The Mattress Buyer's Guide to a Good Night's Sleep

Your back hurts everyday when you wake up, or your arm is numb and your neck has a kink the size of Dallas/Fort Worth Airport. Either way, you realize that your mattress has seen better days, and it's now time to put her out to pasture and buy a new one. But what type of mattress do you choose? There are so many! You walk into your local mattress outlet and see; firm, plush, pillow top, euro top, memory foam, deluxe plush, spring air, individually wrapped coils......Aaagghhh!!! It's enough to send you running out of the store and back to your sagging, back-breaking old mattress simply because you are already acquainted with each other.

Let us break it down into parts that help, not hinder you so that you, the consumer, can purchase the best mattress for you. After all, your mattress is a commitment that will last longer than most people's relationships, right?

First, ask yourself if you sleep mostly on your back or do you roll often to your sides? For those who sleep primarily on their backs or stomachs, a firm mattress could work out very well. Also, take into consideration your age and physical health. Do you suffer from any conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, asthma, etc? Diabetics should seek a cushioned mattress with either a pillow top, or high density or memory foam euro top to help prevent bed sores. Those younger and spryer than others could get away with a simple firm mattress with either springs or individually wrapped coils, or spring air.

The difference between springs and individually wrapped coils is that on a spring mattress, if you sleep next to another, the other person will feel the mattress dip and rise every time you roll over. On an individually wrapped coil system mattress, this does not occur. And spring air is similar to an air mattress that has spring coils also. The level of air in the mattress determines the firmness.

Plush mattresses are firm mattresses with either a pillow top or euro top. Pillow top mattresses offer pillow-like material on top of the mattress in an attached cover. Pillow top mattresses help ease pressure along those points of your body that take the greatest amount of your weight when reclining. Pillow tops sink down and can become flattened after long use. Thus, this takes away the pillow's ability to properly cushion your body. Depending on the individual, this may not be a good investment.

Euro tops can be filled with either high density or memory foam. Think of high density as the regular foam for which you are already familiar with, but denser. High density foam tops are better for those who sleep as much on their sides as they do their backs. The foam relieves pressure on your back, shoulder's, and hips by sinking down where it needs to and staying firm in areas of lesser weight. Memory foam performs this same task, but on an even more comfortable surface than the high density. It responds to the heat of your body and always maintains its original shape once you leave the bed. If you suffer from Diabetes or any form of Arthritis, a high density or memory foam mattress (whether it is the whole mattress or euro top mattress which is a half mattress, half memory foam topped mattress) is my personal recommendation. Having been through double hip and double knee replacements myself, I can tell you the memory foam (my personal favorite) is the best of the best when it comes to relieving stress to the lower back and stiff neck problems from sleeping on a surface that doesn't line up your spine and cushion the body's pressure points properly. Memory foam mattresses or mattresses with a memory foam topper must be rotated (not flipped) often to keep the wear even, allowing the foam to bounce back.

Memory foam mattresses, by the way, came to us by way of Nasa. Scientists were trying to find a material that could cushion the astronauts and still maintain its viscosity. The heat sensitive material was developed by Swedish scientists. Somewhere along the line, someone (perhaps one of the astronauts) thought it would be a good idea to make mattresses with this material, and a new consumer product was born!

If you can afford the $2,000- and up price for a Tempurpedic (memory foam) mattress, definitely purchase one. (Memory foam is a product made from oil and its price is determined by our rising oil and gas prices at this time). They do come with a hypoallergenic mattress cover and a 20 year warranty. There is no other mattress out there with such a long warranty as Tempurpedic. However, if you are holding onto every penny you can due to the state of our economy (and who can blame you!), then there are alternatives that are much kinder to your wallet.

Denver Mattress Company (found in all Furniture Row Outlets or online) offer a mattress called The Richmond. This mattress has the individually wrapped coil system and is topped by an attached, two inch thick, visco-elastic memory foam. It's heaven. You can't even tell a difference really between it and a solid memory foam mattress. They come in Queen and King only and the jumping off price for the set (mattress and box spring) is $849.

(http://www.denvermattress.com/products_1-44-0-0-0-100-0-0.htm)

Now, if you feel you absolutely must have a full memory foam mattress (which could easily happen after you've lain upon one for the first time), a less expensive alternative than Tempurpedic does exist! Walmart.com offers a Spa Sensations Theratouch Memory foam mattress in both an 8" thickness and also a 12". It too is made with a combination of high density and heat sensitive memory foam. You can order this mattress online and have it delivered at no cost to the store nearest you where you can pick it up. It comes rolled up and packed inside a box so when you get it home, let it unwind and lay out for about three days before putting on your bed. (You will need a very sturdy box spring beneath it or will need to place it upon a platform bed). The price range, depending on size, is $359.98 - $512.98 for the mattress only.

(http://www.denvermattress.com/products_1-44-0-0-0-100-0-0.htm)

No matter what you decide to purchase, make sure it's what you want. A mattress is an investment into a great night's sleep, something we all should have without paying for it with aches and pains the next day.

Remember to consider age, health, and preferred sleep position when deciding upon a new mattress. Test it out! Lay on it for a little while. See how you feel after about 15 minutes. Make sure to rotate yourself from back to sides when testing to judge how well you might sleep on a particular mattress. Many stores offer a 30-day money back guarantee. Usually, you can tell after a couple of nights if you and your mattress will make it as a couple or will need to part ways and seek out another. Here's hoping you find a good night's sleep!