A good mattress can mean the difference between sleep and grumpiness. Wanting to make sure you don't get cranky, I offer you these quick tips for selecting a mattress.
1. Warranty. Make certain that the mattress has at least a ten-year warranty (my mistake!). And be sure to ask about proration. The proration is the percentage of the original purchase price the mattress manufacturer will refund if the mattress is defective, usually a certain percentage for each year you own the mattress.
2. Side support. Check the support on the outer edges of the mattress. The sides of the mattress should provide as much support as the middle. To check, roll from the center of the bed to the sides and back.
3. Ticking Check the ticking (outside cover) fabric. The ideal fabric should be cotton blends or damask. Don't buy a mattress if the cover is made of vinyl or polyester. The fabric will not “breathe” and will be uncomfortable in warm weather.
4. Coil count. The coil count for a quality mattress should start at 300 for a full or standard mattress, 375 for a queen and 450 for a king-size mattress. A higher coil count means a higher-quality mattress.
5. Size. Make certain you are comfortable with the size of bed you choose.
Remember:
- A twin extra-long is 39in wide and 80in long
- A regular twin or single bed is 39in wide and 75in long
- A full, standard or double bed is 54in wide and 75in long
- A queen mattress is 60in wide and 80in long
- An regular king is 76in wide and 80in long
