A mattress literally could be one of the most important things that might help you wake up all rejuvenated and fresh every morning. If you desire a comfortable night’s sleep and do not want to experience those irritating muscle pains in the morning, it is very important to pick the right kind of mattress. The vast array of mattresses available in the market might surely leave you confused.
However, once you know the properties of each and every mattress type available in the market, you would surely be able to make the right choice easily. Below mentioned are all the different types of mattresses, along with their advantages as well as drawbacks to help you understand your requirements in a better way.
Types of Mattresses Based on Size
1. Twin Mattress
This size is perfect to accommodate a child easily. However, an adult can also fit into the same whenever required. A person with a height of more than 6’ might not be able to fit in this mattress size. This mattress size is ideally used for a kids’ room and for bunk beds.
- Size: 39” x 75”
2. Full Mattress
A full-sized mattress is perfect for adults who like to have their own space while sleeping. It can also accommodate 2 adults in emergency cases. This mattress size is best suited for guest rooms and apartments for rent with small bedrooms.
- Size: 54” x 75”
3. Queen Mattress
Queen-sized mattresses are the most commonly used throughout the world. They are perfect for couples as well as taller teenagers. They provide ample space for 2 adults to sleep on it comfortably. They provide you with 5” extra length as compared to a twin or a full mattress.
- Size: 60” x 80”
4. King Mattress
One of the largest, standard-sized mattresses that are available in the market is the kind of mattresses. This mattress size is perfect for those who have bigger bedrooms or wish to accommodate a child or even a pet on their bed. It can also be picked by couples who need rolling space at night.
- Size: 76” x 80”
5. California King Mattress
A California king-sized mattress is shorter in width than a king-sized mattress, however; longer than it. It is perfect for people who have extraordinary heights. They can also be picked for narrower rooms where king-sized beds might not fit easily.
- Size: 72” x 84”
Type of Mattresses Based on Technology/Material
- Memory Foam Mattress
- Pillow Tops Mattress
- Polyfoam Mattress
- Gel Mattress
- Innerspring Mattress
- Hybrid Mattress
- Organic Mattress
- Adjustable Air Mattress
- Latex Mattress
- Futon Mattress
- Water Mattress
1. Memory Foam Mattress
One of the most commonly used mattresses, memory foam conforms to your body and provides you with the best possible comfort by dividing your weight throughout the mattress. This type of mattress can be highly effective for people who may have joint pain or body aches due to sleeping on a particular side. Also, memory form is designed to react and soften as per the body temperature of the user. It is highly recommended for warm sleepers.
- Pros: Prevent body pain, hypoallergic
- Cons: Heavyweight, may become too warm for some, takes time to switch from one position to other
2. Pillow Tops Mattress
A pillow top mattress has an additional layer of padding on the top of the mattress, which may go up to several inches. The added padding tends to make the mattress highly cushiony and provides you with added comfort. Pillow top mattresses usually have the mechanism of an innerspring mattress below the cushioning.
- Pros: cooling in nature, quickly retains its original shape, washable, highly durable, enhanced comfort
- Cons: maybe too soft for some, highly expensive, may trap odor
3. Polyfoam Mattress
Polyfoam is a petroleum-based synthetic material. While searching for a polyfoam mattress, ensure that you get only a mattress with a CertiPUR-US certification. Another important thing to be considered while buying a polyfoam mattress is its density. Mattresses with a higher density are usually more durable. If you are adamant about buying a foam mattress, this could be one of the best choices for you.
- Pros: encourages right alignment as well as body posture, effective for pain relief, hypoallergic
- Cons: manufacturing process highly harmful for the environment, off-gassing of bad quality polyfoam
4. Gel Mattress
One of the biggest complaints about most foam mattresses is that they trap heat and do not bounce back easily. To resolve the same, the gel is usually infused into the memory foam to make it bouncier and prevent it from trapping body heat. These gel mattresses are perfect for those who wish to remain cooler all throughout the night and have a tendency of switching positions of rolling over while sleeping. Foam when combined with gel becomes much more responsive as well as effective.
- Pros: a cooler sleeping surface, quicker bounce back
- Cons: manufacturing process not eco-friendly
5. Innerspring Mattress
These are one of the oldest types of mattresses available in the market. They have a steel coil support system infused within the mattresses to provide support to the sleeper. The springs might be individually wrapped or connected. In individually wrapped springs, all the coils function independently, therefore; if your partner switches position at night, you won’t feel the bounce. These coils are usually covered with additional upholstery or padding to provide support and comfort to the users. Connected springs tend to be bouncier and affect the whole mattress.
- Pros: bouncy, more breathable, odor-resistant, budget-friendly
- Cons: may induce allergies, collect dirt easily, premature sagging
6. Hybrid Mattress
These mattresses bring in the benefits of an innerspring and memory foam mattress. Hybrid mattresses provide the bounce of an innerspring mattress and the softness and comfort of a memory foam mattress. Some of the hybrid mattresses also have an infused layer of gel along with a coil base and a layer of memory foam for advanced pain relief, cooler effect, enhanced breathability, and a bouncier feel.
- Pros: hypoallergic, mold-resistant, combined benefits of different technologies
- Cons: highly expensive, lower quality material may be used, off-gassing
7. Organic Mattress
These mattresses are perfect for those who really care about the environment and wish to stay away from toxic chemicals. These mattresses use a combination of natural materials like cotton, wool, natural latex, supported by recycled steel springs. Apart from that, these mattresses also consume the least possible energy during manufacture and are entirely biodegradable after use. Always look out for the Greenguard Gold Certification while buying an organic mattress to ensure its quality.
- Pros: highly durable, regulates temperature, eco-friendly, fire-resistant
- Cons: expensive, really heavy, difficult to find a good quality mattress
8. Adjustable Air Mattress
Air mattresses have been in use for a long time for temporary purposes and camping activities. However, recent advancements in technologies have made it possible for air mattresses to be used in the bedroom. These mattresses have individual air chambers that can be filled with the required amount of air to retain the required amount of firmness. These air chambers are usually padded with an additional layer of either memory foam or latex to provide a smooth sleeping surface for the user. Additionally, more advanced adjustable air mattresses come with a remote control that can be used to adjust different sides of the mattress depending on the individual sleeper’s preferences.
- Pros: customized firmness, aids back pain relief, odor-resistant, high durability, no sagging
- Cons: highly expensive, high maintenance
9. Latex Mattress
Made from a combination of petroleum-based and naturally extracted materials, these mattresses are highly eco-friendly in nature and provide comfort similar to a memory foam mattress. These mattresses allow the weight of the user to be spread equally throughout the mattress, preventing any kinds of body aches and joint pains. Latex mattress also minimizes the motion effect and allows your partner to sleep freely even if you toss and turn at night. These mattresses are especially beneficial for people with back problems. These mattresses are perfect for those who prefer a more bouncy and cooler surface to sleep on. There are two different types of commonly used latex mattresses to choose from, namely Talalay and Dunlop.
- Pros:Pros: aids pain relief, eco-friendly, aids spine alignment, highly comfortable to sleep on
- Cons: expensive, heavyweight
10. Futon Mattress
Futon mattresses are becoming more and more popular throughout the world. Futon mattresses have been designed to be rolled over on the floor before sleeping. They can be rolled back up and placed in storage during the daytime to help you have move living space. These are perfect for use in really small apartments. Futons can also double as a sofa cushion and are a great pick for bachelors.
- Pros: multi-purpose, money-saving, no more falling off the bed, easily movable
- Cons: not highly comfortable, uneven weight distribution
11. Water Mattress
More commonly known as water beds, these mattresses have been in use for a long time now. They provide you with a feeling of floating over a waterbody and turn out to be really soothing. Moreover, waterbeds can be customized based on your sleeping preferences. You can even switch to free-flowing water of restricted water flow, based on the effect that you desire for your utmost comfort.
- Pros: customizable water effect, adjustable temperature as well as firmness, therapeutic effect
- Cons: heavyweight, chances of leakage, expensive buy as well as maintenance
Tips to Buy the Right Kind of Mattress for you:
1. Consider your Sleeping Position:
There is really no perfect type of mattress that might be suitable for each and every user out there. A perfect mattress might differ for each and every individual based on their preferences and sleeping positions. Below mentioned are different types of mattresses recommended for different sleepers.
Back Sleeper: If you prefer sleeping on your back, your first priority must be picking a mattress that provides you with ample spine support. Do not pick mattresses that mat sink your spine, inducing back pains. Back sleepers usually need a mattress that provides good back support, like an air mattress, innerspring mattress, or a hybrid mattress.
Stomach Sleeper: Sleeping on your stomach may need a mattress that provides ample back and neck support. A firm mattress is recommended for stomach sleepers as well, to prevent their stomach and hips from sinking. Adjustable air mattresses are considered to be one of the best picks for stomach sleepers.
Side Sleeper: Side sleepers tend to have shoulder pain as well as hip pain after waking up. These are the two pressure points that need to be supported to enhance comfort for side sleepers. Mattress with extra softness and cushioning are best suited for side sleepers. Memory foam mattresses and linen mattresses are perfect picks for such sleepers.
2. Check the Warranty:
A mattress is not such a commodity that could be replaced over and over again. Therefore, it is very important to buy a perfect mattress whenever you need it. Pick a mattress that offers you at least 15 years warranty period. Most mattress companies may offer 10-25 years of mattress warranty. However, most of them may have added terms and conditions in fine print to fool the buyers. Therefore, ensure that you go through the warranty terms carefully before finally making the purchase. Also, remember to keep your warranty papers intact for future instances.
3. Check the Delivery Charges:
Some retailers may provide you with catchy discounts, however; may charge unnecessary delivery and installation charges. Therefore, do not forget to inquire about the final amount that you may need to pay, inclusive of everything. Also, do not forget to check for any kind of wear and tear or stain on the mattress on delivery.
4. Have a Budget in Mind:
If you do not really have a budget in mind while searching for a mattress for you, it may increase further confusion for you. As you keep going higher, there would surely be a better mattress available with more enhanced features. Therefore, try to keep a certain budget in mind before you actually start searching for a mattress in the market or even online.
5. Check the Cleaning Instructions:
It could really be a great hassle to clean and wash your mattresses. Moreover, it could be really tough or even impossible for some mattresses to be picked up and washed, or even dry cleaned. Therefore, if you would like to clean your mattress on a regular basis, try to pick a lightweight mattress with a not too complex cleaning or washing procedure.
If you follow the above-mentioned points carefully, you certainly can’t make the wrong choice in picking the best possible mattress for you. We hope that you pick the right mattress for you amidst the above-mentioned types and ensure a comfortable and rejuvenating sleep for endless nights to follow.
Bruno Lee
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