The Ultimate Mattress Buying Guide

When it’s time to buy a new mattress, you need to equip yourself with information. There are several different considerations to make, including the durability, comfort, warranty and more. Following is a guide to help you make this important decision.

Durability

A good mattress should last at least eight years, depending on how well it’s cared for. Care and maintenance of a mattress includes flipping it over once a month, encasing it with a mattress cover and disinfecting once a month with a spray disinfectant. In the case of a mattress with a pillow top, the owner can’t flip the mattress, but should instead turn the mattress so the head is at the feet end and vice versa.

Doing all this maintenance won’t make much of a difference if the mattress is constructed with durability to begin with. Cheaper mattresses aren’t a true bargain because they won’t last eight years. They’ll fall apart or “fail” long before that, and a new one will need to be purchased. Ultimately, poorly made mattresses cost more money than durable mattresses because they need to be replaced more frequently.

The durability of a mattress has to do with its construction method and the quality of the materials used. You can also assess the durability of a mattress by considering how long the manufacturer warranties the mattress. A poorly made mattress will have a very short warranty because the manufacturer knows the mattress won’t last very long. Also, if you’re opting for an innerspring mattress, a more durable kind will have a higher percentage of coils. The closer the coils are to one another, the more durability the mattress has.

Sleeping Position

Everyone has their favored sleeping position. Although most people toss and turn at least a little bit each night, there’s always one favorite position that a person keeps returning to. When choosing a mattress, you should consider that the favorite sleeping position is of you and your sleeping partner.

If one or both of you prefers a side position, then you’d want to make sure that the mattress supports the shoulder and hip in a comfortable way.

If lying on the back is the preferred sleep position, then you want to choose a mattress with lumbar support. In this case, you might even want to choose a mattress that enables the option of moving the top half into a slight seating position. This ensures that the back is supported and the head is raised higher than the body. Most people have woken up to feeling stuffed up or “swollen” because the head was lower than the body during sleep. Sleeping on a mattress that slightly elevates the head (even more than pillows) will prevent that uncomfortable feeling.

Finally, if one or both of you prefer sleeping on the stomach, then you would probably want a firmer mattress, since you don’t want your torso to sink lower than the head and legs, causing an unnatural bend and strain on the spine.

Support and Comfort

Support is often referred to as firmness by mattress makers. Most mattresses have descriptions that specify the level of firmness. Unfortunately, the levels of firmness may vary between manufacturers and brands. Everyone will have a favorite when it comes to the firmness of a mattress. Some people love that “sinking in” feeling of a mattress that is soft and not very firm. Others prefer a firm mattress with very little “bounce.” This kind of firmness usually means that even when someone sits on the mattress, it doesn’t “give” very much. It’s important to note that experts recommend a medium firm mattress. However, since you’re the one sleeping on it each night, it’s fair to say you should get a very firm or very soft mattress if that’s what will help you sleep soundly.

Another consideration is that some mattresses with very little support may lead to back issues. There should be some back support with any mattress. The softest mattresses may be more cozy, but they won’t help anyone with back issues. Also, the firmest mattresses may feel more like sleeping on a soft floor. They are great for back issues, but not so great for that comfy cozy feeling. Finally, consider that other activities besides sleeping take place on a mattress. For example, many people read or work on their laptop in bed in the morning or before going to sleep at night. Your mattress should offer enough support and comfort for those times when you want to sit up in bed, as well as times when you want to be intimate with your partner.

Materials

You have a choice of materials when it comes to mattress materials. Today, you can choose from memory foam, traditional innerspring and a hybrid of the two.

Memory foam mattresses provide consistent support throughout the mattress. They are dense and heavy and can support heavy people. They are also known to get very warm at night, but now there are “cool” versions of memory foam mattresses.

Innerspring mattress are made up of coil springs that “give” when a person lies down. The density of the coils affects how firm or soft the mattress is. Another factor of firmness is in how tight the coils are wound. Tighter coils that are dense provide the maximum firmness in mattresses.

Hybrid mattresses are a combination of the two, and, for many people, provide an optimal blend for those looking for firmness, softness and support.

Trial Periods

It’s very common these days for mattress retailers to offer trial periods on mattresses you are seriously interested. This gives you the benefit of being able to try out the mattress under actual conditions before you commit to the purchase. This is a great luxury that you should always take advantage of when it’s offered. You may have to pay a small restocking fee if you choose not to keep the mattress, but considering the major investment, that’s worth it. If you do avail yourself of a trial period, make sure you use the mattress in all the ways that you normally would. This will ensure that you get a true sense of whether or not it’s right for you and your sleeping partner.

Warranty

Always find out what kind of warranty is offered with the mattress. You might find some manufacturers that offer lifetime warranties, but it’s more common to find 10-year or 20-year warranties. The length of time of the warranty is directly influenced by the durability of the mattress and the level of confidence the manufacturer has in its ability to last.

Choosing a mattress is one of the most important investments that you’ll ever make. In fact, it’s more important than buying a house because a mattress actually impacts your health. A great mattress can support a healthy body and make you wake up with a spring in your step. Use the points in this guide to ensure you purchase the best mattress for you and your sleeping partner.