EXTREME-SPORT enthusiast Ernie Lopez explains to Tessa Valdes, Malu Gamboa and Leica Carpo-Argosino how the Tempur Sleep System checks his snoring and recharges him for his next sport activity. PHOTOS BY RODEL ROTONI

PROOF of firmness. Wine in glass does not spill after the model, wearing Tempur eye mask, jumped on the bed.

A nice bed with comfy mattress and pillows makes staying at home special for frequent travelers Tessa Prieto-Valdes and Ernie Lopez.

Valdes, an Inquirer Lifestyle columnist, said she hardly gets good sleep with all her trips. She also joins runs and marathons which require her to wake up early.

“I am always jet-lagged. I sleep late and join events that start at dawn,” she said. “So when I sleep, it has to be smooth—that’s how I get my energy back.”

Lopez is a sports enthusiast. He does, on rotation, scuba diving, underwater hockey, squash and tennis. He also has a knack for extreme sport such as skydiving, wakeboarding, mountain-climbing. Being active is part of his lifestyle, but fitness activities result in an unwanted side effect—he snores.

He hardly feels tired when in the zone, and snoring is his body’s way of telling him to slow down.

Lopez said sleeping on a Tempur mattress recharges him and checks his snoring. Valdes said she wakes up relaxed and refreshed after using Tempur.

They introduced the new mattress models during an event in the Tempur showroom at Greenbelt 5, Makati. Leica Carpo-Argosino and Malu Gamboa hosted the launch.

‘Visco-elastic’ material

ORIGINAL mattress and pillows in a bedroom done in earth tones

Tempur is an established brand of mattresses and pillows which has gained popularity for its sleek design and comfort-enhancing features. Its products are made of a trademark “visco-elastic” material that absorbs pressure from one’s weight.

The material follows the contours of the body while providing firm support as one lies down, letting one sleep in a natural position. Traditional foam may be soft, but it resists the body’s curves, which may cause soreness.

The technology was originally reserved for astronauts who needed maximum cushioning during takeoff into space. This was back in the ’70s, and from space use, the technology made its way to hospitals in order to help patients sort issues out, such as back pain, breathing difficulties and snoring. Focus Global Inc. (FGI) has been distributing Tempur in the Philippines for six years now.

Original is the classic and best-selling Tempur mattress model. It has three layers: comfort layer, support layer and durable base. The new models are Cloud, which comes with an extra-soft comfort layer, and Sensation, with a specially cut durable base. These are treated with antimicrobial properties and made of hypoallergenic material.

Tempur mattresses also distribute one’s weight evenly, so the bed won’t have lumpy spots.

Better sleep, better mood

Aline D. Lopez, FGI AVP for home-furnishing division, said people buy Tempur because of its quality and design.

“Our clients usually buy one pillow, then another, and eventually buy the mattress,” she said. “We get a lot of couples. [Young people] also buy the mattress for their senior parents.”

Dr. Keith Aguilera, director of the Sleep Disorders Center at St. Luke’s Medical Center, recommends Tempur to people who snore. He said snoring is caused by a troubled airway brought about by the wrong sleeping position. Tempur pillows support the head and neck, so that one can breathe normally.

Aguilar also emphasized the importance of having a regular sleep pattern. “You may be sleeping for 10 hours, but still feel tired because you sleep at different hours a day,” he explained.

Other advantages of good sleep are body repair, better memory and brighter mood, the physician said.

Sleek design

While Tempur is more expensive than the usual department-store brands, Aline said buyers consider Tempur an “investment for good health.”

Pillows come with a three-year warranty; covers, two; and mattresses, 15.

After-care is as easy as dusting the pillows and mattresses off, since Tempur items are not meant to be washed or aired out.

Valdes, also an interior designer, said Tempur’s sleek and streamlined design would easily fit into most bedroom layouts.

Tempur showrooms are at 5/L, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong; L/GF, Greenbelt 5, Makati; Building 5, Bonifacio High Street, Taguig. Focus Global Inc. is at Pioneer cor. Reliance Sts., Mandaluyong; tel. 6348587; e-mail [email protected].

Visit www.tempur.ph.