This latest study represents fresh analysis of work published by the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine in 2006.

Mattress research from Oklahoma State University will be published in the Journal of Applied Ergonomics in March. The report links greater sleep quality and comfort as well as reduced back pain, stiffness and shoulder pain to sleeping on a new mattress (compared to mattresses five years or older). And according to the study, those initial benefits improved over time, regardless of participant age, weight, height or body mass index.

"Grouped comparisons of sleep quality for new and personal bedding systems," which appears in the March 2008 Journal of Applied Ergonomics, Volume 39, Issue 2, Pages 247-254; Article 15, provides solid scientific evidence of the critical link between health and sleep benefits and mattress quality, and underscores the importance of regular assessment of one's mattress. Improvements from pre- to post-test in specific variables were reported by significant percentages of study participants. These included reduced back pain (62.8%), shoulder pain (62.4%), and back stiffness (58.4%) and improved sleep quality (64.4%) and sleep comfort (69.96%).

"Our work showed that new mattresses have a considerable impact on reduced back pain and improved sleep quality, among other benefits," said Bert Jacobson, EdD, and lead researcher at Oklahoma State University. "Based on our research, there's no question that a new mattress can sustain these benefits for just about anyone, regardless of age, weight or gender."

This latest study represents fresh analysis of work published by the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine in 2006. Conclusions are based on findings from a control group of 59 healthy participants who contrasted their sleep on their own mattresses (at least five years old or older) to their sleep on a new bedding system. The study also reported that back pain was more prominent in participants originally sleeping on the cheapest category of beds than those sleeping on moderately or higher priced beds.

"As concluded by both this and previous studies, mattresses have a life expectancy related to sleep comfort and quality," Jacobson said. "Timely replacement and mattress quality can have a very positive impact on sleep and overall quality of life."