When you keep waking up feeling tired and achy, probably it’s time to think of buying another mattress. When your mattress looks lumpy, and you tend to sleep better in hotels than at home, then this is another sign that you need a new mattress. Lastly, when the current mattress you sleep on is between 5-7 years old, then it’s time to replace it as well. Here’s a guide that will help you learn how to shop for a mattress you will use for a long period to come.
How To Shop For A Mattress – 7 Tips
1) Size of the mattress
When sleeping at night, you’ll shift position to stay comfortable. If you like, you can choose to go with a cramped quarter mattress which restricts your sleep. However, the best mattresses are Queen 60×80 inches, King 76×80 inches, California King 72×84 inches, full and double 53×75 inches. That’s something to consider.
2) Inner spring
Mattresses with inner springs are the most common and least expensive. Furthermore, many inner spring mattresses add a layer of foam on top of the spring to enhance comfort.
On the other hand, mattresses made of memory foam are fairly good mattresses. In fact, they were first developed to protect astronauts against gravity force, so history should support what they can do today. These are heat-sensitive, plus they also conform to the body.
But it’s important to note that not all memory foam mattresses are the same, so it can take time to get used to one.
Lastly, there’s the adjustable air mattress unit which is inflatable and offers different comfort levels to different portions of the bed. Just keep in mind that these can be costly.
3) Decide where you want to shop for that mattress
If you’re buying a mattress you’ve already identified at a physical store, it’s OK to buy it online or through phone, otherwise, just walk right into the store and buy it.
We’re making this statement based on a report that was published at Consumer Reports website. It said that more consumers who bought their mattresses online were returning them compared to those who bought from a physical store. So if you’re really committed to purchasing online, make sure you know what the company’s return policy says.
4) Get to understand the name game
Some manufacturers have a tendency of changing products to suit what their sellers want. For example, they will change colors, quilting, padding, pattern, and many other details. Once that is done, every seller will call that mattress with a unique name to fool the consumer.
Whereas this makes it nearly impossible to know the truth, buying a unit from a reputable manufacturer who publishes full information concerning what they sell is the best way to avoid such fraud. Sometimes it’s through bad luck that you’re buying a mattress that is not an actual representation of what it should be.
5) Choosing the right firmness
Orthopedists have recommended a mattress that’s extremely firm — though there’s no actual evidence to support that opinion. But according to a research that was published in the British medical journal Lancet, people who suffered from lower back pain were better off with medium-firm mattresses.
This has made sense to many experts. They reason that if a mattress is extremely firm, then it will not evenly support the entire body, and especially at the heaviest points (hips, shoulders etc). On the other hand, if it’s too soft, the sleeper will sink into the mattress and have a difficult time moving while asleep. As a result, this could bring about numbness, tingling or even aches.
But according to a Cornwell University professor Alan Hedge, Ph.D, the best mattress is that which offers maximum support at all points of the spine while letting it maintain its natural curvature. So if comfort is something you’re going to take very serious, consider this information.
6) Don’t bank on warranties
Warranties are supposed to cover defects in workmanship and material, not normal wear and tear. Furthermore, warranties last for 10 years in most cases.
Again, some warranties won’t cover full replacement value. Instead, the seller will deduct an annual usage charge from the original price at which the mattress was bought at.
So when you make a claim, they will need a receipt as proof of purchase with them. The inspector will be sent to your house to assess the situation. If you claim the mattress is sagged, they’ll evaluate and see if it’s below the allowable limit of 1 1/2 inches. If the mattress is soiled or you’ve removed the ”do-not-remove” tag, the warranty will be voided.
7) The price of the mattress
Lastly, just go for what you can afford. Take advantage of big sales and bargains because such offers are good for your pocket. Only read the fine print of the deal to understand what you’ll actually save when you go for the mattress as stated.
Now that you now know how to shop for a mattress, identify the one you want, check user reviews and see what other users are saying about it. It will give you a general clue of whether to go for it or not to.
