Even a simple online search will deliver many criteria for choosing a new mattress. From questionnaires and quizzes to checklists of medical symptoms, buying guides abound…and often cause more confusion than clarity. But even the most durable mattress can wear out over time, which means it is time to go shopping for a new mattress.
In this post, learn how to choose a great new mattress and maintain it so you won’t have to buy another one for a very long time!
Science Says Mattresses Matter
Ninety percent of sleep survey respondents give their mattress priority placement in providing them with excellent sleep.
Luckily, today’s modern mattresses have come a long way from their earliest ancestors, which were typically made from piled grasses topped with animal skins (and probably produced as many sneezes as they did zzz’s).
Mattress science understands that allergies are a big concern in getting high-quality rest, and there is a way to tell whether your mattress is likely to contribute to or alleviate your issues with allergies. What you want to do is look at the mattress composition (on the attached label or the product specification sheet).
Look for these words:
- Hypoallergenic
- Natural fibers (cotton, latex, wool, bamboo, hemp)
- Allergy barrier
- Organic
- Free of synthetics
- Toxin-free
- Coil/spring free design
- Memory foam
Steer clear of any mattress with pillowy, quilted, or cushiony tops, since these are ideal places mites can dig in and nest.
Other Mattress Selection Criteria
While reducing allergies is definitely a priority for most sleepers when choosing a mattress, ergonomic comfort is equally so. You may want to try out several mattresses by “sleeping” on them for 15–20 minutes in your most favored sleeping position to be sure you don’t develop aches and pains.
Working with a sleep specialist can also be helpful if you have any particular health issues, such as back pain or sciatica, that the right mattress may help to alleviate. Since you don’t buy a new mattress very often, it is worth taking some extra time to see what the right mattress can really do to improve your overall health!
Select the Right Barrier Bedding
Once you have selected the mattress, your next step is to pick out barrier bedding to help reduce the incidence of allergies due to dust mites, pet dander, and pollen. Here, the best barriers will always offer these options:
- Fully encases the mattress
- Is waterproof
- Washable
- Breathability (especially important for a child’s mattress barrier)
- Resistant to penetration by very small allergens/particulates
- Is comfortable to sleep on!
Since you are starting fresh, it can be a good idea to replace your pillows, pillowcases, sheets, and comforter as well, and to buy barrier casings for all that offer the same high level of protection. Also be sure to buy a barrier case for your box spring.
New Mattress Maintenance
If there is one thing all mattress experts agree on, it is that you absolutely have some control over how long your new mattress will last. Here are some tips to extend the useful life of one of the most important health-improving possessions you will ever own:
- No bouncing! Do not let your kids play “trampoline” on your new mattress…and whatever you do, please don’t join them (not unless you enjoy sleeping in a deep hole).
- Rotate your mattress regularly. How and how often you rotate will depend on what type of mattress you have. Some mattresses are single-sided (meaning only one side is designed to be slept on), while others are double-sided (meaning as it sounds). Be sure to specifically follow the mattress manufacturer’s instructions on how and how often to do your rotations.
- Choose a frame for your new mattress and box spring that offers extra “center support.”This can help prevent that “hole in the middle” effect many older mattresses have.
A Word About Mattress Cleaning
So now you have your new mattress (and ideally a new box spring, pillows, cases, bedding, and allergy barrier casings for all). You have declared the mattress a “no bouncing zone” and are rotating it as directed. You have a great new “center support” frame and you are sleeping very well indeed.
There is still one more thing you need to do to be sure your mattress lasts long enough to both justify your investment and provide a good rate of return.
A thorough mattress cleaning addresses all of the things you can’t control about your mattress, including things that may have occurred before you even bought it, as it was shipped from the warehouse to you, and even when it first entered your home and on the days when you slip those anti-allergy casings off for cleaning.
With the Hygienitech mattress cleaning system, you can say goodbye to lurking allergens, including dust mites, pollen, pet dander, bacteria, skin sloughing, toxins, air pollutants, mold and mildew, and other irritants that like to take up residence where you sleep.
Given that you have invested hundreds and perhaps thousands of dollars in your new mattress, box spring, bedding, and anti-allergen accessories, periodically investing less than $100 (for a king-size mattress) and 15–20 minutes of your time is a wise decision to keep your mattress 100% sanitary and safe for sleeping.
The Hygienitech mattress cleaning system is non-invasive, non-toxic, moisture-free, and uses no chemicals. There is no wait time after the cleaning before you can resume sleeping on your mattress. Best of all, the cleaning continues for 72 full hours to ensure all allergens and mites are completely eradicated from your mattress.
If you have questions about choosing a new mattress, selecting an anti-allergen mattress, and bedding casings and mattress maintenance cleanings, we are happy to answer them for you!
