What Type of Mattress Should I Get?

Getting a new mattress is an investment that will last years. The average lifespan of a mattress is 10 to 15 years, depending on the quality of construction. But how do you choose the right type?

Let’s take a closer look at what goes into choosing the perfect mattress for your body type, sleep position, and comfort level.

What Are the Types of Mattresses Available?

Mattresses come in all sizes and styles. With modern production techniques, there’s more choice than ever. Understanding which one to go for is a challenge, so let’s look closer at each type.

Innerspring Mattress

Innerspring mattresses are the traditional spring mattresses that are most popular around the world. In some mattresses, the metal or metal composite coils are individually wrapped to provide better adaptive support. These are also called ‘pocketed coils.’

Innerspring mattresses usually cost less than other types. That makes them a popular choice for those on a tight budget or simply need a guest bed or a child’s bed.

Memory Foam Mattress

Memory foam mattresses have been growing in popularity over recent years due to their ability to conform and support your body shape. Memory foams use viscoelastic polyurethane foam to provide comfort and support.

Not all memory foam is made equal. There are different densities of memory foam that provide different feels. Tempur-Pedic has a patented formula to produce a high-density and uniquely adaptive memory foam for an altogether different feel from other memory foam mattresses.

Cooling technology is available in high-end models but comes with a premium. This technology makes them great for hot sleepers who need extra cooling comfort. Yet, budget memory foam mattresses tend to suffer from poor ventilation.

Latex Mattress

Latex mattresses contain natural rubber latex. Many people consider them to be superior to any other kind of mattress material.

These mattresses are soft and comfortable, making them ideal for side sleepers. But they do come in firm varieties making them ideal for back and stomach sleepers as well.

People like the natural, non-toxic material, but with that comes a higher-priced mattress.

Hybrid Mattress

The hybrid mattress has become the latest trend in mattresses. Hybrids combine innerspring with memory foam, bringing together the best of both worlds.

In a hybrid mattress, you will find a pocket coil layer underneath memory foam. This layering provides the cooling support of an innerspring mattress. The top layers have the moldability and comfort of memory foam.

How to Choose Your Perfect Mattress

Now that we’ve covered all the basics, let’s take a look at choosing the right mattress for you. Let’s take a look at personalizing your mattress choice.

A Good Night’s Sleep

For most people, it makes sense that a good night’s sleep takes priority. And to get that, here are some factors you’ll want to consider in your choice.

Your Height and Weight

In addition to the length of the bed, your body measurements play a huge role in the mattress thickness. A mattress should sit off the ground a comfortable distance to get in and out of bed. So a thicker mattress is better for anyone taller or heavier, as it provides more support.

Which type you choose is personal taste. As a rule, the heavier you are, the firmer the mattress. But for lighter sleepers, softer models will work best.

Best for Side Sleepers

If you are a side sleeper, then you might want to go for a firmness level of soft to plush mattress. These tend to keep your spine straight and prevent sagging.

Also, look for one with good edge support since many side sleepers tend to sleep toward the edge of the bed. The last thing you want is to be rolling out of bed every night!

Best for Back Sleepers

If you are a back sleeper, medium to firm mattresses are ideal. They provide just the right ratio of back support and comfort allow your muscles to relax and give you a restful nights’ sleep. Heavier people will want a firm mattress for extra back support.

Best for Stomach Sleepers

Stomach sleepers often complain of sore backs from lying too long on a soft mattress. Firm mattresses help relieve this problem because they prevent sagging in the middle and overarching of the spine. Find a mattress that is firm to extra-firm that can provide proper support.

Best for Back Pain

If you have chronic back problems, try a high-quality orthopedic memory foam mattress and an adjustable bed frame. Memory foam mattresses combined with an adjustable base conform to your body and take pressure off your spine to relieve stress points.

Best for Hot Sleepers

Hot sleepers usually prefer an innerspring, hybrid, or memory foam with cooling technology because of their ability to release heat. That said, paying a premium for a quality hybrid is an excellent choice for many—especially those who sleep hot for weight reasons.

Couples and singles alike may need the extra support that memory foam provides. Further, materials such as cotton are much cooler than synthetics.

Best for Restless Sleepers

Restless sleepers may benefit from a cooling memory foam mattress or hybrid combined with a weighted blanket. A weighted blanket is heavier than regular blankets. The distributed weight has the ability to relax and soothe restless sleepers by providing a light amount of pressure over the body.

Other Factors to Consider

There are several other factors to consider besides your sleeping position. At the end of the day, it comes down to comfort. But for now, let’s take a look at some other things that will help your decision.

Durability

How durable is the mattress? Will it hold up against wear and tear?

A memory foam mattress is often more durable than a traditional innerspring mattress. The construction of an innerspring mattress may last a long time, but the comfort may fade over a shorter period of time than a memory foam mattress.

The individual pocketed coils of a hybrid mattress are more protected by the memory foam top layer, so they may last longer than traditional innerspring mattresses.

Materials and Construction

Materials and construction have a huge effect on mattress comfort, support, and longevity, even shopper mindset. They can affect temperature, firmness, size, quality, allergies, and even ethics. For example, memory foam tends to be more comfortable while innerspring and hybrids tend to be cooler.

Organic mattresses also come with their own set of benefits. As well as being ethical, organic mattresses often run cooler due to their natural cooling properties.

Non-Sleep Activities

Yes, you know what we’re talking about. Some couples will want to consider edge support and extra bounce. And, while sleep is important, so is a loving relationship. While memory foam is great for sleeping, it may be less ideal to sink in during other activities. It’s a matter of personal preference.

Some couples may find a larger bed unsettling and prefer a cozy sleeping style of a smaller bed. For couples with young families, having a larger bed means space for the kids to jump into bed in the morning without being pushed out.

Warranty

Are warranties important to you? Some companies offer lifetime warranties, while others only provide limited protection. Most manufacturers also offer free replacement policies.

This means that if anything goes wrong within the first year after paying. You won’t have to pay extra fees to get another one.

Budget for a Mattress

We spend a third of our lives in bed, yet it’s amazing more people don’t budget enough for a high-quality mattress. Of course, if you’re on a budget, there are some fantastic value mattresses on the market.

Suppose you’re in the fortunate position to push your budget further. In this case, it makes perfect sense to make sure you get the ultimate night’s sleep. You won’t need to worry about replacing your mattress for many years.

Imagine you have special requirements, such as a couple with two sleeping styles. You may want to spend more money on a higher-end model that can be split into two beds.

But, you might not care so much about customization. Then you could save yourself some cash by going with a lower-priced model.

The Best Mattress Exists for Every Sleeping Style

We spend so much time in our waking lives thinking about menial tasks we have to do. Yet, we forget how important a good quality mattress is to our health and well-being. It shouldn’t surprise us that many people suffer from poor sleep due to a poor-quality mattress.

So if you’re looking for the perfect mattress, use our store finder to find a store near you. We’re looking forward to helping you find your dream mattress.