Buying a new mattress? Here’s a few things you should know.
It seem’s like for the last few years, everytime I woke up, I felt like I had aged 10 - 15 years. I thought it was my aging body, until I spent some time in a few hotels and actually woke up refreshed. I realized that my problem was actually my aging mattress and that I could potentially feel years younger if I gave my body the support it needs while resting. No surprise, this support can best be accomplished with a good mattress.
The million dollar question is, what mattress to choose and how much should to pay. It seems like a $99 mattress couldn’t come close to supporting my back and body. Also, a $1000 mattress would be overkill. To best answer this question, it’s important to understand the basics about the various types of mattresses.
A mattress provides support during sleep by countering the effects of gravity on the body. The type of mattress used determines the method of support. A standard bed mattress uses innerspring coils to provide the lift to counter gravity’s pull. An aerobed uses pockets of air to support the body, while a waterbed uses a mattress filled with water for support. Also, thanks to modern technology, we have the tempur mattress that is made of visco foam and responds to both body weight and body heat to conform to the body for complete support.
So what are the advantages of each type of mattress? The bed mattress which uses innerspring coils, is a long-lasting, dependable source of support. The comfort level of this type of mattress can be adjusted by varying the amount of padding and by the use of different fabrics for the covering.
Contrary to popular belief, the softness or firmness of a mattress does not affect the support level since most quality innerspring systems are actually the same among different beds. A softer bed can provide just as much support as a firmer one, the only difference is the amount of plush material placed on top of the springs. With some manufacturers, the cost of the mattress does affect the support system by varying the coil count. The higher the cost, the more coils there are to support the body.
However, the coil count of a mattress should not be your only consideration. I used to have a Stearns and Foster brand mattress which had the same lower coil count in every mattress no matter the price. Sterns and Foster maintained that their coils were made with a heavier weight metal and so they were able to provide more support with fewer coils. Before you ask which mattresses use heavier weight metal for their springs, just know that name brand innerspring mattresses all use excellent support systems. I recommend that you choose your mattress based on the softness or firmness you prefer.
The aerobed provides comfort and support together through the use of air. The softness is changed by using more or less air in the chamber. In some models, the firmness can be set to different levels on the different sides of the bed. This allows sleep partners to choose their own comfort level. Sleep Number Beds by Select Comfort are marketed as having a unique air chamber design which allows each sleeper to adjust the mattress to the firmness or softness they prefer.
A waterbed uses a similar system using water instead of air. The firmness of a waterbed mattress however, is created through the use of multiple baffles to reduce the motion and sag allowed by the older “water balloon” models. Most modern waterbed mattresses are designed to look like standard mattresses and fit standard bed frames. One of the nice features of a waterbed is that the temperature can be easily adjusted.
One newer choice in mattresses is the foam mattress. Also known as the memory foam mattress. Tempur-Pedic beds are made of an open-cell memory foam. Other foam mattresses market that they made of visco memory foam. Many consumers mistakenly believe there is a difference between Tempur-Pedic mattresses and visco foam mattress technology. In fact, all products made by the Lexington based company are made of the same material. Although memory foam was originally developed for use by astronauts, this manmade material uses body heat and weight to provide support and conform to your body without creating pressure points. The benefit is an incredibly peaceful sleep, because of the lack of tossing and turning. The most common problem consumers have with Tempurpedic overlays is that they sleep hotter when compared to conventional sleeping surfaces. A drawback that few can argue about Tempurpedic, is the high cost. Less expensive memory foam models use a less dense foam, which provides a lower level of support, but they cost less. When shopping for a foam mattress, your main criteria will be to compare density and firmness between various mattresses. Density is measured in lbs. (4 – 6 is preferred) and firmness is measured by ILD (indentation load deflection with 13 – 15 preferred).
Whatever type of mattress you choose, know that increasing the support your body receives at night will allow you to get a more peaceful, restful nights sleep. This will allow your body to awaken rejuvenated and feeling years younger.
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