Buying a new mattress can feel like a huge decision. Since the average person (hopefully) spends a third of their life in bed, your mattress is nothing to mess around with. If you’re in the market for a new mattress, it’s a good time to spring into action and save big during upcoming holiday sales.
How to choose a mattress:
When it comes to mattresses, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Buying a mattress online can seem like a daunting task- but it’s actually relatively simple. When choosing a new mattress, there are three main things you want to consider: your sleeping position, preferred firmness, and your body type.
Sleeping Position
The way that you fall asleep is extremely important to keep in mind when buying a mattress. 74% of the population sleeps on their side. If you’re a side sleeper, it’s important to find a mattress that contours to your body and relieves pressure on your shoulders and back. Our suggestion is to opt for a medium firm memory foam or hybrid mattress, like Loom & Leaf’s Relaxed Firm or Saatva’s Classic Luxury Firm. Back sleepers are also more inclined to prefer a medium firm mattress that keeps their spine aligned while hugging the rest of the body. Our recommendation is a versatile latex like Zenhaven’s Natural Latex. Those who sleep on their stomach are more at risk for neck and spine pain, so we recommend a mattress that has additional support around the midsection. The Saatva Classic Luxury Firm has a high-density foam Lumbar Zone support in the middle of the mattress, making it our top pick for stomach sleepers.
Firmness
Mattresses are typically grouped into three firmness categories: soft, medium firm, and firm.
Soft mattresses are usually made of memory foam to give a true body-hugging feel. Strict side sleepers typically prefer the plush feel of a soft to medium firm mattress.
Most mattresses fall in the medium firm category because they’re good for a wide range of sleepers. Hybrid mattresses are usually medium-firm because the combination of memory foam and coils allows for a perfect balance of contouring and support.
Firm mattresses usually have a thin layer of memory foam on top of high density foam or springs for more support for back or stomach sleepers. If you prefer less sinkage and body contouring from your mattress, you should opt for a firm mattress.
Body Type
Memory foam mattresses are typically better for lighter people. Heavier sleepers might notice too much of a sinking feeling and are better off opting for a latex, hybrid, or innerspring mattress that offers more support.
What are the different kinds of mattresses?
There are several kinds of mattresses on the market today: memory foam, hybrid, latex, and innerspring. Memory foam mattresses offer high levels of pressure relief and are quieter and lighter than innerspring mattresses. Some foam mattresses are dual-sided with different levels of firmness. Hybrid mattresses are the best of both worlds; they have a supportive memory foam layer combined with coils for more support and temperature regulation than memory foam or innerspring alone. Latex is a memory foam alternative that provides extreme comfort and promotes spinal alignment. Innerspring mattresses are a typical, run-of-the-mill mattress. They are typically firmer than memory foam alone but provide less pressure relief.
When is the best time to buy mattresses?
Holiday weekends are some of the best times to buy and save on a new mattress. Kickoff spring cleaning by saying goodbye to your old mattress and start shopping around President’s Day, Memorial Day, or Labor Day. Black Friday can also be a great time to browse mattress sales, but really, the best time to buy a new mattress is when you need one. If you notice that you’ve been tossing and turning more or can’t remember the last time you replaced your mattress, it’s probably time to buy a new bed.