Knowledge Base - Power Bases

Take a look inside yourself…the human spine is not flat!

It has a slight curve…and when you lie flat on your back, you put pressure and tension on your spine and back.  Since your entire body is curved and not flat, most people cannot sleep on their back in an ordinary flat bed.  In fact, conventional bedding forces most individuals to sleep on their side in a semi-fetal position.  This is not something we were taught; rather, it is something we do out of necessity.  With an ordinary flat bed, your only alternative is to try to adjust your body to the bed, such as turning to your left or right side, tossing and turning, on average, 40 – 80 times per night!

Sleeping on your side creates pressure, stress and strain on the narrow side of your body, notably your arm/shoulder, hip or knee areas.  This makes deep breathing much more difficult and restricts blood circulation.  Have you ever had your arm fall asleep during the night or awaken in the morning and been more tired than the night before?

This constant tossing and turning leads to sleep fragmentation and may disrupt the natural sleep cycle progression and prevent you from enjoying the deep, restful, restorative sleep you deserve.

Elevate yourself into the 21st century!

The core concept of an adjustable power bed is to allow you to sleep on your back during the night with both your head and leg sections elevated.  (This is called the “zero gravity” position.)  The degree of elevation will vary among individuals; however, four to eight inches on both the head and leg sections are averages.  (This creates a semi-fetal or contour position.)

Your new power bed will allow you to electrically adjust yourself into hundreds of relaxing positions, all without creating pressure, stress or strain on your body.  While sleeping on your back in the zero gravity position, your circulation will be enhanced, your breathing made easier, your hips and low back become “cradled” by the mattress.  In short, your weight will be more evenly distributed and you will be infinitely more comfortable than lying on your side or back on an ordinary flat bed!

The new, 4-way power adjustable bed…for the rest of your life!

During the night, while you sleep on your back in this new zero gravity position, you may make slight adjustments to the degree of elevation during the night (much like adjusting six-way power seats in your car during a long trip).  This will allow you to change your position while still maintaining the benefits of the zero gravity position.

Our best models utilize Multi-Directional massage technology.  Since 1950, millions of dollars of medical research have been expanded proving the beneficial effects of Multi-Directional massage therapy in increasing blood circulation, relieving tired, stiff muscles, helping relieve arthritic-like aches and pains, and easing everyday tension and stress.

However, only about 50% of our customers purchase a power bed to improve a sleep-related condition.  The other 50% purchase theirs for the wonderful relaxation benefits of the massage system or simply to elevate their bed while watching TV, enjoying breakfast in bed, reading, writing, doing crossword puzzles or working on their laptop computer. You spend 1/3 of your life in bed.  Where else should you be more comfortable?

If you have power windows, power locks and power seats in your car, that you only use for an average of an hour per day, why not have a 4-way power bed in your bedroom where you’ll spend 1/3 of your life?

Our holistic approach begins with an individual sleep consultation.  Our sales counselor can then recommend a sleep system to suit your individual needs.  Stop in or call to learn more about the best sleep system for your body and mind.  We believe we can radically improve the on-third of your life spent sleeping…and, most importantly, your waking hours!

Health benefits of the “Zero Gravity” position:

This physician-recommended position, used by NASA astronauts during lift-off, promotes total relaxation by reducing physical stress. The open angle between torso and thigh expands lung capacity, increases blood oxygen levels and reduces stress. Your legs are positioned above your heart to reduce pressure on your spine and relieve muscle tension. Compared to traditional flat mattresses alone, the Zero Gravity position obtainable in our power bases help reduce back pain and muscle pressure, and contribute to a more comfortable and  enjoyable lifestyle.

Unloading of spinal discs

Human spinal discs have viscoelastic properties.  That is, they compress at a decelerating rate when loaded and expand at a decelerating rate when unloaded.  Higher loads result in a higher rate of compression.  Spinal loading from daily activities will cause shrinkage in stature, of up to 20mm over the day.  (Astronauts are up to 2” taller when they return to earth, than they are when they leave!)

This transfer of fluid in and out of the disc is the body’s mechanism for supplying nutrition to the discs.  Spinal discs do not have a direct blood supply, and this osmosis and diffusion is essential to maintaining spinal health.  Of course, disc fluid transfer is also increased with movement (that is, exercise!)

Given that the onset of degenerative spinal changes occurs ins commonly at a young age in industrialized societies such as our own, and that these degenerative spinal changes occur only at more advanced ages in primitive societies, it is likely that we need much more unloading and/or exercise in our daily lives than we currently get.

Loads on the lumbar spine are reduced in neutral lumbar postures.  Technically speaking, the neutral posture is defined as being near the mid-point of the available range-of-motion in that body region.

Relaxation of spinal muscles

The heart pumps blood, full of nutrients and oxygen, to our body parts.  Muscles “pump” blood, carrying the waste products of metabolism, back to the heart.  The muscle pump works by massaging the blood vessels which pass through them.  The pumping massage action occurs as the muscles intermittently contract and relax.  During sustained muscle contractions, blood flow through the muscles is restricted or occluded.  So it is important that the muscles have intermittent opportunities to relax.  (For references, check any basic physiology text.)