Mattress - Red River,NM

I think mattresses are like running shoes - it's not about a particular brand or style, it's about what fits. I think a good mattress is really important, but what's good for you might not be good for me. If you have such major back problems, I think it's unrealistic to expect a mattress to help much. I know you've posted about other health problems in the past (like allergies and hormones) so I think you might address the degenerative discs and arthritis in more effective ways. But I think they recommend that a mattress be replaced every 8-10 years anyway. I'd visit more than one furniture store (not necessarily one that only sells mattresses) and I'd check with your state's attorney general's office to see if there have been problems. I know that, in my state, there were many complaints about some hard sell/poor support mattress stores. You want someone who thinks they might see you again for other furniture needs - a mattress store knows they won't see you again for 10 years so it's all about this sale, today. There CAN be good ones that rely on referrals and hope you will come back for other beds in other rooms, but just check their reputations out beforehand. You also want to consider the needs and preferences of a person you sleep with - you may have different needs but there are mattresses that have different firmness settings for each side.

And you can ask these kinds of questions on this site without needing to connect them directly to parenting. This is a parenting site primarily, but members ask this sort of question all the time and it's fine!

I did a lot of research on mattresses when I bought one. There isn't a "one mattress fits all," so it wouldn't do any good for someone on this site to tell you their favorite brand. You have to do your research so you don't get "sold" by a sleazy salesman. But beyond that, some people do better with soft, some do better with firm, some with memory foam, etc. A lot depends on if you are a side sleeper or back sleeper, where your back hurts, and where you have the most problem with pressure points. For ex. I have bursitis in my hips, so I found a mattress that didn't trigger those pressure points.

There are great websites on how to buy a mattress. Then after you do your research, it's just a matter of testing them out. And make sure you lie on the mattress for a good 5 min. at least, shoes off, in a real sleeping position.

My tempurpedic took away all of the pains in my lower back and hips.

I have a Sealy Posturepedic Gel Series mattress. It is firm and supports well, for me. I have chronic pain/fibromyalgia so it is better IMO than a typical coil spring mattress. It cost me about $1200 a few years ago.

LOVE my sleep number. i don't expect to ever have anything else.
khairete
S.

I LOVE my memory foam mattress. You don't have to buy an expensive Tempurpedic or Sleep Number mattress to get a good one. Bed in a Box mattresses have excellent reviews and I definitely recommend them. I love mine. http://www.bedinabox.com/

I have a natural latex mattress, about 10 years old now but showing virtually no wear at all. It's very yielding on the top layer, but resilient. As in no sag. My husband and I have very different support needs, and this works great for both of us.

One of the best things about it is no fire retardant. That's nasty, toxic stuff that should NOT be on our beds and upholstered furniture, but it is. And it doesn't even prevent fire very effectively. I wish people would just refuse to buy furniture and mattresses that have been treated. I even bought a crib mattress for my grandson without fire retardant, and his parents have since bought him another natural latex mattress.

Of course, if latex allergy is a problem, you'd want to avoid this material.

We love our tempurpedic and sprang for the version that has the adjustable base so we can lift the head or foot of the bed to read, work, etc. It's amazing. The mattress is very supportive and when I used to have severe back pain I had days when I needed to raise my feet while I was sleeping to reduce the stress on my lower back.

Clark Howard the Consumer Guru here in Atlanta recommends Sam's Club mattresses and you can try them in the store as well and of course their prices are way below their competitors.