7 Things to Keep in Mind Before Buying a New Mattress

Sleep is important to our well-being – our mental, emotional and physical health all benefit from a great night’s sleep. One of the best ways to facilitate this is to invest in a comfortable, high-quality mattress.

Nowadays, the options are seemingly endless. This is a good thing, since it means there is a mattress out there for anyone- however, all the jargon can be confusing.

Don’t worry, because we’ve compiled a helpful list of considerations you should have before you head to your nearest mattress shop.

1. Size matters

Mattresses usually come in standard sizes- twin, double, queen, and king. You should pick the size of your new mattress based on your body size and the size of your bedroom.

Downsizing can give you more bedroom space if your room is feeling a bit cramped. However, if you are furnishing your dream house you might have always wanted luxurious king-size mattresses. For added accuracy, whip out your tape measure and use it to visualize how much space the bed will take up. 

2. Research your options

Believe it or not, mattresses have trends like other products. If you watch adverts for new mattresses, you might notice buzzy terms like “memory foam”, “hybridized”, and “orthopedic” thrown around a lot- but what do these terms mean?

Learn the basics, such as the five basic types of mattress and the different levels of comfort, so you have an idea of what you want before you even enter the building. When you do the research, you’ll find that some of the advertised advantages are gimmicky, while others have stood the test of time. 

3. Test it in person

There are some things that should never be bought online, and mattresses fall into that category!

You can do all the research in the world, but the most important step of buying a mattress is to try it out in person at the store. Don’t let the salesman hurry you along- sit on the bed for 10-15 minutes to really get a feel for it. Try your normal sleep position, try sitting as if you were reading in bed, roll around- if you feel embarrassed, think about how much more embarrassed you’ll be if you must return your mattress because it wasn’t as comfy as you remembered it. 

4. Proper support

There is a lot of contradictory advice out there on what type of mattress is best for different body types. How much support you need will depend on your weight, your height, how you sleep, and even who you sleep with.

Firmer isn’t always better for bad backs. It is more important to consider supporting certain key pressure points. If your pain is acute or debilitating, consider spending more money on a mattress with different “support zones” that will cradle the different parts of your body. 

5. Check the warranty

Mattresses are expensive and supposed to last for a full decade. The best brands and stores will offer long warranties on their mattresses.

If the mattress is badly made or wears faster than normal, warranties will allow you to get your money back or get credit towards buying a new one. 

6. Make the investment

Although some mattresses seem gimmicky, overall it is better to invest in a more expensive mattress than to skimp on a cheaper one.

Mattresses are critical to your health and paying slightly more for a more expensive but higher quality mattress will pay itself off in full night’s sleep and a happier outlook on life. 

7. Return policy/trial period

Before you walk out of the door with your new mattress, make sure to check the return policy of the store.