Hi, I’m bridget from sleepopolis, so it’s time to buy a new mattress, and maybe you don’t know where to go. What to look for where to even start it can be really overwhelming. But that’s why i’m here to help I’m a certified sleep, science, coach and a mattress expert. I have tested a ton of mattresses and I’m here to help walk you through the process. Now don’t get me wrong, just like you.
I have slept on my fair share of cheap mattresses in college and after college I would buy the cheapest thing i could find online. Not only did I not want to deal with any pushy salesmen, I also just didn’t know what i was doing, but if you sleep six to eight hours a day as I hope you do, and maybe you like to get an occasional afternoon nap like me, then Finding the right mattress for you can make a world of difference when it comes to getting high quality sleep.
So how do you even know if you need a new mattress? Well, there are a few quick ways to answer that question. First, mattresses typically have a lifespan of about 10 years.
So if you’ve had your mattress for 10 years or longer, it’s probably time to upgrade
Next, if you notice physical signs of wear and tear on your mattress like it’s sinking in or sagging, it’s probably lived its life to the fullest and is time to go.
And last, if you wake up in pain constantly, I would really recommend upgrading your mattress, but here’s the thing I get it. They can be really expensive and maybe you’re not in the place right now to buy a new one. If that’s the case, I would also recommend looking at mattress toppers. They can also really upgrade your sleep experience.
Okay, so you’ve decided you do need to buy a new mattress. Now, what while we need to think about your personal sleep style and your needs. I cannot tell you how many friends have texted me because they know this is what i do for work and they simply say: hey bridget. I need a new mattress. What one should i get? Well, unfortunately, there is not one go-to magical mattress for everyone.
I really wish there was, but it all comes down to your different body type. The way you sleep and just your personal characteristics, so i’m going to first start out by going over the different types of mattresses, starting with inner spring. The most traditional mattress style on the market is the inner spring mattress. As the name states. They have springs in them.
They’Ve been around forever well, not cave days forever, but in the mattress world forever, they’re popular because they’re, supportive, durable bouncy and firm. They’re, especially nice, for people who like to feel on top of the bed rather than in it, and they tend to sleep cool.
Then we have memory foam mattresses. Memory foam is known for its sinkage and body contouring. It provides great pressure relief, which is nice for sleepers looking for cushiony support at the shoulders and hips. This can also be great for people who suffer from shoulder hip and back pain. Sleepers are going to feel more in the bed than on top of it.
With a memory foam mattress and side note, there are a lot of different types of foams out there, like latex memory, cooling gel and more. You can find more about them and what they do at sleepopolis.com. Then we have the best of both worlds. You could say: hybrid mattresses, hybrids are extremely popular because they combine springs in foam.
They can be bouncy and supportive, while also giving you that contouring and pressure relief you need. They also tend to be very durable and cooling.
Now that we’ve covered the types of mattresses. Let’s go over the different sizes: mattresses come in the sizes of twin, twin xl, full queen, king, split king and california. King twin is the smallest size at 38 by 75.
This is great for kids or small adults who aren’t sharing the bed. Then we have twin xl, which is 38 by 80.This, is the same width as the twin, but it’s longer in length. So that’s where the xl comes in. College dorms typically have twin xl’s for reference, so they’re good for taller adults and kids falls are where we start to get wider in size at 54 by 75. So they allow more room for adults and could work for some couples who don’t mind squeezing in together, queen is going to be your most popular size at 60 by 80.
They work for most couples and single adults. King size is as wide as they come at 76 by 80, So they’re good for couples who want to spread out more and not be up in each other’s business too much in the night or people who share the bed with their pets.
I have no shame in allowing pets sleep in my bed, but i know everyone has their own opinion. A split king is good for couples who want to have different mattress preferences and customize their feel. It’s two sets of 38 by 80
You have your own side and your own bed with that and finally, we have california king at 72 by 84.
These are not quite as wide as a king, but they are longer than kings. So this is good for you tall folks out there and really any couples or people with pets.
Okay, now, let’s talk about sleeping position, which is an extremely important component when it comes to picking a new mattress. I want you to think about how you spend the majority of your time when you are sleeping at night. Are you on your back your side or your stomach, perhaps even a combination of two or all of them?
Personally, i sleep on my side and my back, and it helps me know what kind of mattress i need. Basically, it all comes down to pressure, relief and keeping your spine in alignment. So, let’s go through them all, starting with back sleepers back sleepers are the easiest to please they need a mattress, that’s supportive and comfortable that will allow their hips to sink in a little and keep their spine in alignment.
Honestly most beds I test work well for these sleepers, depending if you have any soreness or aches you’ll likely want a softer, mattress or a mattress with foam, though side sleepers, pretty much always want a softer mattress because they need their hips and shoulders to be able to sink into the bed the right amount and give them pressure relief at those points, while also keeping their spines in alignment.
Stomach sleepers, on the other hand, want a firm mattress, that’s because they need their hips to be elevated for spinal alignment.
It’s not about pressure relief for them, but just about not letting their hips sink in and when i say soft or firm, i’m referring to a firmness scale that goes from one to ten, with six and a half being the standard for medium firm. So stomach sleepers typically will want something above that six and a half while side sleepers will want something below it.
Back sleepers are right around it and can really be happy on pretty much anything, but i do want to point out that foam mattresses can be firm, just as they can be soft and the same goes for hybrid and inner spring mattresses. How much you weigh is also going to be an important factor.
We categorize lightweight sleepers as being under 130 pounds, average weight 130 to 250 pounds and heavy weight is over 250 pounds. Light sleepers are likely going to find firm mattresses, firmer than average weight sleepers. On the other hand, heavyweight sleepers are likely going to find mattresses a bit softer than the average sleeper. It’s important to keep this in mind when looking for a mattress and also, if you’re a heavyweight sleeper you’re going to want something, that’s supportive and likely has inner springs. We’ve picked some great options for you to look at as a start.
If you share the bed with a partner you’re going to want to look for some additional factors, edge support is one of them. Edge. Support is how the perimeter of a bed supports weight. So, if you’re laying near the edge of the bed, you shouldn’t feel like it’s about to collapse under you. Edge support is also a good sign of a mattress’s durability and whether there’s any chance of sagging over time. If a mattress has structured or reinforced edges, then that’s a good sign of it.
Motion Isolation is something else that couples are going to want to keep in mind. This is how movement travels across the bed. So how likely you are to feel your partner tossing and turning on the other side of the mattress. Typically memory foam mattresses and hybrid mattresses with thick layers of foam on top do the best at isolating motion.
Cooling is another one and hey that’s not just for couples. I tend to sleep hot myself and always love a good cooling mattress, but two people tend to overheat more than one. So if you’re looking for a bed, that’s going to be cooling you’re, going to want to look for cooling properties like whether it has cooling gel, phase change material or inner springs.
Hybrid mattresses and inner spring mattresses tend to be the most cooling. But i’ve personally tested some all foam mattresses that have really strong cooling properties.
Other characteristics i often hear people look for in a bed are whether it’s eco-friendly, if it’s made in the usa or if it’s compatible with an adjustable frame. So again just different details.
You can keep in mind and see what’s important to you when you’re looking for a new mattress., okay. So by now, hopefully you have an idea or two of what you want in a new mattress.
So, now what. Well, if you’re going to shop in person, i recommend going in knowing what you want and having a price range in mind. It’s definitely possible to find a good mattress under one thousand dollars for a queen size, but it’s more common to spend around fifteen hundred to two thousand dollars and more than two thousand dollars if you’re looking at a luxury bed.
When you’re in the store, I really recommend laying on the bed. Make sure you get on it. Move around on It. Lay near the edge to see how it feels and be sure to lay in your preferred sleeping position to see if you feel any pressure building up.
Look, moving around on a bed, it will definitely feel a little weird, but it is a necessity if you are making this big of a purchase and just don’t feel rushed. Make sure you take your time with this and before you do leave the store make sure you 100 understand your warranty information.
But maybe you’re a fairly introverted person and you don’t like dealing with sales people. You know the type where you pull up to the gas pump and it says see cashier to pay inside and you think nope i’m going to keep going. Well, if that’s the case, maybe you want to buy online.
I personally also really like buying online, because i just don’t like negotiating and i’m not very good at it. I bring my uncle with me every single time, i’m getting a new car and i just let him do all the dirty work. So if you’re like me, then maybe just stick online and with our mattress reviews, we do touch on all the different things i’ve covered and how they perform in all these categories I’ve mentioned along with the materials inside them. We also make sure to compare them to similar models at the bottom of the reviews.
Again, it is super important to fully understand your warranty and also take advantage of your trial period. Most mattresses come with at least a 100 night trial period. They say it takes about 30 days to adjust to a new mattress, so try it out and if you don’t like it, most companies actually make it super easy for you to return it for free. Also, most of these online mattresses arrive compressed in a box and are quite heavy, so i would keep that in mind. I have definitely carried my fair share of mattresses up and down stairs, but you can upgrade to white glove delivery with most mattress companies.
This means that they’ll come deliver it and take away your old mattress and do all the setup and everything for you also with beds and boxes. I would give it a day or two for them to fully expand and be at their best, and I cannot emphasize this enough always be on the lookout for sales. Mattresses tend to go on sale or have great bundle deals around the holidays, so we’re talking presidents day the 4th of July memorial day, labor day, black Friday, you name it. Seriously, there are always a ton of sales and we also always have coupons for you at sleepopolis.com, so you can help me help you save even more money.
Okay, that was a lot of information I just gave you – and I really hope you found it helpful if you do have any more questions or need more information on any of these topics. I’ve covered just head over to sleepopolis.com. I really hope you are on your way to finding a great new mattress for you or hey, even a mattress topper and getting some sweet sweet sleep.
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