Buying a new mattress should involve a lot of time and consideration. This is a big purchase, as most of us spend a huge portion of our lives sleeping in our beds. In fact, most spend about a third of their life asleep, which is why having a mattress that is comfortable is so important to feeling good during the day. Here are a few aspects to consider when shopping for your next mattress.
Firmness
One mistake people make when buying new mattresses is buying one that is too soft and fluffy. Soft beds are not the best option for a good night's sleep. In fact, if your bed is too soft it can cause neck and back pain as well as stiff muscles. Look for a bed that isn't too soft and doesn't have any lumps, bumps or valleys. On the other hand, a really stiff bed is not ideal either as it will put a lot of pressure on the shoulders and hips. The ideal bed should be firm and supportive, but not rock solid or squishy.
King Firm Mattress
Type
There are three common types of mattress. These are:
- Innerspring mattress: This type of mattress has layers of steel coils throughout the mattress between the padding and insulation. The more coils, the firmer the bed will be.
- Polyurethane foam mattress: These mattresses are meant to support the body's natural form and come in varying forms of firmness. One problem with this type of mattress is that it can often make people very hot while sleeping.
- Waterbeds: Waterbeds are not as popular as they once were, but some people will not sleep on anything else. The problem with this type of bed is that it sags under the body and doesn't offer very good support while sleeping.
Size
The size of your mattress is another big consideration. As a general rule, bigger is better. Not only does it give you more room to spread out and roll around, it also means you won't be bumping into your partner during the night and waking each other up. For adults, bed sizes generally start at singles and go all the way up to California King, which is a huge bed. A common size that is comfortable for two people to sleep in is a queen size. Remember to measure your room first before you buy, you won't want a bed that will take up the entire floor space.