Mattress Buying Tips

It's not often that one shops for a mattress, but take all the time to select the right one for you. An entire third of your day is at stake, and the condition of your mattress directly affects your back and neck's health.

The first thing to look for when shopping for a mattress is the body support it can give you. The biggest factor in body support comes from your body's natural curves. When you lie down to test a mattress, see if it connects completely with your sleeping position; any space between you and the surface means your weight is unsupported at that particular point, bearing down on the rest of your body. Usually, gaps are caused by too little upward pressure and weak support structures in the mattress. On the other hand, mattresses with too much surface pressure can lead to sore hips, lower back and shoulders.

To test a mattress's comfort, you'll want to test it for at least ten minutes. As you try it out, see if you can lie down in your favourite sleeping position and get up with no pain or pressure spots developing on your joints. Knowing the many different mattress types you'll find in warehouses and home stores, consider the comfort you achieve on comparable models within your budget.

Bed mattresses should be big enough to fit you and your partner, if you sleep together with someone. There should be space enough for extended limbs and rolling over in the middle of sleep. A well-designed bed mattress will isolate one side of the bed from the other, so that getting up won't rouse your bedfellow. Check if your mattress fits through the bedroom door and matches the bed already in it.

Today's bed mattress is built to last least a decade and more, but comfort and fit changes over time and that means you could be replacing your mattress sooner. Consider if you've experienced or you're bound to experience one of the following: gain/drop weight, change sleeping positions, change sleeping partners or develop posture and sleep issues.

Also, take a look at the materials of the mattress surface, or if you'll need to shop for a mattress cover as well to fit your needs. This matters if you're allergic to dust mites or foam chemicals, for instance, or you're looking for a leak-proof surface for your children. Some memory foam mattresses are known to exude a chemical scent that can be noxious to some people. If you're buying a mattress for care-giving needs, look for one that's easy to clean, lightweight and hypoallergenic.