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Home > The Complete Mattress Buying Guide
The Complete Mattress Buying Guide

The Complete Mattress Buying Guide

Updated: 2021-05-02

Author: Becky


You are surely reading this guide because you realised that you need a new mattress and finally decided that it is time to buy a new one (and not because you are curious about how the world of mattresses is today). Maybe your current mattress is hurting you or you are waking up feeling tired. Maybe you just want a bigger one. It may be that you are moving and do not want to carry your old mattress from one place to another. Either way, our goal is to help you choose the right mattress so that you don’t make the mistake of paying more than is fair and necessary.

Your mattress is probably the most important object in your home. However, many of us don’t think much about our mattresses and how they impact our lives on a daily basis. Therefore, we have prepared this guide so that you know the essentials about acquiring your new mattress and can give yourself uninterrupted nights of sleep.

How Old Is Your Mattress?

Everything in this life expires, including mattresses. If your mattress is over 8-10 years old, it’s time you consider getting a new one. Do not forget that you spend a third of your life sleeping, do not neglect the place where you do it.

How To Buy A Mattress: The Most Important Factors

These are the most important things to consider in a new mattress:

  • Support – You want the mattress to hold you in a proper position from head to toe, so you don’t wake up with back pain.
  • Comfort – You don’t want the mattress to press on your body as it causes dizziness and numbness, which means you will wake up tired.
  • Firmness – You want the mattress to be comfortable as soon as you lie down, without feeling hard or soft.

If you find a mattress that keeps you in the correct position without putting pressure on any part of the body, you have found the correct mattress for you. There are other factors to consider. These include:

  • Movement – You don’t want to wake up every time your partner moves, or every time they get in and out of bed.
  • Temperature – You want the bed surface to have a temperature similar to your skin. If a mattress is too hot (or sometimes even too cold), it can interrupt your sleep. This is called thermo-neutrality.
  • Edge Firmness – You don’t want to roll off the bed if you sleep near the edge.

What Kind Of Firmness Do You Need?

One of the most asked questions is “how hard is the mattress?” It is also one of the most difficult questions to answer. The firmness of a mattress depends on your definition of soft, medium, and hard. It is very subjective. Additionally, your body shape, weight, height, and other factors also come into play.

Consumers often confuse support for firmness. While support is related to the position of the body, firmness refers to the initial comfort of the mattress. Whatever firmness you choose, it has to be comfortable either way.

Some mattress companies have developed mattresses with universal comfort. Although there is only one level of firmness with these mattresses, the structure of their foams and layer design offer comfort to all types of people (heavy, tall, short, side sleepers, back, etc.).

Sleep Position

Sideways, on your back, face down, or a little of everything. Each person has a way of sleeping. The biggest problem… most people are not looking for a mattress that suits their sleeping style. Each pose has specific needs and ideal firmness levels.

Sideways

Side sleepers do not always maintain the same position at night. Many times, they go from having both legs stretched out to bending one, and then the other. With this constant change, side sleepers need a semi-soft mattress, something between 3-6 on a scale of 10 (10 is the strongest). A soft mattress with a lot of support will relax the pressure points on your back and neck.

On your back

Support and firmness are critical for back sleepers. A mattress that is too soft will create pressure points and will not provide the necessary support. In addition, if the bed does not support the individual well, the position of their spine will not be correct, which can lead to long-lasting back problems. The ideal firmness of the mattress has to be sufficient to eliminate pressure points, but still offer great support. Typically, a firmness level between 4 and 7 (on a scale where 10 is the strongest) is appropriate.

Face down

The number one priority for tummy sleepers when buying a new mattress is support. The torso is the part of the body that will apply the most pressure to the mattress in this case. For this reason, they need a mattress that offers the same support throughout the body. If the center section sags in the middle of the mattress (mattress too soft) the person will see that his spine curves, causing low back pain.

How Much Do You Weigh?

Weight may not seem very important but it plays a crucial role when choosing a mattress. The support, temperature, and feel of each mattress are affected by your weight and body type. You need a type of firmness that will provide support for your body while feeling comfortable, trying your mattress before buying it it’s important because of this

Mattress Size

Mattress DescriptionMattress Size (Imperial)Mattress Size (cm)
Small Single2’6? x 6’3?75 x 190 cm
Single3 x 6’3?90 x 190 cm
Small Double4' x 6’3?120 x 190 cm
Double4’6? x 6’3?135 x 190 cm
Kingsize5' x 6’6?150 x 200 cm
Superking6' x 6’6?180 x 200 cm

Mattress Material

There are many materials both natural and synthetic that are used to make mattresses and, per se, none is better than another. The most widely used today are memory foam, pocket springs and latex.

Actually, the most common is to find several layers: springs with a layer of memory foam, latex with wool and cotton, among others.

Let’s see the characteristics of each type and which suits you better.

Viscoelastic Memory Foam

It is the ideal material if you are looking for a soft and adaptable mattress. In addition, it is a good option if you sleep on your side or if you suffer from back pain, muscle or joint problems.

Viscoelastic or memory foam is a type of high-quality foam that reacts to body heat by molding itself to reduce pressure, producing a pleasant feeling.

They are mattresses that stand out for their excellent adaptability, being the best option for people who suffer from muscle or bone pain. In addition, they absorb movement very well, making them ideal for double beds and for people who change their position several times throughout the night.

They do not perspire very well, so they tend to accumulate some heat. Therefore, if you are very hot, look for a mattress made of micro-perforated memory foam, with pores or that contains thermoregulatory gel, since they are cooler.

SHOP MEMORY FOAM MATTRESSES

Pocket Springs

These mattresses are ideal if you are sensible to heat, since they provide the best ventilation. In addition, they are excellent for double beds, since the springs offer optimal bed independence that does not transmit movement, so if your partner moves, you will not notice it.

are composed of a network of springs covered with several layers of fabric that insulate them and provide comfort and different degrees of firmness, depending on the material of said layers. You can find spring mattresses covered in latex, cotton or even memory foam, adding adaptability and comfort. The price will depend on the number of springs and the quality of the materials that cover them.

There are several types of springs, but the ones that give the best results and are used the most today are pocket springs. Each spring is protected inside a cover that individualizes it. In this way, they adapt very well to the pressure exerted by each area of ??your body, which takes care of your spine and they avoid the typical noises when moving.

As they are medium/high firmness, they are suitable for people who usually sleep on their backs or with a high weight. In addition, due to their characteristics, they are the mattresses that usually have a longer useful life, being able to reach 12-15 years.

As a counterpoint, these mattresses do not conform as well to the body, unless they have a 3-4 cm layer of memory foam. Therefore, some people find them somewhat harsh.

SHOP POCKET SPRING MATTRESSES

Latex

Thanks to the flexibility of this material, it is a great option for people who move a lot at night and for articulated beds. In addition, this material is ideal for allergy sufferers and asthmatics, since mites cannot nest in it.

Latex is a natural material that is extracted from the rubber tree, although it can also be manufactured artificially (synthetic latex). The price and quality of the mattress vary depending on the origin of the latex.

They are characterized by great elasticity and resilience, which is why, when changing posture, they quickly recover their original state. In addition, they are rather soft mattresses that adapt well to the shape of the body, providing a soft and warm feeling and distributing pressure optimally.

They are also a good option for double beds and for couples, since they absorb movement very well.

One of its main weaknesses is that it is quite heavy, making it difficult to manipulate and turn. In addition, like memory foam, they tend to accumulate heat.

SHOP LATEX MATTRESSES

Mattress Temperature

Mattress ventilation depends on its material. When air flows better, there is no accumulation of your own body temperature. If you suffer from night sweats or you live in a really hot place, spring mattresses may be the most suitable for you.

Mattress Price

It is possibly one of the things that you are going to take into account the most. It is true that a mattress is not something cheap, but it is important that you remember the importance of buying one with quality materials and that it adapts well to you (and not the other way around). Your health is at stake!

Think that a good mattress will last you about 10 years, so if you divide what it costs by 3,650 nights that you will spend on it, surely it no longer seems such a large investment?

In general, the cheapest mattresses are foam and spring mattresses, followed by latex ones. Memory foam ones are usually the most expensive option.

To buy a good mattress that guarantees your rest and also takes care of your health, it is important that it is made with quality material. Follow the advice we gave you and enjoy many nights of pleasant sleep.

Different Types Of Mattress

There are eight different types of mattresses. The following summary, these types listed with the corresponding typical mattress features:

POLYETHERCOLD FOAMMEMORY FOAMINNERSPRING
Weak ventilationGood ventilationFair to good ventilationGood to very good ventilation
Moderate to reasonable complianceGood complianceExcellent ComplianceModerate compliance
Reasonable moisture managementGood moisture managementGood moisture managementVery good moisture management

POCKET SPRINGLATEXAIRWATER
Good ventilationReasonable ventilationReasonable ventilationExcessive ventilation
Good complianceGood complianceGood ComplianceGood compliance
Good moisture managementPoor moisture managementReasonable moisture managementExcessive moisture management

picture of Becky
Written By Becky Reeve
Certified Sleep Coach
I love all things sleep and have a decade of experience in the sleep industry. I spend most of my time contributing to many articles, research pieces and reviews for both WantMattress and third parties. Linkedin

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