How to find your perfect mattress

Did you know, the average human spends around 8 hours asleep each night?  That equals a third of our life that we spend in bed.... We would hate for you to spend that time sleeping on a mattress that is anything less than perfect!

The challenge we face isn’t the lack of good mattresses, but rather- how to find the perfect mattress. But, this is easier said than done.

How do you find the perfect mattress ?  Before you go out shopping for your next mattress, let us take you through a journey on how to find a mattress that is just right for you.

Firmness

Let us start with one of the basic concepts you encounter when mattress shopping: firmness. The firmness aspect of a mattress is the level of how hard or soft a mattress feels and it is measured on a scale from 1-10, 1 being the softest and 10 being the hardest.

How firm anyone wants his or her mattress is of-course very subjective and a lot of factors impact the firmness of a mattress such as body type, size, weight and what position you sleep in.

Often firmness is confused with support when actually, they are two very different things. A mattress that gives good support means that it keeps your spine in proper alignment without creating pressure points. If a mattress does not offer adequate support for your body, you will likely wake up sore or in pain. Thus, firmness relates to how comfortable a mattress feels.

Sleeping positions

Do you sleep on your stomach, side, back or maybe even standing up? Okay-  you most likely don't sleep standing up, but the point is that everybody sleeps differently. Nobody is exactly the the same when it comes to sleeping behaviours and patterns. But, believe it or not, the position you sleep in is an important factor to consider when you are on the hunt for a new mattress.

• Side sleeper

If you are a side sleeper, you probably change positions frequently during the night. You will be best opting for a mattress that ranges from soft to medium in firmness. The firmness of the mattress is very important, as you need a mattress that is soft enough to follow the curves of your body. With a too firm mattress, it won't follow the contours of your body, creating pressure points, resulting in you waking up with back, neck or shoulder pain.

• Back sleeper: 

As someone that prefers sleeping on your back, it will be extra important for you to choose a mattress that has the right amount of firmness and support. The firmness in the mattress helps to regulate pressure points. A mattress that is too soft with no support will create pressure points and not give the right amount of push back that you need. In the worst case, this can lead to your spinal alignment being off, giving you prolonged back problems. You need a mattress that is firm enough to give you good support but still gives enough softness to avoid pressure points. Look at mattresses with a firmness level in the 4-7 range (where 10 is the firmest).

• Stomach sleeper

If you are a stomach sleeper, you need a mattress that will give you just the right amount of support.

As you sleep on your stomach, it will be your torso that will apply most of the pressure on the mattress. For this reason, you need to have a mattress that gives you equal support along the entire body. If your mattress fails to support your body, your midsection will sink at the middle of the mattress. This is not only uncomfortable but if it is not corrected, you will eventually develop a curve of the spine resulting in back pain. A mattress with insufficient support can also lead to the spinal alignment being off which will result in back problems. Usually, a firmness level in the 4-7 ranges is ideal.

Budget

It is quite simple, investing in a quality mattress that fits your body and sleeping position can be a game changer for your sleep. However, price does not necessarily equal quality.

With that said, a budget between $800-$1000 puts you in the luxury end of the online mattress market. This might seem like a lot of money but remember that the mattress should last you for at least 8-10 years.  For a $1,000 mattress, over 10 years this works out to $0.27 / day.

With the budget been set, you can start the search! There are several different types of mattresses on the market. Let us do a run down of the most common ones.

• Memory foam

Just hearing the name makes you want to lie down, relax and close your eyes. Who doesn't want to lie down on a mattress that forms perfectly after your body? Memory foam mattresses are known for their great support, pressure relief, and body contouring. The foam mattress is good if you want a mattress with extra support and pressure relief.

Historically, memory foam has had a bad reputation as “sleeping hot”. However, many newer and more advanced memory foams have been designed with cooling properties, creating a much cooler mattress than traditional memory foams.

• Gel infused memory mattress

Gel-infused memory foam is very similar to regular memory foam. This is because, in its most common form, a gel- infused memory foam mattress is memory foam that has had gel micro beads mixed into it. Both the comfort and the feel are very similar.

The big difference between the two is the heat-retention and price difference. While memory foam is cheaper, it has higher heat retention than gel infused memory foam. However, although gel infused memory foam is more expensive, you are guaranteed to have a cooler sleep. Additionally, a gel-infused mattress will also last for longer.

• Orthopaedic mattresses

An orthopaedic mattress is a great investment if you are suffering from spinal alignment issues or joint and back problems. Be sure to do your research before you open your wallet though. Since there is no material that in itself is orthopaedic, it is easy for sellers to claim the mattress is orthopaedic. An orthopaedic mattress is targeted to towards the joints, neck, and back. An orthopaedic mattress also helps to improve your overall body posture. It offers a lot of support and is also good if you easily get hot when you are sleeping.

• Latex

Latex mattresses are known for their cooling properties and comfort. Latex is also great for responsiveness and bounce. So if you are looking for a mattress that has a bit of bounce, keeps you cool during the night, a latex mattress is your best option.

Buying a new mattress can prove to be tricky when you don’t know what you are looking for. However, it's worth taking the time and effort to do some research to find the ultimate game changer mattress for your bedroom. At Furniture Bazaar, we have one of the largest mattress ranges across WA, come in store and let us help you get the perfect’s night sleep you have always been dreaming of.