Buying a new mattress is serious business. You should never buy indiscriminately without considering several chief factors because you’ll be sleeping on your choices for many months or years to come. In the article below, we’ll explore some of the finer points that you must keep in mind when you walk through the door of your local mattress retailer. If you choose with care, you’ll be in for many sweet dreams and nights of sound sleep.
Hands-On Experiences
While you might opt to use the Internet to source your mattress, unless you know what you’re getting, this is inadvisable. Most experts will tell you that being able to try before you buy is the best option. Go into the stores and lie down on the job. Try to relax and attain a sense of what each mattress will feel like in your home. Exceptions to this general thumb rule include instances in which you purchase the same product from the same vendor or if a product comes with a risk-free trial period with no strings attached.
The Nitty-Gritty
There are many factors to weigh when choosing a mattress, according to Good Housekeeping. The first is your sleeping position. If you tend to sleep on your back, you will benefit from a mattress with medium firmness and a significant amount of resilience. That means that a memory foam mattress may not be optimal, but innerspring models or air chamber designs might be just right. Side and stomach sleepers require the most pressure dispersal, but while many experts recommend memory foam for this, it’s not comfortable for everyone because of its tendency to retain body heat and lack resilience. You must use your comfort as your guide.
Another major factor you want to consider is how sensitive you are to allergens. If you’re like many people, you want to keep your mattress for as many as ten years. Over time, dust and dead skin accumulate and create a friendly environment for microscopic animals like dust mites. While these creatures are a natural part of being alive and having skin—you wouldn’t want to live without them—some people can develop an allergic reaction. This criterion means you must either plunk down a chunk of change for a natural latex mattress, an air chamber mattress or plan to replace your traditional mattress every three to five years.
Another factor to consider that plays into mattress firmness is joint health. If you already know that you have lower back issues or hip pain, shopping with these in mind is essential. The guidelines change based on your personal needs. For example, a medium firm mattress with inner springs or air chambers is not always the best choice for individuals who have suffered from slipped discs, have scoliosis or arthritis, or suffer from excess body weight that impacts their joint health. If you have significant health considerations, consult a trusted medical source or provider who can advise you.
Related Resource: 35 Surprising Scientific Facts About Sleep
It may seem as if there are a million things to consider when buying a new mattress. However, they tend to fall into several main categories. First, firmness is a subjective thing. You’ll want to try multiple options and hardness levels. Second, how long you want to keep the mattress should be tempered with a consideration of your lifestyle, your joint health, and your allergen sensitivity. Last, consider pressure dispersal and heat retention aspects of each option in conjunction with your sleep position and known preferences or needs. Armed with these answers, and a shop or two filled with options, you will find your perfect night’s sleep in no time.
Additional Resources on Common Mattress Questions
Does the Weight of a Mattress Relate To Its Quality?
