Next to air, shelter, water, and food, sleep is vital to life. As you'll spend nearly 1/3 of your life in bed, sleeping on a mattress that's compromising your sleep can be devastating. If it sleeps too hot or cold, isn't comfortable, has you tossing, turning and waking up because of sleep interruptions, or you have health issues like arthritis, back pain, or shoulder, rib, elbow, knee or hip joint pain it might be time to look at replacing your mattress. Finding the ideal mattress can be challenging. An in-store Beducation® can take the confusion out of this process. There are several things to consider when making this important decision.

Let's start with comfort. 

When it comes to mattresses, comfort is a personal choice. Some like hard-as-a-rock mattresses, while others prefer mattresses that are soft and forgiving. One thing is for sure, the only way to find your ideal comfort level is to test drive mattresses in a brick and mortar store.

Do you have back pain?

If you’re waking up with back pain, you might want to consider a firmer mattress. Firmer mattresses tend to provide better spinal alignment and support to the lower back, thereby providing relief to back ailments. As firmness is a personal choice, adding comfort foams to firmer sleep surfaces can make your mattress environment soft and cozy, while at the same time retaining back and spinal support. One thing is for sure, you don’t want your mattress to feel as hard as concrete. Hard surfaces may relieve back pain, but they can’t provide relief to joint pain.

Do you have joint pain?

If you have joint pain from injuries, arthritis, or fibromyalgia that keep you awake at night, pocket coil and/or mattresses with specialty foams like Tempur® material, memory foam, or latex can provide joint pain relief by taking pressure off shoulder, rib, elbow, hip, and knee pressure points. 

Do you sleep with a restless sleep partner?

If you’re waking up because of sleep interruptions caused by a restless sleep partner, you might want to consider pocket coils and/or mattresses with specialty foams like Tempur® material, memory foam, or latex. These coils and foams greatly reduce or eliminate motion transfer.

How important is mattress size to sleep?

Studies show that when it comes to mattresses and sleeping with a partner, “Bigger is Better!” Think of it this way - two adults sharing a standard double bed have the equivalent shoulder space that a baby has in their crib, which is a mere 27 inches. 

Do you sleep hot?

If you’re turning down the temperature, opening windows and tossing aside covers because your sleep environment is too hot, options for a cooler sleep are endless. Hypoallergenic microgel duvets can often work wonders. Mattresses can come with cooler fabrics that can reduce your undercover sleep environment by as much as 6 degrees. And specialty foams infused with cooling gel, graphite or copper can also lower undercover temperature. Last but not least, cooler mattress and cooler pillow protectors can provide a removable option. 

Do you have allergies?

If you have asthma or other allergies, you may be concerned about materials in mattresses causing respiratory issues and skin irritation. One of the best solutions is to look for mattresses with foams that have CertiPUR-US® or GOLS/GOTS certification.

     CertiPUR-US Logo
  • Made without ozone depleters
  • Made without PBDEs, TDCPP or TCEP (“Tris”) flame retardants
  • Made without mercury, lead and heavy metals
  • Made without formaldehyde
  • Made without phthalates regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission
  • Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emissions for indoor air quality (less than 0.5 parts per million)
  • Like to be cradled?

    If you like to be cradled, you might want to consider a Tempur-Pedic® or memory foam mattress. 

    Other things to consider when shopping for a new mattress ...

    • If possible, before you buy a new mattress take one for a test drive. Lying down for a few minutes on mattresses will help you assess mattress comfort, support and temperature.
    • Never test a mattress by sitting on its edge or pressing down on the surface. The edges of a mattress are designed to support you while sitting, and to keep you from rolling off the mattress during sleep. Lying down on the centre of a mattress will feel different than lying down on the edge. 
    • Never buy a spring filled mattress based on coil count alone. The addition of specialty foam/foams may increase the price, but the benefits can make a huge difference to sleep quality.
      • Never buy a mattress based on a “Comfort Exchange Period”. What happens if your exchanged mattress is worse than the original mattress you purchased? Always take time to purchase the right mattress the first time. Come get your Beducation®! No matter where you buy a new mattress, a Beducation® will help you make a better buying decision. 
      • If you’re waking up with kinks in your neck or tightness in your shoulders, it’s probably not your mattress. It’s more likely that you’re sleeping with the wrong pillow. We all sleep in one of 3 positions … side … front … and back. What type of sleeper are you? A pillow is essentially a bed for your head, and sleep positions require different levels of support. A pillow education can help you find a pillow that’s “Just Right” for you. (A Guide to Buying a Pillow) 

      How long should a mattress last?

      • Mattress life varies and depends on a number of factors like your weight, weight of sleep partners, use of protectors, number of annual nights of use, as well as the quality of materials used. If you're concerned about longevity, buy trusted brands. They have more to lose if you’re not satisfied, so they tend to put more into materials, workmanship and warranties. 

      How important are warranties?

      • Never determine mattress value based solely on warranty. Mattress warranties cover manufacturing defects, not comfort or support. 

      How important are test drives?

      If possible, always take mattresses for a test drive. Properly testing the mattress in your favorite sleep position is the only way to really judge it's comfort, support and temperature. Doing this online is simply impossible.

      Come get your Beducation®! No matter where you buy a new mattress, a Beducation® will help you make a better buying decision. 

      What else is important to consider?

        We believe a good quality pillow is just as important as your mattress. If you’re waking up with kinks in your neck or tightness in your shoulders, it could be your pillow. To learn more about the bed for your head, a pillow education can help you find a pillow that’s ideal for you. 

        Also important to consider is protecting your investment with quality mattress and pillow protectors.  Click here.