How to Buy a Mattress

Everyone wants to enjoy quality sleep at night. Getting a good night's sleep sets you up for a productive day and contributes greatly to your health. Amidst the discussion of sleep supplements and clean sleeping habits, don't forget that your mattress plays a key role in the quality of your sleep. There are plenty of areas in life where we make compromises, but your mattress shouldn't be one of them.

Over a third of Americans plan to shop for a new mattress within the next two years. There are lots of reasons to shop for a new mattress. Whatever your reason for looking for a new mattress, you want to approach mattress shopping with as much knowledge as possible so you can find the perfect mattress that will help you wake up feeling refreshed. Being an informed shopper is critical if you want to make the best selection for your personal needs.

In this article, we're going to cover all of the basics you need to know, so you'll feel like an expert when you start the journey to find your perfect mattress in South-central Pennsylvania.

QUICK LINKS:

Bed Buying Tips | Look for the Right Balance of Support and Comfort | Know the Size You Want | Create a Budget | Shop at a Store With Experts | Mattress Types | Innerspring | Memory Foam | Hybrid | Testing Mattresses | Testing In-Store | Wear-In Time at Home | Mattress Warranties | Shop at Davids to Find the Perfect Mattress for You in Pennsylvania

Bed Buying Tips

Mattress shopping can be overwhelming at times, so let's start with four general tips that should guide anyone in the market for a new mattress. These tips can give you a solid starting point before you ever set foot in the store to help you find the best mattress for you.

1. Look for the Right Balance of Support and Comfort

Since most people spend about a third of their lives on their mattress, your mattress can either alleviate or worsen body aches or pains you experience. Lower back pain tends to be one of the most common issues people want their mattress to help with. In the past, the prevailing thought was that the firmer the mattress, the better it was for supporting your back and preventing pain. However, more recent studies have shed new light on the topic.

One study found that a medium-firm mattress did a better job than a firm mattress at improving subjects' low-back pain. An expert from Spine-Health explains that a medium-firm mattress might be best because it offers enough give for your shoulders and hips to sink in slightly. The key is to find a mattress that offers enough firmness to support your whole body with enough softness to alleviate pressure points. Since our bodies and preferences are all different, you should choose a mattress that feels the most supportive and comfortable to you. There isn't one right answer for everyone.

2. Know the Size You Want

You'll also want to know what size mattress you're looking for. You may already know exactly what size you need if you're replacing a mattress and want to keep the same size. For most people, this means they are looking for another queen size. However, there are many size options to consider, especially if you're moving into a new space. Not sure where to start? Consider who is sleeping in the bed and the size of the room it will go into.

If you sleep alone, you may want to consider a twin or full bed, which measure 38"x75" and 53"x75" respectively. If you sleep with a partner, even if that partner is a furry friend, then a full size, also sometimes called a double bed, is still an option, though most people opt for either queen or king size.

A queen size is the most common and measures 60"x80". Home Guides recommends that a bedroom should be at least 10'x10' to accommodate a queen-size bed comfortably. The minimum room size for a queen bed can be smaller if you opt for a minimalistic design. A king size is the same length as a queen but is 16 inches wider, so it requires a larger room. A California king is narrower and longer at 72"x84". The minimum room size for a king bed should be closer to 12'x12'.

3. Create a Budget

Mattresses come in a wide range of price points, so it's helpful to have an idea of what you'd like to spend so you don't feel too overwhelmed. You may want to eliminate lower-end mattresses with lower price points if you're looking for a more luxurious and made-to-last option. Even if you do this, you don't have to spend an exorbitant amount of money to have a quality mattress.

Features like adjustable bases, cooling gel or pillow tops will add to the price tag, but you shouldn't hesitate to spend a little extra if these features will help you enjoy a better night's sleep. Remember, buying a mattress is not the area where you want to compromise. Spend as much as you need to in order to get a mattress you love and that you can keep loving for a long time before you start the mattress shopping journey over again.

4. Shop at a Store With Experts

Though this article should help you feel more informed when you walk into a mattress or furniture store in Pennsylvania, it's still helpful to shop at a store where the employees are experts and can help you find the right mattress for you. The knowledge you gain reading this article should give you a great place to start so you can tell a staff member what features you're looking for.

More and more people are shopping online for mattresses, which can be convenient if you already know exactly what you want, but in most cases, you're far better off to shop in a brick-and-mortar store where experts can assist you. It's best if the store carries a few different major mattress brands. Don't hesitate to ask employees what mattress they sleep on and whether they have any personal recommendations to offer.

Mattress Types

Now that you know some basic tips to guide you through the mattress shopping process, let's take a moment to focus on mattress types. Mattresses don't just come in different sizes and levels of firmness or softness. Today, there are several kinds of mattresses that rely on different materials to support and comfort your body. Choosing the right type is largely a matter of preference, so be sure to try lying on mattresses of each type.

At Davids Furniture, we carry quality options in three types of mattresses — innerspring, memory foam and hybrid. Let's look at each of these types to see what sets them apart:

1. Innerspring

Innerspring mattresses are the most traditional and most commonly purchased mattress type. They also tend to be more affordable than memory foam or hybrid mattresses. Innerspring mattresses contain metal coils that give the mattress a bouncy feel. Depending on the mattress, these coils may be wrapped in layers of gel or other material for comfort. For many people, a high-quality innerspring mattress delivers on their expectation of what a great mattress should feel like. However, they usually don't last as long as other types.

2. Memory Foam

First invented in the 1970s for NASA airplane seats, memory foam has become an increasingly popular material for mattresses. It's designed to respond to heat and pressure, so it molds itself perfectly to the curvature of your body and evenly distributes your weight. Sleepers who change positions frequently throughout the night may not like this fact, but it can be a major advantage if you want to support and cushion your joints and muscles effectively. These mattresses can sleep hotter than others, but cooling options like Tempur-Pedic's Tempur-breeze line offer the perfect solution.

3. Hybrid

If you like some of the aspects of innerspring mattresses and some of the aspects of memory foam, then you may want to consider a hybrid of the two. Hybrid mattresses are comprised of a more traditional innerspring mattress topped with a foam overlay. The ratio of innerspring to foam will differ from model to model. Keep in mind that not all hybrids offer the same great combination of innerspring and foam. Some lower-end options may end up giving you the worst of both worlds rather than the best.

Testing Mattresses

You may be able to pick out many other types of furniture based only on their appearance, but that is far from the case when it comes to your mattress. Part of mattress shopping is the upfront research, but another substantial part is actually testing out mattresses to see how they feel.

The first round of testing should occur in the store when you're trying to settle on which mattress feels best and offers the features you're looking for. Once you've purchased a bed, you should also have the opportunity to sleep on it at home and determine whether you're fully satisfied with it or want to return it.

1. Testing In-Store

We talked about shopping in a store so you can draw on the expertise of the staff. Another advantage of shopping in a brick-and-mortar store is that you can test out mattresses you're considering. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you can slip off since this can help you have a better idea of how a mattress will really feel when you're lying down to sleep at night. Most of us are used to lying down on a mattress before we buy it, but you may not remain lying down for long enough. After all, it can feel a bit awkward, and no one wants to fall asleep inadvertently in the store.

However, employees who are well-versed in mattresses should understand that a quick lie-down isn't enough to make an informed decision and should make you feel perfectly comfortable taking your time. Consumer Reports recommends you lie down for at least five to 10 minutes in each position — both sides and back — to get an accurate idea of a mattress. If you sometimes sleep on your stomach, try this position, as well. For more information on sleep positions, look over our mattress recommendations for every sleep position.

2. Wear-In Time at Home

Even a more thorough lie-down in the store can only tell you so much. Considering the significant impact a mattress can have on your overall health, it's not a decision you should have to make in haste. That’s why mattress dealers often allow for a trial period, where you can try your mattress at home and see first-hand how it's impacting the quality of your sleep.

Close to half of retailers even require you to keep your mattress for a certain amount of time to ensure you make an informed decision. However, Consumer Reports found that a person's first impression of a mattress after sleeping on it for one night tended to remain unchanged after a month-long trial. Even if you have to pay a restocking fee, don't hesitate to return a mattress you're dissatisfied with. The right mattress for you is out there, so you shouldn't settle for one you don't love.

Mattress Warranties

When you invest in a new mattress, you want to know how long you can expect to last, and you're probably hoping that will be a long time. Typically, memory foam mattresses last for a whole decade, but other types won't last quite this long. Innerspring mattresses usually last for eight, and hybrid mattresses usually last for six years.

Davids Furniture carries three quality mattress brands that all offer a limited warranty on their mattresses. Both Tempur-Pedic and Stearns & Foster mattresses come with a 10-year limited warranty. A Sealy mattress warranty depends on the particular product. Warranties are designated with two numbers divided by a slash. The second number identifies the length of the warranty, in years, and the first number tells you how long you can take advantage of your warranty without paying a deductible.

You can void your warranty by removing the tag that says "Do not remove under penalty of law," by staining the mattresses with a spill or by not supporting your mattress with an appropriate box-spring or base. Make sure you look over the details of your mattress warranty so you know how to properly care for your mattress and keep from voiding the warranty.

If you want to maximize the life of your mattress, follow our tips on how to make your mattress last:

• Avoid eating or drinking in your bed.
• Cover your mattress with a mattress protector, especially if you like snacking or drinking in bed.
• Vacuum your mattress every few months and spot clean with soap and water as needed.
• Don't jump up and down on the bed.
• Invest in a good bed frame that will properly support your mattress.
• Rotate your mattress periodically to distribute wear evenly.

Shop at Davids to Find the Perfect Mattress for You in Pennsylvania

For a low-pressure mattress shopping experience, complete with a wealth of knowledge from our experts, come to Davids Furniture & Interiors. You can browse through the mattresses we carry online, which include innerspring, hybrid and memory foam options from Tempur-Pedic, Sealy and Stearns & Foster.

Davids Furniture offers the best mattress models to meet your needs, and we can help you furnish your bedroom with the perfect bed frame, headboard and more. At Davids Furniture & Interiors, we can provide for all of your furniture and interior design needs in south-central Pennsylvania. Visit one of our four showrooms today and let us help you shop for your next mattress, so you can rest easy, knowing you've chosen the best option for you.