McKenzie Dillon is a blogger and sleep enthusiast for The Slumber Yard, a leading bedding reviews website. When she’s not sleeping, McKenzie likes attending comedy shows, hiking and cooking.
Shopping for a new car or a new purse is undeniably more enjoyable than mattress shopping is, but there comes a time in every adult’s life where your old, lumpy, saggy bed is in desperate need of a replacement. It’s always important to sleep on an accommodating mattress, but especially as we get older in age when it’s not so easy to get a full night’s rest. Mattress lumps and sags can contribute to bothersome aches and pains during the night, which is the absolute last thing you need if you’re already suffering from common conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia, or degenerative disc disease.
If you purchased your current mattress around the time the Obama administration took over office or if you’re waking up in more pain than you were the night before, your bed has reached its expiration date. Here are a few helpful tips that Seniors should remember during mattress shopping.
1.) Consider Your Specific Needs
Every individual’s body is different, but not every mattress is “one size fits all.” That’s why you should take your specific needs into account when you’re searching for a new mattress. If you experience lower back pain like many elderly adults do, you might want to look into a bed on the firmer side of the spectrum to provide support. The best medium-firm mattress is one with a pillow-top, because it provides an extra pressure relieving component to the mattress. Medium-firm is also a good option because it’s a nice balance between supportive, yet pressure relieving.
2.) Look At Online Options
Mattress shopping is a lot different than it was back in the day. Now you have the convenience of shopping for a mattress over the internet from the comfort of your own home, and they’ll deliver it right to your doorstep. It eliminates the need to haul around a heavy mattress and transport it to your home via truck bed. Some companies even offer while glove delivery, which means they’ll even set up your mattress in-home for you. This service is ideal for seniors who live alone or who struggle with heavy lifting.
3.) Decide On Desired Material
Other than a few outliers here and there, most mattresses are made with one or a combination of these materials: memory foam, latex foam, and or polyurethane foam (aka neutral-foam). Seniors would probably benefit most from either memory foam, which contours to your curves of your body and provides relief to your pressure points; or natural latex foam which is free of any harmful chemicals, hypoallergenic, and antimicrobial, meaning it’s impervious to common household allergens like dust mites or mold.
4.) Prioritize Mattress Durability
If you’re spending good money on a mattress, you obviously want to get as much use out of it as you can. You don’t want your bed to break down in five years and find yourself in the same monotonous, and expensive mattress shopping process earlier than you’re supposed to. Mattresses that are more than 10”-11” thick, or beds that contain innersprings as a support layer are the most ideal when it comes to durability.
5.) Keep An Eye Out For Beds With Good Value
If you’re retired and on a fixed income, money might be a little tighter than it used to be. In that case, you should keep your eyes peeled for beds with a good value. That doesn’t mean you buy the cheapest bed you find, because you know what they say -- you get what you pay for. Rather, get the best bang for your buck. Spend time searching for a bed that checks all your boxes, but doesn’t break the bank. The online mattress space could be a good place to start, as there are many brands who offer quality beds at a competitive price.