Kirk
Buying a new mattress is not only a sizeable financial investment, it’s also an important contributor to general health and wellbeing. The average person spends a third of their life in bed, and the positive effects of regular, comfortable sleep cannot be ignored. Mattresses are designed to support the body during sleep so waking up with aches and pains from the wrong kind not only starts the day off badly, it can have a knock-on effect on long term health. Sleep also allows the body to rebuild overnight as muscle tissue is developed and cells are regenerated during this time.
In this article we will look at what different mattress sizes mean, how to choose the best mattress, and things to think when buying a mattress in a sale.
Ensuring we have the right size mattress is the first consideration to make before even thinking about what its made of or how much it costs. As a rough guide, a mattress should be at least 10cm longer than the tallest person sleeping on it and the width should allow someone to put both their hands under their head without the elbows touching the edge of the mattress or the individual asleep next to them.
There are several sizes of mattress right from baby’s crib mattresses, to the next size up, which comes on average when the child reaches 35 inches in height or 2 years of age. A twin, or single, mattress is usually 38 inches wide by 75 inches long is usually a good choice for children and can also be a good size for a daybed, bunkbed or guest bed. There is also a Twin XL, which is around 5 inches longer. Next comes the full, or double sized mattress which is 53 inches wide and around 75 inches long and then the Queen mattress which is 60 inches wide by 80 inches long, and these extra inches can make a big difference in comfort, especially for couples and give around 30 inches or personal space. This size of mattress is a good choice for couples who want more living space in their bedroom. The King mattress is 76 inches by 80 inches, giving coupled around 38 inches personal space each. When deciding which one to buy, purchasers need to decide whether the extra room is worth the extra cost.
Once the decision on size has been made, whether it’s a Queen mattress, for example, or a King, then the type is important. Things to consider before deciding are the sleeping position of the occupants of the bed – for example, people who sleep on their side are best served by soft mattresses that are nicely cushioned and allow the body to sink slightly into it. Those who sleep on their back, however, will need a mattress that can give a strong support to help the spine.
When looking at mattresses on sale, Buyers need to decide whether to buy a mattress of memory foam, spring, latex or combination mattress. They also need to find out about whether there are trial periods or comfort guarantees still on offer, whether shipping is included and if the mattress has a warranty. Also, they need to check that the fact that the mattress is in a sale means there are still offers such as money-back guarantees or exchanges available.
