How to Choose the Best Mattress

Why the Right Mattress is So Important

The right mattress can really help you have a good night’s sleep and wake up feeling rested and refreshed. Conversely, sleeping on the wrong mattress can cause sleeplessness, back pain, and overall aches and pains. For those with a back problem, a mattress that isn’t a good fit can make the pain worse.

Which is the Best Mattress?

There is no such thing as “the best mattress”, however there will be a best mattress for YOU. Many people perpetuate the myth that a harder mattress is better for your back, the harder the better. This just isn’t true. (If it were true, then you may as well sleep on a wooden plank!) The best mattress for you is the one that feels right when you lay on it. The recommended firmness of the mattress depends on your comfort level, which differs from person to person.

How Do I Choose the Best Mattress for Me?

The best method for choosing a mattress is a lot like shopping for a car. You need to “test drive” them. A store that has multiple models on display are the best places to start. An important part of the decision making process is to narrow your choices down to two or three. If you keep moving from mattress to mattress you’ll only confuse yourself, so it’s best to go with your first impressions on a favorite few. Don’t be afraid to put your whole body onto the mattress and get comfortable. The sales staff won’t mind because they know it’s the only way you’ll know if the bed suits you or not. Take your time. Lay for a few minutes to get a better idea of how it might feel to sleep on it. Some mattresses can feel good at first, but after awhile it might start to feel too hard or too soft. If you will be sharing your bed with another person, then it’s best to have that person with you. You should both lay on the same bed and see how it feels with two people. Roll over and move around, pay close attention to how much movement you feel and if this might bother you while you’re sleeping. Test driving a mattress means putting it through the paces of everyday use.

The Difference Between Mattresses

How Long Should My Mattress Last?

The length of time a mattress will last can vary greatly depending on the type. A top quality innerspring mattress (mattress with springs) will offer the same comfort and support as it did when new for about eight to eleven years. Foam mattresses however have been known to last much longer, and some latex foam mattresses often last past 25 years.

The Warranty on a mattress is a good way to judge the approximate time the mattress should last, but beware; a pro-rated warranty will not always last as long as the warranty time indicated. (Example: A mattress with a 10 year non pro-rated warranty will usually last longer than a mattress with a 15 year pro-rated warranty) Pro-rated means that the manufacturer will not replace the mattress free of charge, but will pay a portion of the replacement cost.

Why Are Mattresses So Thick These Days?

Because of recent advances in padding and foam technology, it is possible to combine a large amount of padding with a firm, supportive spring unit, and still have the padding and quilting to hold up. As a result, mattresses have become much thicker. In the decades before, if you combined large amounts of the foam with a good, solid spring unit, the padding would pack down relatively quickly, leaving a mattress with a large body impression. But today with the new types of open cell foams, large amounts of padding can change the feel of the mattress, but not the support attained by the springs below.

What Is a Firm Mattress?

Manufacturers use specific design techniques to create beds that have a firm style surface. The use of carefully selected foams, in conjunction with tighter sewing patterns in the quilt, both help to create this firm feel. Firm mattresses typically have a lower height than their plush, pillowtop, or boxtop counterparts. Firm mattresses offer optimal support, but are designed to offer limited contourability. Firm mattresses can also be classified by manufacturers by terms such as luxury firm and cushion firm or can be paired with a eurotop style for a unique firm feel. Cushion firm mattresses tend to be a bit softer feeling than those classified solely as firm, but are sometimes the only firm feeling option from a manufacturer at a particular level.

What Is a Plush Mattress?

Plush beds are the middle ground within the spectrum of comfort options available in mattresses today. They typically contain one to four additional inches of foam over firm mattresses. By increasing the layers of softer convoluted foams and adding a tack and jump quilt in mid to upper level models, plush mattresses offer improved contourability over their firm counterparts. Other styles of mattresses including pillowtops, boxtops, and eurotops often include the word plush in their classification, indicating the softness of the mattress. Manufacturers also sometimes refer to softer plush mattresses with terms such as ultra plush.

What Is a Pillowtop Mattress?

With a construction that maximizes the potential for softness, pillowtops are the softest options available among our selection of mattresses. Built up from plush style mattresses, pillowtops contain an attached featherbed-type padding on the top of the mattress. The design of this type of mattress lends itself to the a feel even softer than its plush equivalent Most pillowtops are classified as either a pillowtop or plush pillowtop, but even softer models are sometimes referred to as ultra plush pillowtops and thicker tops can be referred to as super pillowtops. In addition, as the pillowtop of a mattress becomes more squared off, flusher, or more reinforced, some manufacturers begin to switch their classifications from pillowtop to boxtop or eurotop.

What Is a Eurotop or Boxtop Mattress?

Eurotop and boxtop mattresses are the newest innovation in bedding. Their unique design allows manufacturers to increase the amount of padding placed on top of the mattress, even compared to pillowtop mattresses, thereby reducing pressure points and improving longevity. While some manufacturers refer to this style of mattress as a boxtop and others as a eurotop, there is no significant difference between the two. While listed amongst other feels, eurotops and boxtops are a truly unique design that can range in feel from very firm to ultra plush. Pillowtop mattresses are typically designed with added foam to increase softness. Similarly, eurotops and boxtops are also designed with additional layers of foam, but offer a more versatile range of comfort designations. For instance, a firm eurotop would have the same feel as a traditional firm mattress, but with additional suspension through increased layering of foam. Softer eurotop mattresses are sometimes designated as euro pillowtops and can also be referred to as plush euro pillowtops or ultra plush euro pillowtops, the softer you get.

How Long Will My New Mattress Last?

Mattress sets vary greatly in how long they will last. What usually causes a mattress set to wear out is that the layers of comfort materials lose their resiliency or their ability to provide you comfort. You’ll notice the mattress doesn’t feel as comfortable as it did when it was new. Back pain is a sure sign that your mattress should be replaced.

The better the quality, and more quantity, of comfort materials used in a mattress determines how good the mattress feels, and also how long it will retain its original feel. The chart below lists the Sealy mattress sets we have for sale; queen set sale price; and the estimated cost per year to own. The interesting thing is that the least expensive mattress set does not have the lowest annual cost.

Mattress Measurements

Traditional Sizes

• Twin: 38″ x 75″
• Full: 53″ x 75″ (sometimes referred to as a double)
• Queen: 60″ x 80″
• King: 76″ x 80″ (with two separate 38″ x 80″ foundations)

Other Sizes

• Extra Long Twin: 38″ x 80″
• Extra Long Full: 53″ x 80″
• Split Queen: 60″ x 80″ (with two separate 30″ x 80″ foundations)
• Olympic Queen: 66″ x 80″ (with a 60″ x 80″ foundation)
• California King: 72″ x 84″ (with two separate 36″ x 84″ foundations)

Not all mattresses are available in every size.

High vs. Low Profile Foundations

When selecting your new mattress set, it is important to consider the profile of your foundation or box spring. Almost all of the bases sold at Mattress Direct Online are available in either high or low profile. The high profile measures 9″, while the low profile is 4 1/2″ . There are no changes in the support or comfort of your mattress, the difference is purely aesthetic. Many mattresses sold today are much thicker than those sold in the past. Therefore, it is necessary to consider several things before selecting the profile of a base:

• Take care in measuring the height of your headboard/footboard (if you have one). Many of our mattress sets may hide the ornamental elements of your bed if placed on a high profile base.
• If you are placing your mattress on a standard steel bed frame, keep in mind these frames sit 7 1/2″ off the floor. The combined height of your frame and mattress set may be uncomfortably high.
• An effective method to help determine which profile is appropriate for you is measuring the combined height of your current mattress set and comparing it with the measurements listed on our product specification pages.

 

WARRANTY

Most mattresses come with a 10 year warranty. However, this warranty is void if the mattress has even the slightest stain on it. If you want to have a hope of using your mattress warranty at some point it is critical that you purchase a waterproof mattress cover. Some warranties also require that the bed be flipped every six months, so ask your salesman about all of the details.

 

WHY YOU MUST USE A MATTRESS PROTECTOR:

Bed bugs

Due to a recent resurgence of bed bugs, or scientifically knows as Cimex Lectularius, infestation have been occurring in various countries all over the world. Bed bugs are parasites similar to ticks, however, look similar to very small cockroaches. Generally, bed bugs are undetectable to the human eye until they have ingested their victims’ blood. Unfortunately, bed bug’s victims are humans while they sleep on their unprotected mattress. Mattress and box spring encasements are used to limit the bed bug’s ability to infest new areas and provided a protection to those that want a restful night’s sleep.
The itchy rash and bruise-like affects of a bed bug’s bite has led hotels all over the world to use mattress and box spring encasements because of their care and concern for customers’ well-being and comfort. Individuals and families can also use encasements for their mattress and box springs to limit their risk of bed bug infestations. Sleepers can be assured that they are able to maintain health, comfort and rest through the use of our pillow and mattress protectors as well as our mattress and box spring encasements.

 

How do mattress protectors work?

Mattress protectors are quite affordable considering the relative cost of purchasing a bed set and mattress. The basic type of mattress protector is a fitted sheet made of a terry cloth mixture of cotton and polyester. This allows the mattress protectors to be absorbent and maintain elasticity for an enduring protection of your mattress.
Mattress protectors also contain a polyurethane laminate membrane, which allows the protector to be waterproof keeping the mattress dry and breathable, providing a comfortable and healthy sleep.
However, Bamboo Bare has developed a mattress protection that combines all the aforementioned benefits with the added comfort and benefit of bamboo fiber sheets. Bamboo fiber sheets are naturally antibacterial, providing the sleeper with a healthy sleep. Bamboo fiber can also be woven into terry cloth to maintain its absorbent feature, as well as the silky texture of bamboo fiber sheets. Bamboo fiber is a thermal regulating fabric, which is more breathable than fine cotton or any fine silk. Lastly, bamboo textiles are good for the environment. Using moso bamboo, instead of other textiles is more environmentally friendly and doesn’t affect the source of food pandas eat, which is a different type of bamboo. Bamboo is also a highly renewable resource as it grows quite rapidly.

 

Health, Hygiene and Comfort

Health and comfort are a major issue for all sleepers. However, allergens, caused by dust mites, in mattresses and pillows hinder people from maintaining health and getting a good night’s sleep. Mattress protectors containing this particular impermeable layer blocks allergens, caused by dust mites, from the sleeper by creating a durable yet breathable barrier.
Bamboo fabric protectors are naturally anti-bacterial, thus killing dust mites and hypo-allergenic which assists the mattress protector in eliminating all possible contact with allergens in the mattress.
Mattress protectors also come with a unique feature that promotes hygiene and allow the sleeper to feel more secure by providing a water proof barrier and liquid absorbent material. This protects the bed and mattress from common problems such as incontinence and bed wetting as well as protecting the mattress in the occurrence of hot or cold drink spillage among other liquids. This is due to the scientific breakthrough of thermoplastic polyurethane impermeable membrane that is completely water proof and yet breathable providing comfort. Comfort also comes from the variety of terry cloth fabrics we have available, both in cotton and in bamboo fiber.