Right For Spinal Alignment And Prevent Back Pain
When you have spine complication, one of the remedies recommended by the doctor is a quality mattress. It would be best if you had a mattress that can support your weight as well as distributing it evenly on the body parts. A right mattress ensures that your spine is in a neutral position throughout your sleep.
If you do not get neutral level support on your spine over a long period, you may develop a spinal complication. One of the best spinal alignment mattress is the one that supports the natural curve of your spine. Avoid a mattress that makes weight to rest on your hips and shoulders.
If you experience back pain from time to time, there are high chances its caused by your mattress. Your mattress should hold your spine in a straight position throughout the night. If you wake up every morning and your neck produces cracking sound, its the high time to change your mattress. When the spine is not held in a straight position, it causes chronic pain conditions.
Should I Buy A Mattress Topper
A mattress topper serves as an extra layer of padding that goes either over or below a fitted sheet. They are usually somewhere from 2-5 inches thick and are made from diverse materials, such as wool, down/feathers, memory foam, convoluted polyfoam , or latex.
What might make you a good candidate for one?
Select Your Desired Mattress Firmness
When determining how to pick the right mattress, you must consider your preferred firmness level.
There is a common misconception that the firmness of a mattress affects its support, but really, firmness is subjective and does not equate to support. This is because firmness is determined by how far a sleeper sinks into their mattress, while support is measured by how well the mattress maintains a sleepers alignment.
FIRMNESS is measured by how much the sleeper sinks into the mattress
SUPPORT is measured by how the mattress is maintaining the sleepers spinal alignment.
When deciding between a firm or soft mattress, just make sure to choose one that is designed with zoning requirements for adequate support.
On the same mattress, a heavier sleeper will inevitably sink deeper than a lighter sleeper. To which, the perception of firmness will be determined by the individual.
So how does one determine the best mattress firmness for them? Personal preference! As long as a mattress is zoned properly and supports your body correctly, you are free to choose a softer or firmer mattress.
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What Is The Best Mattress
This is one of the most common questions that I get. Its a simple question, but the answer is not. The real answerit depends. Mattresses are not one size fits all. Your decision should be based on your specific sleep preferences. For a more in-depth look, check out our Mattress Reviews. Otherwise, below are our recommendations based on the category.
Editor’s Pick
Best Bed in a Box
Leesa Original
Does It Look And Feel Well Made
At first glance, all mattresses look pretty similar . But once you know what to look for, narrow your search to models that may last longer than others. Lift and shift the mattress around to make sure it doesnt feel light and flimsy. Inspect the cover, and confirm that its well stitched and feels sturdy. If its a foam or hybrid mattress, ask about the foam density, especially for the topmost layers. Most adults who weigh less than 200 pounds should look for at least 3 pounds per cubic foot of density in a memory-foam mattress. People who weigh more than 200 pounds would do better with at least 4 pounds per cubic foot.
If youre trying out beds with non-memory-foam polyfoam and you weigh less than 200 pounds, youre better off looking for something with a foam density of at least 1.8 pounds per cubic foot . If youre heavier than 200 pounds, youre probably better off looking at denser foam options in the range of 2 pounds per cubic foot or higher . If a brand doesnt provide foam-density specs on its site, try to find out from a customer service rep online or a knowledgeable staff member at a store. If you prioritize durability, its worth seeking out a brand thats transparent about materials.
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The Mattress Is Sagging
Having been used long enough, a mattress is bound to lose its structural integrity and sag from points of pressure. Often, these sagging points are in the middle of the mattress that leads to lower back pains in users. Deep indentations and sagging often disrupt sleep quality and thus, overall health.
How Long Does It Take To Kill Bed Bugs On A Mattress
The problem is that the mattress gives a lot of coverage to the insects. This is especially annoying if you’re trying to kill them with pesticides. To be effective immediately, the pesticide must be sprayed directly on the bed bug. This will take, but it means it could take weeks or even months to kill them all. Killing bed bugs in your mattress can be tricky.
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Take Your Body Type Into Consideration
Once you’re familiar with your sleeping position, next is to factor in your weight or BMI. Weight distribution plays a part in how soft or firm you think a bed will feel. For example, a medium mattress will feel more soft to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, but Olympic gymnast Simone Biles will likely think that same mattress feels a bit firmer than advertised.
Heavier individuals exert more pressure into a mattress, and as a result, have a more plush experience. So, if you weigh 250 pounds and sleep on your stomach, I’d suggest at least a medium-firm mattress.
People with larger body types should also look into hybrid mattresses. These are beds that include both foam and innersprings. Hybrid mattresses are much more supportive than all-foam beds because of their steel base layer. And in turn, that means they end up lasting longer. Though, if you weigh under 200 pounds, most foam beds should work just fine for you in the long-term.
Understanding Your Mattress Lifespan
It is also important to understand the average lifespan of your mattress. If you have a newer mattress based on your type, other issues may be at the root of your sleeping problems, such as incorrect pillows or too much light in the room.
There are other factors that affect the lifespan of your individual mattress as well.Other factors that may reduce the lifespan of your mattress include:
- Not turning the mattress regularly
- Sleeping in the same spot and position each night
- Being overweight
- Allowing animals on the mattress
- Allowing children to jump on the mattress
- Food and drink spills on the mattress
The other thing to consider is the health of the mattress. Any mattress over 5 years old is full of a number of unwanted guests, such as:
- Dust mites
- Oils from your skin
- Dead skin cells
It doesnt matter how clean you think you are these things will get into your mattress with time.
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Assess Your Sleeping Position
Weve all been theretossing and turning without a moments shut-eye. But did you know that we still toss and turn even during deep sleep? In fact, people change positions at least 20 times per night.
Most sleepers often start off on their sides and transition to their backs throughout the nightor vice versa. As such, its important to find a mattress that can provide adequate support for different sleeping patterns and positions.
Top 12 Tips For Buying A New Mattress
With so many mattress options to choose from, buying a new one can be overwhelming. This is especially true if you have back or neck painthe right or wrong mattress can make the difference between spending the day feeling good or in pain.
While choosing a mattress is ultimately a matter of personal preference, here are some tips to keep in mind:
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What About Mattress Support
After firmness, support may be the most important concern for stomach sleepers. Support describes the uniformity of the mattress surface and the way it conforms to the body. Sound support will help to bolster the lumbar region, lift the hips, and reduce tension in the neck and shoulders.
To find a bed with solid support, consider the following:
- Firmness doesnt always equal support, so pay attention to materials and construction. Hybrid beds utilize both foam and pocketed coils, and typically offer the most well-rounded support
- When you try out a bed, make sure your hips and shoulders arent sinking out of alignment. Give your body a few minutes to settle before deciding if the support feels right
- Focus less on the comfort layers and more on the support sections. Pillow-tops can be tantalizing, but stomach sleepers need to feel whats going on underneath
When Is The Best Time To Replace A Mattress
Old mattresses can attract dust mites and other allergens such as mold. You have had a mattress for more than eight years. With the latest chip, an average mattress will last six to eight years before it needs to be replaced. The materials that make up each layer can make the mattress more or less durable.
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Our Best Mattresses Of 2021
Best Overall
Trial length:Trial length:Warranty:Sizes:
Who it’s best for:
- Shoppers who want a hybrid that features memory foam
- Combination sleepers
- People with sharp pressure points
Highlights:
- Strong contouring performance promotes spinal alignment
- Premium performance at an affordable price point
- Medium firm feel provides a versatile option for most sleepers
Get $200 OFF + 2 FREE Dream Pillows when you spend $1,750 or more. Use Code: SLEEPFOUND200
Why Its Best Overall
Well-rounded performance, quality construction, and affordable pricing put the Helix Midnight at the top of our best mattress picks. This can be attributed to its mid-range firmness, which hits the sweet spot between plush and firm, and a memory foam hybrid construction that earns above-average marks for pressure relief, motion isolation, breathability, and overall support.
Helix is an online mattress in a box brand that specializes in personalized comfort with a wide selection of hybrid mattresses, each one designed for people with specific body types, primary sleep positions, and firmness preferences. While each Helix model is suitable for certain individuals depending on their personal criteria, the Helix Midnight is a standout pick thanks to its balanced feel that combines pressure-relieving memory foam and sturdy coil support all at a very reasonable price-point.
What Its Made of
How It Performed
Lab Notes What Our Testers Thought
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Highlights:
What To Look For In A Mattress
If youve done any research on mattresses already, youve probably noticed that the mattress industry has its very own lingo with words like responsiveness and motion transfer. While they might seem like fluff words, theyre actually important factors to consider when choosing a mattress thats going to best meet your needs.
Well give you a breakdown of these key mattress features in plain old English to help you understand why these are so critical when finding the best mattress. Comfort and support are two of the main factors to consider when looking at a new mattress, so its important to note that sometimes you wont be able to realize how well a mattress performs on these factors until you try it out for a few nights. So if youre not sure what mattress is best for you, make sure to invest in a mattress with a risk-free trial period. Other important factors include spine alignment, pressure relief, shipping and return policies, and the firmness level. You can learn more about each of these features and how we score them while we are testing a mattresss performance in Our Review Process article.
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Youre Buying A Ton Of New Pillows And Toppers
When people start to realize their mattress is giving way, sometimes theyll try to get out of buying a new one by treating the symptoms instead of the cause.
Theyll get new toppers or new pillows to try to account for poor support and muscle pain, and pretty much try to do everything they can to save themselves the cost and hassle of going out and getting a new mattress.
While this is understandable, its not really sustainable.
Theres only so much you can do to make up for a failing mattress.
No mattress can last forever, and while toppers can certainly be a good tool while you search for a replacement, theres no substitute for a quality mattress.
Your Allergies Or Asthma Seem To Be Getting Worse
This is a less obvious sign that you need a new mattress – but its a sign nonetheless.
Like any other fabric based piece of furniture, a mattress can build up dust, dead skin and other allergens over time.
If that sounds a little far fetched, bear in mind that we shed around a pound of dead skin cells on average each year. Given the amount of time the average person spends in bed, its no surprise to find that the bulk of those dead skin cells end up on your mattress.
So, if you find that your allergies or asthma have recently gotten worse, especially when you first wake up in the morning, then it could be a sign you need a new mattress.
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Determine How Thick Your Memory Foam Mattress Should Be
Memory foam mattress thickness ranges from 6 inches to 14 inches. In general, thick mattresses are softer than thin mattresses. However, choosing a thinner option wont take away the natural comfort of a memory foam mattress. The base foam is the main support structure, and each additional level adds extra softness.
Its also important to keep in mind that adding a memory foam mattress topper can help increase the overall thickness and comfort of your mattress. Check out this guide to get even more details about memory foam mattress thickness and why it matters.
Limit Playtime And Pets
It can certainly be fun to let the kids jump around on the bed or to let the cat or dog snuggle up close to you, but too much of this activity and your mattress will start to age.
Pet claws in particular can cause damage to the surface of your mattress. So, try and keep playtime to a minimum to preserve your mattress for longer!
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Are You Experiencing Pain
This should be a no-brainer. A good mattress can offset pain you experience, not cause it! If you are waking up every morning with stiffness in your joints and muscles, your bed may very well be part of the problem.
If your mattress is an incorrect match and does not suit the curves of your shape or weight, you may be sleeping with poor spine alignment or with inadequate pressure relief.
Want to read more? Check out the most commons symptoms of sleeping on a bad mattress.
Mattresses Made With Organic Materials
Organic materials such as wool and cotton begin to decompose when exposed to microorganisms. If you store such mattresses in moist and warm conditions, especially when dirty, they may begin to decay.
But you can prevent this by ensuring that the mattresses are properly cleaned and disinfected before storing.
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See What Your Health Care Provider Thinks
If you have a back or neck condition, talk to your doctor or physical therapist about what he or she recommends. You should aim for the neck and low back to be in a neutral position while lying on the mattress. This promotes good spinal alignment. While doctors are not mattress experts, they know your medical history and may have good advice from that point of view.
See Tips on Buying a High-Quality Mattress
Your Body Is Complaining
A good mattress means a happy body.
Ideally, if youre sleeping on the right material and getting the right amount of sleep, you should wake up every morning feeling well-rested and refreshed.
There shouldnt be any aches or pains, and you shouldnt be left tossing and turning every night in order to get to sleep.
If youve got a bad mattress, though, odds are thats just not going to happen.
Bad mattresses dont give us the kind of support we need.
They make our bodies work overtime during the night and as were falling asleep.
We want to get into a comfortable position, but thats not actually possible on a bad mattress.
Often, as the comfort layers of a mattress give out, your midsection will be left sagging.
This puts too much pressure on your neck, shoulders, and back, which can result in pain and soreness.
If youre consistently waking up with a morning neck pain that gets better throughout the day, its time to get a new mattress.
And if your body is making an impression of 1.5 inches or deeper, chances are good that youre either experiencing sleep pain now or youre about to at some point in the near future.
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Where Can You Buy A New Mattress
In todays marketplace, mattress shoppers can choose from a wide range of buying venues. Those who wish to purchase a mattress online can choose from the following two options:
- The mattress manufacturer’s website
- Online retailers
Buying a mattress directly from the source often results in the most savings, and many mattress brand websites feature live chat tools that allow shoppers to communicate directly with customer service personnel. Buying a mattress from the brand also ensures a full sleep trial and warranty coverage.
Retail sites like Amazon.com carry a wide selection of mattresses, including mattresses from other brands and models that are exclusive to the site. Mattress prices may be lower, or at least on par with the brands listed price-point. However, customers may not qualify for the brands full sleep trial if they order through these sites Amazon.com, for instance, offers a standard 30-night sleep trial in these instances. Ordering through these sites usually does not affect warranty coverage as long as the site is an authorized retailer, but shoppers should still inquire to ensure they receive coverage.
Pros/Cons of Buying a Mattress Online
- Lower prices
Additionally, mattress shoppers may find a bed at the following brick-and-mortar locations:
- Mattress specialty stores
- Big box retailers
- Furniture and department stores
Pros/Cons of Buying a Mattress in a Store
- Testing mattress before buying
- Less transparent regarding mattress specs
