The Swiss sleep system from a medical standpoint

When buying a bed and mattress, it is important to consider not just aesthetics or comfort, but also health issues. This is true not only when we are ill, but also when we are enjoying perfect health.

The elasticity of the slat base under the mattress plays a very important role in the distribution of pressure points, which are related to the deformation of the spine.

As we well know, the intervertebral disk with its cartilaginous mass and fibrous rings is particularly sensitive to poor positioning caused by unbalanced pressures such as leaning more to one side than the other or weighing more on one side than the other. This imbalance causes nutritional disorders and dehydration of the disk tissue.

Something as simple as sitting down for long periods of time day after day contributes to the formation of a herniated disk. Therefore a physiological position that relieves pressure on the spine is especially important at night. Both very hard and very soft bases have negative effects, in fact contributing to the deformation of the spine.

This is why waterbeds and low flexible inner spring mattresses are not, in most cases, appropriate for the spine. Meanwhile, beds with horizontal flexible wooden or plastic slats, which can also be adjusted in different ways to raise the head, back or feet, have proven to offer the most appropriate kind of support to the spine. This is especially useful for patients suffering from certain kinds of illnesses.

Inclining (raising) the upper body is of therapeutic importance for certain cardiac conditions, while patients with chronic venous insufficiency benefit most from raising the lower extremities.

In addition to the bed support (slat base), the mattress plays a very important role. It should be neither very hard nor very soft.

Recommendations for modern mattresses should take into account the possible effects of hygiene on health.
Traditional innerspring mattresses made of natural materials that are not handled appropriately have an adverse effect on the health, as they encourage the formation of colonies of mites, making them especially ill recommended for allergy sufferers.

In summary, the characteristics of the Swiss sleep system make it useful in the practice of the following medical specialties: