Your mattress is arguably going to be the most important piece of furniture you will buy and getting it right can save you a lot of back trouble and pain.
But first, how do you know if you need a new mattress!
It’s a simple ‘yes’ if:
- Your mattress is 10+ years old (even if it feels comfy)
- It has depressions, sagging, lumps and bumps (regardless of the age)
It’s a ‘maybe’ if:
- Your mattress is 7-10 years old.
- You wake up with low back pain and it gets better throughout the day.
- You wake up with shoulder pain and it gets better throughout the day.
- You sleep in another bed and you notice your back pain is less.
Right! so now you have decided you need a new mattress, here are my tips.
I’ve put together a guide on how to go about choosing the right one.
- Main Types of Mattresses: There are basically three types of mattress; Coil, Pocket Sprung and Memory Foam. Coil sprung is your cheaper option and has a short lifespan (+-3 years). Memory Foam: There are a lot of pros and cons for memory foam and it boils down to personal preference. Here is a good summary of the differences. Pocket Sprung is the one that I would recommend. The amount of pocket springs makes a difference and I would recommend not getting less than a 1600 pocket sprung; particularly if you share a bed with someone.
- The Best Shops for Buying a Bed: There are countless bed shops to choose from – including specialist high street brands, such as Dreams and Bensons, small independents, and general furniture shops including Ikea (beware of different European sizing), Furniture Village and Habitat. However, I generally find department stores a slightly better experience such as John Lewis or Debenhams etc.
- Try out the bed in the shop!! This is crucial! Four in five bed shoppers spend less than two minutes trying beds in the shop, according to The Sleep Council. You’re going to spend a lot of hours sleeping on it, so it’s worth spending time getting properly hands-on with different mattresses. When trying out a bed, lie down on it in the same way you’d lie on your bed at home, to see how it feels. Ideally the mattress should mould to the shape of your body while also supporting it.
- Bring your bed partner! Bring your partner along with you to try out a potential mattress. Individuals have different tastes so there may have to be some compromise along the way. Both of you should lay on it at the same time! A mattress will feel different with two people on.
- Size Matters: The larger the mattress the more freedom you have to move so for sharing adults I recommend no smaller than king size.
- Firmness: This depends on the position you sleep in and your body shape. If you sleep on your back then firmer, if on your side then more medium-firm. Generally, men prefer firmer mattresses and women, who are more curvy, prefer more medium mattress. Ultimately it is what you both find comfortable.
- Can’t decide? When in doubt on the firmness of the mattress, go for the firmer option. You can always add a topper to help soften it but you can never make a soft mattress firmer. Posture correction service clinic canary wharf, Sciatica relief clinic canary wharf, Good chiropractor near me canary wharf, Back pain service canary wharf, Sports Massage Canary Wharf.