Mattress Buying Guide
Shopping for Mattresses
- What's the best mattress?
- How can you best shop for mattresses?
- How can you tell when a mattress is "used up?"
- What should people look for in a new mattress?
- What should people do to prepare for buying a new mattress?
- What is the best way to try a mattress?
- How often should mattresses be replaced? How long do they last?
- How much money should be spent on a mattress?
- What size mattress does a couple need?
Q. What's the best mattress?
A. The answer is a matter of individual taste.
What's best for me may not be best for you. When it comes
to mattresses, there is no one-size-fits-all. After all, we're
all built differently and have different comfort and support
preferences, so why would the same mattress be "best"
for all of us?
To determine the mattress that's best for you, we recommend using the process of elimination to weed out the ones you don't like. Go to a retailer and use the "rest test" to narrow down your choices. As you lie down on the mattresses, pay attention to three of the mattress's most important features: comfort, support and space. The mattress that best fulfills the combination of these needs is the "best" mattress for you. If you sleep with a partner, bring that person with you to test out the mattresses. After all, you will need to reconcile what you like best with what your partner likes best.
Q. How can you best shop for mattresses?
A. You need to understand your needs
before you start shopping. We recommend that you think about
your lifestyle. How has it changed since you last bought a
mattress and how might these changes affect your purchase?
And what about your body? Has it changed and how has this
affected your needs for support or your comfort preferences?
Finally, think about space needs and if you have a partner,
take your partner with you to shop for a new mattress. It's
important to find something to meet both your support needs
and comfort preferences.
Armed with this information, go to a mattress retailer you trust, someone who will answer your questions with information. Then, take a "rest test" to compare the feel of different mattresses by lying down on them. You will quickly find some mattresses you like and others that do not meet your personal comfort preferences and support needs. Through this process of elimination, you can determine which mattresses you like best.
Q. How can you tell when a mattress is "used
up?"
A. Your body should tell you when it's time
for a new one – but are you paying attention? If you
regularly wake up feeling stiff and sore or if you aren't
sleeping as well as you did a year ago, it may be time to
replace what you're sleeping on. At least twice a year, check
for visible signs of wear and tear and ask yourself if you're
sleeping better or worse than you did a year ago and if a
new mattress might improve your sleep. This regular sleep
check-up will help ensure your mattress is still doing its
job.
Q. What should people look for in a new mattress?
A. Four keys to keep in mind are support,
comfort, space and matching sets. The mattress that's right
for you will keep your spine in proper alignment – how
your spine is when it's in good standing posture – supporting
your body and cradling it along its curves. The right mattress
will also be comfortable for your body. Keep in mind that
your comfort preferences are likely to change as you age.
Make sure the mattress provides enough space for easy, free
movement. Couples should sleep on a queen or king-size mattress.
And keep in mind that a mattress and foundation are designed
to work together. Buy them as a set and get the most out of
your investment in yourself.
Q. What should people do to prepare for buying a
new mattress?
A. Assess your needs before you start shopping.
Think about your lifestyle. How has it changed since you last
bought a mattress and how might these changes affect your
purchase? And what about your body? Has it changed and how
has this affected your need for support or your comfort preferences?
Finally, think about space needs and take your partner with
you (if you have one) when you shop for your mattress. You
need to find something to meet both your support needs and
comfort preferences.
Q. What is the best way to try a mattress?
A. The best way to try a mattress is to take
the "SLEEP Test":
Select a mattress
Lie down in your sleep position
Evaluate the level of comfort and support
Educate yourself about each selection
Partners should shop together
Don't be embarrassed. You don't think twice about test driving
a car, and you shouldn't think twice about "SLEEP Testing"
a mattress. Lie down on the mattress for several minutes and
assess how well it provides support and how comfortable it
is for you. The only way to tell if a mattress is right for
you is to lie down on it.
Q. How often should mattresses be replaced? How long
do they last?
A. Mattresses wear out on different timetables.
This is due to numerous factors such as how the mattress was
used (guest room, master bedroom, doubled as a trampoline
for the kids), whether it was cared for properly and/or the
quality of the mattress itself. Other important considerations
are how personal comfort levels or a person's lifestyle and
body may have changed over the years. We encourage you to
think about these things and ask yourself the following questions:
- Are you sleeping better or worse than you did a year ago?
- Are you waking up feeling stiff and sore?
- Does your mattress have visible signs of wear and tear?
- Would a new mattress improve your sleep?
If the answer is "yes" to any of these questions, then it's time to consider purchasing a new mattress. And because people tend to overlook their mattresses and don't think about them, we recommend that you "check" your mattress using these four questions on a regular basis – at least twice a year – to make sure mattress wear and tear isn't sneaking up on you and disrupting your sleep.
Q. How much money should be spent
on a mattress?
A. Your rest – the amount and quality
of your sleep – is a critical factor in your overall
well-being. It can affect how you feel physically and mentally
as well as your productivity. Accordingly, we urge you to
invest in your rest, and spend enough on a mattress to ensure
that your individual comfort and support needs are being met.
Be sure not to shortchange yourself out of a good, quality
night's sleep and buy the best mattress you can afford. The
average person spends one-third of his or her life in bed.
This equals 220,000 hours over the course of a lifetime! And
the mattress is the most used piece of furniture in the home.
Q. What size mattress does a couple need?
A. Couples should sleep in a queen or king-size
mattress for free, easy movement. Couples who sleep on a full
mattress are only allowing themselves the same room to move
around as a baby has in a crib. And make sure to take your
partner with you when you shop for a mattress. It's important
that you find one that meets both your support need and comfort
preferences.
