If you often feel sleepy during the day, or notice that you wake up frequently during the night, your mattress may be to blame. Mattresses can affect the quality of your sleep, and the right mattress can make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.
You will sleep better on the right mattress – Photo: planetchopstick
First and foremost, a comfortable mattress will simply allow you to sleep better. If you find that you’re stiff and sore when you wake up, you’re definitely sleeping on the wrong mattress. A mattress that’s too soft or too firm can cause soreness, and so can a mattress that’s too old and needs to be replaced. On the other hand, if you feel comfortable in your mattress, you’re likely to fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly through the night.
So, what exactly causes you to wake up stiff, sore, or tired? When you lay down to go to sleep, you’re putting pressure on certain points in your body. This reduces the blood flow into these parts of your body and causes numbness and pain, which sends signals to your brain that you need to move or roll over. Each time you roll over, you’re interrupting your sleep and preventing yourself from getting a good, restful night of sleep.
The best way to prevent this tossing and turning is to get a mattress that reduces the pressure points on your body. This allows for even pressure across your whole body, so your blood flows easily and you don’t wake up during the night.
Of course, figuring out which mattress will actually help you sleep best is tricky. Your sleeping position and the way your body is built change where your pressure points are, so everyone needs a different kind of mattress for the best sleep. Some people prefer a firmer mattress, while others sleep better on a softer mattress. There are disagreements over which type of mattress is best. Some prefer memory foam while other prefer spring mattresses, for example. Try lying on different types of mattresses for 20-30 minutes and see how your body feels. If you feel pressure on your shoulders, back, or neck, the mattress you’re on isn’t right for you.
The age of your mattress also plays an important role in how well you sleep. After about 8-10 years, mattresses lose their original firmness and start to wear out and sag. This means the mattress won’t support your body as well as it used to, causing discomfort and interrupted sleep. If your mattress is older than 10 years, you need to purchase a new one. You may be surprised at all the new options out there if you haven’t gone mattress-hunting in a decade.
Lastly, if you’re not sleeping comfortably on your mattress, make sure you have the right foundation or box springs. Do a little research on the type of mattress you sleep on and see what foundation is recommended. Make sure you’re replacing your foundation as often as you replace your mattress. A brand-new mattress won’t help you sleep right if it’s sitting on the wrong foundation.
