With the Fast Paced life in the Oakland/ Berkeley/East Bay Area sleep is more important than ever... The Question is are you getting a good quality sleep as well as the suggested 8 hours of sleep..
If Not Maybe your mattress is to blame?
Do You Need a New Mattress?
After a long day at work, you come home and try to figure out finances for the future. How in the world are you going to cover all your regular expenses as well as the expenses of both selling your current home and buying your dream home? Your eyes, mind, and body are screaming for sleep. The moment has finally arrived. You can now crawl into bed. The mattress seems to suck you in because you’ve slept on it for so long, and at least, you rest.
Morning came all to fast. At the sound of the alarm clock, you jump out of bed to stop the annoying noise. As you stretch, you begin to feel the results of sleeping on your twelve-year-old mattress. Your back aches. Your shoulders are tight. You actually feel more tired then when you went to sleep the night before.
Perhaps it’s time you invest in a new mattress. You may be thinking, “Getting a new mattress sounds great, but I can’t afford one right now. There are enough expenses right now.” Well, finances may be tight but take a moment to think about your health. Why Should I Invest in a New Mattress? Have you thought about how important a good mattress is for your overall wellbeing? You use your mattress everyday. In fact, you spend one-third of your life sleeping on that surface? Your mattress is supposed to realign your neck and back from the stresses of the day. Is your mattress performing that duty?
Take a realistic look at your mattress. Can you see the outline of your body on your mattress? Does your mattress sage more than an inch and a half anywhere? Is your mattress over 8-10 years old? Can you feel the coils in your mattress when you lay down? Are their coils popping out? Is your mattress heavier than when you bought it? That may sound like a strange question, but did you know that your mattress gains a pound each year from the accumulation of dead skin cells, dust mites, and other disgusting elements? And worse yet, all of these elements are common allergens.
Now, how about your body? Has your body changed from age, an accident, a dislocated disk, or significant weight loss/gain? Most of these body changes will affect the kind of mattress that your body needs. Do you wake up more tired than when you went to sleep? That question alone could very well indicate that you need to invest in a new mattress. How Do I Choose A Mattress?The following steps will help you make a wise choice for your specific health needs.
1. Choose Your Mattress Size. You may desire a king, but perhaps you may not be able to afford it or be able to fit it into your bedroom. The following chart will give you the universal measurements.
Twin/Single
39” x 75”
Double
54” x 75”
Queen
60” x 80”
Olympic Queen
66” x 80”
California Queen
60” x 84”
King
60” x 78”
2. Choose Your Comfort Level. Use a scale to measure of 1-10 to measure the softness and hardness of each mattress. One is very soft (no support) and ten is rock hard (not comfortable). The categories of comfort are as follows: extra firm, traditional firm, cushiony, plush. But don’t stop there. Try foam, pillow-top, water, adjustable, and air mattresses. Figure out what type of surface you like, and then determine if that surface will meet your health needs (back support especially). Usually the higher the lie across the mattress and let your feet hang off. Lay down fully on the number of coils and the thicker the padding, the better the mattress quality. Unfortunately, the pillow top mattresses that are “in” right now tend to leave body impressions and even sage much more quickly than other mattress types.
3. Lay Down on Your Mattress. Spend at least 15 minutes lying down on the mattress from head to toe in your normal sleeping position. Don’t just sit on the edge and dangle your feet. You may feel awkward laying fully down on various mattresses in the store, but you will be amazed at how your body will either accept or reject the mattress for you. Listen to your body after those 15 minutes. Do you have trouble getting comfortable? If your shoulders, hips, or lower back begin to feel uncomfortable, the mattress may be too hard or soft for you.
4. Inquire About the Coil Count. The coil count for a quality mattress should start at 300 for a full mattress, 375 for a queen, and 450 for a king. The higher number of stronger coils usually equals a higher quality mattress.
5. Buy a New Box Spring Too. You may be trying to save a few pennies by simply getting a top mattress and using your “in-good-condition box spring” at home. Do not cut yourself short. You will actually cut the life of your mattress in half by skimping on the box spring. The two are made to work together.
6. Buy From a Reputable Store. Talk with people who have recently purchased mattresses. Where did they buy their mattress? Where they satisfied with the store’s policy? Call the better bureaus office and ask for a few suggestions in where to start.
7. Make Sure the Company has an Exchange Policy. Do not buy from a store that will not let you exchange the mattress for another model if you are not completely satisfied. Many mattress stores have a policy that enables you to exchange the mattress within 60 days. Remember how important this sleeping surface is for your health.
8. Understand the Warranty. Most companies offer a 10-year warranty, but check the proration. The proration is the percentage of the original purchase price that the mattress manufacturer will refund if your mattress is defective. Some companies reduce the amount that they will cover by each year you own the mattress.
9. Consider Your Price Range. A basic queen set will range from $500 to $700 dollars. A better quality will cost $700 – $900. Top quality mattress sets start at around $1,000.
10. Never pay full price. You can often receive 10 to 20 perfect off the quoted price. And if you spend more than 500 dollars, they should throw in a frame and free delivery.
11. Talk With Those Who Have Gone Before. Talk with friends, family, co-workers, and anyone else you can find. What are their suggestions about what kind of bed to buy? See if you can find other people with similar health issues to see what has or has not worked for them. Ask your doctor for recommendations on what would suit your needs.
12. Make Sure Consider Your Significant Other. Take your significant other’s needs into consideration. Do you like to spread out? Make sure you get a big bed. Does your significant other move a lot which wakes you up at night? Make sure you get a shock absorbent mattress. Do they have bad allergies? There are beds that cater to those needs.
Buying a new mattress should take you awhile. This is a big decision and a large investment that should last you about ten years. But don’t stress. Simple consider the 12 suggestions above and you will be well on your way to making a wise choose.
