More than a place to rest your head
Mattress shopping isn’t just about price, as you need to find the right fit
If you’re looking for a mattress this fall, Black Friday may be one of the cheapest days of the year to buy one. “Black Friday has become a huge retail event in Canada and every retailer is now competing directly for the shopping community,” says Jory Solomon, a “sleep expert” with Sleep Country Canada.
Solomon’s region comprises 12 Sleep Country stores in Ontario and on an average weekday they sell $40,000 to $60,000 worth of mattresses. “Last Black Friday, we did more than triple that,” he says.
That said, if you’re shopping for a mattress on Black Friday, be aware that this isn’t an uncomplicated purchase and stores will be crowded. A mattress store is basically a commercial space “with 40 squares, all at different prices,” says Solomon. “The average person really has no idea what kind of technology they contain and what those features and benefits really mean. You really need a guided tour with an expert.” Here are his tips for getting a mattress you’ll be happy with for the long haul. Shopping for a mattress is a team sport. If you’re part of a couple, shop with your partner. “You both have your own unique comfort level,” says Solomon. “And you’re both going to be sleeping on it, so you’re better to pick it out together.”
Beware the door-crasher special. “You will see these screaming deals on Boxing Day at prices that seem extremely low,” he says. “But before you get too excited about putting that mattress in your master bedroom, understand that is probably the most basic-level bed in the store.” If, on the other hand, you’re planning to put that bed in your guest room, by all means go cheap.
A firmer mattress doesn’t necessarily provide better support. “We still deal with that misconception every day,” says Solomon. Thirty years ago there was truth to the idea that a firm bed provides greater support. “They used to take springs out of the firmest mattresses to soften them and they’d call it medium. Then they’d take more springs out and call it soft,” says Solomon.
No more. The invention of the pillow top or Euro top mattress changed all that. “Now they don’t take away support, they just add some cushioning on top to make the bed softer,” says Solomon. “You can choose your comfort level, whether firm, medium or plush, and it will have no impact at all on the underlying support.”
Side, back or stomach? The position you sleep in matters. Although what appeals to you will be a matter of personal choice, as a rule of thumb, back or stomach sleepers gravitate to firmer mattresses because their weight is spread out. Side sleepers, on the other hand, “tend to prefer softer beds because their body weight is concentrated on the shoulder and hip when sleeping,” says Solomon. “They’re putting added pressure on those joints and they need the extra cushioning.”
You’re not just buying a mattress — you’re buying a ‘sleep system.’ While your mattress can account for about 80 per cent of your comfort, there are actually three parts to the sleep system: the mattress, the pillow and whatever the mattress sits on, says Solomon. Note that the minute you put your new mattress on an old box spring, it negates the warranty.
Adjustable beds aren’t just for old folks. “A mattress doesn’t have to go on a box spring. It can go on a platform base or a lifestyle base [usually called an adjustable bed],” says Solomon.
“A lot of people used to think of that as being only for the old and infirm, but the average age of purchase for a lifestyle base now is about 42 years old. It’s people using laptops or watching television — people who use their bedroom for more than just sleep.”
‘Warm sleepers’ rejoice. “Being a warm sleeper is often disruptive to a good night’s sleep,” says Solomon. The good news: lots of mattresses have cooling technology now — including foam mattresses that have long been regarded as hotter to sleep on. “Foam is not a new technology and in the ’80s and ’90s, it was a fact that it tended to absorb body heat and could make the bed warmer,” says Solomon. “But for almost 20 years — especially in the last three years, due to technological advances — the foam is now the coolest part of the mattress.”
If you hate it, you can usually bring it back. “Almost every retailer has some form of home-trial period,” says Solomon. At Sleep Country there’s a 60-day home-trial period. If you feel like the Princess and the Pea, you can return it and choose another mattress. But don’t make a rush decision. “It usually takes about two weeks until you’re accustomed to the new mattress,” he points out.