Mattress Buying Dos and Don’ts According to the Experts
June 3, 2021
Buying a mattress is something many people give very little significance to. As it turns out, that’s not the most optimal way of going about purchasing a new mattress. The quality of the mattress you sleep on can affect a lot more than just your comfort.
A mattress that doesn’t fit your preferences can even cause health issues down the road. Because of that, you should understand the basic dos and don’ts of mattress buying!
DO Consult Your Physician
Buying a mattress can be a difficult decision for a healthy person, let alone someone who is suffering back or neck issues. If you identify yourself with the latter group, it would probably be best that you consult your doctor before you order a mattress. Depending on the condition you’re dealing with, certain types of mattresses may actually make the problem worse. That’s counterproductive considering the importance of sleep.
By consulting your physician, you’ll have a rough idea of what to avoid in terms of mattress stiffness, design, and more.
DO Try Different Types
When buying a new mattress, people generally tend to focus on the size of the mattress, or how well it fits their existing interior design. All of this should come in a distant second place to you understanding what type of mattress works the best for your needs. There is a common misconception out there that a super soft mattress is better than a very stiff one, or vice versa.
Some people need one or the other to sleep at all, but that doesn’t mean that both will work for you. And this helpful page has plenty of info on how to choose the right mattress. Because of that, you should begin shopping with this important bit of information already known!
DO Look for Quality
They say that you should always look for quality in everything that separates you from the ground. This includes the tires on your car, the shoes on your feet, but also the mattress you sleep on. It’s understandable to get a mattress that fits your budget, even if it’s a challenging one. However, you’d be surprised how many people go shopping for a mattress with the idea of spending the least amount of money possible.
Cheap mattresses are cheap for a reason. That doesn’t mean they are inherently bad right off the bat, but more often than not you’ll find them difficult to sleep on. Sleeping issues cause all kinds of other issues, such as low performance at work. In other cases, even if they’re comfortable, they won’t be after a few months or a year of use.
DO Test the Mattress If Possible
Mattresses are like shoes — you have to try them on to figure out if they’re a good fit or not. As you might expect, this complicates things. You either have to go to your local store and try out various mattresses, or you need to figure out another way to gain valuable information on how a mattress feels in use. Shopping for mattresses online is a great way to score awesome deals, but you have to be extra careful.
The best thing you can do is learn what your preferences are, do your research regarding the type of mattress that you’d be interested in getting, and then do your best to match your wishes with your preferences. All things considered, this could be a trial and error process, but at the end of the day, it’s imperative that you find something that you truly find comfortable.
DON’T Rush Your Decision
Rushing a decision isn’t a good thing, no matter what that decision is about. It’s definitely not a good thing if that decision is about finding a bed that you’ll be sleeping on for years to come. It’s redundant to say that mattresses aren’t cheap. You’re paying top dollar for a piece of furniture. It’s an investment just like any other. If you wouldn’t rush into buying a car, why rush into purchasing a mattress?
Take your time and be methodical in figuring out every piece of the puzzle. It’s key that you cover all of your bases so that you don’t have to worry about having any awkward situations down the road.
DON’T Buy the Hype
The mattress industry is an extremely lucrative one and many businesses involved understand this. You’ll often run into a marketing campaign that is hyping up a specific new technology or a new feature of some company’s mattress. While there could very well be numerous benefits to that product, it’s essential, and we can’t emphasize this enough, that you don’t simply buy the hype.
Again, do your research and dig deep behind any marketing campaign. There are plenty of instances where mattress manufacturers are simply repackaging an old product, sprinkling fresh aesthetics over it, and selling it as a revolutionary new product. Just like in any industry out there, and aware buyer is a smart buyer. Be aware of the hype and its effects!
DON’T Get Ignore the Warranty
It’s a mattress, right? What’s there to break? Mattresses, just like any other product on the market, can be defective. These defects don’t have to be immediately obvious, either. You can have a situation where a mattress is perfectly good for the first few weeks of use, only for its core components to break down due to bad quality control or something else.
There is a reason why mattress manufacturers offer extended warranties on their products, and you should definitely take advantage of that. Whenever you’re shopping for a mattress, make sure to check the warranty information and beware of short warranty periods. A mattress should last you at least several years, if not more. Make sure that the warranty matches that timeframe as well.
Be Conscious
At the end of the day, finding the perfect mattress comes down to being conscious of all the little things that go into this process. Once you have all the information available, you’ll find that pieces fall into place more or less on their own. This guide should set you on the right path and allow you to make an educated decision based on facts.