It can be easy to forget how much your mattress influences your sleep, mood, and health as you lay on it several hours throughout the night. The materials and construction can have a significant impact on your rest, as well as your mobility each day. If you want to invest in a new mattress, there are a few ways it affects your quality of sleep.
Reduces stress levels
The type of mattress you sleep on can influence your anxiety and stress levels, depending on how soft or firm it is with its construction. If you aren’t comfortable while sleeping at night, it can result in feeling more fatigued and tense the next morning. Purchasing a firmer mattress can provide more support to different parts of the body, which can limit racing thoughts and worry.
Difficulty falling asleep
The bed is considered to be one of the most comfortable and cosy places in the house, which can make it easy to spend time in it as you work and send emails. Unfortunately, studies show that spending time on your computer or phone in bed can make it harder to fall asleep. It’s important to reserve the mattress for sleep, or it can cause you to train your brain to remain productive and stimulated while spending time in the bedroom. You may also find yourself waking up more frequently throughout the night or thinking about work when you should be dreaming.
Discomfort
If you find yourself tossing and turning a lot and have difficulty getting comfortable, it may be a sign that it’s time to invest in a new mattress. You may even start to sleep better when you spend time at someone else’s house or in a hotel room. Over time, mattresses can lose their firmness or lack the comfort they once had as the materials start to break down. Consider investing in a new product to restore your comfort and quality of sleep.
Part of that evaluation should be the size of your mattress. Based on your height you can determine if a queen or king mattress would be the right size, if you think about buying a new mattress. You should also consider the size of your partner to make sure there’s enough room for you both.
You suffer from allergies
Many people put up with allergies and assume they have to continue suffering from them. The mattress can actually be the culprit of the allergies because of common allergens that settle into the fibres. Dust mites can also be attracted to the mattress, which is microscopic and feeds off dead skin cells that you shed while laying on the bed. Approximately 20 million people in the US are allergic to dust mites, which can cause you to wake up frequently and feel like you have sinus pressure the next day.
It’s important to wash your sheets and pillows every week in hot water. You can also use a mattress cover that is allergy-proof to prevent dust mites from increasing over time. You can even vacuum the mattress every few months to suction more dust and grime that accumulates over time.
Knowing how the mattress affects your sleep and health can help you to learn when it’s time to upgrade the item. With the right mattress, you can feel more at ease and get into a deep slumber.
Ellen Diamond did her degree in psychology at the University of Edinburgh. She is interested in mental health and well-being.
