Which mattress to choose – what to pay attention to before buying?

A well-chosen mattress is one of the conditions for healthy sleep. How our body weight is distributed on the mattress determines whether the spine rests in the right position, whether internal organs are not compressed and whether muscles are not too tense. And from these factors, in turn, depends the level of sleep and recovery of the body, as well as mental and physical well-being during the day. The right mattress promotes our joints, muscles, bones and overall health, while an ill-fitting, poor-quality or worn-out mattress aggravates various ailments. To make matters worse, an improper, poor-quality mattress can cause permanent damage to your health, including degenerative changes. Therefore, it is worth taking care of your health and bet on a good mattress tailored both to our individual needs and to our body shape. We suggest which mattress to choose and what to pay particular attention to before buying.

How to choose a mattress?

On average, we devote 7 hours a day to sleep, so, as you can easily calculate, we sleep almost a third of our lives. Since sleep is a very important part of our lives, guaranteeing our bodies adequate support in the form of a good quality, comfortable mattress should be a priority for us. Especially if we want to enjoy good health and well-being and not complain about musculoskeletal ailments.

The market for sleeping mattresses today is very capacious and houses a wide range of products made of various synthetic and natural materials. However, individual mattresses differ not only in the type of raw material used in production, but also in firmness and many other factors.

When choosing a mattress, we should pay attention to such parameters as:

• hardness of the mattress,
• elasticity of the mattress,
• quality of the mattress,
• ventilation of the mattress,
• the height of the mattress,
• width and length of the mattress,
• the filling of the mattress,
• the presence of a cover.

How to choose the firmness level of the mattress?

A mattress for sleeping should not collapse under the weight of our body, and on the other hand, it should not have too hard, compact, not very springy structure. The ideal mattress – comfortable and at the same time beneficial to our health, is a mattress of medium firmness.

Medium firm mattresses support the body very well, providing a straight, stable position for the spine. They are distinguished by their high elasticity, adapt to the shape of the body, do not bend during use and do not force us to assume unnatural, deformed positions. But beware, in the case of very thin people, a standard medium-firm mattress may prove too firm. And for people of above-average weight, a medium-firm mattress may prove to be too soft. The firmness level of a mattress should therefore be selected with reference to the user’s individual body weight.

The different levels of mattress firmness are marked from H1 to H4.

• For people weighing up to 60 kg, the best mattress is H1.
• For people weighing 60-80 kg, the best mattress is H2.
• For people weighing 80-110 kg, the best mattress is H3.
• For people heavier than 110 kg, the best mattress is H4.

How to check the firmness of a mattress?

Although you can easily choose the firmness of a mattress based on their markings and our personal body weight, sometimes there may be doubts. Some people also prefer to check the firmness on their own skin instead of suggesting numbers and markings. So we can make some observations to become confident that a particular mattress firmness is optimal for us.

When the mattress is too soft, we are accompanied by the feeling of sinking inward. After lying down, the spine bends in an unnatural way, clear hollows form in the mattress under the weight of the body. On the other hand, when the mattress is too hard, after lying down we are accompanied by a feeling of high muscle tension in the area of the spine, there is also excessive pressure on the back and back pain. One may get the impression that one is lying on a board, not on a mattress.

We can also check the firmness of the mattress by performing a simple experiment:

We lie on our back. We put an open hand under the lumbar region of the spine. If it slides in there without problems, leaving even a little slack, the mattress is too hard. If it goes in with a lot of trouble or is unable to slide in at all, the mattress is too soft. If it enters with slight resistance, fits well into the space between the mattress and the back, and slides out without any trouble, the mattress has the right firmness.

Mattress firmness zones

Mattress firmnesszones (a.k.a. mattress comfort zones) is a parameter that allows you to perfectly match the mattress to the shape of your body. A zone of firmness is called a section of the mattress distinguished by a given level of firmness. These zones are distributed over the entire plane of the mattress. Some of them have a lower degree of firmness, others have a higher degree, depending on the part of the body they are designed to support. We are built in such a way that some areas of the body are heavier, exert more pressure on the ground while lying down and therefore should be firmer.therefore should be supported more strongly, while others are lighter, exert less pressure and should be supported with less force.

For example, the calves and ankles require weaker support than the back and shoulders. Such a zoned hardness mattress, reflecting our anatomical structure, perfectly protects the spine from distortion and instability during sleep.

Sleep mattresses are either single-zone or divided into 3, 5 or 7 hardness zones. The 7-zone division is the most precise and most accurately reflects our anatomical shapes. 7-zone mattresses are also becoming increasingly popular among healthy sleep enthusiasts.

The 7 zones of firmness used in many mattress models are:

• head zone,
• shoulder zone,
• lumbar zone,
• hip and sacral zone,
• thigh zone,
• calf zone,
• foot zone.

How to choose a mattress for the bed?

A good mattress with the right degree of firmness provides full comfort for a restful night’s sleep, but not only its characteristics are important, but also its dimensions. It is worth matching the mattress to the bed so that it fits perfectly into the frame. It should be neither narrower nor wider, shorter or longer than it. If it is ill-fitting, it can move us at night and spoil the comfort of our rest. The mattress should also have the right height. It should be neither too deep nor too shallow located on the frame.

When choosing a mattress, it is also worth reaching for models at least 15-20 cm longer than the user’s height. The whole body should fit comfortably on the bed. When the lower limbs protrude beyond the bed frame, it interferes with the comfort of resting.

How to choose a mattress for two?

A mattress for a couple should be wide enough so that each person has his own resting zone and feels completely comfortable. While sleeping, each of us changes positions, turns from side to side, makes movements with our limbs. When the mattress is too small and individuals are located too close to each other, they can disturb each other and interfere with each other’s rest.

The width of a mattress for a couple should be at least 140 cm. However, in practice, 160 cm or 180 cm mattresses work better.

How to choose a mattress cover?

A mattress cover is a useful and practical element in our bedroom equipment. It helps keep the mattress clean and improves the ventilation of the mattress. It protects against moisture, dust mites, fungi, microbes and extends the life of the mattress. Some covers have an additional layer of high-flexible foam sewn in to increase sleeping comfort. Such a cover with a layer of foam under the influence of temperature and pressure adapts to the shape of the body, taking into account its natural curves. In this way it provides the spine with optimal support.

Mattress covers are available for sale both separately and as a set together with mattresses. How to choose a good mattress cover? First of all, the cover should be made of durable and resistant, and on the other hand nice to the touch and skin-friendly materials. It should also be equipped with a zipper for easy and quick removal and attachment. What’s more, for hygienic reasons, it’s a good idea to choose machine-washable covers.

What else is important for good quality sleep besides a mattress?

Choosing the right mattress is not everything. Sleep comfort is also influenced by other factors, such as the conditions in the bedroom (e.g. temperature, humidity and air cleanliness, darkness), the position in which we sleep or the type of pillow. An extremely useful bedroom accessory, increasing the quality of sleep and making it easier to fall asleep, is a weighted quilt. It has recently enjoyed great popularity, especially among stressed people and those struggling with heavy mental strain and sleep problems.

Types of mattresses. Foam or spring mattress, or maybe another?

Among the popular mattresses for sleeping you will find both models made of plastic (polyurethane foam, thermoelastic foam, latex) and models with filling made of natural materials (seagrasses, bamboo, coconut shells). There are also available mattresses based on traditional spring construction.

Which type of mattress is the best, and which is the most popular? Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. Undoubtedly, it is worth knowing their characteristics first, and only then make a decision.

In terms of customer interest, foam mattresses have been the most popular for several years. There is growing interest in pocket mattresses and latex mattresses. Mattresses with natural fillings (e.g. seagrass, bamboo, mustard) are of medium interest. On the other hand, the classic spring mattress is a product that is slowly receding into the background.

Latex mattress

Latex mattresses are made either entirely of natural rubber or a mixture of synthetic and natural rubber. They are breathable mattresses, do not collect dust, and do not collect microorganisms or dust mites, so they are often the choice of allergy sufferers. Latex mattress is characterized by high elasticity, high resistance to deformation and great ventilation. It adapts well to the shape of the body, provides the spine with proper support.

Foam mattress

Foam mattresses are the most popular type of mattresses for sleeping. They are inexpensive, versatile, durable, hygienic, anti-allergenic and usually long-lasting. Well-chosen in terms of firmness, foam mattresses provide high elasticity, no sinking effect, good support for the whole body and great sleeping comfort.

Foam mattresses are usually made of standard polyurethane foam or polyurethane foam with increased density, resilience and strength (known as high-elastic foam). There are also mattresses made of thermoelastic foam, or so-called memory foam, which “remembers” the shape of our body, giving a wrapping effect and providing high comfort.

Pocket mattress

Pocket mattresses combine the advantages of traditional spring mattresses and modern foam mattresses. They feature special fabric pockets, and small springs are located inside them. Pocket mattresses are hygienic and healthy. They have good ventilation, anti-bacterial and anti-allergic properties. They are characterized by high strength and durability, and therefore long life. They are springy, very comfortable and pleasant to use. After lying down, they give a feeling of gentle undulation. At the same time, they adapt well to the figure and protect the spine from deformation.

Coconut mattress

Among mattresses with natural filling, coconut mattresses lead the way. They will work especially well for those who prefer a firmer sleeping surface. How is a coconut mattress constructed? In general, under this name are all popular types of mattresses (foam, spring, latex and pocket) with additional coconut spacers installed. Such a divider made of compressed coconut shells can be a thicker insert or just a thin mat. The role of the coconut spacer is to harden and stiffen the mattress, as well as improve ventilation inside.

Read also: Sleeping position

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