How to decide if you need to get a new bed:

When was the last time you thought about your mattress? Many of us forget that our mattresses are the most utilized piece of furniture we own. In fact, if you sleep eight hours a night, in one year you'll rack up 3,000 hours on your mattress. After 10 years, you'll have logged 30,000 hours on the same bed.

Listed below are a few hints that indicate it's time to start thinking about renewing your sleep surface.

You bought your current mattress over ten years ago.

• The average life span of a quality mattress is approximately ten years. Mattresses older than that suffer from deteriorating comfort features and diminished support capabilities.

You wake up feeling more tired than when you went to sleep.

• Most consumers wait too long to replace their mattresses. If you don't wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated - or if you feel any pain or discomfort - you've definitely waited too long.

The couch feels more comfortable than your bed.

• Concentrate on the feel of your mattress. Do you feel coils or bumps? Your body needs a smooth comfortable sleep surface to get a regenerative night's sleep. Your mattress should enable you to sleep through the night with minimal tossing and turning.

Your mattress looks worn and uneven.

• Inspect your mattress regularly for sags and imprints. If your mattress appears uneven or worn and frayed, maybe its time to start shopping. The upholstery layers in all mattresses compress over time. For optimal performance, be sure to rotate your mattress occasionally to extend its durability and renew its comfort.
• If you "inherited" your mattress from a family member or friend, chances are you need to replace it now.

You've taken your mattress for granted.

• Mattresses are the most used yet most ignored piece of furniture in the house. Pay attention to your mattress. Do you hear creaks and groans? Do you notice the surface sags or indents in certain areas and not in others? The condition of your mattress may come as a surprise, once you take a close look.

How to Select the Right Bed:

If you have trouble sleeping at night, wake up often, or wake up sore from tossing and turning then it might be a good time to purchase a new mattress. Whether you are a person who wakes up sore every day, must spend a great amount of time in bed as a result of certain medical conditions, or simply would like to get a good, restful night of sleep, the choosing the right mattress is critical for a comfortable sleep.

5 tips to consider when selecting a mattress:

Tip #1 - Firm Foam

• With firm foam you do not have to worry about a mattress sagging or loosing its ability to conform to your body. At least this won’t happen for many years. The mattress will conform to the natural curves of your body providing the proper support at all locations.

Tip #2 - No Pressure on Joints

• Many of us wake up sore because the pressure on our joints is uneven. Traditional mattresses don’t mold to our bodies rather our bodies flatten to meet the mattress. Something to consider when selecting a mattress is to see if the mattress takes the pressure of the joints and sore spots allowing for a painless night of sleep.

Tip #3 - No Black Hole or Cavity to Fall Into

• With traditional mattresses, a cavity forms over time, particularly where the heavier person normally sleeps. During the night you both gravitate towards the centre of the bed and end up sleeping literally on top of each other. Look for a mattress that will make your own mould and rest separately for a change.

Tip #4 - Ability to Add an Adjustable Frame

• Some mattresses are designed so that you can add one of the adjustable bed frames, which allows you to have the best of both worlds. Adjustable beds are very popular today and allow the maximum of comfort and convenience. You will not have to worry about your partner either as you will each essentially have your very own twin bed with your own set of controls.

Tip #5 - Warranty

• Check the warranty. If your mattress wears out before the warranty expires it will be replaced. Some foam mattresses will probably need to be replaced far more often than other mattresses. Traditionally mattresses last at the very least 10 years. There are many factors when choosing a mattress. It essentially comes down to a matter of preference. One certain bedding isn’t for everyone, but you won’t really know that until you try sleeping on it for a few days. For this reason it is important that you choose a reputable dealer that offers a money back guarantee. This way you can try without fear of loosing a rather sizeable investment if it doesn’t work for you.