But you still need to activate your account.
She’s tossing. You’re turning.
She’s freezing. You’re burning.
She’s sagging. You’re dragging.
She’s lumpy. You’re grumpy.
No matter how you say it, it’s time for a new mattress. Sure, that sinkhole in the middle of your bed is bringing you and your mate closer together, but what’s the use if you’re too uncomfortable to enjoy it?
The average mattress lasts between five and seven years, according to the Better Sleep Council, and more than a quarter of Americans are sleeping on a mattress that’s more than seven years old. That could explain why you wake up feeling more tired than you were at bedtime. Or why the bed at your parents’ house feels better than the one at home.
You need a sleep solution. But where to start?
“What it comes down to is selecting a mattress that best fits your need for comfort and support,” said Nancy Shark, executive director of the Better Sleep Council, which is the consumer education arm of the International Sleep Products Association. “Definitions of comfort and support vary from person to person.”
Those late-night infomercials may have convinced you that memory foam is the way to go. You may be sold on an adjustable setup. Conversely, you may think you need to settle if your budget falls on the low end of the mattress spectrum. But you shouldn’t buy until you try. Nobody expects you to go shopping in your PJs and bunny slippers, but this is one job you need to lie down on.
“We like people to stay and try our beds as long as they can,” said Janet Moran, sales manager at The Bedworks in Brewer. “How are you going to find a comfortable mattress without lying down?”
With so many innovations in the industry over the last decade, mattresses are more sophisticated – and more comfortable – than ever. And though the options seem endless, no one material is better than another. Each has its benefits.
For starters, there’s the tried-and-true inner-spring coil mattress, which consists of metal coils, joined together and covered with layers of upholstery. On some higher-end mattresses, coils are wrapped individually and bear weight independently of one another, which means you can toss and turn all you want and your partner won’t feel a thing.
Though they aren’t quite as common as they once were, waterbeds still exist. There’s the hard-sided, bookcase-at-the-headboard variety that immediately comes to mind when you say “waterbed,” but there are also variations on the theme that look like traditional mattresses. These consist of channels or chambers of water bound in a frame. They don’t have the signature sloshing floatiness of a “full motion” waterbed, but the upshot is, you can use regular sheets on them.
Relatively new to the market are latex and memory foam “contour” mattresses. Latex is a natural product while visco-elastic memory foam such as Temperpedic is a space-age manufactured material. Though they each offer a distinct sleep surface, they function similarly: the material molds to your body, rather than pushing up on it like coils do, which means there are no pressure points while you’re sleeping. Latex and foam mattresses also are said to reduce tossing and turning by up to 80 percent.
Another option is a futon, which is a good option for someone who is looking for a multiuse piece of furniture with more comfort and support than the standard 2-inch sleeper sofa mattress offers. For people with medical or mobility issues, an adjustable bed, which mechanically lowers and raises portions of the mattress, can ease the strain.
“One of the first questions we ask is, ‘What kind of sleep are you looking for?'” said Robin Emery, who has worked at The Bedworks for the last 18 years. “What we want to do is find the best fit for them – the best fit in terms of support, comfort and pocketbook.”
There are quality options available at every price point – a basic mattress and box spring set costs several hundred dollars, while an adjustable set can cost upward of $7,000. Like anything else, with mattresses, you get what you pay for.
“It is cost-effective,” Moran said. “If you spend a little bit more, it will last longer.”
That said, just because a mattress is the most expensive doesn’t mean it’s right for you. A recent Consumer Reports article found that there’s no “best bed” for everyone. And labeling doesn’t help – one man’s “firm” is another man’s “squishy.” Some retailers offer a “comfort guarantee,” so if you don’t like the mattress you choose in the store, you can trade it in for another one.
“It’s best to pick the right bed the first time,” Nancy Shark of the Better Sleep Council said.
Shark suggests using the “S.L.E.E.P.” test while shopping for a mattress: Select a mattress; lie down in your sleep position; evaluate the level of comfort and support; educate yourself about each selection; partners should shop together.
You spend a third of your life in bed, so you might as well spend a few minutes testing your mattress. Kick back. Relax. And savor the fact that there’s no abyss for you and your partner to roll toward. Oh, and if you fall asleep on the job, so much the better. That’s the point, after all.
For more information on choosing a mattress, visit www.bettersleep.org. Kristen Andresen can be reached at 990-8287 and kandresen@bangordailynews.net.
The S.L.E.E.P. test
The Better Sleep Council recommends the following tips for finding the best mattress for you:
. Select a mattress
. Lie down in your sleep position
. Evaluate the level of comfort and support
. Educate yourself about each selection
. Partners should shop together
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