Your mattress is one of the single most important components for your sleep quality, and having the proper information on it is important for both purchasing the proper mattress and using it correctly. One potential roadblock here: A few unfortunate myths that have cropped up over the years about certain kinds of mattresses, or even about mattresses in general, and prevent consumers from knowing correct information about the products they’re considering.
This won’t happen if you’re working with high-quality mattress providers and manufacturers, such as major brands like Tempur-Pedic and many others. What are a few of the most common myths out there today about mattresses and specific mattress types? Here are a few, plus the proper information in each area.
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Mattresses Have to Be Flipped Regularly
While this statement may be true for a very small number of older mattresses that are still being used by their owners, nearly all of today’s newer mattresses don’t require any flipping period. In fact, many newer mattress types are one-sided only models that don’t contain a second side to flip over anyway, as they’ve been designed with better comfort and support in mind from the start.
If you attempt to flip these newer models, you’ll actually be doing damage to the mattress instead of gaining any benefit from the flip. Modern mattresses, if they’re designed correctly, don’t need any flipping because they’ll retain their comfort and support capabilities for a long period of time.
Regularly rotating your mattress can help to extend its life, but this often isn’t necessary with newer models.
Sleep Quality Doesn’t Differ Much Between Mattresses
There are some people who, for some reason, simply believe that mattresses are mostly created equal. They don’t think they’ll notice much of a difference between sleeping on one mattress and sleeping on another, assuming they’re both equally high-quality.
This is a dangerous belief to hold, as the sleep quality you enjoy can be significantly different between mattresses. Some mattress types offer better support than others, meaning you could spend more time tossing and turning when sleeping on them. Others may have more comfort layers on top of their support cores, meaning you’ll sink into them more and feel a bit trapped or unable to move around.
There are a lot of different considerations when it comes to sleep quality, and each mattress is going to impact your body differently in many ways. If you’re simply looking for a new mattress for greater comfort or support, you could be making the wrong choice by simply picking your favorite color instead of taking other factors into consideration.
Anyone With Back Problems Requires a Firm Mattress
Generally speaking, anytime you see a hard and fast rule like this within the mattress world, it’s likely a myth of some sort. The reality is that every sleeper is different — while many people with back problems or other pain issues do indeed prefer a firmer mattress for support, some people with the same issues actually prefer a model that’s more plush instead.
The key here is to avoid making assumptions about what you’ll like when it comes to your next mattress, and instead try out different models until you find one with the level of firmness that feels best for your body. This can be difficult in some situations but isn’t too hard if you’re working with someone who knows their stuff.
Any Mattress Can Be Used on Any Bed Frame
This is another myth that can quickly lead to purchasing a mattress that doesn’t work well for your needs. Many people simply take the assumption mentioned above and run with it, which means they’ll put any old mattress on any old bed frame. Some of these mattresses may work okay on some beds, but there are plenty that won’t.
You’ll need to take into consideration the types of springs or other support systems inside of your current bed frame, and then choose a mattress model with the proper level of support so you get the most out of it. A great way to determine the support level of a mattress is to take it for a test drive at the store first, which will help you figure out how well it’ll work with your current bed arrangement.
Don’t fall victim to these unfortunate myths about mattresses. Utilize the tips above, plus work with quality mattress professionals to get the best mattress for your needs.