3 Tips for buying a new mattress

Did you know your mattress has a maximum life span of 12 years and on average needs to be replaced every 8 years? During my search for a new mattress I was overwhelmed by the many options in firmness, material and budgets. It is one of those hassles that you don’t do often, but its impact is however huge. Knowing that you spend 1/3 of your life in bed, it isn’t a decision to take lightly. A good night sleep is after all essential in restoring your energy and body functions. And a mattress has to give you just the right comfort and firmness to support your personal needs. So here are a few tips when buying a new mattress.

Tip 1: Choosing the right type of mattress

There are 5 types of mattresses: Foam, air, hybrid, latex and innerspring. Innerspring is least adjustable and a bit traditional, maybe even dated if you ask me. A better choice would be foam or air, or a combination of the two in a hybrid. A good example of a decent foam mattress is the Emma mattress that has a combination of a hyper-soft layer that decreases pressure, and a visco-elastic foam and cold-foam that are supportive. Foam molds to the body in response to heat and pressure, evenly distributing body weight. It then returns to its original shape once you remove the pressure. It therefore enhances your sleep quality and body comfort.

Tip 2: Choosing the right level of firmness

Although the level of firmness is highly dependent on personal taste, you might want to switch to another level contrary to what you like or are used to. Choosing the right firmness of your mattress has a huge influence on reducing back aches, enhancing back support, numbness, and morning stiffness. There are in general 5 levels of firmness: firm, cushion firm, plush, pillow top, ultra pillow top. People with back aches and lower back problems are better off with cushion firm or plush as it is tends to be more forgiving and gives a little.

Another thing to consider in choosing the right firmness is the position you sleep in. Side sleepers need a level softer, while stomach sleepers are best of with a firm or cushion firm mattress.

Tip 3: Best place to buy

Once you know what mattress you’d like, you have 3 options to purchase one. (1) You can go to a store, where you can briefly try the mattress and get quick info from the salesman, but where prices also tend to be much higher. (2) You can also buy a mattress online where you see multiple brands, are able to compare requirements and prices, but can’t try before you buy. On the other hand, an online purchase usually also offers a trial period and return policy that is much longer than those 5 minutes testing in a store. (3) The third option is buying a mattress directly from the factory, cutting out the middle man, thus offering the best value. A great example of this is Emma Matras, where you buy directly from the factory and that offers a 100 days trial period.

This post is an advertorial and was created in collaboration with Emma Matras.

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