Why You Can Trust CNET Mattress Shopping? Make Sure Your New Bed Has These 3 Things
Don't get stuck spending hundreds of dollars on a new mattress you don't like. These are the three main things to look for when you're shopping.
Your mattress should be accommodating for your individual needs and preferences.
Buying a mattress isn't like buying a phone or a new laptop. Most people keep the same mattress for seven to 10 years. If you're like my parents, you won't get rid of your mattress until there are permanent body indents on each side. But an old mattress can contribute to poor sleep, body pains, and even allergies, as it could house up to 10 million dust mites -- gross.
Luckily, gone are the days of wandering around a mattress store, awkwardly laying on beds until you think you've found the right match. You can buy a bed directly online, and it'll ship to your door inside a box, like anything else you'd buy on the web.
However, beds aren't one-size-fits-all.
Your mattress should accommodate your specific needs and preferences. Otherwise, you risk it being too soft, too firm or not supportive enough. You get the gist.
When shopping for a new mattress, these are the three main things you should look out for. If you follow these guidelines, you're much more likely to find a comfortable, long-lasting match.
1. Firmness level -- does it match your sleeper type?
Have you ever slept on a mattress and woken up with back, shoulder or hip pain? There's a good chance the bed was the culprit -- especially if the pain is most prevalent first thing in the morning.
A bed that's too firm can irritate the joints of a side sleeper, while a soft mattress can cause back pain in a back or stomach sleeper.
- Side sleepers should consider a mattress with a soft to medium firmness level that'll properly cradle the hips and joints.
- Back and stomach sleepers should consider a medium to firm mattress that'll prevent their backs from sagging, maintaining a straight spine alignment.
- Combination sleepers should opt for a mattress between soft and firm -- like Goldilocks. Beds with medium firmness offer enough pressure relief for when you sleep on your side, and support for when you're laying on your back or stomach.
2. Construction -- does it accommodate your body type?
The layers inside of a Helix Plus mattress, a strong hybrid mattress.
There are a few different types of mattresses, including foam and hybrid. A hybrid mattress uses both foam and steel coils in its construction and, as a result, it's more supportive and durable than beds solely made of foam.
If you want to save money and opt for an all-foam mattress, I give the green light to everyone under the 230-pound mark.
If you have more of a plus-size frame, I give you a yellow light. Technically, an all-foam mattress will work; it just won't be as long-lasting, durable or supportive as a hybrid mattress. To get the most out of a bed, worth hundreds of dollars or more, I'd spend the extra money on a hybrid.
3. Bells and whistles -- do you need more from your mattress?
Some people are completely content with a simple mattress that has one thing: comfort. And that's 100% OK. On the other hand, if you're a hot sleeper, live with back pain or co-sleep in a small bed, there are extra features you may want in your mattress.
- Hot sleepers: The best cooling beds have effective technology that not only regulates temperature but also helps you sleep cool. The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora and the GhostBed Luxe are beds with cool-to-the-touch covers and special cooling layers.
- Back pain: Mattresses like the Casper Wave and Saatva Classic are designed to help promote spinal alignment and are among some of the best mattresses for back pain. The Casper Wave features zoned layers with targeted pressure relief and support, while the Saatva Classic features two coil systems and a special lumbar support layer.
- Couples: If you sleep with a partner, a bed with extra edge support reinforcements and good motion isolation can help stop co-sleeping woes. Strong coils or extra foam around the edges can strengthen the perimeter if you have to share a small bed with your partner, while beds with memory foam or poly foam are really great at absorbing motion.