If you’re reading this, it must be time for a new mattress. And you’re probably not exactly thrilled with the thought of all of the confusion, frustration, and expense that comes with mattress shopping. The thought of buying a new mattress might be making you sweat a bit, but think about this: if you’re getting the recommended 8 hours of sleep per night, that means you spend a minimum of 1/3 of your life in bed, and that means that your mattress is arguably the most important piece of furniture in your home. We know that replacing your mattress can be an exhausting undertaking, so we created this guide to help you decide which mattress will best meet your needs. The following points on how to pick the perfect mattress will help you to make an informed choice and rest easy on your new bed.The mattress is probably among the most important and personal home items you own. We all know we're supposed to get seven hours of sleep (at least) each day--and a bad mattress will definitely prevent that from happening.
What it comes down to with a mattress is your own personal comfort and how it can support your body specifically. While the comfort level of a mattress varies from person to person and the construction of mattresses can be broken down to a science, one thing is certain when you're looking to purchase one: It's a big investment and you better make sure it works for you. Thus, we took note of some of the general things to keep in mind if you're in the market for a mattress, whether it's a memory foam or a regular spring mattress.For the most part there are three main mattress types: inner spring, latex and memory foam. There are, of course, also air mattresses and ones made up of latex foam, but mattresses at most stores generally stick to the above three. Our pick: Latex (Find out why below) Ask about inner springs. Without going too much into the intricacies of construction, inner spring coil mattresses are the most common and cost-effective, and they tend to be firm. Ask about the type of support wire coils in a spring mattress.
There are four types: open (hourglass shape), offset (square top), pocket (individually fabric wrapped cylinders) or continuous (S-shaped). Out of the the four, open coil support wears out most easily and continuous coils provide the best evenly distributed support. Our Pick: Continuous coilsMade from all-natural latex rubber, this mattress option is hypoallergenic and dust-mite resistant. Not too firm and not too plush, latex is a good choice for people who might be suffering from back pains, and it also retains heat well. Many go for 9"-12" thick latex mattresses, which has more layers of latex rubber inside, and don't go below 6", but this is highly dependent on your specific comfort level. We've found the 7"-10" range to be a good fit for us.The most well known body-molding, memory-foam mattress is by Tempurpedic. What's important to know about memory-foam is that it heats up much more than other mattresses as it isn't as breathable as latex or spring mattresses. However, its firmness has been said to provide much better cushioning than innerspring mattresses, but memory-foam usually comes with a much high price tag.
Be firm with firmness. Contrary to popular opinion, a firm mattress is not always best. An extremely firm mattress can actually provide uneven support and end up putting stress on body parts like the hips and shoulders. Likewise for a mattress that is too soft, making you sink and thus causing body aches. However, one tried and true tip is to go with a medium-firm (or cushion-firm) mattress, like a latex foam one, if you suffer from lower back pains -- it gives better support to the spine's curve. This goes without saying, but you'd be surprised at how many people succumb to the convenience of purchasing a mattress over the internet these days. You should check out mattresses in person and definitely lie down on one to test it out in the store to make sure it's comfortable for you. Not to mention, shipping costs can be high, which would make an already expensive purchase even more costly.There are mattresses that go for under $1,000 but most people tend to invest that amount into one.
Some mattresses can cost thousands of dollars (even tens of thousands of dollars), but in general, we find that one that costs anywhere from $500-$1200 with the right support is satisfactory and easy to find at chains like Sleepy's and department stores such as Macy's. If you're shopping around for a mattress now or thinking about getting one in the near future, here are a few options to get you started, and don't forget to check out the shopping video also. And let us know in comments below what other factors are important to you in a mattress. Front page Flickr photo by Flashy Soup CanLatex foam is the fastest growing market in the luxury bedding industry today. The reasons behind this are the health benefits, comfort, and “green” product features inherent to latex. This guide was written to give you a basic understanding of latex foam mattresses and their difference from memory foam. Latex mattresses are made from the rubber harvested from rubber trees. They are manufactured in one of two methods: Dunlop or Talalay processes.
We recommend Talalay Latex because it is more durable and cleaner, more consistent latex. Dunlop latex mattresses may feel firmer in some parts and softer in other parts of the mattress. Talalay latex mattresses have the same feel throughout the entire mattress.It has to do with the manufacturing! With the Dunlop process, liquid latex is poured into a mold and then baked at a 200 degrees until it becomes a solid. With the Talalay process, the same latex mixture is poured into a mold, but it is vacuum-packed. The reason they do this is to get all the air bubbles out of the latex mixture. Manufacturers then flash freeze the vacuumed mixture to seal the latex particles in their places. Finally, this mixture is baked at 200 degrees until it becomes solid at the density desired. Many people are confused at the difference between these two materials and with good reason-they’re very similar in how they’re marketed. Both provide excellent pressure-relief to the joints, body, and pressure points and superior comfort.
Where they differ is their feel and breathability. Latex mattresses are more resilient and offer a slight “bouncy” feel. Memory foam mattresses have a slow-response time and will conform to your body. They offer that “sinking in” feeling. Latex mattresses tend to feel a little bit firmer and offer a little better support. Latex mattresses also breathe better because they have “pincore holes” throughout the foam allowing air to flow naturally. Today’s memory foams are produced with open-cell foam allowing air to breathe through the mattress, but not to the extent of latex mattresses. People love latex mattresses because they are a “green” product. They are produced either naturally (a blend of synthetic and organic latex) or organically (100% organic latex). One is not better than the other, but natural latex mattresses will last longer. Make sure you buy American made latex mattresses with a strong warranty. Unfortunately, like with memory foam, you have to worry about fillers in the foam.