Which Mattress is Best?

We’re all supposed to get about 8 hours of sleep per night, right? If you’re dealing with a chronic illness, you may require more sleep to feel functional and rested the next morning.When we sleep, our body has a chance to repair itself, creating muscle tissue and releasing important hormones. Tossing and turning each night instead of getting restorative sleep can leave you uncomfortable, wide-eyed, frustrated — and in even more pain the next day. A lack of sleep increases chronic pain, and chronic pain reduces your ability to obtain necessary sleep. A mattress can make or break a good night’s sleep.

Everybody deserves a good night’s sleep, but everyone’s body responds to various mattresses a little bit differently. It won’t matter how comfortable your mattress is if it isn’t the right size for you. At Bradford Furniture, our Sleep Specialists know mattresses inside and out. We can help you learn the ins and outs of memory foam, latex, inner spring, and much more, and then leave you free to nap on our floor models for as long as you wish.

With our expertise and personalized approach to customer care, we can help you find the right mattress to suit your body type.

1: Don’t assume a firm mattress is better

Many people with chronic pain have repeatedly been told they need to sleep on a firm mattress to reduce pain. Although there isn’t a large body of research on the subject of chronic pain and mattresses, one 2015 studyTrusted Source indicated that a hard mattress may not always be the best choice when trying to improve your sleep quality and decrease pain.

During the study, more than 300 people with low back pain slept on mattresses that were categorized as either “medium-firm” or “firm.” Following the completion of the 90-day study, participants who had slept on medium-firm mattresses reported less pain while lying in bed and during waking hours than those who had slept on the firm mattresses.Even though you might have been told to sleep on a firm or hard mattress, this may not be the best choice for all people with chronic pain.

2: Look for a mattress with a money-back guarantee

New mattresses can be pricey. Plus, there’s no assurance that the one you pick will ease your chronic pain or be the right firmness for you. While you may be able to try it out in the store for a few minutes, how do you know if the decision you’re making will work for you in the long run? When you decide to buy a new mattress, look for a company that offers a money-back guarantee. That way, you can test drive your bed for 30 days or more, knowing that you can return the mattress if you’re not satisfied. But be sure to read the fine print — the money-back guarantee may only apply to certain mattress brands in the store.

3: Consider a nontoxic mattress

Studies have shown that some people with autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, experience flares when they’re exposed to certain household chemicals. Mattresses can give off a strong chemical odor (called off-gassing) and may contain several toxic ingredients including:

• Plastics, foam, and synthetic latex, which are usually made with potentially harmful petroleum-based chemicals
• Flame-retardant chemicals

Since those materials may exacerbate pain, many people with chronic illnesses prefer to sleep on a nontoxic mattress.When looking for a nontoxic mattress, you’ll notice most of them are made of materials such as natural latex, organic cotton, and organic bamboo. That said, not all mattresses claiming to be organic are made equal. Mattress companies often boast several certifications. This makes it difficult to know which brand to buy.
According to Consumer Reports, the two certifications with the most stringent qualifications are the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and, for mattresses that contain latex, the Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS).

4: Choosing a mattress for your body weight

The mattress you select should be engineered to firmly support your weight, while giving you the comfort level you desire. Only a thorough test drive of the floor models will let you know exactly which one is right for you. However, heavier individuals tend to prefer a medium firm or a luxury firm, which might also sometimes be referred to as comfort firm, cushion firm, or plush firm. Mattresses that are on the firm end of the scale don’t have as much “give,” which means they can easily support a sleeper’s weight, and still retain their proper form and comfort for years.

5: Selecting the right size of mattress

Choose a mattress with dimensions that easily accommodate your own dimensions, with plenty of room to spare—especially if you’re a restless sleeper or if you share your bed. Most adults choose a full, queen, or king size mattress, as a twin is typically too cramped. Select from the following dimensions:

• Full: 54 inches by 75 inches
• Queen: 60 inches by 80 inches
• King: 76 inches by 80 inches

In addition, some sleepers prefer a California king size mattress, which is 72 inches wide by 84 inches long—an ideal choice for people who are tall. Most solo sleepers can fit comfortably on a full size mattress, while couples would be wise to choose a queen or king size. If your own proportions are generous, select a larger mattress size.

What Is Your Sleeping Position?

While we’ll be digging into a lot of different factors that have to do with you and your unique slumber style, the first thing to figure out is what position you sleep in. Though a majority of folks tend to toss and turn between different positions in the night, most people favor certain positions over others. Maybe you’re someone who likes to start off on your back and roll over to your side. Or perhaps you spend most of the night on your side and then finish things off on your stomach while hitting snooze in the morning. If you’ve never really thought about your preferred sleeping positions before, I’d encourage you to pay extra close attention to how you sleep over the next week. You’ll likely find that you’re either a back sleeper, side sleeper, stomach sleeper, or some combination of the three.

Tips on choosing the right durability by sleep style

1: Side sleepers

A softer mattress or topper often works well. This puts less pressure on your one shoulder, arm, and hip.

2: Stomach sleepers

Medium or firm works well, so your hips and pelvis don’t sink below your shoulders, which can strain your spine.

3: Back sleepers

Any firmness works since your weight is distributed over a larger surface area.

4: Weight

Generally, the more weight you have, the firmer you want your mattress to be.

5: Preference

Ultimately, choosing firmness comes down to what feels best for your body.