Many of us have sleepless nights, we might blame stress, pain or the weather but it could also be for the simple reason that your mattress is not right for you.
Here’s how to choose the right bed for a restful slumber.
Test what’s best
Whether it’s an open spring mattress, a pocket spring, memory foam in a box or even an adjustable bed, it’s important to try before you buy, or buy with an easy return policy.
‘You need to ask all the right questions and be clear about what your needs are,’ says Dr Moira Junge from the Sleep Health Foundation, Australia’s leading advocate for healthy sleep.
‘And be very specific if you have any injuries to make sure needs are met.’
A higher price doesn’t mean higher quality
The most expensive mattress is not necessarily the best.
‘People need to know that a price doesn’t always mean quality, especially when it might not be right mattress for you,’ says Dr Junge.
It all comes down to personal preference, everyone is different. A 2011 study in which 128 healthy people slept on seven unidentified mattresses, each with a different firmness level found that people differed quite a bit when it came to which mattress was best, according to Dr. Andrew Krystal, one of the co-authors of the study.
Eight is enough
Experts say that 8 years is a good lifespan for a mattress.
‘Some people have them for 30 years, they are certainly not meant to have a life span of that long’ says Dr Junge.
The materials start to degrade making the mattress less comfortable to sleep on. If you have a spring base, be sure to replace that too as the compression of the springs deteriorate over time.
Read the label
If you have allergies to dust mites or to mold be sure to look for a hypoallergenic mattress (wool is a good option) and consider vacuuming the mattress regularly. According to the experts at Harvey Norman, you should keep your mattress dry and clean with a quality mattress protector. This will keep bed mites and other undesirables at bay. You should also rotate the mattress every few months.
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