Sleep disorders are clearly on the rise as more people are suffering from sleepless nights and fatigued days. However, replacing your mattress after every eight to ten years may prevent future sleepless nights. While mattress shopping might seem overwhelming, these 10 tips will make your shopping pleasant and a good night’s sleep possible.
1. Get enough rest first – Shop when you are well rested, so you will make the best possible decision. Researchers have found that sleep deprivation causes attention lapses, slower recall and poor concentration.
2. Let your fingers do the walking – Investigate on the Internet. Major mattress brands have Web sites that will tell you about the construction of their mattresses and explain their features and benefits. For example, www.serta.com has a wide array of information to make mattress shopping easier, including explanations of the inner construction and benefits of Serta mattresses -- all written in easy-to-understand terms.
3. Know yourself – In the sea of mattresses that you’ll find in a retail store, there are basically three comfort preferences: pillowtop (or eurotop), plush and firm. Once you know which “feel” you prefer, you will have effectively eliminated two-thirds of the options.
4. Concentrate on comfort – Learn about the innerspring when you do your Internet research. Then, focus on what feels comfortable to you when you go shopping. Remember, a good innerspring provides good support whether your mattress is plush, firm or a pillowtop. Keep in mind that a comfortable mattress will help you fall asleep at night -- and if you’re like most Americans, you need all the help you can get.
5. Buy a brand name you trust – When you buy a mattress, remember that you are buying a good night’s sleep, not just a place to shut your eyes. That’s why it’s wise to purchase a brand that you know and trust.
6. Buy from a retailer you trust – When shopping for a mattress, go only to retailers that you trust, and learn what you will get with your purchase. Additional buying incentives often include free delivery and removal of the current mattress from your home.
7. Put price in perspective – Mattress buying is arguably the most important decision you will make in furnishing your home, as you and your family will spend close to a third of your lives sleeping on your mattresses. View it as an investment! The average buying cycle for a mattress today is between eight to ten years. For a mattress that costs $1,000, this comes out to approximately three cents a day. Aim to buy the best mattress you can for the money.
8. Wear comfortable clothes – Try out the mattresses with your preferred comfort feel: pillowtop, plush or firm. Lie on the bed; turn back and forth as you would if you were going to sleep. Shop with your partner to be sure that you both like how the mattress feels.
9. Consider your space – Fifteen years ago, twin and full-size mattresses were the most popular sizes sold, but not any more. People are realizing that they need more room when they sleep. As a result, queen mattresses have become the bestseller. Make sure that your mattress will give you plenty of room to stretch out.
10. Invest in a safer mattress – A select number of mattress brands offer fire resistance protection. Serta is the first major manufacturer to include this protection in all its mattresses throughout the U.S. Serta’s propriety FireBlocker system can give you and your family critical time to escape safely in case of a bedroom fire -- and can make the difference between life and death.
Additional information on how to purchase a mattress can be found at www.serta.com or through contact with a Serta retailer near you. - ARA |
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