Choosing the right mattress type Mattresses are designed to provide the support and comfort you need to relax and rest. If you have had your mattress for a while, you may be wondering if it is time to buy a new one. Research shows that people sleep better, suffer less back pain and experience fewer symptoms of stress when sleeping on newer beds. In general, your sleep quality improves if your sleep surface relieves pressure on joints and other areas of the body. Matching your specific comfort needs with the right product is a very subjective process. Mattresses are made with a variety of materials and technologies to deliver support systems that meet the broad array of consumers’ needs, tastes, and budgets. Mattresses should be evaluated every seven years for quality and support. If you haven’t shopped for a new mattress recently, there are many options to choose from. The following provides basic information on the different types of mattresses available today so that you are better equipped to choose a mattress that meets your needs.
What to Do When Your Mattress Is Too Soft or Too Firm Why Mattress Firmness Matters Remember the story of Goldilocks and the beds? She tried three different beds, trying to find one that wasn’t too hard or too soft, but “just right.” Turns out, she was really on to something. Of course, “just right” bed firmness is a subjective thing about which opinions will vary wildly, and—as we saw with Goldilocks—most people would have to lie down on the bed before they could even say what “just right” means for them. So how do you find your “just right” when it comes to mattresses—and what can you do if you realize that the mattress you have doesn’t fit the bill? First, let’s take a moment to drive home why you should care about the firmness of your mattress. The short answer can be distilled down to one word: alignment. Diving little deeper on that, your spine needs to be aligned while you sleep. Lying in an unaligned position for eight hours a day, every day, can contribute to serious back pain as well as negatively affect your sleep quality.
Mattress firmness, in turn, plays a big role in determining how aligned you are. What’s Better, a Firm Mattress or a Soft Mattress? Firmer mattresses provide more resistance for your body, which can help support you but can also apply too much pressure to certain points of your body, leading to painful pressure points or unaligned positions caused by your body compensation for any local discomfort. A soft plush mattress, on the other hand, can cause your spine to collapse into the mattress, which leads to its own alignment issues. Ultimately, there’s no straightforward answer about how to choose a mattress or whether a firm mattress is better or worse than a soft one. Spend some time doing a little research and a thorough mattress comparison before making a decision. Each person’s preference will vary based on a multitude of factors, including height, weight, age, and whether or not you have back pain or other health considerations. Your sleeping position will also play a role:
Side sleepers tend to need softer mattresses that don’t put too much pressure on the shoulders or hips. Back sleepers are better off with a medium firm mattress that supports the low back without pushing too much on the spine. Stomach sleepers require a firmer surface that prevents the body from sinking into the mattress and collapsing the spine. To make it all even more complex, your firmness needs may very over time as injuries, pregnancy, or weight fluctuations change your sleep needs. How to Deal with a Too-Soft or Too-Firm Mattress If you come to the realization that your mattress is too firm or too soft, the best thing to do is to buy a new mattress. Of course, finances or other circumstances don’t always allow for that. In a pinch, here are some makeshift solutions for remedying your current mattress firmness: If your mattress is too soft, try slipping some plywood boards between the mattress and the box spring or the bed frame. This will add some extra support.
Try a mattress pad or mattress topper. Pillow-material mattress toppers can help soften a too-firm mattress, while thick pads or firm mattress toppers can add some more support.Some mattress materials, like ones made from 100% memory foam, can become softer in warmer rooms, so try adjusting your thermostat to see if it makes your mattress more to your liking. If your mattress is too soft and it’s two-sided, try flipping it. The unused side will often be firmer. A better solution for finding your best mattress is to choose an adjustable latex mattress. As we outlined above, everyone requires different levels of firmness—and what’s more, you need different levels of mattress firmness for different parts of your body, and all these needs are subject to change throughout your life. Because of these variables, choosing one level of firmness for your whole mattress just doesn’t make sense. That’s where adjustable mattresses come to the rescue. In the case of Reverie, each of our latex mattresses is composed of individual DreamCell™ foam springs that come in three levels of firmness: firm, medium, and soft.
Our Sleep Specialists help customers determine the precise configuration of these DreamCells to best support each area of their body—so their shoulders can rest on a soft surface while their low back presses against a firm one, for instance. In addition, these DreamCell™ foam springs can be easily reconfigured at any time (we’re talking under 20 minutes) to respond to any changing sleep needs. The individual natural latex cells also allow for different firmness levels on each side of the bed, meaning back sleepers and side sleepers can rest side-by-side, each with the support he or she needs. Now we can’t speak for Goldilocks, but that sounds “just right” to us.Try Before You Buy – Renters TipsDiscover The Best RV Satellite Internet For Your RVTop 20 Weirdest RVs In The World. You’re Never Going To Believe What RV #14 Is. Learn how you can earn $30,000/year renting your RVDo you use a mattress protector? If not, do you know why your mattress needs protection?
The number one reason why people buy mattress covers is to safeguard the warranty. If your mattress is soiled stained or ripped, the warranty is void – regardless of who you buy your mattress from. Why so strict about stains? Because of health concerns for people who work in mattress factories – think of diseases transmitted through bodily fluids – stained mattresses (regardless of what caused the stain) can’t be returned for service and/or replacement. But mattress covers have evolved and there are so many more reasons to invest in mattress protection. Mattress covers are designed to cover (and sometimes encase) a mattress to protect it from daily wear and tear, shielding it from dust, allergens and spills. But they can also help maintain a consistent temperature in the microclimate of the bed, reduce tossing and turning. Some can even improve the comfort-level of the mattress. If you’re in the market for a mattress protector, pad or topper, this buying guide can help.
Before you begin shopping for a mattress cover, pad or topper, know why you need one in the first place. Mattress protectors are normally a thin, padded and quilted protective sheet. Mattress pads or toppers are thicker slabs that can improve the comfort of your mattress. The style, thickness and size of the mattress cover, pad or topper you choose depends on your (and your partner’s) personal sleeping habits. Not sure where to begin? Begin by understanding the different fabrics and materials. A simple cotton mattress protector is quilted, lightweight and machine washable. Add in latex, wool or moisture-wicking and temperature regulating fabrics and comfort is significantly improved. Mattress pads or toppers with latex and/or wool are dust mite and mold-resistant. They’re generally firmer, durable and waterproof (or water resistant) but not washable. Wool encased in cotton, an old world technology that’s still effective today, works best in the summer months because of its moisture-wicking qualities.
Cutting edge technologies, such as Outlast (found in some Restonic mattresses) work well year-round because they regulate temperature rather than just wick moisture away. If you’re trying to improve the feel of an aging mattress, a memory foam mattress topper may be worth considering. These toppers sit on top of an existing mattress and will mold to your body shape. They can also help with reducing motion transfer between couples. If you sleep hot, steer clear. Most manufacturers recommend using a simple mattress protector along with a latex, wool or memory foam topper. If you’re hoping to create a luxuriously soft cocoon, a featherbed filled with down might be perfect for you. They’re lightweight, great for pressure-point relief and can be cleaned simply by hanging outside in the sunshine and fresh air. Like memory foam, they can absorb heat so they’re not a good choice for someone who struggles to stay cool at night. If you’re concerned about allergies, consider a down-alternative mattress pad.