We spend more time sleeping each year than we do working, assuming an average of eight hours of sleep per night and an average 40-hour work week. If we sleep an average of eight hours per night for 365 days annually, that equates to 2,920 hours of sleep, give or take a few hours, depending on your sleep habits. All that to say, if we spend that much time sleeping, it’s important that the mattress we sleep on is a comfortable mattress that allows us to get a good night’s sleep.
A Good Mattress Is an Important Aspect of Sleep Hygiene
Healthy sleep hygiene matters. That includes sleeping on the right mattress for your needs. In fact, according to research, adults require 7 to 9 hours of sleep nightly to help restore the body and mind. The entire body-mind system is supported through sleep, leading to a reduction in stress, more hydrated and healthier skin, stronger hair and nails, weight maintenance, and more. Also, those who get less than six hours of sleep or lack a good night’s sleep of 7 to 9 hours have been shown to have a challenging time with weight loss and increased stress.
How to Find the Best Mattress for Your Needs
How you sleep is as much a part of sleep hygiene as how many hours you sleep. If you’re not getting a restful night’s sleep due to the mattress you’re sleeping on, you’re doing your health and overall well-being a disservice.
Consider the following factors when purchasing a mattress:
- Do you have health conditions, like fibromyalgia, that impact the way you sleep?
- What is your budget?
- Do you sleep better on a firm, medium-firm, or soft mattress?
- Do you have any allergies or sensitives to materials?
- Do you have a partner with different needs than yours?
- What size mattress do you prefer?
- What mattress size fits comfortably in your space?
Once you have the answers to these questions, it’s time to begin your research. You also want to consider the warranty, trial period, and return policy when purchasing a mattress.
How to Find a Reasonably Priced, Quality Mattress
Price matters for most of us. Mattresses with a box spring can range anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. Fortunately, inexpensive does not equate to low quality for many mattress brands.
So, how can you find a mattress that doesn’t break the bank but still suits your needs? Here are five award-winning mattress brands that all come in at under $1,000 for a quality queen-size mattress.
Starting Price for a Queen: $932.40
- Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Short Queen, Queen, King, Cal King, Split Cal King, RV King, RV Bunk
- Firmness: Soft, Medium, or Firm
- Materials: Patented CopperFlex foam, 8” of encased coils, and cooling TitanCool foam
- Trial: 120 nights in-home trial
- Financing Options: Affirm
- Warranty: 10-year warranty
- Shipping: Free delivery and returns
Starting Price for a Queen: $899 PLUS $599 in free accessories
- Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cal King
- Firmness: Medium luxury firm
- Materials: Hybrid innerspring coils and memory foam
- Trial: 365 nights in-home trial
- Financing Options: Affirm, Splitit
- Warranty: Everlong warranty
- Shipping: Free delivery and returns
Starting Price for Original Queen: $699
Starting Price for Hybrid Queen: $799
- Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cal King
- Firmness: Medium Firm
- Materials: Moisture-wicking pillow-top cover, five to six layers of advanced foam technology, one layer of pocketed springs
- Trial: 365 nights in-home trial
- Financing Options: 0% interest available, , Klarna
- Warranty: 10-year warranty
- Shipping: Free delivery and returns
Starting Price for a Memory Foam Queen: $669
Starting Price for a Hybrid Foam & Springs Queen: $736
- Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cal King
- Firmness: Medium
- Materials:
- Gel-infused memory foam with improved cooling action cover
- OR
- Hybrid innerspring coils and memory foam
- Gel-infused memory foam with improved cooling action cover
- Trial: 365 nights in-home trial
- Financing Options: Affirm, Splitit
- Warranty: Nectar Forever Warranty
- Shipping: Free delivery and returns
Starting Price for 10” Queen: $899
- Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cal King
- Firmness: Firm, Luxury Firm, and Plush
- Materials: Cool-touch cover, spine-aligning support coils, graphite-infused foam, and reinforced edges
- Trial: 120 nights in-home trial
- Financing Options: Affirm
- Warranty: Limited warranty
- Shipping: Free delivery
Additional Tips for Buying and Replacing Your Mattress
Look for discounts. During the holidays, watch out for sales on mattresses that can help you save even more money. Some after-market and discount stores also have brand-name, quality mattresses from time to time, so if you’re not in a rush to buy, you can keep an eye on local stores in your area to see what might come in stock.
Replace your mattress when needed. The Sleep Foundation suggests you switch out your mattress every 6 to 8 years. When you sleep too long on a mattress, your sleep can suffer from a loss of structure and support. You might need to replace it sooner if you notice it’s making more noise than is typical, it’s sagging or damaged, you find you sleep better elsewhere, or you wake up with joint and muscle pain and stiffness on a regular basis.
Consider motion transfer. If you share your bed with a pet or significant other, look for a mattress with little to no motion transfer. This will help you get a better night’s sleep because you won’t be waking up due to the movement of another in the bed.
Final Words on Your Mattress for the Perfect Slumber
Your health and well-being are worth getting the best night’s sleep possible. With the right amount of consideration, research, and shopping around, you’ll find a mattress that you can try for at least a few months before you decide to keep it or return it. Happy shopping!