Many people think that they have a bad back just because they feel a lot of pain when the get up in the morning. I am not a Dr. and I would be the first to tell you that you should see one if you have back pain. Back pain can be caused by many things including the mattress you sleep on. If you have had your bed for a long time and your just now getting back pains it could be that either your body has changed, or your bed has changed.

Over time beds made of cotton pillow-tops or polyurethane foams will breakdown and sage. This breaking down can cause your back to hurt. One other thing that happens is people change as they age and need to change the firmness of their bed. If you have been sleeping comfortable for years on a soft mattress and now are having pain you may need to evaluate your situation. Have you gained or lost any weight? Do you see a dip in your mattress? Have you changed your sleeping habits such as going from a back sleeper to a side sleeper? Did you change your pillows? All of these things make a difference in your overall sleep and how you feel when you wake up.

Good news you might not need a new bed. Latex toppers and pillows can make the difference that you need to feel good again. If you need to firm up or soften your bed a latex topper could do wonders. If you have a sagging bed but the sag is not too deep. You might want to try to  put something such as a towel in the sag and placed a topper on top of the towel. I know people who have done this and loved it. Remember if your mattress is in good shape you could be making your bed even better than it was when it was new. Most of the really high end mattress use latex foam as their top layer of material for comfort. You can do the same thing yourself and save thousands of dollars. Don’t overlook your pillows they also can make a difference in how you feel. Most cheap pillow break down surprisingly fast because the are just fiber fill materials. Latex is naturally resilient and will keep the same shape for may years. Sometimes your pain is remedied as easy as changing your pillow.

Latex International has some of the best latex on the market in both feel and quality. Latex Internationals Talatech® latex is made in the USA and now days thats a big deal with all the imports we have been seeing in the news having hazardous materials in them. Why take a chance with materials that you will be sleeping on everyday?

You finally receive your new mattress and what felt great in the store somehow doesn’t feel so great in your home. This scenario happens to more people than you might think. If you’re lucky the store might take the mattress back and give you some of your money back but that is rare.

Many of us prefer to be able to touch the mattress or even lay on it before purchase and are dreadful to buy online just because they couldn’t really feel and know for sure what they would be getting. On the other hand, many of us also learned from experience that unless you have really slept on the mattress for several nights you can’t really be sure that you would like what you got. Whether you buy it from a local store or locally you would still need to “try” it at home.

Purchasing a mattress from a store that has a great return policy is one highly important consideration whether it is an online store or a local store. Some stores will not take a mattress back while others will only take it back for an exchange. But what happens if they just don’t have what you need? Some stores offer an extra plush and an extra firm-certainly nothing in the middle which might be what you need. Others might have a fuller selection but not one customized perfectly for John Doe. Before purchasing a mattress, you must always ask first what would happen if you didn’t like the mattress after you get it?

One option that you might not have considered was purchasing a latex topper from a store that would take back the topper if it didn’t feel so good after you try it. Most people realize that they don’t like their bed anymore but don’t stop to really think about why. It could be that over time the mattress has broken down and has made a change in the firmness of your mattress. It is also possible that there has been a change in your body that now required a different firmness. A latex mattress topper that has the correct firmness and correct thickness could bring back the feel of your mattress that you once loved or even exceed your expectations of what you thought you wanted.

High end mattress can cost thousands of dollars for the same material that you could buy yourself and top off your old mattress at a much cheaper price. If you buy it from a store that sells Latex International toppers you can be sure you are getting the highest quality latex your money can buy.

Just remember not all online topper stores are created equal and you should check their return policy and testimonials to make sure you know what kind of company you are dealing with.

Celsion toppers are also known for being bright pink. Here is where the confusion is coming from. Some people are still getting pink Celsion while others are getting the tan colored Celsion toppers. Latex International has decided to make all Celsions tan from here on in. Don’t worry if you get one of the pink Celsions they are made of the same formula as the new ones the only difference is that new ones are tan. The reason for the change was that the mattress manufactures were having trouble with the pink color showing up underneath the mattress covers. The tan color will not show up underneath the covers. So if you have a pink one don’t worry its still the state of the art mattress topper.

Once again summer is upon us. You can feel the heat of the day that lingers well into the night. If you’re like most people it is almost unbearable to fall asleep without having to run the air conditioner the whole night just to get comfortable. If that sounds like you then you should look into the Celsion line of latex toppers. I’m not saying that a Celsion topper would ever replace your air conditioner but it will make your bed a whole lot cooler than memory foam -it’s even cooler than a purely natural latex mattress.

One nice thing is that if you have memory foam and find it too hot you can add a layer of Celsion  to place on top of your hot memory foam. Even an inch can make a difference. Of course, a thicker layer of Celsion latex will work even better as far as insulating you from the hot mattress. Celsion Latex toppers are known for being superior to memory foam in both comfort and durability. You won’t lose your comfort but will increase it if anything. Celsion is the newest line of Talalay processed latex foam from Latex International and will become a common household name in the near future. Latex International is the highest quality latex manufacture in the world. So go ahead and top off that hot bed with a nice cool Celsion latex topper.

First of all, you must know that latex toppers are available in a variety of standard thicknesses that depend on the manufacturer. Latex International TalaTech latex toppers come as 0.9″, 1.9″, 2.8″. The thickest topper that that they manufacture is 5.6″.  By the way, is that really a topper? Oh yes – it is a topper for some of us hile it may be a complete mattress for others!

A mattress topper is basically a pad that you would place over a mattress. Usually a mattress topper or pad is plush and is very commonly approximately 3 inches. Not all toppers are plush and not all have to be thick.

Understand that topper selection sounds simple enough however can be complicated. Remember that you are looking to solve whatever your issue is with your mattress using a piece of foam whose performance relies very much on the type of mattress that’s underneath it, among other factors.  Below are some guidelines that you might find helpful:

1. What is the situation with your mattress? Is it slightly uncomfortable or highly uncomfortable? Does it need slight tweaking or does it almost need complete replacing? If you just need to improve your mattress a little bit, a 1 inch usually does the job.

2. How soft does the mattress topper need to be? If you need it to be soft, remember that you might just bottom up a 1 inch depending on your body weight and the firmness of the underlying mattress. If the topper needs to be firm, remember that a 1 inch will create a barrier between you and the “too soft” mattress so depending on your weight and how soft or saggy the underlying mattress is, a 1″ may not help that much but surely will create some kind of “film”.

No matter what position you sleep your spine needs to be aligned when you are sleeping to avoid unnecessary discomfort. Determine how heavy the heaviest and the bulgiest part of your body and see how much the surface has to give to “trim” the extra shape so that your spine stays properly aligned. These latex foams have ratings that suggest how much weight is required to compress it down by 25% of its thickness. To compenaste for the thickness, you will need a higher firmness level.

3. How high is your existing mattress now? To some of us a 12 inch mattress on top of a 10 inch boxspring on a 10 inch bed frame may already be a challenge to get onto but is not a very uncommon setup either. If your mattress is already high AND you don’t have an option to adjust the height of your bedframe, you may find that you don’t have a lot of option on the thickness of a mattress topper. It is not a wise practice to set the overall height of the “finished” mattress and then decide from that how thick the mattress topper should but it is not impossible to find one that would work either given enough selection of ILD’s.

4. What type of mattress do you have? Do you need to place the topper over a very plush memory foam? If you are trying to find relief from sleeping “in a rut”, you will need a firm foam topper that is thick enough to do the job. Do you have an air mattress with almost no padding? You might need at least a 2″ so that you are not directly lying on an uncomfortable air bladder. Is your mattress an inner coil spring type? Depending on how much pressure points you are feeling from the poky springs you might need a generous amount of latex topper.

5. How much money do you want to spend? There is of course no rule that would work for everyone. The best way to get started is to talk to a company that sells the toppers. A good company to start with is one that offers a wide selection of thicknesses and firmnesses. This company will give you an unbiased recommendation that will only be to your benefiit. Pick a company that especializes highly on mattress toppers.

One the most important things they need is a good night’s sleep every night. College dorm beds are known to be uncomfortable. One way you can help them is to buy them a latex foam pillow and a latex foam mattress topper. Latex foams are nice because they are comfortable, naturally antimicrobial and resistant to dust mites and bed bugs. The right combination of latex foam pillow and latex foam mattress topper will certainly make that dorm bed feel like a luxury bed.  It’s also a great investment for you because these latex foams will last for a long time so that you will never have to buy for them another pillow or another mattress in a very long time. These sleeping materials are known to be durable and they have that luxurious consistent feel that remains the same every year.

Find out what size bed they have in their dorm room – most likely it is Twin XL or Extra Long Single. I suggest going online and searching on Google, Yahoo or MSN for high quality mattresses toppers and pillows. A 3-inch mattress latex foam topper is a very popular choice. Imagine how good you will feel knowing that when your son or daughter wakes up in the morning they will be thinking of you.

College life is hard and any good quality sleep they can get is like gold. Bad sleep in college can lead to bad grades in college. So give your son or daughter the edge they need to be successful in college.

Latex pillows, on the other hand, have many benefits that the regular fill pillows just can’t compete with. Latex pillows do not break down for many years instead of months like conventional pillows. You might think you’re saving money on your conventional pillow but you must keep buying a replacement because it becomes uncomfortable quite shortly.

Dust mites and allergies are another concern with conventional pillows. Latex pillows are great for people with allergies because they are naturally anti-microbial and do not make a good home for dust mites. Dust mites have been known to contribute to allergies and other ailments as well.

Latex pillows also don’t need to be turned over throughout the night. Latex pillows are naturally resilient which means the pillow won’t change its shape after you sleep on it repeatedly for many years. With conventional pillows, as you sleep they become hot because the material gets smashed together and don’t allow heat to dissipate. Latex pillows are ventilated with holes to allow the heat to escape making a much more comfortable and cool sleeping experience.

Latex Toppers can make all the difference in the world. It is easy to change the feel or your mattress. Latex foam toppers come in many different firmnesses and thicknesses. You need to find a company that can help you and there are many on the Internet. Just go to Google or Yahoo search for high quality latex toppers. From there you should find some companies that sell high quality latex toppers. Don’t be afraid to give them a call or email and explain what you are looking for. They should be able to help you find the right topper to make that bed of yours special again.
I hope this helps you on your quest to find the perfect mattress.

“If my new latex topper arrives to my home with tears, voids and glued seams in it – is that normal?” This is a question that is asked a lot so I think it deserves an answer.

Latex foam toppers that are sold uncovered are really mattress foam components that are used primarily for building very high-quality, high-end mattresses. When mattress manufactures buy them they use them inside your covered mattress and so you really never see them.

Retailers of these latex foam toppers usually buy them from the same manufacturers that mattress manufacturers get their raw components. This is why you will receive toppers with some tears, voids and glued seams. The tears and voids really don’t affect the actual comfort or durability of the foam. Some retail companies sell these toppers with covers to make them more pleasing to the customer’s eye, but that really doesn’t make the topper better than the one without cover. Remember that there’s no such thing as free and that quality has a price so don’t think that you’re really saving by having the cover included as part of the deal. Actually, with that you have paid extra for the topper because of the cover without even knowing it. If even with the cover the deal still sounds so good, the topper must be a cheaper quality after all. Personally, I would rather pay a little extra and buy a cover of a much higher quality that I choose.

US made mattress toppers bigger than Twin XL will have a glued seam. This is because most latex foam companies, even the best and biggest like Latex International, glue two pieces together to make full sizes and up (and three pieces to make a California King). It just doesn’t make sense to make a mold for every size of bed and it is just not cost effective.  If Queen mold must be used, for example, then the cost will be higher because a Queen mold will only make a Queen size. Twin sizes up to Full sizes will have to be cut from a Queen size and so they would be priced the same as the Queen size. That certainly will make the already high retail prices outrageous-wouldn’t it. Like I said earlier these latex foams were never meant to be seen and the glue seam is virtually undetectable by feel.

Foam toppers come in many different types of materials. People have been using memory foam for many years but memory foam has a tendency to make your body feel really hot and many people don’t like the sinking feeling of memory foam. Memory foam is also known to keep an impression of your body over time making your bed not feel the way it did when you first experienced it.

Latex foam toppers, unlike memory foam, keep your body much cooler and are very resilient. People have many choices to make when buying a latex foam topper and it can be complicated for some. These considerations are outlined below to help guide you better in your next reading:

     Type of manufacturing process: Dunlop or Talalay
     100% Natural or Blended
     Made in USA or outside of USA
     Firmness or ILD
     Thickness: 1 inch; 2 inch; 3 inch
     Cost

Latex can be categorized according to what type of process was used to make it. So why does that matter? There are two widely known processes of manufacturing latex foam: one called the Talalay process and the other is the Dunlop process. From its name, Talalay latex foam is processed using the Talalay technology while Dunlop latex is processed using the Dunlop technology. The two processes produce two different latex foams that differ very much in their feel.
 
In the Talalay process, only a small amount of latex compound is poured into the mold. The mold cavity is vacuumed to remove gaps in the mold and perfectly distribute the liquid foam and create a consistent airy, open cell structure. The foam mixture is then flash frozen to lock the cell structure in place and to prevent the particles from settling.
 
In the Dunlop process, the latex compound is poured into the mold and there is no vacuuming or freezing stage that occur. The particles settle by gravity and the result is a denser product that is less airy and feels not as consistent as that created from the Talalay process.
 
Because of the vacuum plus freezing stage involved in the Talalay process, Talalay latex can be made in a wider firmness range, which makes it available to a wider group of sleeping consumers. The feel of a Talalay foam is also superior to that of a Dunlop foam -therefore it is better as a mattress topper while Dunlop foam is usually a more ecoonomical choice to make as base or bottom component of lower-end mattresses.
 
Latex foam can also be categorized according to how much of it is pure natural rubber. You’ll read or hear terms like “100% natural latex foam” and “blended latex foam”. A 100% natural latex foam contains naturally derived latex in its entireity while a blended latex foam contains some naturally derived latex and some synthetic latex in properly defined proportion. So why does it matter?
 
Naturally derived latex (Natural Rubber Latex NRL) is extracted from rubber trees that are scarred on their trunks to give out sap called “rubber milk.” Rubber trees are a renewable resource but are limited by the amount of plantations available. The collection of this natural material is a slower process as well which limits the supply and makes it a more costly choice.

Synthetic latex is more widely available than natural latex and includes styrene-butadiene copolymers (SBR latex), Polychloroprene (CR), acrylic polymers, vinyl acetate polymers, vinyl acetate-ethylene polymers, Acrylonitrile-Butadiene Copolymers (NBR Latex), vinyl chloride polymers and copolymers, polybutadiene and polyisoprene. SBR is the most commonly used synthetic latex.
 
Natural latex is a great choice for people that have a passion for environmental concerns. The problem with natural latex is that the feel is not as consistent as that of the synthetic type of latex and has a tendency to breakdown faster than the synthetic latex foam.

Some retailers of these foams make it a little confusing (maybe purposely?) and call their product “natural latex.” Some consumers can easily fall for that thinking it is purely natural but unless they claim that it is made 100% with natural latex then the foam product may be blended. Some mattress manufacturers claim that their mattresses are “100% latex” but all that means is that there are no other types of foam in their mattress to fill the edges of their mattress. Some consumers can easily be mislead that “100% latex” means purely natural.
Not that there is a real issue with blended latex but majority of consumers don’t appreciate buying something different from what they thought. Not to mention, “100% natural latex” foams cost much more than a blended latex foam.    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
It is also important to know where the foam is made. The cheaper latex foams are usually made outside of USA. And why does that matter? In the USA the govenment enforces stricter regulations on manufacturing consumer goods. Outside of USA where these latex foams are also manufactured, there’s not much control over the quality of production like what harmful chemicals or processes may have been involved to produc them. Think about it: you’ll be spending a third of your life sleeping on these foams and your lungs is practically next to it!
When choosing a latex foam mattress topper, there are two other important considerations left: thickness and firmness. Talalay latex foam mattress toppers generally come in 1 inch, 2 inch, and 3 inch thicknesses and the firmness available ranges from 14 ILD to 44 ILD. The “ILD” or Indentation Load Deflection is a standard unit of measure that is used globally to suggest the firmness of a foam. But while it is supposedly a standard unit of measurement, beware that because of the density factor and the fact that a Dunlop foam is denser than a Talalay foam, the same ILD’s between these two foams don’t equate perfectly in feel.
When shopping for the right mattress topper, it is best to find a company that offers the full range of thickness and ILD’s so that you don’t get steered to buy something that they have that may not necessarily be what you need. Many of the smaller companies don’t sell all the thicknesses and ILDs due to the high cost of stocking them all. Talalay foams are very hard to find locally and if you want to find a good source on the Internet you might want to look for 14 ILD because most of the smaller companies don’t stock it. This will help you narrow your search down to the ones that carry a full selection first.     

                                                                                                                                                                              
Just a word of caution: there are a lot of companies that sell latex foams so you must do some research. You will find that good latex does come with a price and that the best latex is made in the USA. Don’t be afraid to call the company that you are thinking of doing business with and asking them details about their product. If they don’t clearly disclose some or all the information then keep that as a warning sign their product might not be of the highest quality.