An ode to better sleep
By Morgan Hannah, Life & Style Editor
Are your back and arms in pain frequently? Are you wheezing during the night? Do you sag into the mattress? If any of these ring a bell, itâs time to get a new mattress.
I love my bed. I may have an unhealthy obsession with my bed, but before you go off and imagine all sorts of inappropriate things, let me explain. And make sure to get your head out of the gutter.
I picked out a new mattress not too long ago, and while I was at it, I got new pillows, a duvet, and some nice new sheetsâand it has made a whole world of difference! I sleep so much better and I cannot wait to go to sleep some nights. You see, itâs important to replace your mattress every six to eight years, under normal circumstances. Of course, this is more of a guideline and not a one-size-fits-all rule.
According to the National Post, a new mattress can help relieve barriers to getting a healthy nightâs sleep, such as changes in body temperature, proper body alignment, and support. Jeremiah Curvers, the co-founder and CEO of Polysleep, emphasizes the importance of replacing an old deteriorating mattress (even one that doesnât look like itâs ready for a lonely life of leaning up against a dumpster) by stating âour bodies evolved over time to alert us to sudden changes in temperature while weâre sleeping [âŚ] if you have a mattress that doesnât provide enough aeration [âŚ] the heat wonât dissipate properly and itâll wake you up while youâre sleepingâeven if you donât realize itâto change positions multiple times during the night.â
Whether youâre someone who suffers from any kind of back pain, or have to sacrifice a limb to the monsters over the side of the bed simply because youâre just too warm, or you need a little more support in lifeâthere are ways of determining if you need a new mattress. If you happen to be who Iâm talking about, there are some even more exciting ways of picking out a new one! This article will introduce you to both.
How do you know when you need a new mattress? Well, do you wake up feeling older than you are? Are your back and arms in pain frequently? Are you wheezing during the night? Do you sag into the mattress? If any of these ring a bell, itâs time to get a new mattress. One of the main signs that itâs the right time to change your mattress is when you regularly get a bad nightâs sleep. Heck, you could have coil damage! Whatâs that? Your mattress comes with a 20-year warranty? Really? You think a mattress is going to support a person for 20 years? You need to know that the warranty is meant to cover certain parts of a mattress such as springs and workmanship and does not guarantee a mattressâ overall comfort! The longevity of a mattress depends on how much wear and tear you subject it to, as well as the quality of its parts. Memory foam and latex mattresses claim to last up to 15 years, which is much longer than a typical innerspring one, according to CreditDonkey. But the fact is most mattresses are no longer good after 10 years. Except for pillow topâthose only last for seven years (donât get pillow top unless youâre dedicated to rotating your mattress monthly).
You may have been mattress shopping before and found it to be a combination of a lot of trial and error, but thatâs simply because you arenât aware of the proper way to pick out a great mattress! You see, mattresses arenât meant to withstand the test of time, theyâre meant to be used! So, picking out a good one means simply that you have to use them. And Iâm not talking about getting freaky on the foam or falling asleep, I mean take the advertisements at their word! If a company claims their mattress will not spill a full glass of wine no matter how hard you flop and slap the mattress with your sick dance moves and whale impressions (as featured in the movie Yes Man, starring Jim Carrey), then I say break out those moves! Fill up a glass of something less lethal as red wine on a white mattress, and flop away! If the mattress youâre thinking of boasts a memory foam layer, or that itâs firmer than your backside, line it up with the competitionâliterallyâand roll across them all! Take note of how each mattress felt as your tucked and rolling body made contact. But try not to jump on the bed as this can cause wear and tear.
Now, may you too develop an unhealthy obsession with your bed (not like that).
