Perfect Match: A Guide to Picking Out the Right Mattress for You

Moving out of the dorms and getting your own place is one of the most exciting ventures of young adulthood.  Finally you get perks like hanging real pictures on the walls and not having to share a bathroom with the whole floor.  …But setting up home in your own apartment or house comes with its own set of challenges, too.  Like furnishing the place.  How could you have taken that drab, university-provided furniture for granted?!  While hand-me-down and thrifted furniture will at least give you a spot to take a seat, one of the most important purchases you’ll make is the spot where you sleep.  Your mattress isn’t something you’ll want to skimp on.  Find one on the curb or secondhand shop? Hello, bed bugs!  Your great aunt so generously offers you the lumpy spare from her attic?  Be prepared for nights of tossing and turning… not to mention dust-induced sneezing.

Selecting and purchasing your mattress is an investment.  Your bed is where you’ll spend most of your nights.  It’s where you’re going to lounge around lazily on weekend mornings and hibernate on sick days.  It might be where you cuddle up with a significant other or snuggle up with your beloved furry canine or feline.  You may spend a lot of time reading, watching tv, or web surfing on this mattress.  Not to mention… who wants to have a breakfast in an uncomfortable bed?

It’s difficult to know where to begin when picking out your mattress.  But knowing some basic terms and concepts will get you on your way to the perfect slumber spot.

Above: Pocket sprung mattress.

Pocket sprung mattresses are mattresses in which each spring is individually wrapped up in a material pocket.  Unlike mattresses with open coils, the springs in these mattresses work independently.  So the springs only react to the pressure that’s directly applied to that specific spring.  What’s that mean for you?  More comfort and support.  Plus, this style of mattress helps to prevent “rolling together” if you share the bed with a partner.

A coil sprung mattress is a more budget-friendly option that supplies great support.  Since these have been manufactured since the Nineteenth Century and remained popular ever since, you’re probably familiar with them.  Besides coil and spring mattresses, there are several foam varieties.  Memory foam (developed by NASA engineers) reacts to your body’s heat and contours to your body’s shape.  Reflex foam (or polyurethane foam) is similar to memory foam but has a firmer feel and denser structure.  Newer on the market, latex foam molds to your body much like memory foam does, but doesn’t need the body heat to do so.  

Mattresses can come in different combinations of foam as well as combinations of foam with springs or coils.  Different combinations suit different sleepers, so you’re sure to find something to meet your sleeping needs.  For example, if you’re prone to overheating at night you’ll want to go with a latex foam rather than the heat-retaining memory foam.  Or vice versa if you like to stay warm and cozy!  (Read up on thefull explanations and descriptions of the different combinations available.)

Material makeup may be the most important thing to consider when it comes to ensuring your mattress is a comfortable one, but another crucial factor is size.  Several years in the dorm may have brainwashed you into thinking that the skinny little twin-sized cot was just right.  But chances are, you'll feel better being able to stretch out in something bigger.  However, you may want to re-think springing for that king-size bed if it won't actually fit into your new bedroom.  Your safest bet is probably to go with a double mattress.  A double mattress is large enough for two and fits into most rooms without taking up all the space of a king-size. 

Once you've figured out whether you like springs or foam or both, soft or firm or in-between, and what fits into your apartment space... you're ready to take the plunge and pick out your mattress.  You're sure to find your perfect match of a mattress at Wedo Mattresses, an online mattress retailer that offers free delivery and a 7 Day Returns Policy.