How to Choose
Your Mattress Q. How can you best shop for mattresses? A. You need to understand your needs before you start
shopping. We recommend that you think about your lifestyle.
How has it changed since you last bought a mattress and
how might these changes affect your purchase? And what
about your body? Has it changed and how has this affected
your needs for support or your comfort preferences?
Armed with this information, go
to a mattress retailer you trust, someone who will answer
your questions with information.
Then, take a "rest test" to compare the feel of different
mattresses by lying down on them. You will quickly find
some mattresses you like and others that do not meet your
personal comfort preferences and support needs. Through
this process of elimination, you can determine which mattresses
you like best.
Q. What's the best mattress? A. The answer is a matter of individual taste.
What's best for me may not be best for you. When it comes
to mattresses, there is no one-size-fits-all. After all,
we're all built differently and have different comfort
and support preferences, so why would the same mattress
be "best" for all of us? To determine the mattress that's
best for you, we recommend using the process of elimination
to weed out the ones you don't like. Go to a retailer
and use the "rest test" to narrow down your choices. As
you lie down on the mattresses, pay attention to three
of the mattress's most important features: comfort, support
and space. The mattress that best fulfills the combination
of these needs is the "best" mattress for you.
Q. What should people look for in a new mattress?
A. Four keys to keep in mind are support, comfort,
space and matching sets. The mattress that's right
for you will keep your spine in proper alignment - how
your spine is when it's in good standing posture - supporting
your body and cradling it along its curves. The right
mattress will also be comfortable for your body. Keep
in mind that your comfort preferences are likely to change
as you age. Make sure the mattress provides enough space
for easy, free movement. Couples should sleep on a queen
or king-size mattress.
And keep in mind that a mattress
and foundation are designed to work together. Buy them
as a set and get the most out of your investment in yourself.
Q. What is the best way to try a mattress? A. The best way to try a mattress is to take the "SLEEP
Test": Select a mattress Lie down in your sleep position
Evaluate the level of comfort and support Educate yourself
about each selection Partners should try each mattress
together
Don't be embarrassed.
You don't think twice about test driving a car, and you
shouldn't think twice about "SLEEP Testing" a mattress.
Lie down on the mattress for several minutes and assess
how well it provides support and how comfortable it is
for you. The only way to tell if a mattress is right for
you is to lie down on it.
Q. How much money should be spent on a mattress?
A. Your rest — the amount and quality of your
sleep — is a critical factor in your overall well-being.
It can affect how you feel physically and mentally as
well as your productivity. Accordingly, we urge you to
invest in your rest, and spend enough on a mattress to
ensure that your individual comfort and support needs
are being met. Be sure not to shortchange yourself out
of a good, quality night's sleep and buy the best mattress
you can afford.
The average person spends one-third
of his or her life in bed. This equals 220,000 hours over
the course of a lifetime! And the mattress is the most
used piece of furniture in the home.
