Mattress 101

Buying a perfect mattress is one of the most important decisions you may need to make, since we spend one third of our life on bed, one-night good sleep has a refreshing effect that benefit to our health and rebuild our energize for the next day, and Mattress is the most important impacts of a quality sleep. However, when choosing the right mattress, the numbers of selections, the wide range of materials, the technics using on them could be overwhelming, picking a perfect mattress is almost become mission impossible.

Fortunately, we will help you to do a little research and take you through exactly on choosing a mattress that takes the guesswork out of your way finding the perfect one for you and your family. Here is what we are going to talk abut

How do you know you need a new mattress?

Most mattresses last 5-10 years as their lifespan and general after 7 years you will most likely need a new mattress. Although it is also depending on how you care and maintain it, for example my kid’s most favourite family time is "five little monkeys jumping on the bed" while we do not expect our mattress will last 7 years at all. Then how do you know exactly when do you need a new mattress? Pay attention on below warning signs that may help you.

1. Waking up with body pain or numbness.
2. Tossing and turning a lot, having difficulty to find comfortable position through the night.
3. You are feeling like sinking too deeply into mattress
4. Having difficulty to turn around.
5. You can feel your partner making movement on the other side.
6. Your mattress feeling a little saggy or uneven.
7. Visible sunken 5cm lower than mattress surface.

Type of mattress and its pros and cons

When you walk into a mattress shop you are more likely to be greeted by a salesperson to introducing you a lot of words that you know but not knowing what they really are and ask you to lie down and feel the difference. However, apart from soft or firm, few seconds of lying down may not going to get you a true impression of what the bed feels like This guide will outline few popular types of mattresses in the market, from its constructions, material and the pros and cons to start with, so you could understand what they are trying to sell you and narrow down your selection while not spending exceed amount on unknown features.

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Foam Mattress

As its name, foam mattress constructs different layers and combination of foams to provide softness and support. There are quite a few different types of foams while the most well-known and most used are memory foam mattress and latex mattress.
Memory foam that has been designed by NASA since 1966, which originally used for improving the safety of aircraft cushions by absorbing shocks and been release to public use in early 1980s. The reason of it being widely used on mattress was because it creates a slow-moving feel that takes the sleepers body shape make you feel like being cradled. Since it is capability of absorbing movements, it is also helping to reduce partner distributions. However, memory foam mattress does retain heat, the more heat has been accumulated, the softer it is meaning more deeper you are sinking in. Many brands and manufacturers now build in many colling system to prevent it from overheating such air-flow or use latex on top of memory foam mattress, but still, if you do not feel like the warm feeling, or you do not want to sink too deep on bed, memory foam mattress may not the best option for you.
Latex mattress on the other hand, sleepers are looking for latex mattress are generally interested in its light feeling, breathable, fast response, and more bounce features. Latex foam can be made from both nature and synthetic materials, unlike nature latex that came from rubber trees, synthetic latex is made from several materials which is a little less durable than nature ones, but much more cost effective than nature latex.

Innerspring Mattress

Innerspring mattress is the most traditional but long-lasting design on mattresses that still commonly used till today. They made up of coils as main support the weight and surrounded by foams, fibres or latex to provide consistent comfort.
Mattress coils also known as mattress spring system and the most commonly used spring system are:
Bonnell spring mattress systems are most traditional type of innerspring mattress. The bonnell coil are constructed by interconnected mesh to create durable and supportive to the mattress that take pressure evenly. Bonnell spring mattress is a traditional level mattress from 1950s till today which make it trustworthy.
Pocket spring mattress system are individual coils that wrapped and stitched into zones on mattress, since each pocket of coils takes pressure independently to shape your body more specifically, you will feel that pocket spring mattress are generally softer and more comfortable while providing more support to your joins and bones.
The general rule of an innerspring mattress is that then greater numbers of coils, the more responsive, the more supportive and the more comfort a mattress would bring.

Hybrid Mattress

If we simplify hybrid mattress into human languages, then a hybrid mattress is a mattress constructed with both foam and spring systems to be able to combine the advantage of both.
Typically, there will be one or two layers of coils, yes, there are coil and micro coils out there for mattress, and there to five layers of memory foam, latex or other material on top. It is the latest technology that allows you get the support and bounce of an innerspring mattress as well as the soft and comfort from foam mattress.
Hybrid mattress due to its various features from different combination of materials that are good option for most people, made hybrid mattress the most popular type of mattress in the market.

In conclusion

Different types of mattresses do provide different features while the most popular one, hybrid mattress that not only allow you to combine both traditional type mattress into one and customize features by choosing different material. Long story short, below chart help you to understand the types of mattresses and its pros and cons in 30seconds.

Type of Mattress	Popular Types	Pros	Cons
Foam Mattress	Memory foam mattress	*Slow bounce that help release pressure *Motion absorbing that minimizes partner disturbance	*May get hotter *May feel that sink too deep into mattress *May feel difficult in turning body due to its slow bounce
	Latex Mattress	More bounce Cooler than memory foam Some latex made by nature material	Does not offer motion isolation
Innerspring Mattress	Bonnell Spring Mattress	Affordable Firm and provide support evenly Better temperature control	Less comfortable Spring encouges motion transfer Less durable, can be squeaky
	Pocket Spring Mattress	Provide more specific support to joins and body Better temperature control Durable and less noise	Motion isloate to minimize parter disturbance
Hybrid Mattress	—	Customizable on features	Can be pricy

Firm Mattress or Soft Mattress?

Lots of people having the same questions that is which one is better between firm mattress and soft mattress, and the answer is your body type and sleep position matters.
Before we stared into details, please keep in mind that firmness refers to how hard or soft a mattress feels by the person, meaning no matter a mattress being label as firm mattress or soft, weather it is a soft enough is depending on your own personal preference. Hence, we’re recommending you come to mattress store, armed with all knowledge provided in this article to have a try before you made your decision.
Now, lets go through few most common sleep positions and its best mattress for each and how preference vary by weight and body type.

Back Sleepers

The most important factors for back sleepers are support as well as pressure relief. When a mattress is too firm, those sleepers could experience necessary pressure on their lower back which can develop soreness or tiredness. On the other hands, if a mattress is too soft, their hips could sink too much into the mattress that could lost the balance of spine alignment may result in back pain.
In this case, the best mattress for back sleepers is midrange firmness that provide both support and comfort, a hybrid mattress that features pocket spring system and memory foam would provide a great balance of both that make it the best suit for back sleepers.

Side Sleepers

Side sleepers typically want to stick with a softer mattress as when you sleep on your side, most of the body weights rests in the shoulder and then hips areas which would require deep pressure relief at these areas.
Memory foam mattress is one of the good options for side sleepers due to its softness and the slow bounce feature that can provide better contour to sleeper’s body and pressure relief. While, if you are not a fun of foam mattress, soft to midrange 7 zone hybrid mattress with memory foam or latex would well suited.

Stomach Sleepers

Of all sleeper types, stomach sleepers require firm mattress most. The biggest the issue a stomach sleeper will face is a soft mattress that can cause the neck and hips to sink out of the alignment with rest spine of the body. However, it does not mean that stomach sleeper would end up getting a mattress that feel like sleeps on a rock, an inner spring mattress might be the choice for those sleepers. If you do not like the shaking from a bonnell spring mattress or you are a light sleeper that easily impacted when your sleep partner turns, then pocket spring mattress that combined with either pillow top (more likely a hybrid mattress now) or an extra layer mattress topper would provide a good amount of support on spine while offers enough contour to the body at the same time.

Combination Sleepers

Combination sleepers who move around between positions during sleep will want a mattress that do not sink too deep to hardly rotate, as the slower bounce a mattress offers, the harder to rotate your body.
A medium firm mattress is an excellent choice, you will get a good mount of support from it while it is able provide comfort across your back, side and stomach.

Body shape and weight impacts your feels

If you find yourself always feels too firm or sometimes even feel hard when lying down on a claimed medium or soft mattress in a bed store, I will assume you are a light weighted person that below 58kg. While if you always find mattresses are too soft, and you could not feel the bounce or mattress that do not feel supportive enough, you are more likely over 100kg.
As in mattress world, the scale of firmness was based on an average body weight of 58kg – 100kg. Hence if you are looking for a medium firm mattress, for those lightweight sleepers, you may want to try on with soft ones while for those heavy weight sleepers may discovered a firm mattress is something you feel just enough soft.
After all, no matter how sellers are defining their mattress as firm mattress or soft mattress, your own body and own feeling, tells the truth.

New Zealand Mattress sizes

Selecting the right size of the are really comes down to the size of your bedroom and how would you like to layout your bedroom furniture , which is typically your personal choices and lifestyles.
While queen bed is the most popular size in NZ in the past many years, you may want to have larger size such as king or super king for your main bedroom while maybe a double for kids room hence understand the size of mattress is a must.
Mattress sizes and names in New Zealand may vary between Australia or UK, please see below mattress nz size chart and our suggestions.

Mattress NZ Size Chart
Mattress Sizes	Dimensions	Recommendation
Single Mattress	188cm x 91cm	1 person, children or teens, or small spaces
King Single Mattress	203cm x 107cm	1 person, taller children or teens
Double Mattress	188cm x 135cm	1-2 person
Queen Mattress	203cm x 153cm	couples or 1-2 person
King Mattress	203cm x 165cm	couples, couples with children or pets
Super King Mattress	203cm x 183cm	couples, couples with children or pets who prefer larger spaces

What to look for when picking a mattress? The key features

Motion Transfer

Motion Transfer measures how well a mattress absorbs motion that to minimum patterner distribution. It is one of the most important factors to look for when buying mattresses especially for those light sleepers, any small disturbing can end up losing the whole good night sleep, then day by day, night after night of the same situation, it may impact your health and your life.
Memory foam tend to be the best material that absorbing motions, hence Memory foam mattress will be a great option for those couples who share bed or families having kids or pets around climbing up and down all the time.
In the meantime, if you are not a fun of sink into mattress too much or you are a hot sleeper, certain hybrid mattress that constructed by individual pocket spring system would provide you same motion isolation as well.

Responsiveness

Responsiveness measures how well the mattress response to your movement, in general, the more bounce the more responsiveness a mattress offers.
Memory foam mattress due to its slow bounce that provide much more contour of your body that feel like you are sink into or cuddled by mattress which then the responsiveness would be slow, while innerspring mattress will provide you instant response when you move your body.
If you are frequently changing your sleep position, responsiveness is something you definitely want to put into consideration.

Temperature Control

Temperature control measures if a mattress retains heats or how well its present airflow or breathability. You will want to make sure the mattress is helping transfer the heat away but not keeping them.
Mattress with breathable material such as latex mattress , gel foam mattress will provide a cooler sleeping surface while innerspring mattress will help with the airflow underneath your body.

Support and pressure relief

Support measures if the mattress is firm enough to keeps alignment of your spine while provide a good amount of softness for your body to distribute weight evenly.
When a mattress is too soft, you may find your shoulder and hips that sinking too deep into the mattress that may impact the spine alignment while too firm you will feel the most pressure given to your shoulder and hips that you cannot find a comfortable position when lying on bed.
Hence, a mattress provides enough support but not too firm would be something you want to look for. Hybrid mattresses that often combines spring system that provide good amount of support while the top layers that features memory foam, latex or gel that provide you with the comfortable to help even out the body weight that your muscle could rest.

How to maintain mattress to make them last longer?

If you are still reading, you have put a lot of efforts into electing a mattress and I believe you have something in mind already. Then, it is time to think about the next steps to make the most use of your investment.
Caring a mattress is relatively easy and simple but an effective way to help against wear and tear to make it last longer.

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Where to buy good mattress that are affordable?

Good quality mattress could be expensive sometime but aren’t necessarily to be unaffordable, especially there are mattress stores online that reducing their store costing to offer cheaper options for you in the market.
There are clear benefits and downsides to both in-store shopping and online shopping.
The main benefit to shop a mattress in-store is that you do get to feel the mattress directly. However, lying down on a mattress for a few minutes may not going to tell you the true feelings of you actually sleeping on it. The environment in store, the crowned shoppers and the passionate salesperson who want their sales target done, may makes you overwhelmed to make wrong choices. That being said, you’d better arm yourself with knowledge and did enough research and comparison between their models before you head to store to ensure the best outcome.
On the other hand, shopping mattress online that allows you to compare all their mattresses and get a clear understanding the features of each model and make your own decision slow and clear. However, as we mentioned in this article before, your weight and body type may result in different feelings on the firmness of a mattress in regardless of their labelling as soft or firm.
Is there any way we can do both? Can we pre-read all the mattress information and do enough comparison online to narrow done the selections and go straight away to the store to try it on and to confirm, yes, it is what I wanted? The answer is yes, a lot of furniture stores has now had their own website that offer online shopping opportunities while you are still able to shop instore, Treasurebox is one of them that not only offering good mattress on budget as well as beds and bedroom furniture that allow you to create your cosy bedroom at one stop.

FAQs about mattress

How to clean a mattress?

General cleaning a mattress is relatively easy, follow the steps to help keep your sleep environment fresh.

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How to remove stains from a mattress?

To proper clean a stain from a mattress, you will want to gather below supplies before you start

1. · Cold water
2. · Baking soda
3. · Few Towels
4. · A gentle, bleach-free laundry liquid
5. · Dish soap or enzyme cleaner

Once you have all supplies ready, following below steps

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There are few important factors you need to keep in mind