What's behind our mattress Ratings? and provide valuable feedback to other members and our testers. You should think about buying a new mattress if you wake up tired or achy, you tend to sleep better at hotels than at home, your mattress looks saggy or lumpy, you're over 40, or your mattress is at least five to seven years old. Use this mattress guide to help with your purchase. CO & smoke alarms Do you have feedback about this page? Take your refund to the max & get the most out of your return with the right tax software Major DEALS on major appliances FINAL WEEK TO SAVE BIG SAVINGS on baby gear from the brands you trust SAVE UP TO 70% on luggage sets - Starting as low as $199.99The Best Mattress for a Better Night's SleepHere are tips for finding the right mattress for you. You spend about a third of every day in bed. Whether that time is spent blissfully slumbering -- or tossing and turning -- depends a lot on your mattress. "A mattress can impact a person's sleep," says Michael Decker, PhD, RN, associate professor at Georgia State University and spokesman for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
One way that your mattress affects your sleep has to do with the network of fine blood vessels, called capillaries, that runs underneath your skin. "When you lie on any part of your body for an extended period of time, the weight of it reduces the flow of blood through those blood vessels, which deprives the skin of oxygen and nutrients," Decker says. This causes nerve cells and pain sensors in your skin to send a message to your brain for you to roll over. Rolling over restores blood flow to the area, but it also briefly interrupts your sleep. Ideally, a mattress that reduces the pressure points on your body should give you a better night's sleep, Decker says. Yet the ideal mattress is different for each person. Which Mattress Is Right for You? Finding the right mattress isn't about searching out the highest-tech brand or spending the most money. "A much more expensive mattress doesn't necessarily mean it's better," Decker says. A high price tag is a product of both the materials that go into the mattress, and the marketing that helps sell it.
Instead of focusing on price and brand name, think about what you want in a mattress. "Selecting a mattress is very personal," Decker says. Some people prefer a firmer mattress; others favor a softer style. Although there isn't a lot of scientific evidence to prove that one type of mattress will help you sleep better than another, people with certain medical conditions do seem to rest easier on a particular mattress style. Anyone with back or neck pain should take a Goldilocks approach to mattress buying: not too hard, and not too soft. "If you're on too soft [of] a mattress, you'll start to sink down to the bottom. But on too hard of a mattress you have too much pressure on the sacrum, and on the shoulders, and on the back of the head," says Howard Levy, MD, an Emory University assistant professor of orthopaedics, physical medicine, and rehabilitation. A medium-firm mattress, or a firm mattress with a softer pillow top, will give your spine that "just-right" balance of support and cushioning.
An adjustable bed can be a good buy if you need to sleep with your head raised. Doctors sometimes recommend elevating the head to help people with COPD breathe easier, or to prevent nighttime heartburn from GERD. These beds can also allow you to adjust your knees and hips to a 90-degree angle, relieving some of the pressure on sore joints, Levy says. If you have allergies or asthma, you might have considered buying a bed labeled "hypoallergenic." "There are a lot of claims made by mattress manufacturers that their mattresses are hypoallergenic or don't support the growth of dust mites, but I don't know of scientific evidence to support these claims," says Paul V. Williams, MD, a pediatrics professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine and an allergist at Northwest Allergy and Asthma Center in Washington state. Williams says dust mites will live anywhere there's food -- and that food is your dead skin cells. Instead of investing in an allergy-free mattress, slip on a washable mattress encasing.
It will form a barrier that prevents dust mites from getting to you. A mattress encasing cuts allergen growth by robbing dust mites of their food supply, Williams says. And what about those space-age memory foam mattresses, which can cost thousands of dollars? There is some evidence they can help with back problems and improve sleep, but their advantage over a regular coil mattress is only slight. Where memory foam mattresses can really help you sleep is if you have an active bed partner who is keeping you awake, Decker says. Foam mattresses reduce motion transfer, letting you lie still while your partner tosses and turns. Test Drive a Mattress Before You Buy "You wouldn't buy a car without test driving it," Decker says. So why would you invest hundreds -- or even thousands of dollars in a mattress without trying it out first? Take any new mattress you're considering for a test nap. "People should not be embarrassed to go into a store and lay on a mattress for 20 minutes," Decker says.
For a more realistic test, sleep in the beds at different hotel chains when you travel. If you get an especially good night's sleep on one of them, ask the desk clerk what brand it is. When you test out a mattress, make sure it feels comfortable in every position, especially the side you favor for sleeping. The mattress should be supportive where you need it, without putting too much pressure on your body, Levy says. Time for a New Mattress If you've been having trouble sleeping, the problem might not be your mattress type, but its age. "It's really important for people to realize that mattresses have a certain lifespan," Decker says. Keep your mattress too long, and the foam and other materials inside it will start to break down, compromising its ability to support your body. Decker recommends keeping your mattress for no more than 10 years. After that, it's time to go mattress shopping again., and even eBay after Christmas to sell them at discounted prices.
• Wrapping paper: Stores slash prices on gift wrap, holiday cards, and Christmas decorations in the weeks following the busy shopping season. they'll keep till next year. • Bed linens: Retailers offer deep discounts on sheets, towels, and blankets in January. "White sales" actually date back to 1878, when a Philadelphia department store held a “White Sale” on linens to help keep linen makers in business during a slow period. • Computer: Starting in January, keep an eye on PC prices; companies offer discounts on older models to prepare for the upcoming release of the newest systems. February: Best time to buy furniture, washer and dryer, wedding items• Wedding: Tying the knot in this off-season month means taking full advantage of discounted prices on reception venues, catering, and photography. Plan around the Presidential holidays, though, and beware of nasty weather. • Air conditioner: During cold weather months, many appliance stores offer units at cheap prices—if you can find them.
• Furniture: New inventory hits showrooms in February, so retailers often offer deals around now. Politely negotiate on good-condition floor models, and you can often pay much less than cost. • Washer and dryer: New models arrive in winter, meaning you'll spot deals on last year's appliances. Don't be afraid to haggle. March: Best time to buy luggage, a camera, golf clubs• Frozen foods: March is National Frozen Foods Month, a large-scale marketing campaign that encourages grocers to offer price-cuts and coupons all month long. • Luggage: Retailers such as Walmart, Macy's, and Sears discount luggage before travel-heavy spring and summer. • Boats: It's the tail end of boat-show season. • Golf clubs: The season tees off in early spring, meaning last year's irons are on sale. • Digital camera: Consumer Reports advises snapping up a digital camera in March and April—sales are best.• Vacuum cleaners: Most new models come out in June, so retailers discount old vacuums now—just in time for spring cleaning.
• Thrift stores: People clearing out closets means a larger, fresher selection. • Winter clothing: Spring collections hit stores, and cold-weather clothes are often dramatically marked down for clearance. May: Best time to buy appliances, a gym membership• Spring clothing: Memorial Day sales include discounted clothing and home goods at department stores, apparel retailers, and big-box stores. • Gym memberships: Whether New Year’s resolutions are history, or outside exercise is possible, gyms offer discounts to bring in more bodies. • Cookware and dishes: Kitchen items make popular gift choices during graduation and wedding season, and stores often run sales. • Refrigerators: Spring is refrigerator season! Last year's appliances will be discounted to clear the showroom. turn over inventory this month, and hold storewide sales. • Laptops: Back-to-school laptop sales actually start as early as June, often bundling the computers with a printer or a gift card.
• Caribbean vacation: With the beginning of the Caribbean hurricane season, you'll see steep discounts on vacation packages and cruises. • Tools: You can score plenty of good deals—right before Father's Day. July: Best time to buy jewelry, ice cream• Summer apparel: In the middle of the season you'll start to see prices start to drop. • Picnic supplies: Once the 4th of July has passed, pick up discounted picnic and party supplies. • Ice cream: July is National Ice Cream Month; scoop up coupons from both local stores and online deal sites. • Jewelry: With no major holidays in July and August, jewelers offer lower prices to lure in customers. August: Best time to buy office supplies, grills• Grills: You'll see huge deals, especially on big outdoor grills. It’s not too late for cookouts! • Office supplies: Retailers roll out the discounts on backpacks, notebooks, and dorm supplies for back to school. • Bathing suits: Stores might have had sales around the 4th of July, and most of the selection is picked over.
But if you see your size, the price will be right. September: Best time to buy a car, airline tickets, a mattress, a bike• Patio furniture: Major sales on outdoor furniture, which needs to be cleared out—often for Christmas items, as that season gets pushed up earlier each year. • Cars: Car dealers promote deals on current vehicles to make room for the newest ones. • Bikes: New bicycle models come out at the end of the summer riding season, so check out discounts on last year’s bikes. • Airline tickets: Book your holiday flights now for the best chance on finding low prices. • A mattress: Many mattress companies boast big Labor Day sales, though if you miss out, similar sales run around President's Day and Memorial Day. October: Best time to buy toys, jeans• Jeans: Denim left over from back-to-school sales get discounted for a short time before holiday shopping begins. • Outdoor goods: Score deals on lawnmowers, gardening tools, and even camping supplies.
• Toys: Toy stores sometimes offer sales ahead of the holiday season. November: Best time to buy a TV, small appliances, candy• Candy: Grocery stores discount Halloween-themed candy in November, and it still tastes just as sweet. • Gadgets: Black Friday and Cyber Monday (which might extend the entire week) are prime opportunities to score very inexpensive TVs, Mp3 players, small appliances, and more. • Free turkey: Some grocery stores give away Thanksgiving-ready turkeys when customers spend a certain amount. Keep an eye on your weekly circulars. December: Best time to buy Champagne, athletic gear• Champagne: Competition actually drives prices down during the holiday season, not up. The peak month of December is the best time to spend on bubbly. • (Lousy) NFL merchandise: If your team isn't even close to the Super Bowl, gear will be discounted. Better luck next year. • Athletic apparel and equipment: Stores slash prices in the weeks before January 1, when they can cash in on New Year's resolutions.