You wouldn't run a marathon or hike a mountain without the right gear. And yet, despite spending a third of our lives sleeping, many of us haven't adequately prepared in the bedroom -- when it comes to mattresses, that is. Not that we don't recognize the importance of a comfy mattress. In a 2011 poll, the National Sleep Foundation found that 92 percent of people say a comfortable mattress is important to a good night's sleep. You might be tempted to blame your budget for continuing to doze on a less-than-ideal mattress, but considering just a little bit more shut-eye can help you lose weight, improve your memory and live longer, can you really put a price tag on good sleep? But the wrong mattress -- or the mattress that's simply too old -- can be the cause of more than that crick in your neck or your low back pain. Here are five sneakier ways your mattress affects your sleep -- and your health. Buying A New Mattress Might Zap Your Stress In a small 2009 study, 59 healthy men and women slept for 28 consecutive nights on their regular mattresses, then another 28 nights on new, medium-firm mattresses.
They were asked to evaluate their stress levels based on factors like worrying, racing thoughts, nervousness, irritability, headaches, trembling and more. The new beds resulted in "a significant decrease in stress," according to the study, possibly because of the related increase in sleep quality and decrease in pain associated with the firmer setup. You May Be Allergic To Your Mattress Well, to the dust mites calling it home, at least. The microscopic creatures feed on the dead skin cells you shed naturally, a whole host of which are found in and on your bed. As many as 20 million Americans are allergic to the buggers, according to WebMD, and they're especially problematic for people with asthma, CNN reported. Washing sheets and pillowcases frequently in hot water can help rid your linens of dust mites. And a slipcover labeled "allergy-proof" can help keep them from traveling from the mattress to your sheets and pillows going forward. If dust mites are a problem, clean the actual mattress with a vacuum, according to the Better Sleep Council.
"Medium-Firm" Is A Subjective Label There's no standardized definition of what makes a mattress soft and what makes a mattress firm. "A 250-pound person may describe a mattress as soft while a 125-pound person may describe the same mattress as firm," Robert Oexman, D.C., director of the Sleep to Live Institute, wrote in a 2012 HuffPost blog. Terms like "ultra-plush" sound appealing, but you'll really only know what's plush if you spend some time horizontal. There's also little evidence to prove a firm or a soft mattress is better for your sleep -- it just about all comes down to comfort. So make sure you spend at least 20 minutes "test-driving" a mattress before making a purchase. Tossing And Turning Could Be A Sign It's Time For A New One A hole with stuffing streaming out or a spring sticking into the small of your back are obvious signs it's time to replace your mattress. But they're not the only reasons to head to the store. If you're simply not sleeping as well as you used to at home, it might be time to make an investment, especially if you find you sleep better away from home, USA Today reported.
Using Your Mattress As Your Home Office Can Keep You Up Experts agree that the bedroom should be reserved for sleep and sex -- otherwise, your brain can start to expect to answer work emails when you hit the hay, making it increasingly difficult to fall asleep. Electronics definitely don't belong with you on your mattress; the blue light they emit is particularly disruptive to the brain's natural bedtime mechanism and can you up longer. How does your mattress affect your sleep? Let us know in the comments below. Science-Backed Tips to Pick the Perfect Mattress Sleep matters—so much so that six in 10 Americans report craving sleep over sex. The key to rest good enough to forgo sex? It just might be in the mattress.Nine in 10 respondents in a sleep survey cited their mattress as an important factor in getting that coveted good night’s rest. Americans love their beds so much, in fact, that they're willing to shell out thousands of dollars for a single mattress. But the word is still out on whether this expense is really justified, since mattresses can affect our sleep in both positive and negative ways.
Make sense of the bedding madness with this primer on choosing the right mattress for you. Mattress Matters—The Need-to-KnowThe first “mattresses” (read: piles of leaves, grass, or straw covered in animal skins) were invented by cave men and women. Thousands of years later, the Egyptian pharaohs discovered the luxury of raising the bedding off the ground (though "common folk" continued to sleep on piles of palm bows). Today, many Americans enjoy mattress-induced rest. Six in 10 Americans crave sleep over sexBut mattresses don't always help people obtain a good night's sleep. Low-quality, uncomfortable mattresses have been linked to sleep discomfort and pain, and chronic pain can prevent quality sleep . Those who struggle with sleep deprivation may suffer from a sour mood, slower metabolism, and impaired immune function .Fortunately it’s not all bad news. Better “bedding systems” (a fancy way of saying “things you sleep on”) have been linked to decreased pain and discomfort, especially in women .
Quality sleep on a good mattress may also help decrease stress .The long and short of it? A bad mattress can contribute to poor sleep quality, while a good mattress can improve it. Given that the average person spends about one third of her or his life sleeping, it's worth investing the time (and money) to find the right mattress for you.Better Bedding—Your Action PlanSome research suggests foam mattresses create backaches; Some studies advocate for regular cotton mattresses while others say coils create backaches and that airbeds are the way to go . There’s even disagreement over whether a firm mattress really is better for lower back pain .The reason for all this controversy is that sleep quality and comfort are so darn subjective . In fact, when buying a mattress, the most important consideration is probably personal comfort. (That also means that if something besides a mattress proves more comfortable to sleep on, we should go for it ).If you find yourself in the market for a new mattress, follow these guidelines for a better shot at getting that elusive good night’s sleep.
Replace a mattress approximately every eight years. Keep it longer than that and the materials may start to degrade, which might make the mattress less comfortable to sleep on. If you’re waking up in pain every day, sleeping poorly, or feeling disgruntled all the time, consider upgrading sooner . Replace the box spring along with the mattress. Over time, the compression of the springs (which results from having a mattress and human bodies on top of it) will start to change the structure of the spring box. To retain proper structure, replace it every eight years or so—or just ditch the box spring altogether. Make comfort your goal. Purchasing a mattress is all about finding the best one for you. Some people like a firm mattress; some like a soft one; others, like Goldilocks, prefer somewhere in between. If you're comfortable, you have a better chance of sleeping well. Try before you buy. Test “sleep” on a mattress for at least 20 minutes in a normal sleep position before making a decision.
Look for a mattress that fits your body. Chiropractors advocate finding a mattress that’s designed to conform to the spine’s natural curve and distribute pressure evenly across the body. This can be tricky, because the surface curve on the mattress doesn’t necessarily represent the way your spine will curve while sleeping on it . Everyone’s pressure points are different, so the best way to figure out if a mattress correctly supports the body is to bring a friend along to the store. Lie on the mattress in your normal sleeping position and ask your friend to observe whether your spine remains fairly neutral. If your spine is obviously sagging or curved exaggeratedly in any given direction, then keep searching for a mattress that helps maintain neutral spine alignment. While researchers are challenging the idea that a firm mattress is essential for anyone with back pain, most experts still agree a saggy mattress isn’t the way to go . To determine if a mattress has too much sag, perform the same spine alignment observation outlined above.
Not only is the mattress likely to have lost its proper structure, but this ruIe’s especially important if you’re worried about your bed catching on fire. Only mattresses made after July 2007 must meet regulations for fire resistance. Virtually all mattress coils are made by the same manufacturer. Likewise, don’t be duped by dollar signs: A higher price doesn’t necessarily mean better quality. Bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better. Thickness is often just a visual ploy designed to get people to think they’re buying a comfier mattress. Listen to your body and find the bed that feels the most comfortable (not the one that just looks that way). If you have allergies (particularly to dust mites, mold, and certain bacteria), read the mattress’ label to make sure that the materials don’t contain any sneaky allergens—or, better yet, look for a hypoallergenic mattress (natural latex and wool are both decent options) or a mattress cover. Worried about allergies but don’t want to pay for an expensive mattress cover?
Daily vacuuming might help . Do not disturb… your partner. If you share a bed, look for a mattress that allows two people to adjust the firmness on their respective sides. That way, neither one of you will have to sacrifice comfort or spine alignment. Give peace a chance. Even if you loved your new mattress in the store, you might not sleep better on it the first night you bring it home. It can take a couple of days to adjust to a new sleeping surface . If the first night on a new mattress doesn’t transform your sleep quality, give it a few more nights before giving in to buyer’s remorse. Look for a return policy. This way, you won’t be stuck with an expensive mattress that doesn’t provide the sleep of your dreams.Thanks to Joyce Walsleben, David M. Rapoport, and Nicole Lehman for their help with this article.This article is part of our Connected Wellness series with Withings, a consumer electronics company dedicated to creating smart products to help you make healthy and balanced choices.