What Is a Mattress System?
A mattress system is the combination of a frame, box spring and mattress that make up a bed. The system may use a platform or slats instead of a box spring to support the mattress. The bed frame that holds the mattress and box spring can be made from wood, metal, polyurethane or a combination of materials and be supported by legs or rest flush on the floor. Does this Spark an idea?
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Mattress Types
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The three main types of mattresses include innerspring, latex foam and memory foam. No single type is obviously superior to the others, and variety exists to meet the many desires and needs people have for a mattress system.
Innerspring Mattress Options
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In innerspring mattresses, the inner coils provide support. Open coil types are the least expensive and have coils shaped like hourglasses connected to the coils around them with small spiral wires. They provide good support when new but tend to quickly wear and deteriorate. Offset coil styles have coils with square heads that allow the springs to adapt to different body shapes more easily than open coils do. They have longer lives than open coil mattresses.
Mattresses with each coil individually wrapped in fabric deter movement in the rest of the bed when a sleeper moves, which is a good feature if two people share a bed. Individually wrapped coil mattresses generally last longer than open or offset coil mattresses. Continuous coil mattresses are generally considered the most comfortable and durable of the innerspring types. Their coils are constructed of one continuous wire, which evenly distributes body weight, making for a more restful and supportive sleep.
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Foam Mattresses
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Foam mattresses are made from latex or memory foam. Latex foam breathes well and keeps sleepers cool while providing even, solid support to the spine without springs, which some people find irritating. Memory foam mattresses have an inner core that contours to body shapes and keeps its form from one sleeping session to the next. However, this feature decreases the mattress's breathability, so sleeping conditions are warmer than with latex foam.
Box Springs
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Although box springs are commonly part of American mattress systems, in Europe they are commonly replaced with slats or solid pieces of wood or fiberboard. The main purpose of a box spring is to support the mattress, but it also raises the height of the sleeping platform, making access easier. Box springs also reduce wear to the mattress covering, absorb shock and provide a firm surface to support the mattress and deter slippage.
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References
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