Sleep is essential for our health, and you soon notice when you don’t get enough of it. Your quality of sleep can be affected by a number of factors, and a major one is your mattress. Having the wrong mattress can wreak havoc on your body. Even if it’s brand new, if it’s not suited to your body, then it won’t make you any comfier. A mattress for support is easy enough to find, you just need to ensure that you know your body and what you need. So, to help we’ve put together this handy guide to enable you to find the best mattress for you. This way, you’ll be able to find the support you need when you sleep.
Type Of Mattress
There are lots of different types of mattresses, with the most common ones being memory foam, latex, traditional spring, and hybrid. Memory foam mattresses cushion and support your body by contouring to your shape. When you then stand up, it springs back into place, ensuring that its support level doesn’t diminish. Some people love memory foam as it hugs your body at night and allows you to feel supported without feeling too firm. Latex mattresses combine latex foam with springs or a different foam to create a fully supportive, yet sturdy mattress. Latex mattresses tend to be low maintenance and easy to clean as well, making them great for children. Traditional spring mattresses are filled with lots of metal springs that provide support for your body. Spring mattresses are also extremely breathable due to the ventilation that the springs bring too. A hybrid mattress is a mixture of two different mattresses. For example, you may find a memory foam one that also has a layer of springs as well. Combing the two can help meet more tailored needs, so if you’re struggling to pick between two, see if there’s one that actually combines them.
Level Of Firmness
When it comes to levels of firmness, each person will need something different and there are some things you need to consider before choosing. Your body weight can have an impact on the firmness that you need. Heavier people will need a firmer mattress as one that’s too soft won’t provide them with any support at all. This can then lead to numerous health problems and exasperate existing ones such as sleep apnoea. Make sure you check the maximum body weight of a mattress before buying it. This way you’ll know that it can actually support your body. Typically, people may stay towards the softer end of the scale because they’re scared of it feeling too hard at night. But really if you need the extra support, going for a firmer one can be very beneficial. When mattress shopping, make sure you test it out properly and see how it actually feels. You may be surprised at how firm you need it!
Sleeping Position
Your sleeping position also makes an impact on the type of mattress that you buy, as each position will require a different type of support. People who sleep on their side are putting pressure on all the joints of the side that they lay on. This means they’ll need a mattress that alleviates pressure on the neck, shoulders, hips, and knees. Generally, side sleepers will need a softer mattress as firmer ones can cause discomfort in that position. Memory foam can also be a good choice for this sleeping position as it moulds with the curves of the body while keeping it supported. Back and front sleepers will need a mattress that provides them with a firmer level of support, so they will need to move up the scale of firmness a bit. This is because they will need their pelvic area and lower back to be supported in order to keep the spine neutral. So, if you’re thinking about upgrading your mattress, make sure you take your sleeping position into consideration!
Size
The size of your mattress can determine the level of support you get too. Opting for one that’s too small for you won’t do you any good as you’ll find it hard to get comfy. It can also force you to sleep in positions that are problematic for your back and joints, so you need to ensure that you have enough room. Try upgrading to a queen if you have a single or a king if you have a double. You’ll be shocked at how much more supported your body will feel when you have more space.
Finding a supportive mattress is actually very personal to each individual person as it requires knowing your sleeping patterns and body very well. Don’t go for a mattress just because you know someone that says it’s great. They could have a completely different body weight and sleep in a different position to you. So, for them, it can be perfect. But for you, not so much. You want your mattress to cater to your needs and give you the right amount of support each night. Once you have the right mattress, you’ll wonder how you ever managed to sleep before!
