Side sleepers need a mattress that is supportive enough to keep the spine aligned and relieve pressure from pressure points. Side sleepers use a smaller body surface area, which needs a moderate amount of support, and generally prefer a softer mattress than other types of sleepers. Heavier side sleepers need a mattress that possesses firm supportive density but is soft enough to support the natural bumps and curves of the body. One major thing to consider when you purchase a mattress is your partner’s sleep type. What might be suitable for you may not fit your partner’s needs. You may be a side sleeper, while your partner may be a stomach sleeper, making your mattress needs different. The good news is that several different mattresses can fit the needs of you and your partner. Mattresses are available in different sizes, styles and prices. Innerspring mattresses are the most popular bed types being sold in the U.S., partially due to the budget friendly price tag of $300 to $800 as of January 2011.
Innerspring mattresses tend to hold less body heat and have a wide range of firmness. Heavy side sleepers should purchase a fairly firm mattress for support and add layers, such as a pillow top or memory foam to soften the surface area of the mattress. Innerspring mattresses should be replaced every 10 years because they are prone to sagging. Memory foam is a visco-elastic polyurethane foam that compresses when weight is added and slowly returns to former shape. Memory foam density mattresses are more recommended for side sleepers because they produce less resistance on muscles and joints, thus reducing pressure points. It also becomes softer as it becomes heated. Memory foam mattresses are fairly expensive and cost between $800 and $2,000 or more, according to style and size, as of January 2011. Latex foam mattresses are eco-friendly and are made of biodegradable natural latex. It is springier than memory foam and doesn’t retain as much body heat. Latex foam is soft and will conform to the natural lines of the body.
The bed foundation must be slatted instead of solid because mold can grow on the underneath side of the mattress. It is also more durable than an innerspring mattress. Latex mattresses are expensive. Expect to pay between $900 and $2,000 or more as of January 2011 depending on style and size. Air mattresses provide tailored support through adjustable air cushions within the mattress. Many air mattresses allow each side of the mattress to be adjusted according to personal comfort. This means that a side sleeper can have a softer mattress while their back sleeper partner can have a firmer mattress. Air mattress beds start at about $800 as of January 2011. Allergies From Feather Pillows Down Pillow Allergy Symptoms What Kind of Pillows Are Recommended by Allergists? What Firmness of Mattress Is Best for a Toddler? 53 Healthy Holiday Gifts You'll Want to Give and Receive Pillows to Reduce Back Pain How to Lengthen Your Spine With Sleeping Positions Restless Sleeping in Children
How to Use Sleeper Earrings Deep Pressure and Heavy Activities for School Age Children Infant Noises in Sleep How Do I Know What Type of Mattress Is Best for Me? Should Baby Cribs Be Slightly Elevated on One Side? Ab Exercises for the BedA sleep is the most important thing that can have both positive and negative effects on people’s health; After a hard working day, all people always expect for a tight sleep at nights because this is the best time for their b… Side sleeping is healthy and many people sleep this way. It keeps your joints relaxed, the spine aligned, and can stop snoring, since snoring usually… For many reasons, people have a tendency to bring a weapon to go to sleep. They have a hundred reasons to advocate their… Sleep is a physiological instinct need, however, instinctive demand is not always met, but also depends on other factors…Mattresses have become so technological – some are even based on research from the US space agency NASA – that they now sometimes go by the name 'sleep systems'.
And at up to £40,000 a throw, some even cost as much as a mid-range BMW and command the same sort of social status. But is it really necessary to fork out to get a good night's sleep? The consensus is that a cheap mattress is indeed a false economy – spending, say, less than £200 is almost certainly not going to ensure a good night's sleep unless you are very young, very light and frequently sleeping somewhere else. Cheap mattresses also need replacing more often, perhaps as frequently as every two years. Spend a bit extra, say, more than £1,000, and you should not need to change the mattresses for 10 years, or, in the most luxurious pocket spring cases, up to 25. "Spend as much as you can afford," advises Andy Hills of And So To Bed. "The minimum should be about £700 on the mattress and bed base combined. It always strikes me as absurd that people will spend £3,000 or £4,000 on a sofa which they sit on for an hour or two some evenings, and much less than £1,000 on a bed where they will spend a crucial eight hours every night."
Once you have fixed the budget, the next priority is looking for the right kind of support. "People often ask for orthopaedic mattresses, but all that means is a hard one," says Hills. "Very few people actually need a hard mattress unless they have crushed a disc. For most other people, they will simply be uncomfortable, particularly for lighter women, creating shoulder pain and pins and needles sensations." Indeed, your body weight will largely dictate the sort of tension you require – the softer ones are better for an eight-stone woman, a firmer mattress will benefit a 16-stone rugby player type. Of course, many suppliers sell combination mattresses with different tensions on either side, catering for couples with greatly varying weights. Always remember to lie down on a mattress in the showroom and ask for professional advice Others sell two mattresses zipped together, a technique much improved on the old days, making it now almost impossible to tell that there is a divide.
"We say if couples feel the zip, we'll give them their money back," says Hills. With spring mattresses, the firmness is largely dictated by the number of springs. High-quality mattresses such as Vi-Spring, such as the superb double model, will often have soft cotton and lamb's wool to enhance the springs; the very best will have horsehair filling, which breathes well and acts like more tiny springs. Vi-Spring offer a comfort promise – try the mattress for up to 90 days, if need be, they will replace it with a softer or harder one. Tempur, a manufacturer of memory foam mattresses using material developed at NASA to relieve g-force pressures during space launches, offers a 60-night free trial. The viscoelastic foam is designed to eliminate pressure points by spreading body weight evenly. The foam cell mattresses, that start at around £1,040 for a double, reorganise themselves constantly to mould to the exact contours of a body, and because they do not harbour dust mites in the same way as more traditional mattresses, they are excellent for asthma sufferers.
Although good mattresses are expensive, they are surely worth it for health and happiness, even if it means making savings elsewhere. "People often put up with wakeful nights, constant tiredness and sore backs for a long time before connecting it to the mattress," warns Lucy Benham of John Lewis. "A good test is sitting on the edge and seeing whether the whole side of the mattress collapses. If so, the mattress needs urgent replacement. "Also, when looking at a new one, remember that quilted ones tend to be of lower quality. Tufted ones, which look like they have buttons going through them, are better as this means the filling is contained to avoid it moving around. Good stitching around the sides indicates that the springs are contained in pockets, which will be much more effective than open spring mattresses. "But always remember to lie down on a mattress in the showroom and ask for professional advice. Choosing a new mattress is a very important decision indeed."
Make sure the bed base is suitable for your mattress. A poor base will make even the most expensive mattress uncomfortable. Divan or upholstered ones are best for spring mattresses as the springs in both components complement each other. Memory foam mattresses are better if you have only a wooden slatted base. To gauge the right tension for you, lie on the mattress in the showroom, and push your hand under the small of your back. If there is a large gap, the mattress is too soft, no gap at all, then it's too firm. Just being able to pass your hand through suggests that the tension is spot on. If the mattress is too hard, your body will try to compensate by frequently tossing and turning during the night, up to 60 times. This will impair your and your partner's sleep. A good mattress will reduce turning to 17 times a night. A too-hard mattress makes the body do the work, rather than the bed. The shoulder and hips cannot sink into the mattress, so they curve towards each other, resulting in a bent and stressed spine.
A too-soft mattress lets the body sink into a hammock position, causing hips and shoulders to pinch in, the spine to curve and putting pressure on joints and muscles. Numbness and tingling can follow. The best spring mattresses tend to be pocket-sprung, where each individual spring is kept separate to respond to pressure from your body. Five of the best mattresses 1. Vispring wembury superb small double mattress, £1550 Made from British fleece wool, cotton and horsehair to added breathability, this Vispring mattress is guaranteed to give you a comfortable night's sleep. 2. Tempur sensation deluxe 22 memory foam mattress, £1899 The NASA developed Tempur material works to redistribute body weight and reduce pressure points while you sleep. The supportive foam layer also cradles the body throughout the night, making sure you achieve optimum relaxation. 3. Sealy Activ Geltex 2800 box top pocket spring, £1150 Sealy combines the latest technology and eco-friendly luxury fillings to provide the ultimate in quality sleep solutions.