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Last Updated September 9, 2024
Buying a new mattress is a serious job; after all, you wouldn’t want to end up with a bed that ruins a good night’s sleep. A human being sleeps, so we need a mattress - a good one. You will find thousands of opinions online as to what can guarantee a great sleep.
Let’s face it, there is no magic formula. Every mattress is different as are people, and to find a mattress compatible with a person is like finding a needle in a haystack. But rest assured, once you find your needle, a good night’s sleep won’t be the one thing you will complain about.
Read on, as our sleep experts guide you to find the best mattress that is just right for you.
The first place to start with your research is to be aware of what kind of a sleeper you are, thankfully, we all know what it’s like to sleep. You should observe your sleeping patterns - what makes you fall asleep like a baby and what keeps you up, no matter how hard you try to sleep - do you like soft or hard surfaces, and ask your partner how you sleep through the night.
After you have an idea about the kind of sleeper you are, try to imagine what modifications would you like in your new bed and the budget you are willing to spend to have that sleep comfort. You will want to look for durability, firmness, and the material with which the mattress is made.
The next stop is to head over to the internet and read expert blogs that will tell you what to look for in a quality mattress. Since you are here, you are already in the third stage. Keep reading to gather more data that will help you make an informed decision.
You should know whether you're a stomach sleeper or a side sleeper or if you have any other sleeping positions that might need special mattresses - this includes an orthopedic mattress or an innerspring mattress with coils for back pain relief. Another thing is your sleep quality and how hot you tend to get while sleeping (hot sleeper).
We will now break down the fine factors that play a huge role in finding the optimal mattress for your family:
You will be surprised at how many people end up buying a mattress that does not complement the bed size. While the queen is the most preferred mattress, both for individual and family use, due to its optimal size, the varieties of the king and twin mattresses are also popular.
| MATTRESS SIZE | DIMENSION IN INCHES (Width x Length) |
DIMENSION IN CM (Width x Length) |
DIMENSION IN FEET (Width x Length) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crib | 27.25 X 51 inches | 69.22 X 129.54 cm | 2.27 X 4.25 feet |
| Twin | 38 X 75 inches | 96.5 X 188.0 cm | 3.16 X 6.25 feet |
| Twin XL | 38 X 80 inches | 96.5 X 203.5 cm | 3.16 X 6.66 feet |
| Full | 54 X 75 inches | 134.5 X 190.5 cm | 4.5 X 6.25 feet |
| Full XL | 54 X 80 inches | 137.16 X 203.2 cm | 4.5 X 6.66 feet |
| Queen | 60 X 80 inches | 152 X 203.5 cm | 5 X 6.66 feet |
| California Queen | 60 X 84 inches | 152.4 X 213.36 cm | 5 X 7 feet |
| Olympic Queen | 66 X 80 inches | 167.64 X 203.2 cm | 5.5 X 6.66 feet |
| King | 76 X 80 inches | 193 X 203.5 cm | 6.33 X 6.66 feet |
| California King | 72 X 84 inches | 183 X 213.5 cm | 6 X 7 feet |
| Texas King | 80 X 98 inches | 203.2 X 248.92 cm | 6 X 8.16 feet |
So before you buy a mattress, note down the dimensions of your bed for sure. A bigger bed will fit a small mattress, you can manage that incompatibility for a while. But if you buy a big mattress and try to fit it into a small bed, you are in for some uncomfortable sleep time
As in boxing, people can also be broadly divided into 2 sleep categories:
These people weigh under 150 pounds and they don’t exert a lot of pressure on the bed. They are much more suited to the light mattress that doesn’t sink into the bed, creating a dent through the center.
A firm mattress is perfect for heavyweight people, as their weight tends to put a lot of pressure on the bed and they have a propensity to dent the bed. Depending on the sleeping style of heavyweight people, they tend to disrupt the balanced alignment of the coils inside the mattress. Disproportionate coil design within the mattress tends to put uneven pressure on the back, thereby putting the sleeper at risk of developing spinal problems or back aches.
A bed is a place where one lets themselves go of any rules. That is why different people find comfort in their individual sleeping styles.
We are all side sleepers at some point in the night, i.e we tend to rest on our sides, curled up. But this position is by no means the best one for your spine, shoulder, neck, and hip joint health, in fact, doctors discourage sleeping like this. So, even if you cannot correct the posture, make sure that you invest in a soft or medium firm mattress. Hard mattresses do not provide the cushioning effect of soft mattresses, thereby putting undue pressure on your joints. Resist the precautionary nudge within you to buy a firm mattress, it will end up hurting you more than it helps.
People who sleep on their stomachs will find sleeping on a firm mattress to be comfortable and safe. After all, you are sleeping in a position that exerts pressure on all the vital organs of your body. To make sure that pressure is even at all points in your posture, look for a mattress that has pressure relief characteristics.
A medium-firm mattress with balanced lumbar support is what your back needs when you are a back sleeper. So you can look for firm foam mattresses or hybrid mattresses made of foam and coil to support your spine.
If you turn into an explorer who tosses and turns all around the bed at night, then invest in a medium-firm mattress to be on the safe side. Such people often end up sleeping in really uncomfortable positions and may wake up with stiffness in some parts. A medium firmness can support your explorations without sinking too much.
Sleeping position and weight are combination factors, both of them should be kept in mind before closing on the firmness of the mattress.
If you are waking up with stiff joints, stiff neck and stiff shoulders, it’s a sure sign that your mattress is not doing its work. Most likely the mattress has lost its elasticity and it cannot support the vital joints as you sleep.
Or if you have been suffering from a back pain-related ailment for a long time and medications of any sort aren’t helping, try changing your mattress to provide some respite to the inflamed joints. Simply changing a mattress is not a solution to cure your back pain; the solution is more complex and only doctors can help you medically. A good mattress will certainly make the quality of your life better by at least 50%.
Only 2 – 5% of the adult population are supposedly affected by fibromyalgia. So, if you find yourself in that number, then you must invest in a good mattress, one that reduces pressure in joints, has a cooling effect, and can manage your pain. Sleep disorders will progressively make the ailment worse; thus, sleep is like medication—you cannot afford to make compromises with your mattress.
Inflamed joints make it painful to carry out even the simplest of chores. When you try to sleep on a mattress that does not manage your pain and takes away pressure from your joints, the result is painful sleepless nights. But research says that poor sleep inflames joints and makes the pain worse, which in turn worsens the quality of life. A person may become insomniac, irritable, depressed, or, in severe cases, disabled as well. So, mattresses with foams that ease pressure and are suited for hot sleepers are the best choices in this case.
If you feel warm when you are asleep, so much so that you end up waking multiple times in a night, sometimes drenched with sweat, then you are a hot sleeper. It can be due to some intrinsic issue that generates a lot of body heat or external temperature that makes you warm. In such situations, it is best to invest in mattresses that keep you cool as you sleep.
Mattress types that enable the body to cool are:
Some mattresses use a continuous supply of air or water to cool the bed. But mattresses with such cooling features are pricey and thus require high maintenance.
Hybrid mattresses that have good inner construction allow air to flow much more smoothly than foam mattresses. But you will get the best ventilation from natural latex mattresses; we’ll tell you why. If you observe a latex mattress closely, you’ll see the mattress has lots of pinholes - now don’t be alarmed at them! These pinholes are the features that allow heat to circulate freely through the body and doesn’t let the temperature rise inside the mattress.
Mattresses with built-in cooling technology contain materials like copper or gel. Metal-embedded coils and gels tend to draw the heat away from the body – this is a general idea. But in real use, you will find cooling mattresses have properties that are not much effective.
Phase change materials are special types that guarantee improved cooling - but such materials are still in the process of developing and being perfected. The mattress will be equipped with material that can change its state when heated. For eg: if water is used as a phase change material, then it can change its state from water to vapor and back to the water.
It is practical to know what grade mattress will your budget fetch you. Every brand has offerings that vary in quality, size and design across similar price ranges. But generally speaking, the price and quality of the mattresses vary within these tiers.
There are budget-friendly mattresses that you can get for under $600. Either way, you can wait for reputable brands to offer discounts to get a good mattress of your choice in the price range.
Within $1200, you will find most of the choice-able mattresses fall within this price range. All the reputed brands have their line of mattresses that have products in this affordable range.
Within $1600 you will find mattresses that have additional features like cooling or mattresses with superior interior engineering that provides great support.
Then there is the luxury mattress that offers the best feeling in the world. They come decked with various thin layers, stacked on top of one another, and every layer has a special role to play in the overall design and comfort offered.
Above all of these, there is the bespoke mattress that does not fall under the mentioned price range. Suppose you want a jumbo sizes mattress, think of the Alaska king-size mattresses, you will not get it in the stores and have to order it to be made. A simple Alaskan king can cost you anywhere upwards of $2500. Couple it with a posh feature like cooling engineering and up goes the budget.
A locally manufactured mattress will cost less than one manufactured in a separate state or country.
You will get to choose a mattress from these three variants – foam, hybrid and innerspring. Hybrid mattresses are made with foam and coil and they are one of the most sturdy mattresses out there, according to users. Of course, the durability of the hybrid depends on the quality of foam and springs used. Innerspring mattresses are the most budget friendly products, followed by the memory foam mattresses which tend to be priced in the middle tier range. The natural latex mattresses are the most durable beds you can find. These variants are also the costliest ones, even pricier than good quality memory foam and hybrid mattresses.
Organic materials will have a higher price range as compared to synthetic materials. That said, mattresses and their components made with organic materials tend to be hypoallergenic. Despite the steep price, you can be assured of the sleep quality your family will get every night.
Branded products will cost more than local products of the same build. Then again, there will be some luxury varieties of mattresses that will be manufactured only by certain brands.
Cheaper mattresses can be a temporary solution if you have budget issues, but after a bit of wear and tear, you will feel that your sleep is being compromised. And soon you will need to look for a replacement, that is a financially impractical decision. So, during mattress purchase do the practical thing and buy a mattress that will last you for the long haul. If you take care of a mattress properly, it will easily last you at least 10 years.
While shopping for a mattress, it is important to keep in mind that there are different varieties of mattresses, all of which have distinct construction that lends them a specific purpose. Every brand manufactures its mattress with a marked build and firmness level, based on which they belong to separate price tiers. Here’s a summary of different mattresses and their characteristics you need to know:
Firstly, we will tell you about the different types of mattresses available in the market, so that you don’t get overwhelmed with the volume of products when you start your research:
A mattress that doesn't provide the right support can lead to aches and pains, disrupted sleep, and even spinal misalignment.
Memory foam mattresses are becoming popular for their ability to provide pressure relief on your body. Memory foam is soft and malleable. Memory foam conforms to your body's shape without applying too much pressure.
Memory foam is the best mattress that is all the rage among customers, according to rave user reviews online. Here's why:
- Memory foam mattresses offer motion isolation so that you don’t disturb your partner in their sleep
- They contour to the shape of your body, thereby applying optimal pressure to your body joints. The mattress firmness of memory foam makes it the right mattress choice for those who suffer from chronic pain or discomfort while sleeping.
- People with back pain or chronic pain benefit greatly from a memory foam mattress.
- It is quiet and does not creak with your every movement. So, you can roll around in your bed or move around till you find a comfortable sleeping position without letting your partner or the whole neighborhood know that you are trying to get some sleep.
Memory foam is a great choice for your child's mattress as they offer firm support with a comfortable sleeping experience.
On the downside, memory foam tends to heat up very easily due to the density of the foam packaging. The foam mattresses tend to get softer as you get warmer during the night. When that happens, the mattress loses its elasticity and you end up sinking further into the bed. So, if you tend to sleep hot and are in need of pain management, you should not go for this mattress.
Latex is the preferred organic material used for making mattresses; it is sourced from rubber trees and processed industrially. Latex mattresses are a variety of firmer mattresses that are bouncy and elastic, but due to their natural origins, they have a high price tag.
There are many benefits associated with latex foam. For example, it is much softer than other types of mattresses and will cradle your body so you can sleep more comfortably. Additionally, the mattress does not trap heat like some other types of mattresses do so you won't wake up feeling sweaty and uncomfortable in the middle of the night. According to sleep experts, latex foam is the best material to have in your mattress.
Latex foam also has a higher resilience to pressure than other types of mattresses and will bounce back to its original shape after being compressed by weight or pressure. That's why they provide more comfort and pressure relief than other types of mattresses because they have both soft and firm layers which respond individually to your body weight as you move around during the night. So, it is an excellent mattress choice for every sleeping position - stomach sleepers, back sleepers, as well as side sleepers.
By physical property, latex is also more durable than other types of mattresses and will last for years before needing to be replaced or repaired which saves you money in the long run.
Latex mattresses are great for people with allergies because they do not trap dust mites or allergens like other types of mattresses do. However, before you buy latex mattresses, you should allergy profile yourself and check for latex allergies. If the result is positive then a latex mattress is not meant for you.
There are variants of latex mattresses, the most common of them are Dunlop and Talalay – all mattress companies have a catalog with varieties of latex mattresses, so mattress shopping won't be a problem as this mattress type is readily available in the market.
An innerspring mattress is the most popular type in the U.S. It contains individually wrapped coils and a supportive core layer of padding to provide adequate support for your back and hips.
As the name suggests, innerspring mattresses are designed with continuous or discrete coils or springs of steel. They were the mattresses of old – inexpensive, highly supportive, and durable, till the newer, more dependable types like latex foams, memory foam and hybrids were introduced to the consumers. Authentic innerspring mattresses tend to be rare these days - the available ones are found as a combination of spring surrounded by a soft foam cover on top – thereby turning innerspring into a hybrid form. However, if you can get your hands on a true innerspring, it is the best budget option that will last you for a long time before it starts compressing and creaking.
Hybrid mattresses are designed in a way that a foam upper layer is supported by a spring base. They are the medium-firm mattresses approved by most people. The spring base allows air to flow while sleeping which regulates body temperature and the medium firm support is best for stomach sleepers and combination sleepers. Well designed air circulation within the mattress makes it a good option for hot sleepers. However, the inner engineering is not easy to accomplish – that’s why hybrid mattresses have a steep price range.
Airbeds are inflatable beds that are generally used for makeshift purposes like camping. But airbeds are available for regular use as well. The best part about air mattresses is that you can reduce or increase the air pressure as and when you please.
Wooden frames or foam ‘skins’ are built with the provision of pumping it with water. By doing this we get a water bed – these beds are extremely bouncy and they add a novelty to your bedroom. However, the practicality of the waterbed remains questionable – it does not offer any special utility – all that foam or a hybrid mattress can do a waterbed does too. However, a lot of people find that it’s not a comfortable option to sleep on consistently.
Moreover, they are extremely high maintenance and sensitive. Even a slight nudge from a sharp object can pierce it and start leaking water.
Adjustable mattresses are built with provisions to adjust firmness and position on each side of the bed. Such modularity allows different sleeping experiences for partners sharing the same mattress, thereby ending a debate about what can be a perfect mattress. For eg: An adjustable split king mattress is one of the most popular adjustable beds in America.
Support means the way your body feels when you lie down on the bed. Does the bed feel like it gives you a warm embrace? Then the mattress offers soft support to the sleepers; generally, lightweight sleepers find sleeping on soft beds very satisfying. But heavyweight people need foam mattresses to support their structure. Otherwise, a very soft mattress will apply uneven pressure to the joints.
Depending on your age, weight and if any ailment bothers you, you need to choose a mattress that you feel suits your sleeping habits.
Mattress firmness comes in 3 forms: soft, medium firm, and firm. Then again, the feel of a mattress varies from person to person. What feels soft to one can feel firm to another.
Some brands adhere to a softness rating scale of 1 - 10. 1 being very soft and 10 being very firm. Usually, it is said that a mattress with firmness points in the range of 5 – 7 offers the best sleep. However, the firmness level does not follow a uniform level of feel across all brands. Please make sure that you don’t follow the ratings blindly and test the mattress yourself to realize whether the feel is agreeable to you.
Finding a mattress that feels right to sleep in is tricky since you will need time to get adjusted to a new contour and elasticity. As a rule of thumb, try to get a mattress that feels firmer than your old one, and within a month you will be able to break past the firmness of a new mattress and get used to a softer feel.
Foam, memory foam, and some hybrid mattresses offer the most relief to pain points by allowing the pressure points to sink in slightly, thereby contouring the mattress to the shape of the body. Pressure relief also depends on your sleeping positions and your overall fitness.
Notice the thin yet firm band that goes around the perimeter of the mattress - that’s the mattress edge. Its job is to bring firmness and provide edge support to a mattress. In its absence, a bed would sag and slant quickly around the edges as compared to the center - since almost all of us have the habit of sitting along the edge of the mattress.
An edgeless mattress also becomes a sleeping hazard when you are a side sleeper or a combination sleeper. Sometime during the night, you may roll over right onto the floor without edge support. An edge provides physical and physiological security that improves your sleep quality.
If you are a heavyweight sleeper, the best mattresses for you are the ones with an edge, else the cushioning will sag in no time. So, in a nutshell, we can say that mattresses with edge support are built with the end user - the sleeper - in mind. Thus, a user's takeaway is this - choose the mattresses with edge support as they will be quality products that will not compromise on mattress build or sleep quality.
Motion isolation is an important factor when it comes to picking a mattress. This can be achieved by using materials that are dense and heavy. Mattresses with motion isolation are designed to absorb the movement of one sleeper and not transfer it to the other. A mattress type that offers great motion isolation is latex because it has natural properties that absorb movement and reduce noise when someone moves around on the bed.
The purpose of this type of mattress is to offer uninterrupted sleep to partners sleeping together when one tends to toss and turn around in the bed through the night.
With this mattress, a partner can sleep without changing their habits, wake up and move in the bed without waking the other partner. So, motion isolation works in a way that does not let another sleeping partner feel a thing during their sleep cycle and disrupt their sleep in any way. Side sleepers, take note - this is the right mattress for you; even when you roll over on your side, your partner will still sleep undisturbed. Combination sleepers - the ones who are not committed to a single sleep position - this is a perfect mattress for you as well.
The cooling mattresses regulate your body temperature as you sleep. They can come in the form of:
1. Foams that circulate air
2. Mattresses infused with gel that have cooling properties
3. Mattresses with cooling features or moisture-wicking fabrics
4. Mattresses with phase change properties.
If you are a sleeper who tends to get warm at night, then look for a mattress with any of these properties.
Organic mattresses have a higher budget since they are made from naturally sourced materials that have a higher manufacturing cost. Mattresses made from natural materials assure products of better quality with minimal use of chemicals that are necessary to transform the natural material into an industrial product. On the plus side, you won’t have to think about your carbon footprint as these mattresses will be renewable when you discard them after completing their lifecycle of use.
Brands will declare outright in their product descriptions the materials used for making the mattress you have chosen. So make sure that you read the product description and tally it with the customer experience by reading reviews online. Reputed and conscientious brands will include eco - certifications like:
1. USDA Organic
2. Made Safe
3. Global Organic Latex Standard
4. Greenguard Gold certification
You can amp up your research a bit more by learning about these certifications and understanding the effect of the product and its manufacturing process on the environment.
How to choose a mattress when it comes to new mattress smell?
You see, when a newly bought mattress arrives at your doorstep, it does so in a box, tightly wrapped. As you unbox the mattress, it gives off very strong odors when it comes in contact with air – this is called off-gassing.
Odors don’t necessarily mean the product is terrible, the odor is due to the tight packaging of the mattress which had cut off its exposure to air.
Generally, all mattresses, even organic ones, are made with flame retardant chemicals, and these chemical smells aren’t washed off easily. So in an enclosed space, without any source of ventilation, the smell amplifies and exudes a strong odor that can throw you off.
Be assured that the odor wears off when the mattress is kept in a well-ventilated space. But if you are particularly sensitive to strong smells, read customer reviews to understand the nature of the smell and how long it lasts.
Now we come to the part where you have to look into the fine print of the seller’s agreement with its customers:
Start with your research by asking people about the mattresses they own and which companies they prefer - the good old word of mouth review is still worth it! Then move on to Google, search on yelp, look at amazon customer reviews, reddit it, skim the brand’s website, facebook and all other social media channels.
If a brand has positive reviews in most of the places, peppered with a tiny fraction of negative comments then you can count on the brand. However, if the script is flipped, move on - there are better brands out there for you!
You may have tested the mattress before buying - probably one too many times, just to make sure that your money is well spent. Or you have taken a swing and decided to go with a mattress that has positive reviews polled in its favor. Either way, you need to be sure that the trial period works in your favor.
You will need some time to forget the old mattress feel and get used to a new mattress. That can take something between a week to a few months. If you arrive at the decision that you could have done better, a trial period helps you save a load of money! Brands generally offer a trial period of at least 1 month, if not more - double check with the brands or the selling agents to be sure.
If the mattress does not work in your favor then you have to return it of course. Some brands offer free pick up and return, followed by a complete refund of the money. However, most brands will offer to pick up and return, but will refund a major fraction of the money - not the entire amount. This is because the deducted amount goes in the packaging, pick up, courier fees and transit fees of the return product. Some brands may also charge a penalty to receive a used mattress - something they either have to donate or recycle and turn into a new product.
We know you will be excited to bring home the best mattress your budget can buy, but be well informed of the trial period, return and refund policies.
The moment you start using the mattress, you are setting it up for sagging, wear and tear, discoloration and possible odorification. You have to read the warranty conditions set by the brand to know the possible conveniences you can get, in case the mattress doesn’t perform to your expectations. During the warranty period, which lasts for a long time - maybe even a year in some cases - you may become eligible for free repairs and defect maintenance.
Read the conditions for the very specific product as the warranty features may differ across mattresses depending on their build, material, size and firmness.
Companies prefer to follow either of the two policies in their mattress installation services:
Companies prefer to send their mattress in a bed-in-a-box package, where the compressed bed is delivered to you in a tightly sealed pack. You can choose to install the mattress right away as it arrives, or can keep it stocked till you find a good time to get the job done. Of course you will need a couple more hands to get your old bed out and your new bed in - please don’t try to DIY it yourself. You don’t want a free pull back during a DIY installation!
Some companies include the home installation of the mattress in the price of the mattress itself. In that case, your mattress arrives with installers who carry the old one out and install the new one at no extra cost. However, if you notice that some brands have no option of home installation and you can see only DIY, head over to the customer service to know whether you can pay to set up an installation team that arrives with the mattress.
We have all found ourselves yelling at the phone or at our laptops when poor customer service hung out to dry. It happens with the most promising of companies. However, you won’t be a good customer if you don't perform your research religiously.
Yes, good reviews will try to sway you to one brand or the other - but it is in your best interests to know how responsive and efficient their customer service is. When you are in a pickle, you need to know that the service providers will be there when you need them. Do they prefer email communication or do you have a point of contact you can reach when you need them? Find it out.
Now that we have reminded you of all the fine points that you need to factor in before buying a new mattress, you need to decide whether buying online is better than buying it the good old way, from the store.
Buying in-store is what your father will recommend you do, and it makes a lot of sense. After all, a mattress is a big investment on your part, it’s not every day that you shell out a few thousand bucks to buy a new mattress. So, you will want to test it by yourself and see how it feels to you, in real-time.
Even so, make sure that you buy a mattress with a trial period – this is because once you bring the mattress home and sleep in for a couple of days, you will realize by trial whether the mattress is compatible with you. If it’s not, you will be eligible to return the mattress, with no hassle.
Moreover, store owners appreciate customers when they opt to buy in-store. Smart negotiators can use this person-to-person interaction in their favor and try to pull down the asking price by a bunch.
As with every other thing, you can order a mattress online as well. All the major brands in your area probably have the provision to undergo online transactions. So, the job then becomes easy – choose a mattress that seems right to you, pay for it and wait for it to be delivered to your doorstep.
The perk of online ordering is that the brand is eager to win its customer’s trust. That’s why, they will be willing to shower you with a bunch of freebies like - free doorstep delivery, an extended trial period with a provision of free return, and a long warranty period. On top of that, some brands go a mile further and offer you good quality customer support, in return for your loyalty.
Irrespective of the mode of purchase, i.e. whether you buy online or offline, make sure that you read customer reviews and listen to the internet chatter about the brand and its products thoroughly. Customer reviews will give you a real insight into the user experience of a mattress and whether it correlates to the brand’s claim.
The best time to buy a mattress is when you know you need to change the mattress immediately. But if you can wait, the second best time is to look out for discounts during all the prime holidays of the year like:
1. Fourth of July
2. Black Friday Sale
3. Labor Day
4. Memorial Day
You can lock the model and the brand beforehand, after thorough research, and wait till the discounts are unlocked close to the holidays.
As you know, the early bird gets the worm, be very alert for the discount announcements and leap at the first call itself. If you can be the first responders in a sale, you will end up bagging prime quality mattresses at a steal.
Mattress shopping can be a daunting affair since there are so many points to keep in mind and choose a good mattress from a sea of options. We have compiled a list of questions, mattress shoppers tend to ask often:
There are a couple of questions you need to ask yourself to arrive at this answer:
- What kind of sleeper are you? Do you lie still or toss around?
- Do you sleep hot?
- How much do you weigh?
- Do you have any allergies?
- Do you have any chronic medical conditions?
- What is your budget?
- What is the size of your bed?
- How big is your room?
- How many people are planning to sleep with you?
You can arrive at the answers all by yourself, but if you wish to know why we are choosing to ask these questions, read this blog thoroughly.
Choosing to sleep on a hard or a soft mattress depends on personal preference and need. Generally, the best mattress to sleep on is medium firm – it provides the right amount of cushioning and support that is needed for lumbar health.
Unless you have been specifically asked by a medical practitioner to sleep on a distinct type of mattress, you can sleep on any mattress that suits you and gives you a good night’s sleep.
You can guess your mattress is soft if you are waking up with a sore body. Or, when you sit on the bed it sags under your weight and you find it difficult to get out of the bed. Also, if you find an imprint of your body on the mattress, then you can be sure that the mattress is too soft for you.
The tell-tale signs of knowing whether a mattress is hard for you or not is to observe whether you wake up with back and neck aches often. Or do you feel more relaxed after a good sleep on a soft mattress than on the mattress in question? As such, you can safely assume you have a mattress that is too firm for you.
A mattress does not suit everyone – so a spring mattress can sound good to you but not to someone else. What type of mattress works for you depends on your individual preferences and needs.
But yes, if the joint pain is your concern, then steer clear of spring mattresses and go for an all-foam mattress. Almost every mattress company has its line of foam mattresses and it provides excellent pressure relief and acts as an excellent sleep medication for people with arthritis and joint pains.
Worn-out and aged mattresses all have similar characteristics, when you notice at least a few of these signs you’ll know that it’s time to start looking for a new mattress:
- It smells bad
- It sags and does not bounce back to its normal form after you get up
- It creaks a lot, signaling that the coils are losing their elasticity
- You wake up with body aches every morning, sometimes the conditions are aggravated by prolonged body soreness
- You often get allergies
- You don’t feel comfortable sleeping on your bed, even after a very tiring day
- You sleep well on practically any other bed
- You have some condition that causes physical discomfort whenever you sleep – it can be pregnancy or chronic pain
Ideally, a mattress should be changed every 10 years. After that it starts to lose the quality and elasticity for which you bought it in the first place. However high quality mattresses like the ones made with natural latex will last for 15 years or more if taken care of in the right way.
A mattress typically lasts for ten years; give it a couple more years if you have cared for your mattress well. But the consistency and elasticity of the mattress starts to suffer after that.
So yes, you should replace your 20 year old mattress as soon as possible, even if you think it looks and feels great.
For overweight people above a hundred and fifty pounds, a memory foam mattress is a considerable mattress option. Memory foam has a tendency to absorb pressure, thereby bringing relief to the major joints of the body without any serious after-effects. Even if you wake up with an aching body in the morning, it won’t be because of the mattress.
The best mattress for obese people is an all foam mattress. Every brand has its range of natural latex all foam mattresses to choose from.
When it comes to back pain, the best mattress is a combination kind i.e it has well-balanced firmness and softness. Too much firmness will apply more pressure to the already inflamed portions of your back and disturb the spinal alignment. A very soft mattress will also have the same impact, it will disturb the spine by applying uneven pressure on different pressure points of the body.
When you use a combination mattress, it supports your spine with minimal pressure that is required to support the curve of your spine.
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Disclaimer: What is said in this article has been referenced from multiple sources and is intended only for educational and informational purposes. Please note that no content in this article is a substitute for professional advice from a qualified doctor or healthcare provider. Always consult an experienced doctor with any concerns you may have regarding a health condition or treatment, and never disregard any medical suggestions or delay in seeking treatment because of something you read here.
