Feeling tired and under pressure? Do you feel out of shape, flabby, worn down, not at your best? Does it seem like a great weight is pressing down on you?

Then you and your mattress have a lot in common.

In 1996, an Arc Consulting/Better Sleep Council survey revealed that of 400 adults:

• 82 percent believed that sleep problems are caused by a poor mattress.


• 46 percent described the condition of their mattress when they bought a new one as "bad" or "very bad."


• Respondents were five times more likely to attribute poor sleep to stress than to the condition of their mattress-22 percent chose "stress" and 4 percent chose "mattress."


• 60 percent only thought of their mattress when it disturbed them.

You may not think of your mattress, but it thinks of you. A sagging, infirm, old mattress shows the effects of your daily routine, from washing to sleeping with a partner to tossing and turning at night. Moving and disease in the family can take the life out of your mattress as it ages.

Consider investing in a mattress pad to protect your new mattress and help you sleep. If you like your mattress soft, a mattress pad can take some of the hardness out of a firm box-spring mattress. According to the Prevention Magazine How-To Dictionary of Healing Remedies and Techniques, convoluted-foam mattress pads can be used under a traditional mattress pad or the bottom sheet. Or you can buy mattresses with foam permanently embedded in them. Either way, padding provides support and reduces mattress wear and tear, particularly since the contours keep you in one position throughout the night.

Don't ignore the rest of your bedding. It can become worn out too, especially the pillows. You rest your head, and everything you've got on your mind-from worrying about bills to composing symphonies-on pillows. Gradually, the pillow may become worn down and should promptly be replaced when their life expectancy starts to wane. When a pillow becomes too soft or too flimsy, it's probably time to buy a new one. (Prevention Magazine How-To Dictionary of Healing Remedies and Techniques, pp. 415-417)

You may be stressed, but your bed shouldn't be. And once you have a bed that allows you to get a good night's sleep, you may find that you're not as tense. You'll be happier, and so will your mattress.