Mattress for Athletes
Mattress for Athletes: Mistakes to Avoid When Buying a Mattress

Quality sleep starts with choosing the right mattress. And for athletes, reading a lot of product guides come in handy; however, mistakes in choosing the ideal mattress for athletes are still inevitable. 

There is a wide variety of mattresses in the market today and choosing the ideal mattress for athletes is not an easy task, especially when there are a lot of factors to consider, including health and wellness reasons.

Why choosing the right mattress critical to athletes?

Sleep is critical to athletes; it is similarly essential to nutrition, hydration, and training. Mattress, on the other hand, is a huge driver of quality sleep. If an athlete is unable to get quality sleep due to problems with the mattress, it can affect the athlete’s performance.

So, to avoid mistakes when purchasing a mattress, here are the top mistakes you need to avoid:

Mistake #1: Not understanding the differences between mattress types

As mentioned, there is a huge variety of mattresses that you can find in both physical furniture shops and online. However, not all of these mattresses fit the lifestyle of an athlete. Athletes tend to move around a lot during waking hours, either for training or engaging in the actual game. So, it is no brainer that athletes would often experience muscle fatigue and joint pain.

Sleeping on a mattress that is too firm or too soft after long hours of training will only cause additional discomfort, rather than relieving muscle fatigue or pain. For this reason, it is essential to understand the differences between mattresses after mattress. 

Here is a list of the main types of mattresses:

  • Innerspring Coil Mattress

  • Latex Mattress

  • Gel-Infused Mattress

  • Memory Foam Mattress

  • Hybrid Mattress

The most recommended mattress type for athletes is the memory foam mattress. Memory foam is viscoelastic; it conforms sleeper’s body curve, which provides better body support, relieves body pain or discomfort on the pressure spots (shoulders, neck, hips, arms, and legs), and promotes correct spinal alignment. This is a pretty good deal that you can take advantage.

However, memory foam mattresses aren’t recommended for hot sleepers. The reason behind this is because these foams tend to absorb and contain body heat, causing some sleepers to get uncomfortably hot or warm during the night. Instead, hot sleepers should consider getting a hybrid mattress (designed with two or three materials such as innerspring coils, latex, gel-infused, and memory foam). However, if a hybrid mattress is not an option, you can stick to a memory foam mattress but designed with infused cooling gel.

#2: Not understanding the thickness and firmness

Other than the mattress’s materials, you should also explore the levels of the mattress’s thickness and firm. When choosing a mattress according to the level of thickness and firmness, you should consider your body weight. For instance:

  • Lightweight sleepers (130 pounds and less) should consider a 12-inches thick mattress and should opt for a 2 – 4 firm rating. Mattresses with this thick and firm will provide the right support and ‘sink’.

  • Average sleepers (130 – 230 pounds) should consider 10 – 12 inch thick mattress and 5 – 6 firm rating. The bed is not too soft or too firm but provides better back support.

  • Plus-size sleepers (230 pounds and more) should opt for a 12 – 14 inch thick mattress with 7 – 10 firm ratings. This will provide enough body support and the right body ‘sinkage’ to the mattress.

#3: Compromising quality over price

Indeed, most of the memory foam mattresses that are ideal for athletes are a bit expensive. However, you should not compromise quality over price. Plus, there are mattress sellers and manufacturers that offers 120 days trial period, you should check on it right now.