Thinking of Replacing Your Mattress? Read This First!

Mattress shopping can become overwhelming when you have to consider all the options available on the market.

Unfortunately, mattresses don’t come as one size fits all.

You can make the decision easier and less daunting by focusing on the most important qualities to consider.

There are several unmistakable signs that you need a new mattress that we tend to ignore until it is too late. These include sagging, body impressions, changes in firmness, lumps, pain when waking up and triggered allergies.

Mattresses get neglected over time because they’re not the most visible part of the house. That is, of course, until they’re no longer functioning as they should which then forces you to pay attention. A bad mattress can have a terrible effect on your body, like poor posture and spine alignment, which can result in injuries, soreness, and chronic pain.

Buying a new mattress restores your sleep to a restful affair and eliminates some of these discomforts almost immediately. Finding the right one for you isn’t rocket science, especially if you follow some of these tips.

Begin by setting a budget!

How much do you want to spend on the mattress? Some of the most expensive mattresses in the world like a Hastens mattress manufactured by Swedish mattress company Hastens can cost as much as $67,000. Of course, that’s not what you are aiming to spend, especially when you can find excellent mattresses from $800 -$2000.

If you really want to splurge on a mattress you can go for a $5000 buy - let’s call that comfortable luxury.

Mattress shopping will take you to plenty of stores, so it’s best to have a whole day mapped out for the journey. Also, wear comfortable clothing since you’ll be lying on the mattress to feel its firmness and comfort level. The comfort level of your mattress directly affects the quality of your sleep negatively or positively.

To buy the right mattress for your needs, you need to identify some of your personal sleep characteristics.

For example, what is your sleeping position - meaning do you predominantly sleep on your back, side, or stomach? Or perhaps you start out in one position and end up in another? The fetal position is most popular with four out of ten people, especially women sleeping on their side.

Another question you need to answer is, do you want a hard, medium, or soft mattress?

Firmness matters in the overall comfort of the mattress. Back sleepers typically need a medium or hard mattress to support their spine - preferably a medium foam or latex mattress because these provide adequate contouring for the spine as you sleep. A soft mattress will impact the posture of a back sleeper.

A hard mattress is an ideal fit for belly sleepers. This sleeping position can result in back and neck pain if you sleep on a soft or even medium firmness mattress.

Also, consider your weight when buying a mattress. Your weight will determine which mattress will work best in supporting your frame while offering the best comfort level.

Your age also plays a role in the choice of mattress. Senior citizens have more specific needs, and they tend to experience more chronic pain and body discomfort compared to other demographics.

Cutting down nighttime distractions can sometimes boil down to the type of mattress you are sleeping on.

Sweet dreams!