Mattresses

To know what makes a mattress comfortable for sleeping you need to know how it’s made. Truth be told no matter which brand of mattress you choose the basic design is pretty much the same.

But, if you have an understanding just what you require in a mattress this article will help you choose the best make and model for you.

Let’s begin at ground level and work our way up OK? A key part of any sleep system is the frame your mattress and box springs sit on. If a frame sets on casters those should be approximately two inches wide and have a fairly high weight bearing rating. The best quality frames will be made of wood, metal or a combination of the two. Better quality frames can be adjusted to fit a twin, full, queen or king size mattress.

Most common twin and full frames have four rails built in to support the bedding. Oftentimes wooden slats will run between the rails for additional strength. King and Queen sized frames should always have a center support to help hold the larger mattress set so there is no sagging in the middle. Some bed frames have decorative wooden rails along the sides but these are for appearances only and do not add any stability or strength to the frame.

Moving up a level we find the box spring. Major bedding makers recommend buying a new box spring that matches your new mattress. The salesman’s argument is since they are designed to work together the pair will work best when bought together. An older set of mattress springs is more likely to have some signs of sagging and it does make sense that a new mattress over saggy box springs will not last as long. A good box spring system will use coils surrounded by a wood frame and is usually stiffer around the edges with more give in the middle of the frame for comfort.

Next up is the mattress itself. No matter if it filled with tempur memory foam, steel coils, water or air the support system is the primary means by which your spine is held in the correct position for sound sleeping. The most traditional method of support is the inner spring which is a set of coil-like springs that flex slightly under weight. They are designed to only give a little when you lie down so that you do not sink deeply into the bed.

Modern memory foam or tempurpedic Swedish bed mattresses use manmade visco elastic foam that responds to weight and temperature to provide the needed support. It is designed to be firmer in the places that the body barely touches and softer under heavy pressure points like your hips and shoulders. Aero beds and waterbed mattresses use the concept of filling a balloon like bag with either water or air water to provide support.

The topmost layer of your bedding is the padding attached to the top of the support system. No matter what material is used; cotton, wool or memory foam it is the amount of padding used that determines the comfort level of the bed. A firm mattress has the least padding on it and the plush pillowtop mattresses have a thicker layer.

Know that you know just what makes up a bedding set you can confidently go out a shop for the perfect sleeping solution for yourself.

Learn about sheets and bedding for your mattress…