Finding the ideal mattress can be a difficult challenge if you don’t know where to start looking. There are various factors to keep in mind such as comfort, materials, support, durability and warranty when shopping for one.
Pressure relief refers to how well a mattress distributes your weight evenly across its surface, helping prevent pain from occurring in hips, shoulders and lower back areas. You should also check that it features reinforced edges.
Comfort
At its core, mattress comfort resides in how it feels; however, as preferences vary depending on sleep position and body type, what may feel comfortable to one person may not suit another – particularly in regards to firmness levels.
People weighing between 130-230 pounds tend to prefer softer mattresses (3 to 5 on the firmness scale) that conform closely and provide enough cushioning, while people weighing more than 230 pounds often need firmer mattresses (6-8 on the firmness scale) that will provide adequate support without sinking too deeply into their body.
Individual preferences also play a large part in selecting a mattress, such as whether or not it should provide adequate bouncy support during movement or have low heat retention to keep you cool. Some individuals prefer hybrid or all-foam mattresses over innerspring or latex as these offer quieter contouring options and greater contouring capabilities; others opt for traditional innerspring mattresses due to their bounce and edge support features.
Though your personal preferences should be taken into consideration when purchasing a mattress, the Goldilocks approach may be best in selecting an optimal bed – neither too soft nor too hard, but just right. Be mindful that different manufacturers use different criteria to rate firmness of mattresses; you may experience quite different experiences from one manufacturer to the next when lying on one mattress from different companies. Spend some time lying on different models in a showroom until one feels right for you and don’t be shy to experiment with different firmness levels! Invest in finding your dream bed now and start enjoying optimal nightly rest every night!
Materials
Mattresses can be composed of many different materials. Foam and natural fillings such as wool or cotton provide softness while polyester fiber and knitted fabrics offer comfort, breathability and durability. Steel coil springs or individual pocket springs may provide firmness. Finally, protective covers such as damask fabric or hard, durable knitted covers serve to safeguard and regulate temperature while some offer zipper access so the mattress can be laundered when necessary.
Mattresses should be regularly maintained and rotated to prevent unnecessary wear in areas where body weight tends to settle. This will prolong their life; for instance latex and high-density foam resist wear better than others such as memory foam. Mattresses may be rotated differently depending on their material but it’s most important that this happens frequently.
All mattresses will experience some level of sag over time, leading to an uncomfortable sleeping surface. A sagging foundation like a slatted bed frame or poor box spring construction will only exacerbate this problem further. Intense sunlight exposure or light from windows or similar sources may also accelerate this wear process and excessive wear could occur on one side of a mattress – regular rotation and flipping should help minimize this effect.
Some mattresses use chemically treated materials to keep costs down. When purchasing a mattress for children in your home, always opt for one without these harmful chemicals such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), as they have been linked with thyroid disruption and neuro-developmental toxicity in laboratory animals.
Support
Mattress firmness is an integral factor of support. It determines how closely it conforms to the body, how quickly it adjusts to shifting sleep positions or movements on top of it, and whether or not spine alignment remains proper to avoid back pain. Firm mattresses help ensure maximum support.
Firmness can be measured on a scale from 1-10, with 1 being the softest and 10 being the firmest mattress available today. Most mattresses today fall between 3-8 on this scale; medium-firm models tend to provide the ideal overall balance.
Some mattresses provide additional support in specific areas to meet specific needs, such as those suffering from acute pressure points in their shoulders, hips, or lower back. These types of mattresses typically feature higher density foam comfort layers which offer greater support in these areas than regular mattresses.
Edge support of mattresses is also an important consideration. A mattress with poor edge support may sink excessively near its edges when getting in or out of bed or sitting up in bed, creating unnecessary compression near these edges. Innerspring and hybrid mattresses tend to offer strong edge support due to their coil systems which create pushback against compression while latex and foam mattresses tend to lose support near their edges more readily.
As part of proper mattress care, regular turning and rotating are necessary in order to keep a mattress from sagging as it ages – while this doesn’t indicate imminent failure, it may make sleeping on it more uncomfortable over time and be harder. A mattress protector may be beneficial in protecting a new investment from wear-and-tear damage.
Durability
Many mattress shoppers take the Goldilocks approach when selecting their next mattress: looking for something comfortable yet firm at once, like something with medium-firm designation. But remember, firmness can vary considerably between companies; what may feel firm to one may not feel that same to you! Spending some time lying on mattresses at a showroom before purchasing can help you figure out which feels ideal.
Most mattress brands provide at least 90 day trials and sometimes up to one year. Take full advantage of your trial period in order to break in and ensure it suits you, if any issues arise contact the manufacturer directly – often you will be able to exchange for another similar model or receive a full refund –
Maintenance of your mattress is also vital, so we advise rotating and flipping it regularly during its initial months of use to distribute pressure evenly and extend its life span.
Mattress replacement may become necessary due to excessive sagging or physical damage. Most mattresses come with warranties covering some or all of the costs of replacement; be sure to read your mattress warranty thoroughly to understand exactly what is covered and what costs might incur when making this decision.
Warranty
Warranty coverage is an essential feature of mattress purchases. Under federal law, all retailers who sell major consumer purchases like cars, homes and appliances must offer warranties as an insurance against potential issues with their product.
Mattress warranties vary based on both company and model. Most manufacturers publish their warranties online to allow consumers to understand what each warranty covers. It is essential that you read each warranty thoroughly in order to understand its terms and conditions as well as possible exclusions or limitations that might exist within each agreement.
Many consumers find themselves filing warranty claims, often related to premature indentations and sagging caused by manufacturing issues or shipping concerns, but may also result from misuse or abuse by end users – for instance using platforms or foundations not covered under warranty, or removing law tags (usually found at the back of mattresses stating “Do not remove under penalty of law”) which void the warranty agreement.
If your mattress has a defect that falls under warranty, it is essential that you contact its retailer or manufacturer directly via phone or email in order to find out if repairs can be made or replacement can take place. Be sure to clearly describe your issue, along with supporting documentation like photos. If they cannot resolve it themselves, filing a claim with local consumer protection office or small claims court may be your only recourse.
