Mattress Advice

Mattress advice

You finally get home after a long day at work. It doesn't take long for you to finish your dinner and retreat to the comfort of your bed. Sleep is all that is on your mind yet after you flop onto your mattress, you toss and turn then toss some more. Regardless of how tired you are, it's going to be a long restless night. The reason: it's time for a new mattress.

So you make the decision, this weekend all those restless nights will end! You go to the mattress store for a replacement. But when you get there, everything becomes a blur as they all feel better than what you have. You can't test drive them, so you need to get some sound advice on what is the best mattress for you!

Choosing a mattress: we can help.

Most of us purchase a mattress once every few years yet few of us realise how important it is to make sure we choose the right one. It's true that the quality of your mattress is more important than the quality of your bed, but mattresses are easily ignored, at best an afterthought in favour of cool bedsteads or practical divans.

Why is the mattress so important?

The mattress is the foundation of support that your body needs while sleeping. The base adds to this, but is not as important. Although the bed base can have an effect on your overall comfort, you can still sleep well with a bad base if you have a good mattress. The reverse is not nearly likely. Thus your mattress choice is the most important.

Picking the wrong mattress can result in nights of interrupted or uncomfortable sleep, which in turn will make you irritable and reduce your effectiveness at home, work or school. Research has shown that you need a good night of quality sleep in order for your brain to take in everything you've experienced or learned during the day. It allows your body time to recuperate and prepare for the day ahead. Too stiff, too soft or too saggy are just some of the reasons most of us fail to get a good night's sleep and find ourselves wondering why we are always tired.

"How do I choose a new mattress?"

Ideally, buy a new mattress and a new bed base at the same time. Putting a new mattress on an old base rarely works and can actually invalidate the mattress manufacturer's guarantee. There are a few basic steps to choosing a new mattress that can help you find the perfect mattress for your body:

• Measure up - the bigger the bed and mattress you can fit in your room, the better. Standard double beds really aren't big enough for two people, so if you can fit a king or super king bedinto your room, do so. Remember, not having the space to stretch will cause you to tense up, the last thing you want to do when you are sleeping!

• Research - take the time to read useful articles on the Internet and in magazines as well as looking at interior design and health guides. All of these places will have some useful information about the importance of a good mattress, and outline the differences between the various types available on the market.

• Try out - you must try out some mattresses. We spend over one third of our lives in bed, so it seems ridiculous to buy a mattress that we've never tested. In an ideal world, you should lie on several different types of mattress so that you can find out which suits you best. You may prefer a pocket sprung mattress for example, or be bowled over by memory foam filling.

• Bargain hunt - it's possible to get great deals on the mattress of your choice, simply by shopping online. Once you've decided what type of mattress you're looking for, search for online sales and discount offers that can help you to save money.

Ultimately remember that a mattress is uniquely yours and what is good for your parents may not be the best one for you. Take you time and make an educated decision. It will help you live a fuller, more satisfying life.