Buying a Bed - A Couple Tips to Consider

Choosing a wrong mattress could put you in lot of pain and sleepless nights. It is best to do a lot of research before selecting the right mattress.

1. Know your sleep pattern

You have to understand your sleep pattern and what type of mattress is best suited for a particular sleep pattern. There are many sleep patterns, most common are foetus, log, yearner, freefaller and starfish. To choose the right mattress, sleep patterns are classified into these three broad categories
Side Sleepers - If you are a side sleeper, It is better to choose a soft mattress so that you do not hurt your shoulders and hands.
Back sleeper and Front sleeper - If you sleep on your back or if you sleep with your face down, then medium firm mattress is right for you. If you choose a soft mattress then your upper body might sink in and make you feel uncomfortable.

If you choose a hard mattress then you can hurt your lower back. It would not provide adequate support to your lower back. So choose a medium firm mattress

2. Types of Mattresses in South Africa

Generally the mattress are classified as spring, coir, memory foam and spring mattress.
Inner Spring - This mattress is based on spring system. There are several spring pockets which are connected to a single board. Then this is covered by a layer of foam.
Hybrid - This is the same as innerspring mattress, the layer is supported by gel foam, Memory foam - These are soft to medium soft mattresses.It helps in even distribution of body weight. Also, reduces the impact of mattress against the body. Hence, it is suitable for many sleep patterns.
Coir - These are firm mattresses which are made of coconut fibre. Over a period of time, it loses its original shape and starts to sag. These mattresses are not bouncy or soft.
Gel - In many cases, Synthetic or foam gel is placed on top of mattresses to maintain the body temperature. There are gel foam mattresses reduces heat retention which is the major drawback of regular memory foam mattresses
Latex - Are made of natural materials and are much durable. They are chemical free and helps in posture support. Although memory foam is best known for quality it is made with harsh chemicals.
Air bed and Waterbed - These are not quite common in the households. Air bed and Waterbed are known to prevent bedsores. So it is widely used for chronically ill patients or for hospice care.

3. Popular Mattress brands

The best mattress brands in India are sleepwell, Kurlon, Centurary, SpringAir, Duroflex and Peps. Sleepwell and Kurlon mattresses are market leaders. A study on Indian Mattress Market Outlook to 2020 by Kenresearch states that Sleepwell has the highest market share by means of revenue and Kurlon is the market leader in terms of volume.

4. Buying options

Buying online vs buying from a dealer
It is best to see and feel the product before buying it. You could walk into a nearby mattress store and get a look or even try the product before buying. The worst part of buying from a store is, mostly a mattress store may not have attractive discounts. They may push you to buy a specific brand without your knowledge. Finally, they may not have so much variety or choice.
This is where buying online comes to play. I was looking to buy a mattress online in South Africa; I came across a couple of great online mattress stores that offered me a huge discount. I had lot of time to choose my brand and product. I took lot of time to do my research as well. What I liked the most about buying online was there weren't any salesperson to push a brand to me. There are lot of online stores that offer cash on delivery as well as free delivery.

5. Warranty

Check for the warranty that comes with a mattress. Warranty could vary with brand and type of mattress. Choose the one that has warranty of 10 years or more. Mattress with more years warranty would last for a long time.

6. Size

Size of a mattress is also important. You must choose a mattress which is at least 20cm longer than yourself. If it is a double bed, it should be at least 160 cm wide. If it is a single bed, it should at least be 90 cm wide.

7. Reviews

It is best to read a lot of reviews before buying a mattress. Reading reviews are important for any product let alone the mattress. Good reviews help you reinforce your purchase decision and bad reviews would help you to know the real problems that they face after buying a mattress.

Although there may be many brands that offer a diverse variety of beds. It is best to choose a brand that has good sales and support. In case of any issues, the response from the company would be quick. It also helps in getting your replacement quicker.