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When selecting a Mattress, the most important items to consider are cost and quality to determine how many years you might get out of the investment. Delivery and return fees are a few other factors to review as well when finding the best option to fit your needs.
While beds are not built with just one sleeping position in mind, and many people take on multiple positions throughout their sleep cycle, there are types of mattresses that suit certain sleeping positions better than others.
If you're a side sleeper, you'll want to look for a softer mattress that will allow your hips and shoulder to sink in a bit to ensure proper spinal alignment. Memory foam mattresses can be good for this. A soft to medium innerspring mattress can also work for a side sleeper.
Back sleepers have a slight advantage, as they can sleep comfortably on most mattress types. A medium-firm to firm mattress is recommended to provide the best support to those who sleep on their back.
Sleeping on your stomach can put extra strain on your body, so you'll want to look for a firm, supportive mattress to ensure proper alignment and pressure relief.
If you sleep with a partner, you'll want to pay careful attention to mattresses that talk about motion transfer (that is, how much the mattress moves—or doesn't—if your partner gets up or moves often in their sleep). Memory foam mattresses have been shown to be a good choice for couples due to their superior motion isolation.
Mattresses come in a multitude of builds, styles and materials. One of the first major decisions you'll need to make before you can begin shopping is which type of mattress you want.
The traditional mattress. Spring mattresses use coils, typically made of metal, to support your weight. While spring mattresses are usually more affordable, the metal coils can cause irritation to pressure points and can weaken over time.
The trendy choice. Memory foam gets its name because after being compressed it “remembers” its former shape. In mattresses, this is ideal, because the areas where your body exerts pressure are cushioned, while other areas are supported.
A little bit of everything. True to the name, hybrid mattresses are a combination of two or more mattress types. The most common is a spring-foam hybrid (innerspring and memory foam mattress), where traditional coils provide support but are surrounded by layers of foam for comfort.
The lifespan of your mattress will depend greatly on how you use it, your body type and the environment you live in. The Better Sleep Council recommends replacing your mattress every seven to 10 years, on average. Higher quality mattresses may last longer due to their superior materials and construction, but even expensive mattresses have an expiration date.
How do you know it's time to replace your mattress?