Best Mattresses for Seniors: Because Your Comfort Counts

Depending on who you are, you may have differing opinions about what defines a senior citizen and who should be eligible for the early bird special. But what most all of us can agree upon is that as we age our comfort becomes both more of a priority, and that it is often more difficult to attain. This is especially true concerning sleep.

Complaints pertaining to sleep in senior citizens typically surround insomnia, or an inability to sleep for long periods of time. This is followed closely by discomforts associated with medical conditions, and sleep apnea. Of course as we age our body undergoes transformations concerning the wear and tear we’ve inflicted on our bodies over the years, and the aches that often accompany them usually come home to roost the older we get. Medications to help alleviate these symptoms may also disrupt the the sleep patterns we’ve gotten used to through the years.

But sleep disruptions can also be associated specifically to age. Elderly adults should still get the required 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night needed for their body to rest and rejuvenate, but a few other things may be keeping you up at night; namely that as we age our brain produces less inhibiting neurons responsible for uninterrupted sleep. This results in shifting sleep stages and less deep sleep.

Short of speaking with your healthcare provider with options concerning medications or options surrounding your sleep, there isn’t much you can do to directly to affect how you sleep. But there is much you can control concerning your personal comfort, as well as ways to alleviate any pain issues you may be experiencing.

Consider Your Comfort

Mattresses may very well be the single most important product to help you with a better night’s rest. And yet many people are still sleeping upon the wrong mattress. What you need to understand is that everybody is different and so therefor each sleep experience is as unique as you are, so you need to take into account some very specific variables when choosing your sleeping surface.

First, take into account your personal preferences and body type. Side sleepers generally need a more plush sleeping surface to help keep their spine in alignment. Firm mattresses are reserved for back and stomach sleepers to support heavier areas of the body, such as the hips and shoulder, which can sink into softer surfaces and put undue stress on muscles and tendons.

Lighter weighted bodies may also find more firm mattresses to be too firm, and cause pressure points against joints and hips. In contrast, heavy bodies may need a firmer surface as their weight will create more compression.

If you aren’t in the market for a new mattress, or do like what you have although you feel you could have a little added comfort- consider a mattress topper. These can help provide a little extra cushioning if you like a firm surface but prefer a layer to alleviate pressure points, stabilize a too soft surface for back support, or even be what’s best for sleeping hot due to integrated cooling gel infusions and increased airflow. .

What to Look For

Adjustable beds that allow you to customize your sleeping surface may be a good choice if you spend any amount of time in bed, or simply need a varied comfort level. This is especially helpful if you have issues with getting out of bed. You may want to consider an ergonomic foundation even that can raise and lower parts of the bed for your convenience, or even a mattress that can provide an adjustable surface.

Supportive comfort and pressure point relief are often heard in the mattress industry, as it should be. Joint pains are common with age due to regular use, or inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. Pressure points occur as your body’s weight pushed joints into adjacent surfaces. It’s important that your sleeping surface provides give and weight distribution to those areas.Many times this can best be determined through sleep trials offered by mattress companies to allow you to experience the mattress for a set period of time before finalizing the purchase.

Low profile bed frames and mattresses allow for easier accessibility. Many times thick mattresses come with a high foundation or box spring which makes it near impossible to climb into bed even for the most agile. Look for a bed that you can easily sit upon and rise up from without needing unexpected support.

Both online and showroom shopping can offer many possible choices, but mattress specialty stores will better be able to answer your questions and focus your towards what works best for your needs and budgets. Consider using unbiased, online review sites to find honest opinions from primary sources.

What to Avoid

Surfaces that are too plush, or conforming which may make it difficult to move within, or even get out of if mobility is at all an issue. Foam mattresses often have these complaints, so it’s important to know how the foams used contour to your body and how they are expected to compress as they wear in over the years.

Inexpensive materials that don’t hold up through time compared to more quality items. Your comfort is paramount to your health, and less expensive bargains should be closely scrutinized for quality. You don’t want to exasperate existing pain as materials breakdown.

We often use our bed to sit upon or as support, so it’s important to pick a mattress that has stable edge support that doesn’t compress under weight. The best way to determine if a mattress has good edge support is to sit upon it or push down hard. If it gives very easily you may want to look elsewhere.

Settling for the first mattress you think may work for you may have you waking in pain a week later. Be sure to explore your options and learned about the differences in one product to the next to make the best choices possible.

Conclusion

Your sleeping surface is a very important component to your rest. And rest is a vital factor to your overall health. When you sleep your body is better able to heal physically, and also recharge mentally. Even if you struggle to drift off each night, toss and turn to find a more comfortable position, or know you will be awake within a few hours- the time you do have in bed is a critical part of what keeps you going each day, and so you should create the most restful place possible.

Frank Apodaca strives to find the best night’s sleep possible for you through the testing of a variety of products and unbiased reviews you can find at The Sleep Judge. Through his years in the business he has come across a quite a few products, both good and bad, and knows quality when he sees it. His experience with the industry provides you with the best advice possible to get you what you need. Follow us on Facebook, Youtube, or Twitter