After years of use, your mattress simply is not the same any more. No matter how you flip it, rotate it, or attempt to fluff it up, it defies your efforts. It seems to have had enough with the daily abuse- tossing, turning, jumping, rolling- and will not tolerate more. Which means you need a new mattress. In the intervening years since your last mattress purchase, things have changed. No longer just a question of brand or size, there is a whole slew of options available from how-did-it-take-them-so-long-to-think-of-that features like pillow tops and dual-chambered Sleep Number mattresses to innovations like TempurPedic beds. Choosing the best one for you will take a little bit of knowledge and a lot of testing, so do your homework and be prepared to stare at some ceilings.
Explore the Mattress Possibilities
You may be thinking, “I don’t want any of these newfangled mattresses. I like my old-fashioned innerspring just fine.” That’s wonderful! But you’re not keeping your old mattress, and since you’ll have to test out some new ones anyway, why not see if an upgrade is in order? You may have no clue what it is you’ve been missing. And if you are one of the millions of Americans who experience back or neck pain on a regular basis, your trusty old mattress may be to blame. Perhaps switching to something with more support- or more give- would alleviate the problems you’ve been experiencing. Or maybe your problem isn’t pain, but sleep. Do you wake up after a full night’s sleep feeling fatigued? Sometimes the root of sleeping problems can be discomfort (even if you’re not all that aware of it). Sinking into a memory foam mattress or lying on the cloud-like tufts of a pillow-top may change your life. Or maybe you don’t have a problem at all. Perhaps you sleep like a baby and really don’t want to mess with perfection. In that case, walk into your nearest furniture store, tell them what you want, pay for it, and go home. But if you’re interested in better sleep, you can have it. You just have to find the right mattress.
Finding The Right Mattress
So, which mattress is the right one? Well, that depends on you. If you prefer a firmer, more supportive mattress, an innerspring might be the way to go. An air mattress, like the Sleep Number, might be another good option, as it allows you to adjust the firmness to your individual preferences (and allows your partner, if you have one, to do the same without affecting you). If you’re looking for something a little softer, pillow-top mattresses or those made of memory foam, like TempurPedic beds, might be a better choice. For those who prefer even more softness, a waterbed might be for you. Be aware, though, that the hammock effect created in these beds can be hard on your body after long-term use. The only way to truly know what’s best for you is to lay down on the mattress just like you would your own bed (so go ahead and curl up in the fetal position) and see what feels right. Much like true love, when you find it, you’ll know.
