(lifepr) (Selsingen, 02.10.2013) At the beginning of the year the bed manufacturer Lattoflex invited interested individuals to participate in the largest sleep test conducted within the German-speaking countries for the second time, thus facing the challenge of research study involving a sleep test once again. And with great success, as the practical test involving 216 participants showed. In fact, the impressive results of the year of 2009 were not only confirmed but even surpassed. The study was supported by Professor Dr. Jürgen Zulley of the German Academy of Health and Sleep as well as by Professor Dr. med. Erich Schmitt of Forum Gesunder Rücken - besser leben e. V. (Association Forum Healthy Back - Better Living) Aktion Gesunder Rücken (AGR) e. V. (Campaign for Healthier Backs) presents the results of the current sleep test research study.

80 per cent of the German population has suffered from back issues at least at one point in their lives. Even children and teens between the ages of 11 and 17 are concerned. And a large percentage of working days employees are incapacitated is caused by unhealthy backs.* An ergonomic work environment and sufficient exercise are considered to be the main contributors to a well-balanced ratio of stressing and de-stressing your back. Yet that is not the whole story because you spend nearly one third of your life in bed.

Backache frequently starts at night

The quality of sleep is the decisive factor of general well-being. Important recovery and restructuring processes take place while a person is sleeping - the body regenerates itself. Therefore the bed itself is an important aspect. The mattress and springs play an essential part in the issue of how well a sleeper's back is supported at night. Old and worn-out mattresses neither meet hygienic nor ergonomic criteria. The same applies to a conventional or sagging latted frame - it is poison for the spine. The effects, especially in the morning, are: a stiff neck, tensions in the back of the neck, a dull pulling sensation in the back or even a pinched nerve. In the long run these aches and pains reduce a person's performance and concentration throughout the day - until nothing works any more. Those who want to prevent that from happening place their trust in back-friendly bed systems.

Aktion Gesunder Rücken e. V. (Campaign for Healthier Backs) awards back-friendly bed systems with the AGR seal of approval

"The latest sleep test study has once again confirmed what we have known for a long time: A good bed system reduces back problems many times over," Detlef Detjen, CEO of the AGR, states. That thesis is currently confirmed by impressive results of the sleep test study of Lattoflex bed systems tested by the AGR: Because 95 per cent of all test sleepers showed less backaches when sleeping on the new Lattoflex generation and 96 per cent reported a definite improvement of the quality of their sleep. That surpasses the results of the last sleep test and underlines the importance of a good bed system. The sought-after seal of approval for back-friendly products awarded to the Lattoflex bed system by the interdisciplinary medical commission has rightfully confirmed it as being "tested & recommended".

What makes a good bed system

The strict medical/therapeutic test criteria of the independent expert commission of the AGR include: a spine-friendly support-and-load capacity that supports an ergonomic posture during the night, thus relieving the spine and the intervertebral disks. And a spring system that is as flexible and adjustable as possible, promoting a regenerative and back-friendly rest and optimally adjusting to the natural vibrations of the spine by providing point-by-point relief and support.

New sleep test confirms the importance of a back-friendly bed system

Mostly test sleepers who were suffering from backache and were unhappy with the quality of their sleep on a regular basis were selected from over 50,000 applicants to participate in the sleep test. Each of them was provided with an AGR-tested Lattoflex bed system. The frequency of their backaches and the degree of their quality of sleep were minutely documented at the beginning and the end of the test period. The results revealed by the evaluation of 216 questionnaires are significant: 95 per cent of the test persons felt a distinct relief from their backaches. Moreover, the new bed system significantly improved their quality of sleep as reported by 96 per cent of the participants. The test results confirm the positive connexion between a back-friendly bed system and a satisfactory quality of sleep.

Visit www.agr-ev.de/Bettsystem for additional information about back-friendly conditions in your daily life and AGR-certified bed systems.

Short & sweet:

Nearly everyone knows what an aching back feels like: 80 % of all Germans suffer from back issues at least once in their lives - the majority on a regular basis. However, only 50 % of the problem can be solved with sufficient exercise and ergonomics during work. Because at least 50 % are contributed by your companion at night - your bed. Lattoflex bed systems are certified by AGR and verifiably reduce backache by 95 %. See www.agr-ev.de/Bettsystem for additional information.

* Backache. Federal Government Health Report. Booklet 53. Robert-Koch-Institut (Ed.), Berlin (2012).