It is almost impossible to watch a television program without seeing an advertisement for mattresses or furniture. These are items that everyone needs, and no one thinks about until they actually need them. But even as the commercials for mattresses vie for your attention (and your pocketbook) they give you little more than hype and "high-tech" terms. How are you supposed to choose?
In reality, the hype is really all most of those designer mattress companies have to offer. And because they don't give you any real information about the mattress, you have no way of knowing if it will actually work for you or not. After all, there is more than one type of mattress.
In fact, there are over a dozen different types of mattresses when you break them all down, but they all belong to one of three categories - foam, coils, or hybrids. When you have an understanding of what the different types of mattresses are, you will feel more comfortable buying a bed without having actually sat on it.
Even though some mattress companies have started offering lengthy "trial" periods - sometimes as much as one year - you should have an understanding of what type of mattress you want before you start shopping.
Keep in mind that, like all furniture, accessories, and décor, these different types of mattresses each come in a wide range of qualities. Most stores offer a range from the cheapest mattresses to the most extravagant, as well as many top affordable mattresses for the mid-range budget.
Foam mattresses
Are you surprised that this heading doesn't read "memory foam?" If so, you're not alone. Memory foam has been pushed to the forefront of options, not only in bedding but other retail categories as well. Memory foam sounds like the perfect comfort solution when you listen to advertisements.
But memory foam isn't the only kind used in mattresses anymore. Today, mattresses could also be made of polyurethane or latex. Memory foam is actually the cheapest of the foam mattresses available today. Latex foam mattresses are the most expensive, but since latex is a natural material it is an eco-friendly choice.
Coil mattresses
The original innerspring mattress really isn't that old. Thankfully, our technology has advanced quickly in the last hundred years, and coil mattresses aren't made in the same way that they once were. The original innerspring mattress was made of metal wires bent into coils.
While this could still be technically accurate, the truth is that the material the coils are made of and how they are surrounded within the mattress, as well as the exterior mattress material, can vary greatly in today's mattress selections.
Again, quality makes a big difference. You can still find the old-style innerspring mattresses if you are really on a tight budget, but most people want something more comfortable. You can get mattresses with cooling gel coils that make your sleep even more fulfilling and luxurious. Again, find something in between.
Another option that you have is hybrid mattresses. Hybrids are a combination of foam and coil mattresses. The coil innerspring, which could range in quality and tech on its own, maybe surrounded with foam (again, in a range of quality and types), giving the mattress a soft but firm feel that is best for most sleepers.
* This is a contributed article and this content does not necessarily represent the views of sciencetimes.com
