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What to Look for in a Mattress

Shopping for a new mattress and not sure what to consider before handing over your cash? Don’t worry. Here, we look at the many features you need to think about when it comes to mattresses to help you get the best buy.

Is it a gimmick?

You can get a great deal on a mattress during sale season. However, promotional mattresses that are sold for a short time only might be difficult to research compared to a mattress that has been available for many months or even years.

Ask yourself if the reduced price is simply a good offer or because of lower quality. When looking for a mattress, high standards are key to a value-for-money purchase.

Thickness

The thickness of a mattress is essential to how comfortable it’ll feel when lying on it. A thin mattress with few layers will not be able to sufficiently cushion you or provide adequate support to hinder pressure points.

A good guide to keep in mind is: sleepers who weigh more than 250 lbs should go for 10 inches in thickness and people weighing more than 300 lbs should opt for something that’s 14 inches minimum. Are you a side-sleeper? Then, make sure you buy a mattress with at least 3 inches of material to cushion you.

Mattress type

There’s a huge variety of mattresses available in 2019, which can make it tricky to choose the perfect one. Here’s a rundown of the types you should know about:

  • Innerspring: offers steel coil support. The higher the number of coils, the more support you get.
  • Hybrid: a combination of steel coil support with one or more varieties of foam (like latex).
  • Pillow-top: gives an added upholstery tier sewn in on the top.
  • Memory foam: made from high-density polyurethane foam to conform to the sleeper’s body.
  • Latex: a hypoallergenic option that repels mold, dust mites and other allergy-inducing substances.
  • Gel: has gel foam in the mattress’ upholstery tier or support system (even both). This is to help enhance comfort and disperse heat.

Make sure you research what type of mattress will suit you best, as this will have a significant impact on the worth of the product and the quality of sleep it provides you.

Warranty

A quality mattress should last you many years, but it’s definitely worth making sure that you look for a mattress that offers a good warranty policy. Decent mattresses from reputable brands should come with at least a decade of full coverage.

Also, check in the warranty details about sagging. Any sagging in a mattress that’s more than one inch can massively affect the level of support and comfort. However, sagging might not be covered in the policy, which is a common complaint that you may notice if you browse reviews.

Softness vs. firmness

When staying in a hotel, one of the first things you might think about after waking up and getting out of bed in the morning is the comfort of the mattress. Usually, this will have a lot to do with the level of softness and firmness. So, what should you look for?

Different levels of firmness are offered to deliver optimum support, comfort and spine alignment depending on the various sleeping positions. Generally, back-sleepers are best suited to medium-firm beds. On the other hand, those who rest on their sides should go for medium to plush mattresses and people who sleep on their fronts ought to opt for firm. Interestingly, research has found that sufferers of back pain usually feel best on medium or medium-firm mattresses.

These are just a few things to look for when shopping for a new bed. To help get a good deal, also consider the price (is it worth the cost or can you get something just as good for cheaper?) and exchange/return policies (especially if you buy online without testing the product beforehand). For more on finding the best mattress, check out

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