Introduction
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, sufficient good quality sleep is as important as food and water for the human body to function properly without developing any mental and physical health problems.
Photo by Ty Carlson on Unsplash
For you to be able to achieve the goal of sufficient good quality sleep you need a perfect sleep environment. A perfect sleep environment is that which can boast of having cool temperature, has enough darkness, and is soundproof and above all has a pressure sore mattress that you can choose from the misc type of mattresses to sleep on, read more.
To buy the right mattress is not an easy task, it requires you to be diligent while doing a tedious job of choosing a new mattress that should serve you for years to come.
Here are 5 easy steps to choose the right mattress for a good night’s sleep.
1.Is there a need to buy a New Mattress?
Investing in a new mattress is a judicious decision, only if you really need to replace your old mattress with a new one because you are facing issues with your old mattress.
As a general rule of thumb, the old mattress should be replaced every seven to eight years. Also, it becomes important to replace the old mattress if it has developed holes, sagging, deep body indentation, coils or springs have broken and are not able to provide support to your body while you are asleep.
A poor mattress can be a reason for your fragmented, restless sleep and also you wake up with body aches as it creates more pressure points. The quality and material of the mattress matters when it comes to the average lifespan of a mattress.
2.Decide on your Budget
You should decide on your budget before taking a look at the available mattresses from an online store or departmental store in your area. The options available in these stores can be overwhelming and you should resist over-indulgence, remember, everyone cannot afford to spend several thousand dollars on a new mattress.
You should not confuse yourself, more price doesn’t always mean it is of the best quality and has the best features.
You should not go for a cheap mattress as they are not of good quality and may be made from toxic materials and will have less durability.
You should be able to get a good mattress in the range of $500-1200.
If you are looking for a mattress for a king-size bed you may have to pay for more than $1200.
3.Choose Your Ideal Mattress Material
Once you have decided on the budget and need of replacing your old mattress with a new one, you should focus on types of mattresses and their material that should suffice for your sleep needs. One harsh truth that you have to accept is that there is no single mattress type that can be perfect for everybody. All the different types have several features to cater to your specific needs.
You should buy a mattress made of latex if you frequently move and feel hot while you are asleep. Mattresses made of latex also don’t smell heavily like the ones made from other materials.
You should buy a mattress made of memory foam if you are looking for softness and luxurious feel. Memory foam mattress also provides contouring to your body. It is best for couples as it handles motion transfer better than other materials.
You should buy a mattress that is made as a hybrid of latex and memory foam to get the best of both types, although it is going to cost more.
If you like to have that coil feel in your mattress, you should buy a mattress that has individually wrapped coils so that the effect of movement is kept to a minimum. The mattresses with coils also help in regulating the air and help you to stay cool.
4.Find your Ideal Sleeping Position
People sleep uniquely every night, some sleep on their backs, some on their sides, some on their stomach and others in combination with these sleeping positions. Your sleeping position should be a factor in deciding what type of mattress and its level of firmness is good for your ideal sleeping position.
If you sleep on your back, your ideal mattress should provide enough support to your spine and allow contouring for your spine. You should go for a mattress that has a medium to medium-high firmness level. Memory foam mattress provides adequate support and allows contouring for your spine and is soft enough not to allow the creation of pressure points.
If you sleep on your sides, your ideal mattress should be able to provide good support to your shoulders and hip joints. You should go for the mattress that has medium-soft firmness level and should allow contouring of your body to support your shoulders and hips.
If you sleep on your stomach, your ideal mattress should be able to provide equal distribution of weight across your whole body to support your spine as your torso applies pressure on your spine. You should go for the mattress that has medium to medium-high firmness level.
If you sleep in a combination of sleeping positions, you should go for the mattress that has a medium firmness level.
5.Consider Your Weight as a Deciding Factor
When you are planning to invest in a new mattress, you should consider your weight as a deciding factor. Your new mattress should be able to respond in a perfect way to support your weight.
If you weigh light, less than 150 pounds, then you should go for the mattress that has a medium firmness level.
If you weigh average, anywhere between 150 to 200 pounds, then you should go for the mattress that has medium to medium-high firmness level.
If you weigh heavy, above 200 pounds, then you should go for the mattress that has medium-high to high firmness level to support sink factor. People who weigh heavily tend to suffer from cooling problems while they are asleep. If you are having cooling problems then you should go for a mattress that allows more air regulation, like coil mattresses.
Conclusion
Although, selecting the right mattress is a tedious job but you must spend time and effort in choosing the right one for your good quality sleep. Follow these steps in choosing the right mattress and remember that the new mattress is going to be there with you for several years and you are going to invest a good amount of money on it. According to SleepStandards, you should also check whether the store, online or market provides free delivery, allows home trial, has a return policy, and provides a warranty of at least 10 years.