Sleep Talk Blog, Bed and Mattress Guides
Debunking Common Mattress Myths and 4 Gimmicks
Oct
Mattress Myths
While the mattress industry doesn't have its own version of bigfoot, there are several myths and gimmicks to look out for when shopping.
This article debunks the common myths and gimmicks with mattresses to help you filter out the noise and skip straight to the good stuff.
Myth #1 – A mattress doubles in weight after five years
The notion that a mattress doubles in weight after five years is nonsense. It's borne from the idea that sweat, dead skin, and dirt build up in ridiculous amounts over time, but this theory has several problems.
For starters, sweat evaporates because it's a liquid. Secondly, mattresses have hypoallergenic materials that do not allow dead skin and dirt to penetrate them. This means a mattress gains little weight at all.
Myth #2 – Firm mattresses are best for back pain
It isn't true that firm mattresses are best for back pain, with this study finding that medium-firm mattresses are best for chronic lower back pain, and people with muscular back pain might do better with a medium mattress.
Myth #3 – Mattress chemicals are dangerous
While it is true that the chemicals used to manufacture polyurethane foam and synthetic fibres are dangerous, mattresses do not contain enough to pose a danger to health, nor are they likely to trigger allergies.
Besides, if you are concerned about chemicals in mattresses, you can always get a natural mattress – check out these three for ideas.
Myth #4 – You need to replace your mattress after X years
Mattress replacement isn't an exact science, so any time you hear about recommendations on replacement times, take them with a pinch of salt.
Here are some signs you need a new mattress:
- The support is no longer adequate.
- You wake up with aches and pains.
- You are tossing and turning more than usual.
- Your mattress has lumps, bumps, or an otherwise uneven surface.
- The springs are squeaky or stick into the mattress.
- You sink into the mattress a lot more than you used to (this can be because of weight gain, but in any case, it could be because the support system is gone).
Feel free to hang onto your old mattress if all else is well.
Mattress gimmicks
Gimmick #1 – "Orthopaedic"
You can go out now and buy an orthopaedic mattress, but the word "orthopaedic" doesn't mean anything.
There is no industry standard for the word, so manufacturers can label their mattresses 'orthopaedic' without meeting any standards or regulations.
Instead, 'orthopaedic' is the generic label manufacturers use to describe mattresses that use materials that relieve pressure and support the joints. ANY mattress can do this, so don't be fooled by clever 'ortho' and 'orthopaedic' marketing.
Gimmick #2 – Luxury outer covers
Luxury outer covers made from wool, Damask, and other soft materials are a sign of high-quality mattresses, but they are redundant features.
Why? Because everyone uses a bedsheet. Whether fitted or flat, bedsheets are the surface we feel when lying in bed. It doesn't matter if the outer cover is made from wool or cheap polyester when you have a sheet over it.
Gimmick #3 – Greenwashing
While there are mattresses with a lower carbon footprint than others, greenwashing and exuberate marketing is commonplace in the industry. It means you could end up buying a mattress based on false perceptions.
The terms' natural', 'organic,' and 'eco-friendly' help identify material origins, but you must dig deeper for the whole picture.
Natural and organic materials and British-made are things to consider. Our article about what makes a mattress eco-friendly covers this in detail.
Gimmick #4 – Micro spring counts
Micro springs and mini coils are compact springs that take up 30-40% of the space of traditional pocket and open coil spring systems. This lets manufacturers increase the spring count without taking up more vertical space.
While nothing is wrong with this, there is a perception that more springs equal a better mattress. This is only the case up to a point – 1,500 is considered the point where a higher count is non-beneficial to comfort and support.
So, if you come across a 5,000 spring mattress, it isn't necessarily better than a 1,500-pocket spring mattress – it just has more micro springs.