RELATION BETWEEN COMPRESSIVE PROPERTIES OF MATTRESSES AND SLEEP COMFORT

Abstract

It is quite necessary to have informations on the relation between physical properties of mattresses and sleep comfort in order to design the ideal advanced bedding system. In this paper, subjective ratings for both sensation and the preference at initial sleep for each 14 types of mattress have been investigated by Sheffe's paired comparison (modified by Ura). The relation between preference ratings and the multiple compressive properties of mattresses has been also formulated.
The results were mainly as follows:
1. The correlation coefficients between overall comfort rating and the sensation of hardness suggested that the panels were needed to be classified into a few groups which prefered the different types of mattresses.
2. The following multiple regression equations were given to overall comfort ratings for mattresses at initial sleep for each A, B, C and total group.
The equation Y_A indicated that the mattress prefered by A group had easy compressive surface layer and supportive under layer. This agreed with the characteristics of the ideal bed recommended by Kohara. The equation Y_c indicated that panels in C group prefered thin and easy compressive, so-called “senbei” mattress.