Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

Now I lay me down to sleep…what type of mattress should I keep? 

I recently became obsessed with this topi. I was on a trip with my husband, and when we arrived, I did the standard, hop-on-the-bed-to-see-if-it’s-any-good routine. My first thought was that it didn’t have much bounce or give, but oh well. When I woke up the next day, I felt AMAZING. I had not moved or tossed or turned a single time during the entire night. So, what gives? Was I just relaxed because it was a mini vacation, or is there something more to be had in the sleeping world?

As a chiropractor, I knew there were specific things to look for in a bed, but I failed to recognize the changing needs of my own body when we had purchased our bed at home. Prior to having my son, I could sleep through a trip to Oz on the Tornado Express. Now, the years of mommy training have left behind a lighter sleeper who tosses and turns at the slightest sounds. I have always attributed these changes to being a mom and totally missed the obvious fact that we changed beds within months of my son being born. After much research and lying on a billion (okay, maybe not quite a billion) beds, here is the skinny on my top choices:

Latex Mattresses:

These are great because latex is a natural substance. It won’t emit nasty, harmful chemicals the way memory foam will, and it provides some support for your spine. Yet, it still has the appropriate amount of ‘give’ for shoulders and hips so that your spine isn’t stressed while you sleep. JC Mattress in Jefferson City is my favorite place to pick up a latex mattress. They build all of their mattresses on site, and you can ask them questions about the ingredients. Plus, they are so friendly and happily explain the benefits of each. They also offer a 10-year warranty on their products! JC Mattress also uses natural latex, whereas a lot of the other companies around here are using synthetic latex, which puts us right back into the harmful chemical arena.

Sleep Number Beds:

I am also a fan of Sleep Number Beds, and the team at the Columbia Mall is extremely detailed in finding the right choice for you and your sleeping partner. The convenient part of a Sleep Number Bed is that you can change what the bed feels like based on what your body needs.

Pillow Top Mattresses:

My next choice is a basic pillow top mattress. Most people respond best to medium firmness, and the topper provides a little give for the shoulders and hips as well. Memory foam, while popular, has very harmful chemicals and it provides little to no support for your spine. Most people who get them report liking the bed for about a month and then disliking it afterward.

Choosing to change your mattress is a big deal, but there are times it is just the right move for your health!