Top 10 tips when buying a mattress

1. Ensure you have had enough sleep.
   It has been proven that if you are well rested when shopping you will make better choices and not make any hasty decisions. According to official studies if you are sleep deprived you will make poorer choices, as you will be less focused, have slower recall and low levels of concentration. The majority of us do not get enough sleep each night. It is only a small proportion of the population who are getting the recommended eight hours a night.

2. Let your fingers do the hard work.
   Rather than thrall through shop after shop, do your homework on the internet. Study all the websites for the major mattress manufacturers where you will obtain full information on their range of products including, mattress types, construction, features and benefits.

3. Know your comfort level.
   There is a plethora of mattresses on the market however they can be condensed down to five types
   

   • Memory Foam
   • Pocket Sprung
   • Latex
   • Ortho Support
   • Coil Sprung
   
   You need to choose a mattress that feels right for you will it be soft, medium or firm? Overall it must be comfortable whereby you will achieve a good nights sleep.

4. Choose a type.
   Decide on the firmness of the mattress you prefer. Is it soft, medium support or firm. Once you know this you will have eliminated two-thirds of the mattresses available. Now you can really concentrate on selecting the right mattress.

5. Choose a brand.
   When choosing a brand ensure that it is one you know and trust. The purchase of a mattress is a major outlay. You are purchasing a product that will hopefully ensure you the best nights sleep possible. It is safer to go with a brand that has been around for a long a time and therefore one you can trust as it will have built up a good reputation with its purchasers.

6. Buy from a reliable retailer.
   As previously mentioned it is a major purchase and mattresses are not particularly cheap, so only go with a retailer that you are comfortable with. Check out what is offered with your mattress i.e. free delivery.

7. Price is a major influence.
   It is an investment and can be expensive. You will spend an average of 1/3 of your lifespan asleep on a mattress. The average mattress is thought to last 8 to 10 years if cared for correctly. For a mattress that cost £800 this equates to approximately 2p per day. Look to buy the best mattress you can for your money. Choose a brand name mattress that will ensure comfort, support and longevity.

8. Try before you buy.
   When visiting a mattress store ensure that you try as many products as possible. Really test the mattresses out by trying it in various sleep positions i.e. back, side and front. Twist and turn as if you were trying to settle down to sleep. Take your partner along also you both need to feel comfortable with your purchase.

9. Consider your space.
   Remember you will be spending 1/3 of your life here so ensure you have enough room to sleep and turn. Make sure you have sufficient room to stretch out. Consider your room dimensions when deciding on your bed size.

10. Choose a safer mattress.
    When selecting a mattress you can opt for a safer mattress. A number of brands on the market manufacture mattresses that offer fire resistance protection. This can provide you or your family valuable extra time which, could be critical. In a regular mattress fire doubles itself every 3 minutes. Fire resistance will help to isolate the impact of the fire and limit its spread. Should you need to escape from such a situation it could provide the valuable extra time meaning the difference between life and death.