How To Choose A Mattress Complete Guide To Every Option
Mattress dominoes are a thing, and its proof that mattresses arent just for sex, lounging, and sleeping but also for fun! The current Guinness record is 1,001 mattresses in which people lined up for the first mattress-person pair tipping over to set the quintessential domino effect. Isnt that fun? But choosing the best mattress types for you and your family can be less fun because of the bewildering range available!
Mattresses are typically divided into several types according to their size, materials, and firmness. Fortunately, it becomes easier to make the best choice with basic knowledge about mattress types.
What exactly is a mattress? What makes a mattress different from a bed must first be emphasized as part of the answer. On the one hand, a bed refers to furniture used for sleeping, sex, and lounging, among other activities. The term bed itself refers to the entire unit consisting of the bed itself as well as the mattress, pillows, and beddings.
Thus, a bare mattress on the floor may be called a simple bed, but it may only be one of the parts of a bed as we know it. Modern beds can have a headboard and footboard, perhaps a canopy, aside from the mattress.
Furthermore, there are unconventional mattresses and beds that make sleeping a unique experience! Think of a vertical bed with a marshmallow feel for sleeping while standing, a sonic bed for whole-body music appreciation, and a roller coaster bed.
Older People And Mattress Softness
Older people should make sure to buy a mattress thats easy to get out of. They should avoid thick memory foam mattresses and mattresses that dont have edge support because they can get hugged by the mattress so much that they may not be able to leave it.
For the same reason, anyone with hip and back problems needs a mattress with excellent edge support.
Other Of Types Of Mattresses
There are a few other types mattresses that I have not delved into, as these are either very expensive or meant for very specific purposes. For example,
- Air-mattress can be set to any firmness level. The attached motor ensures that set pressure is maintained. However, they are extremely expensive and hence not practical for most people.
- Water-mattress or water-beds are used for patients to prevent bedsores. They are heavy and difficult to handle and can develop leaks.
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How To Choose A Mattress For Back Pain
There are myriad potential causes of back pain, but an unsupportive mattress is one factor that should not be underestimated. In people without back problems, proper support may prevent pain from arising, and in people who already have back issues, the right mattress may help with cushioning and comfort.
Choosing the best mattress for back pain means considering the nature of that pain alongside other mattress needs and preferences. Some back pain is short-term and comes on suddenly. This is known as acute back pain. Other times, the pain persists over a long period of time and is known as chronic back pain. Back problems can start out as acute, such as from an injury, and become chronic.
A person with acute back pain may need only temporary relief from their mattress. This may mean using extra pillows or adjusting their sleeping position. For chronic back pain, more significant steps may be needed, such as choosing a mattress that is firmer or softer. Finding the right levels of comfort as well as pressure relief can help keep the spine properly oriented during sleep.
The optimal mattress may also depend on where a person experiences back pain.
Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain affects the bottom five vertebrae in the lumbar area. It is the most common type of back pain and one of the leading reasons why Americans visit their doctor. This back region is vulnerable to bending and twisting that can harm the muscles and the spine itself.
Middle and Upper Back Pain
Popular Latex Mattress Brands
Some of the most popular latex mattress brands and models include:
- PlushBeds: PlushBeds makes several high-quality latex beds, including the Botanical Bliss organic latex mattress, which is CNET’s pick for the best latex mattress.
- GhostBed: A more affordable latex mattress option that features synthetic latex foam, which is more breathable than other foams.
- Spindle: The Spindle organic latex mattress is made with 100% organic latex, wool and cotton.
- Brentwood Home: Brentwood Home’s Cedar Luxe Natural Luxury mattress has carefully organized and patented zones of latex. These beds are great for back and stomach sleepers.
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Popular Adjustable Air Mattress Brands
Some popular adjustable air mattress brands and models include:
- Sleep Number: Sleep Number mattresses utilize something called Responsive Air technology to automatically adjust each side to the firmness of your liking.
- Saatva Solaire: The Saatva Solaire allows air chambers to fill or empty according to the sleepers’ comfort and the use of a handy remote control.
- Ghost SmartBed 3D Matrix: This bed has a layer of adjustable air chambers that connects to your mobile device or tablet for ease of use any time you want to customize.
Types Of Sleeping Positions
Now, you just moved into your new apartment thus, youre thinking of the best mattress. This criterion is suitable to guide you on the type of sleeping position you possess. The following are the types of popular sleeping positions.
These sleeping positions have their recommended mattresses which this article shall suggest to you.
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What To Consider When Choosing A Mattress
First and foremost, your spine stays aligned when you lie down. Your sleep position, body type and personal preferences for the feel and materials will all play a role in determining which mattress is best suited for your needs. You also want to consider cost, convenience, durability and any sleep issues i.e., whether you’re a hot sleeper, have back pain or get woken up by your sleeping partner. We’ll break down these topics to help you decide.
How Much Space Do You Have In Your Bedroom
Before making a decision on your mattress type and size, it is highly recommended that you take out a tape measure to determine the size of bed that works best in your room.
Getting started | Types of mattresses | What’s my sleeping position? | What size mattress do I need? | Materials used in high-quality mattresses | Mattress care tips | FAQs | Complete your mattress | Our services
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Does It Cradle Or Cushion You The Way You Want It To
If you like a mattress top to conform to your body, youll probably prefer a memory-foam mattress or a foam-forward hybrid. If you want to feel more held up by the mattress, go for an innerspring. These can feel quite plush with a pillow top or Euro top and still let you move more freely. Many innerspring mattresses also have just enough foam in the upper layers to provide cushioning without dampening the effect of the coils too much. A mattress made of latexa springier type of foam formulated from the sap of a rubber treecan feel somewhere in between a memory-foam and an innerspring mattress.
Bedtime Bliss Right This Way
If you’re buying a new bed, it might be time to invest in a new mattress too. Having a good quality mattress that’s perfectly suited to you will help you drift off into a peaceful slumber and leave you springing out of bed come morning.
READ: Emma mattress review: One writer puts it to the sleep test
As it’s a big commitment, finding your ideal mattress takes a lot of time and research, but we’ve done the hard work for you. Read on to discover which type of mattress you should buy, how long it will last and how you should care for it
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Essentia Tatami Hybrid Mattress
Essentia Tatami Hybrid mattress is integrated with nature. If you like to choose an eco-friendly mattress, the Essentia Tatami Hybrid mattress is the best option for you.
Essentia Tatami Hybrid mattress is an organic and natural memory foam mattress that provides you, as a back sleeper, with lumbar support, good spine alignment, and balance of comfort.
Its firmness option is medium firm which is suitable for all body weight sleepers. Stomach sleepers can also enjoy the comfort of this mattress.
Layers of Essentia Tatami Hybrid mattress include:
- Breathable organic cotton
Determine Your Ideal Sleeping Position And Firmness
Most of us have a unique way of sleeping every night. No matter if you sleep on your side, stomach, or back, or even if you switch throughout the night, you must consider your sleep style when selecting a mattress. The reason for this is that your favorite sleeping position will determine the ideal firmness of your new bed.
Need help? Visit our complete mattress firmness guide.
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How To Choose A Mattress Size
Its always better to get a bigger mattress if you have trouble deciding on size, if you can afford it and if it fits in the room its going in. If you like to spread out while sleeping, many believe its worth the cost. A larger bed could also improve your sleep quality if you share a bed with someone else. Youll be less likely to notice the other person moving about. Youll also be able to move and adjust, which means your back, neck, and shoulders will probably feel better in the morning. It will also help if your children or pets sometimes share the bed with you.
Standard mattress sizes are as follows:
- California King
How To Choose A Mattress For Combination Sleepers
Combination sleepers sleep in multiple positions throughout the night. They should select a mattress based on the position in which they spend the most time. If you dont have a preferred sleeping position, Medium Firm is the greatest option. These sleepers should also look for a mattress that is responsive and allows for effortless mobility on the bed.
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Ask For Recommendations Online
Announce on your social media accounts that you are looking for a new mattress, and ask friends and family members to post their suggestions. Consider including details about your health condition, as some people might have a similar experience and can give more specific recommendations. You could also visit Spine-healths and ask people who are in a similar situation as you.
How To Choose A Mattress Type: Memory Foam Latex Innerspring Hybrid
How to choose a mattress is determined on individual needs and wants, along with budget. The world of mattress choices is ever changing with new materials and technology. Most people generally hold onto a mattress for a lot longer than the 7 10 years that experts advise for replacing beds. Once you decide to buy a new mattress you will most likely be faced with many new choices since the last time you went bed buying.
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What Is The Best Month To Purchase A Mattress
Many mattress retailers offer deep discounts around Presidents Day, which is celebrated annually on the third Monday in February. You can usually find some good mattress deals around Memorial Day and Labor Day, and sometimes around the Fourth of July. Generally speaking, you may see a few decent price drops during holiday shopping events like Black Friday or Cyber Monday, but they likely wont be the best deals of the year. We track deals on all of our mattress recommendations year-round.
Consider Your Weight As A Factor
Weight plays a big role in choosing a mattress because it can impact factors like support, feel, sinkage, and even cooling. Furthermore, a particular mattress will feel very different to a lightweight person than it will to an average or heavier sleeper.
Body weight considerations often go hand-in-hand with sleep position, and youll need to consider both these factors together.
Lets look at the following guidelines for choosing an ideal firmness level based on your weight:
Need more details? Follow our guide to the top-rated beds for heavy people.
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Latex For Less Mattress
Latex for Less is an online mattress company that delivers a bed in a box mattress to its customers. It comes with two sides which makes it flippable. These sides are Talalay latex and Dunlop latex.
- Talalay latex is the medium-firm side suitable for lightweight stomach sleepers.
- Dunlop latex is the firm side for heavy-weight stomach sleepers
Also, its an all-foam mattress with a breathable top, natural wool, and organic cotton cover, which makes the product eco-friendly.
Features of Latex for less mattress
- Its an all-foam mattress
- Its also suitable for back and side sleepers
- Its affordable for on-budget mattress hunters
- It helps in spinal alignment as a stomach sleeper
- Its a good choice for hot sleepers
- Its eco-friendly with its organic and natural layers
- Good edge support experience
- Its easy to move around on the mattress
- The motion isolation for this mattress is generally fair due to the latex material. However, in the latex mattress industry, motion isolation is rated good.
- Latex for less gives you 120 nights of free trial and 20 years of warranty
Is It Better To Sleep On A Hard Or Soft Mattress
It depends on your body weight and sleeping position. If youre a lightweight and average-weight sleeper, a soft, medium soft, medium, or medium firm is an ideal choice.
However, a Firm or Plus is suitable for you if youre a heavyweight sleeper. This will help you know the mattress firmness option to choose
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Look For Sleeping Hot Solutions
Constantly waking up during the night because youre too warm can negatively affect your sleep quality. The good news for hot sleepers is that there are numerous mattress options tailored to the needs of those prone to overheating. If this sounds like you, then youll want to seek out beds with cooling features. The coils in innerspring and hybrid models offer great airflow, while latex beds are inherently temperature-neutral and therefore, dont retain heat. Memory foam is a popular choice but because its known to easily overheat, the material isnt always ideal for hot sleepers. However, many companies have found a way to help with this by infusing cooling gels or using open-cell foam structures to help mitigate heat build-up. Additionally, if love memory foam but worry about becoming too warm, consider getting a hybrid with memory foam in the comfort layer so you get the extra airflow from the innerspring coils. Additional cooling features and breathable materials in mattresses may include graphite, copper, Tencel, cotton, and moisture-wicking bamboo or wool. Some brands also create proprietary cooling materials for their mattresses.
What Is The Best Mattress For My Body Weight
Okay, last but not least, we must address the factor of body weight. Different body weights require different levels of firmness and support. Fortunately, there are online mattress companies who use algorithms to make recommendations based on your weight and help take the guesswork out of deciding which firmness option is right for you. There are also online mattress companies who offer a split queen- or split king-size mattress option. Split options are perfect for couples who may have substantially different body weights.
To make it as easy as possible to understand, heres a guide for choosing the right mattress option based on three body-weight categories:
Lightweight sleepers
If you fit this category, consider a soft to medium-firm mattress that sits around a 3 to 6 on the firmness scale. Lighter sleepers dont sink as deeply into a mattress. Browse our Reviews and find a bed that falls within this firmness range. Our firmness ratings are calculated by third-party engineers who we commission for testing on this website. One-size-fits-all mattresses like the Douglas are a great fit for more lightweight sleepers.
Average weight sleepers
Heavier sleepers
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Where Is The Best Place To Buy A Mattress
The best place to buy a mattress will depend on whether you prefer to shop online or in a traditional brick-and-mortar store. Online shopping gives shoppers easy access to hundreds of different mattress brands from the comfort of their homes. Rather than having to make the drive to your nearest mattress store, you can do your research at home, buy the bed, and have it shipped directly to you. Buying online also means you can buy a top bed for a fraction of the cost youd pay in-store because the middleman cost is eliminated. However, some people prefer to physically see and touch the mattress before they make a purchase, and in this case, buying from a store would likely be the best option for those shoppers.
Here Are Some Guidelines For You:
- Don’t always go with the cheapest option you find This is a rule of thumb for most products you buy online. Spending less than 500 dollars for a Queen-size mattress usually means the product is not as durable and wont provide you with better sleep quality.
- A higher price does not mean higher quality On the flip side, you dont need to put down thousands of dollars to get a comfortable bed. There are many great options that dont come with a hefty price tag.
- Go with the 1,000-dollar range for a Queen size This is usually where you will find the best bang for your buck.
- King / California King will cost slightly more You should increase the budget for King and California King to 1,400-1,500 dollars as you will have more choices in that range.
Need more details? Check out our guide to top online mattresses.
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