, over 70% of the innerspring cores out there come from one manufacturer, Leggett & Platt. That's why shopping for a new sleep system can be difficult because even though you're looking at a different name brand, the same exact coil system might be right inside. For example, an Ultra Premium Sealy Pillowtop can be compared to our Renee 2 pillowtop because they both have a double off-set coil system inside.

Remember, the same mattress at different retail stores or websites will have different names. The Sleep Doctor Brand is manufactured with the same components as the big name brands, so you get the same premium quality but at a lower price. Just call 1-866-775-3371 or e-mail us, we will find it for you.

This is quite common in the houses that were built generations ago. The remedy is simple; Split queen box springs. You get the same foundation in 2 separate pieces. This makes it easier for you to maneuver the foundations through tight spaces and saves a lot of damage to the walls and ceilings as well! (King size and Cal-King size sets automatically come with split box springs because of their size.)

Of course! However, we do recommend (for warranty purposes) that the mattress have a matching foundation or be on a platform bed with sufficient support. Placing a new mattress on an old foundation will void any manufacturer's warranty (no matter the brand). The small difference between a mattress only and a set is usually not worth risking the durability of a quality mattress. For mattress only pricing, give us a call at 1-866-775-3371.

No. There is no state sales tax collected for deliveries made to any state in the U.S., except Michigan.

If you slept better on a hotel mattress than you do with your own mattress, that may be a sign that your current mattress is worn out. Hotel mattresses are a much lower grade than what is sold in retail stores. Hotels do use name brand mattresses, but they will almost always use contract quality mattresses. This is great for you because almost any new sleep system will most likely accommodate your body even better than the model in the hotel.

Every Serta and Sleep Doctor Brand Mattress comes with a non-prorated warranty that covers everything besides normal wear and abuse. All mattress product pages come with a link explaining our warranty.

It's critical that bigger folks get a mattress that supports them properly. It is generally recommended that firmer mattresses are better because a mattress with a great number of soft pads on top is compressed more easily and isn't worth the additional expense. However, a mattress that has an extra firm core on the inside for support and a moderate amount of softer padding on top for comfort will give the perfect combination for a great night's sleep.

Doctor's Note: If a history of back problems or back pain exists, lean toward the firmer mattresses

Vacuuming is the only recommended cleaning method. It's not a good idea to clean a mattress by hand because many things can stain the fabric of your new mattress, even water. The best safeguard for your mattress is a mattress protector, which also fights allergens such as bacteria, dust mites, etc. Protectabed.com

We will send you a replacement at no charge. We pack our shipments in protective boxes designed to absorb shipping bumps, so the bed inside arrives in perfect condition. If your order arrives with marks on the outside boxes, you may inspect the bed and note any damages on the driver's receipt, then refuse delivery of the damaged item or items. Shipping damage is very rare, and you can expect your order will arrive in perfect condition!

Beds come in four standard sizes: twin, double (or full), queen, and king. Here are their dimensions:

Twin	Double (or full)	Queen	King
39 x 75	54 x 75	60 x 80	76 x 80
There are additional "special" sizes, such as waterbed inserts (see question #4), three-quarter, and California king
Three Quarter		California King
48 x 75		72 x 84
Be sure you get a bed that is large enough to accommodate the space you need, especially if you share your bed. A king really does the trick if you like lots of room to spread out.