Buyers expect property prices to fall even further and they are looking to buy only “in the third or fourth quarter of this year”.

The reason is simple: Analysts are predicting further uncertainty in the economy and home prices may fall another 10 to 20 per cent.

On top of that, property experts have even heard of developers who waive the maintenance fees in order to entce buyers, among other sweeteners.

It seems like at this moment, private property has become an option for us. If prices drop into the $400k to $500k range, I would not even mind staying at a place away from my preferred area.

Just as you need a good mattress for a good night’s sleep, it also pays to have the right pillow.

You may think that the pillow’s filling is what matters most – whether to go for latex rubber or feathers, for example, to avoid a lumpy, bumpy lie-down.

But it is more important to find one that gives the right support, says Dr Terrence Yap, a chiroprater at Atlas Chiropractic Clinic and vice-president of Chiropratic Association Singapore.

Without proper head support, you may wake up with neck aches, he says. He uses a contour pillow – the kind that dips in the middle – because “it supports the neck where it curves”.

He says it is essential to test a pillow before buying. Here are some tips.

1. Lie on your back and on your side. “We toss and turn about 80 times a night, so you need to test the pillow both ways,” says Dr Yap.
2. When lying on your side, the tip of your nose, chin, and middle of the breastplate should be in a straight line, so that your head is not tilted at an angle.
3. When on your back, with the correct pillow, you should be looking straight up. “If you find your chin pointing downwards to your chest of if your head is tilted back, the pillow is either too high or too low,” says Dr Yap.
4. Change your pillow every three to five years. After many nights of use, it may no longer give you the required support.

Pillow talk

Feather and down (from geese): These pillows tend to be soft and sit a little higher than other pillows. They also feel more luxurious.

Foan and latex: These tend to last longer. They give firmer support than down pillows.

Pocketed coil: This has pocketed coils wrapped in polyester fibre. The coils are said to adjust and adapt to any head shape, weight and neck movement, providing proper support and spinal alignment eliminating muscle tension and morning aches.

Memory foam: Such pillows are made of polyurethane, which is less “springy” than other foan types and it slower to return to its original shape. That is why it is known as memory foam because it “remembers” your shape.

Extracted from The Straits Times, Saturday, 6 December 2008.

Here’s a wake up call: A good mattress can make the difference between sweet dreams and a nightmare of tossing that leads to a sore back or stiff neck.

So says Dr Terrence Yap, a chiropractor at Atlas Chiropratic Clinic and vice-president of the cChiropractic Association Singapore. Here are his tips on picking the right one.

1. Try before you buy. Don’t worry about looking silly – the only way to properly try the mattress is to lie on it, even if other shoppers giggle and stare. “Lie on it facing up and then on your side,” says Dr Yap. You need to spend about 10 minutes testing out a mattress to see if it suits you.Couples who share a bed should test the mattress together. You should not feel your partner’s movements on a good mattress.
2. Look for a mattress that has a medium/firm feel. Your body should feel supported, not like it is sagging.
3. There should not be a gap between the mattress and your wasit. If there is, it means the mattress does nto conform to your body’s contours and you could end up with aches.A mattress that is too hard is also bad for the spine. “It means the curve of your spine is not supported,” says Dr Yap.
4. Some companies offer mattresses that don;t require flipping, which you usually have to do so that your mattress wears evenly. Otherwise, “it is best to flip your mattress at least once a month”, says Dr Yap.Flip the top to the bottom.

Mattress matters

Inner spring: These have wire coils inside which are the support structure for the mattress. Depending on the manufacturer, there are different types of coils used.

The open coil is the ldest type. It is an hourglass-shaped wire coil joined to adjacent coils by small wire spirals.

A pocket coil is one where a cylindrical spring is wrapped in its own fabric pocket. Each coil works independently which means that you will feel your partner move much less.

The third kind is the continuous coil. Each row of coil is made of a single wire attached to the next row by small spiral wires. Such mattresses supposedly keep their shape longer.

Water: Comes filled with water but stll offers full support for the psine and body. Unlike tradtional mattresses, waterbeds do not sage and need not be flipped over. They also do not leak and will not cause seasickness.

Latex: Made from matural or synthetic latex. The dense material makes them durable. The latex usually comes with small holes which help soften it and make it comfortable.

Memory foam: Made from polyurethane foam which is said to help distribute body pressure and follow individual body contours. Such mattresses tend to be heavier.

Extracted from The Straits Times, Saturday, 6 December 2008.

An average human spends about one-third of his life sleeping, so it’s no surprise home owners are big on bedroom decor.

The article describes some tips on bedroom design, and explains why some items are recommended for a good night’s sleep.