You will spend 1/3 of your life sleeping, on average, don’t you want to provide your body with the best sleep surface that your budget will allow?
I’d have to say that “What type of mattress do you recommend?” is one of the most common questions I’m asked as a chiropractor. I’m usually hesitant to answer, because this is a big investment that involves personal preference and individual comfort, which is sure to be different for everyone. (And I really don’t want people blaming me for the new mattress they later hate.) I’m also leery to give my two cents because no expert, professor or even mattress manufacturer took me aside in chiropractic college to school me on the art of buying the perfect mattress. Having said that, after 14 years as a chiropractor, I’m ready to share my best advice here on the Crossroads blog.
- Start with the flyers and go when there is a sale. Many mattress stores will offer great deals on odd-ball holidays like Memorial Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day and Veteran’s Day. I personally bought my last mattress with a great deal on Columbus Day weekend in 2008 (and I still love it!). And don’t hesitate to haggle. It’s worth a try, and most big-name stores have wiggle room.
- Bring your own pillow (yes, that favorite chiropractically-correct pillow) with you to the store. You may want to trade in your Sponge-bob-square pants pillow case for a more neutral option to avoid embarrassment – Just a friendly suggestion.
- At the store, start with the fanciest, most expensive mattresses FIRST. Then work your way down the models until you find where your comfort becomes compromised. Chances are, you will find a mid-range mattress that is just right for you and your partner.
- Be sure you lay down on each mattress for at least 10-15 minutes! If the salesperson is rushing you off a mattress or making you feel pressured, awkward or uncomfortable, LEAVE and go shop at another store.
- My advice is to go firm. Go a bit firmer than you think you want to. There are two reasons I say this: First, the bed will no doubt “break-in” eventually. If you buy it in “perfect softness,” it is likely to be too soft 6 to 12 months down the road. Second, you can always make a mattress softer by adding a memory foam topper, but you can NEVER make a too-soft mattress firmer. Trust me. Plywood under a soft mattress only does so much.
- If you and your partner disagree on what feels comfy, try a Sleep-Number (air filled mattress) style. This allows you each to select your own firmness, and better yet, you can each vary night to night if you choose. Depending on what’s going on with your spine and body, you may want a firmer or softer support on a given night. I personally use this type of mattress and have been really happy with it.
- I don’t recommend memory foam style beds at all. Some people rave about them. However, when I talk to people who have owned them for five years or more, most wish they had never invested in it. I’ve heard time and time again that they don’t last as long as the commercials say. Besides, I think the original commercials claimed that memory foam technology was invented for astronauts and the last time I checked my bed is subject to the laws of gravity.
- No matter what type of mattress you decide to purchase, be sure that it has a 10 year warranty from the manufacturer and a 30 to 60 day comfort guarantee from the store. You’ll never know if it’s right for you until you’ve slept on it for a week or two. Pay careful attention to your first few weeks with your new mattress. If you’re tossing and turning, waking up sore or stiff or grouchy in the morning, you may need to take advantage of the comfort guarantee and trade to another model. And five years down the road if you have an imprint of your body in your mattress, call in that manufacturer’s warranty!
- Lastly, good luck! The task of mattress shopping is a whopper, and the consequences of choosing poorly can be disastrous to your spine, and maybe to your marriage too.
In Health (and happy shopping!),
Dr. Stephanie