Most people are seeking to improve their lives in some way or another. It could be anything from getting a promotion to saving money on utility bills. When it comes to increasing our comfort and relaxation levels, our bedrooms are vital factors to consider.
If you’re in the market for a new mattress, it can be difficult to determine what’s best. Fortunately, there’s no need to despair: we’ve compiled a list of 10 expert tips to help you find the perfect mattress for your individual needs.
1. Check The Size
It may seem like common sense, but make sure your new mattress fits comfortably onto your current frame! Many peoples’ bedrooms will not cope with every sized mattress that’s on the market. A good rule of thumb is to allow one foot of floor space on each side of the bed frame, to ensure that you can easily enter and leave the bedroom.
If you go online there are plenty of specialist websites that can clue you in on bed dimensions. The mattress sizes can range from single to twin, twin XL, full, queen, king and California-size. When you view the size and dimension charts, you may also be able to learn about current flash sales.
2. Consider How You Sleep
There are three different sleeping positions: front, back and side. Front sleepers should choose the best mattress type with a firmer feel. Side sleepers should choose something softer that will contour to the curves of their body.
Finally, back sleepers will want medium firmness so they get support throughout the night.
3. Read The Reviews
As a practical rule, the more reviews, the better. If there are only a few concerning a specific mattress, it could be because people have simply not tried it out or purchased one yet. However, if all the reviews suggest negative experiences with buying or sleeping on their new mattress, it might be time to look elsewhere.
Reading reviews about specific brands or types of mattresses across multiple reputable websites will provide an unbiased view of what real consumers think about them over time. If you purchase a mattress from a company that offers a full money-back guarantee, there’s no need to worry about fake reviews.
4. Look For Warranties
This is an important part of the pre-sales information that you need to read before you choose. All warranties are not the same and you need to know what they do and don’t cover. Here is a list of common warranties:
– Manufacturer warranty
– Retailer limited guarantee
– Extended service contract
– Comfort warranties
Comfort warranties are not always advertised but they may be offered by some retailers on certain brands kept in their stores. They provide a replacement or repair service that also covers poor service response times and/or chronic back pain following the purchase.
5. Be Wary Of Orthopedic Beds
It is easy to get caught up on beds that are labelled “orthopaedic.” Whilst they sound like they will solve everyone’s back problems, this is not true. The term “Orthopedic” does not indicate firmness or softness, but rather that it has been designed specifically for people who have medical issues with their hips and/or backs. Try before you buy, because many cheaper beds that are not labelled this way could be ideal for your personal needs.
If you don’t suffer from back problems, it doesn’t mean an “orthopaedic bed” would be useless to you. If anything, it would probably be more supportive than many other types of mattresses (just think how firm a hospital bed is).
6. Test It Out
Most people don’t realize that they should try out a mattress before making the purchase. However, you want to make sure it will be comfortable and work with your body type.
If you are planning on purchasing online, you may have to trust the customer reviews discussing their experience. Some companies offer free trials (e.g. for 100 days) or no-obligation returns, so definitely take advantage of these if possible.
7. Consider Any Allergies That You Have
Dust, dust mites and other allergens are a risk for many people, so be sure to consider any allergies before you purchase a new mattress. There’s no need to sacrifice comfort if your choice is hypoallergenic. You can also look for features like extra padding or moisture-resistant layers that will help prevent allergy symptoms. Some allergen covers even trap particles inside their fibres to reduce exposure.
If you want a hypoallergenic option, the best one would be to go with a memory foam mattress because it will be naturally resistant to dust mites and other allergens. You can also look for mattresses that are labelled hypoallergenic or allergen-resistant.
8. Think About Heat
Warm weather and humidity is a problem for memory foam mattresses, and they tend to warm up overnight because of your natural body heat. You could buy memory foam that has a gel coating or that has infused air coverings to help alleviate some of these issues.
Otherwise, it might be worth looking into other mattress types such as latex, water beds or even cotton-based ones which retain less heat.
9. Consider Disturbance Levels
If you are a light sleeper, you won’t want to be awakened every time your partner turns over or gets out of bed for a drink. Memory foam or latex pillow-top mattresses may be better options here than an innerspring version. They tend to isolate motion and noise better than the traditional spring-based models.
The bigger the mattress, the more room there would be for you both to stretch out without annoying the other.
10. Assess Your Budget
Remember: quality comes at a price, and cheap often means poor quality, uncomfortable sleep and potential health issues such as back pain as a result. Coil spring mattresses are often the cheapest – they’re resilient and great for kids. The most expensive mattresses are often latex and memory foam.
If you take this top 10 into consideration, you’ll land a mattress that is perfect for your requirements. It will make sleep a pleasure, and serve you for many years to come.
