AUSTRALIAN SPINAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION - established 1976

ASRF BEDTEST™ - established 1990

11 WAYS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR SLEEP

1. Sleep in Comfort! Choose a bed and pillow that contours to your unique body type, provides proper spinal support and reduces uncomfortable pressure points.
2. Make sleep a priority! Sleep should be given as much a priority as diet and exercise.
3. Sleep on a schedule! Regular going-to-sleep and waking-up times strengthen our internal clock, and help establish and reinforce consistent sleep patterns.
4. Relax! Limit brain activity for at least a couple of hours before going to bed. Watching television and reading causes an increase in brain activity which can delay the onset on sleep. Also, anger, frustration, worry and sleep do not mix! If you can't sleep because of emotions, get up and do something else.
5. Dampen excessively loud noises! Homes near airports, trains or highways can experience loud noises that disturb sleep (whether you remember being disturbed or not). Sound insulation, ear plugs, or even "noise screening" with a fan helps.
6. Regulate the temperature! Excessively warm rooms (above 24oC) disturb sleep. Excessively cold rooms do not solidify sleep. 20-22oC is considered ideal.
7. Exercise regularly! Studies indicate that people who exercise regularly enjoy a better quality of sleep, but try not to exercise right before bedtime as this may delay the onset of sleep.
8. Eat right! A light snack tends to help sleep. Both hunger and heavy meals right before bedtime tend to interfere with sleep.
9. Stay hydrated! Dehydration (from alcohol and caffeine in cola, chocolate, coffee, tea etc.) can cause a disrupted sleep even in those who feel it does not! Also, make sure you drink at least 2L of water a day.
10. Avoid excessive use of sleeping medications! Tolerance builds up and dependency may result from chronic use.
11. Quit smoking! Another reason to quit is chronic use of tobacco disturbs sleep!

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    We Believe ASRF Bedtest™ Is Unique!

    Just over a decade ago, the Australian Spinal Research Foundation (ASRF) joined forces with a consortium of mattress manufacturers, including Therapedic, to commission the University of Queensland to develop an independent test of bedding products. The result was the Australian trademark ASRF Bedtest™, which we believe is the only truly independent, university-based test of mattress firmness, conformity and edge support in the world.

    Further, the ASRF, which was established in 1976, has funded research at Macquarie University into the effects of different mattress firmness ratings on the human body.

    Today, all Therapedic factories in Australia use the test routinely on their products, with a view to benefits for manufacturers, retailers and consumers alike. For example, Therapedic of Queensland now tests and rates all products it manufactures, which gives mattresses a firmness rating form 1 (softest) to 5 (firmest). As Managing Director, Graeme McNamara explains, "It is left to retailers to elect to use the system in their selling, but it has now been clearly demonstrated that those who use it have a clear selling advantage over their opposition."

    ASRF Bedtest™ is now used overseas as well, with increasing application and enthusiasm. For example, Therpedic Thailand is licensed to use it and Therapedic International has incorporated ASRF Bedtest™ into its promotional material for the Back Sense range. Agreement has also been reached for the ASRF Logo to be used on ticking by approved manufacturers. ASRF Bedtest™ can now be marketed as an international advantage.

    Such interest in ASRF Bedtest™ highlights the importance of objective evidence to modern consumers, who are increasingly discerning about their purchases. More and more, they are seeking independent assistance in their purchases, so that they get better value for money from manufacturers they can trust. To quote Graeme McNamara again, "The opportunity for the customer sharing in more hands on decision making of their purchase by choosing a firmness rating which has been matched to their specific requirements, is all empowering for today's smatter thinking, knowledgeable shopper."

    
    An added bonus of ASRF Bedtest™ is that the ASRF was established by chiropractors and funds chiropractic research. Surveys clearly indicate that chiropractic care is leading the trend toward natural approaches to better health. Chiropractic endorsements are increasingly sought after for marketing products in all developed countries. But ASRF Bedtest™ is not just an endorsement for dollars deal; it is a highly credible, independent test of mattress quality.

    The other good news is that income from licence fees paid by approved manufacturers for use of ASRF Bedtest™ are channeled directly to the ASRF, a non-profit organization, to fund further research and assistance with marketing of tested products. The future is bright indeed with ASRF Bedtest™ - be part of it by selling the Therapedic brand.

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    ASRF Bedtest™ Rig

Sample ASRF Bedtest™ advertisement

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Report on Research Funded by the ASRF

The Effects Of Mattress Firmness On Para-spinal Muscle Electromyography

Ray Hayek*, BSc(Hons)., MChiro., Sharin Eaton**, DC., MPh., & Rod Bonello***, BSc., DC., DO., MHA.

Introduction
It is estimated that on average a person spends up to a third of their life resting in bed. This may increase in the case of geriatrics and infants. However, little is known about the effects on the spinal system as a result of different mattress firmness(1). The bedding industry as a whole is an enormous one, with many different mattress preparation procedures to suit buyers from all socioeconomic backgrounds. Attention is drawn to the types of spring, foam padding and covering materials in the manufacture. As one third of each day may be spent on a mattress, then some physical alterations may be expected to take place within the musculoskeletal system. This study aimed to demonstrate that a difference in EMG readings of para spinal musculature occurs between different mattress firmness, as categorized by the Australian Spinal Research Foundation (ASRF Firmness rating 1, 3, and 5), on a full night sleep.

Methods
All subjects (N=18) slept on a soft mattress (ASRF 1), a medium mattress (ASRF 3) and on a firm mattress (ASRF 5). The subjects were wired with surface electrodes to an EMG system (AMLAB 11, figure 1). EMG reading sites included, bilateral mid cervical area (C4/5) and bilateral mid lumbar area (L3/4) (figure 2). Readings were taken 2 minutes after lying down and then at 30 minute intervals. A rectified EMG (rEMG) signal was calculated for each reading and an overall average for that subject was determined, for each mattress (figure 3). Group averages were also calculated for the three ASRF firmness rated mattresses (table 1).

Results
Inter subject and intra subject rEMG readings were compared. These readings demonstrated that an increase in paraspinal EMG (p<0.05) was observed between the soft and hard mattress. No statistical differences were observed between the soft and medium ASRF rated beds. ASRF rated 5 mattress produced statistically significant difference (p<0.05) when compared to ASRF 3 and 1 rated mattresses, especially in the lumbar spinal region (figure 4). No statistical differences were observed for the cervical spinal region (figure 5).

Conclusions
These data suggest that an ASRF 5 rated mattress increases para spinal muscle activity. These findings may be beneficial to the clinicians seeking a basis upon which to better advise their patients on appropriate bedding. This full night sleep study clearly demonstrates that motor activity in sleeping subjects is significantly greater on harder mattresses. This increase may be the result of the level of work performed by the paraspinal muscle groups and may also be related to the level of fatigability of para spinal muscles. Any significant differences between mattress firmness can have clinical implications: for example, patients with muscle disorders may be better suited to the type of bed, which promotes better relaxation. Osteoporosis sufferers on the other hand, may benefit from higher levels of muscle tension during sleep as a strategy to maintain physical stimulus.

Possible Future Studies

Reference.
1. Hayek R., Eaton S., Bonello R. Para spinal Muscle Electromyography changes with varying Mattress Hardness. Proc. of the Intern. Conf On Spinal Manipulation. 1998, FCER. Pp 80 1

* Spine Research Unit, Human Physiology & Lecturer Department of Chiropractic, Macquarie University
** Lecturer Department of Chiropractic, Macquarie University.
*** Head, Department of Chiropractic, Macquarie University

Media Coverage of ASRF Bedtest™

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