Say you’re a petite 5 feet tall, and your partner is a robust 6 feet 2 inches. You sleep on your side, and your partner is a back sleeper. Now, thanks to our newly expanded mattress ratings, you can drill down past the overall score and zero in on only those mattresses that suit you both. The key to comfort in a mattress is support. A mattress for people who sleep on their sides should keep the alignment of the spine fairly parallel to the bed. For back sleepers, we measure how well it maintains the natural curvature of the spine in that position. But, as you may already know from painful years of experience, the same mattress doesn’t necessarily offer the same level of support for people of different statures. So we use test subjects that represent the lower and upper 5 percent of the population by size. Our petite women range from 4 ft 11 1/2" to 5 ft 1 1/2" and 110 to 127.5 pounds, and our large men range from 6 ft 2" to 6 ft 4" and 220 to 242 pounds. For each of them, we measure support while on their sides and on their backs, then average those scores to get the result for a midsized person.
That’s how we came up with six columns for support: petite, medium, and large/tall side sleepers; and petite, medium, and large/tall back sleepers. The petite side sleeper will find only one mattress that scores excellent for his or her stature, the Sealy Posturepedic Hybrid Trust Cushion, a $1,275 innerspring. For all the other body sizes, it scores very good but not excellent. If you prioritize the large/tall back sleeper’s comfort, the Charles P. Rogers Powercore Estate 5000 has excellent back support and very good side support. It scores one point higher overall and costs $1,500. (Online subscribers can sort the ratings by columns, making this exercise even easier.) Support isn’t the only factor for couples. A healthy person shifts positions 40 to 60 times per night. Double that for a couple, and that’s a lot of tossing and turning for any mattress to cope with. That’s why we also test for stabilization, which is essentially a gauge of bounciness. It provides a very good indicator of whether your movements will disturb your partner, or vice versa.
Only four of our 74 rated mattresses aced the stabilization test. Of those, the highest-rated overall is the Sleep Number c2, $800, one of two adjustable air mattresses we tested. The other three stability stalwarts are innerspring models, the best of which is the Sealy Posturepedic Hybrid Elite Kelburn, $1,350. None of the memory foam mattresses earned excellent scores for stabilization, so steer clear of that type if this is a big concern for you and your partner. That said, plenty of foam mattresses have very good stability, so it becomes a matter of priorities. And while you may have to make a few compromises when shopping for a mattress for you and your partner, we hope our new ratings will bring you that much closer to somnolent bliss.You have not viewed any products recently. A Couples Guide - How to Buy a Mattress Few things are as essential to the health and well-being of a couple as sleep. If one or both of you have sleep problems, the sleeplessness can also strain your relationship.
Ultimately, it is more difficult to be patient, kind and polite when you're tired all the time, or if you live with back or neck pain caused by a worn bed. Given the importance of sleep, a comfortable and sturdy new mattress can change your life for the better. We hope this guide will give you the advice you need to find that perfect bed and go back to being well rested and a happier couple. Enough space is an important consideration. This may be obvious to some of you, but couples should sleep on a queen or king size bed. No matter how in love you are, full-size mattresses are too narrow for two people and all the involuntary movement that occurs disturbs your sleep, reducing the duration and frequency of deep sleep (3rd and 4th in the sleep cycle). Have a good conversation about what both of you want from a new mattress. In terms of impact on our daily lives mattresses are the most important purchase we make for our home. So be sure to talk about what both partners want in terms of comfort.
Common happiness should be your goal. If you can't agree, then compromise. If one of you wants a firm bed, and your partner needs something softer, you have options. You could go with a plush firm, cushion firm, or medium firm mattress. Additionally, there are models that offer two sides of softness. Or, the most economical solution, a mattress pad on one side of the bed might help. Discuss the price before you buy. If money is an object, then set the price range and stick to it. If you can't find what you want for the money you budgeted, do not buy an uncomfortable mattress to save a few bucks. Wait a couple of months and save more. Discomfort in the short term will always beat misery in the long-term. Research can pay off with a better mattress fit for you. If you're not a big hurry to buy, there are several ways to test the mattresses. Trying them in the store is one, but for a true test of comfort, and for a romantic getaway, you can always book a night at a hotel using the brand of mattress you are interested in.
Many people ask hotels what brand of mattress they use and it is common knowledge by hotel concierge desks. There are many types of mattresses out there. Here's a little tutorial to avoid feeling overwhelmed when going into a store. Conventional inner spring mattresses, the most traditional systems typically use open metal coils or springs with layered upholstery on top. When shopping you hear the term "Coil Count." Typically, a higher number, the more support you get, but "support value" depends very much on the design of coils and layers of padding used in conjunction with them. Wrapped Coil mattresses are another coil system. They offer individual springs wrapped in a cloth, so that each coil independently adjusts to your body. Since these springs move individually, when your bedmate moves or rolls over, it will not interrupt your sleep cycle. Latex & Memory Foam mattresses alleviate the pressure using advanced materials designed to reduce pressure points and support your body in proper alignment.
Memory foam can be temperature sensitive and responds to your body heat to soften in spots where parts of your body press firmly into the mattress, reducing pressure on shoulders, hips, etc. Latex foam is highly resilient and provides outstanding pressure relief. Layers of memory foam or latex hybrid mattresses feature a spring system to provide a more traditional feel with the advantage of pressure relieving materials. These beds provide comfort and support of both technologies. If you're not comfortable with an all foam mattress, it is a good compromise. Mattress prices - Different stores rarely have the same exact model name, making it difficult to directly compare prices. To get a better deal, take note of the construction of a model of your choice, including the types of foams, the number of springs, etc. Never be satisfied - As partners, you may not find the perfect bed. But you do spend 1/3 of your life in bed, so keep looking until you find a bed you both feel good about.
If you're not comfortable with a mattress before the purchase, then it may become a point of conflict in the bedroom. Our goal is to help you find a mattress both partners are comfortable with. Test the mattress - However you're used to sleeping, test the models in store this way for several minutes. You may not be in your PJs, but it's important to get the best idea if a mattress matches your comfort preferences. Be sure to try all the beds together and discuss. You will also see what the amount of movement you will feel from your partner. For Back Pain - There are mattresses out there that are specifically designed to relieve back pain, but the truth is a good mattress should provide the necessary support needed. So if you are having trouble sleeping from back issues spend a little more and get some good sleep without pain from a high quality mattress. Know the policies - When it comes to returns, warranties, delivery and taking your old bed, all stores are different.
Be sure to ask about these details. It can affect how you buy. Yes, buy a box spring - Just like any good couple, mattresses and foundations are complementary. Purchasing just the mattress puts it at risk of failure. Our most frequent warranty issue is a failure of the box spring or bed frame that results in large dipping in the mattress. A message to men - Assert yourself! If you're with a partner, make sure you get a mattress that you are comfortable with. According to the research, 38% of men say they are dissatisfied with mattress selected by their significant others. Set the mood - Make sure your bedroom is dark, cool and clean. Sleep requires preparation - Do not pay bills or work late. Instead, start slowing down and choose relaxing activities before bedtime. Spend some quiet time together listening to music, reading or just talking. No late night sit-ups - Daily exercise can help you sleep better, but if you work late at night exercising can make it harder to fall asleep.