Experts estimate that most adults need at least 7 hours of quality sleep each night to be able to function at their best during the day, but the reality is that many adults are getting 5 hours or less of quality sleep each night. Some of this is due to the faster pace of life today and increased duties both at the job and at home, but some of the problem is due to people not having the right furniture in their home to promote quality sleep each night for long periods of time. A lack of sleep can have a number of negative health effects on a person's life and if the situation is not remedied so that the person can get the proper amount of sleep, the person may experience a lack of concentration, behavioral changes, decreased mental function, or an increased amount of headaches.



Choosing the right furniture so that you can get a good night's sleep is very important to both your physical and mental health. One of the most important pieces of furniture for getting a good night's sleep is the mattress that you will be sleeping on every night. If the mattress is not comfortable, then it will be impossible for you to obtain restful sleep for the recommended period of time each night.

The first thing that you should look at when determining whether a mattress is right for your needs is the size of the mattress. For restful and relaxing sleep, you will need a mattress that you can fit on comfortably without your head, feet, or arms hanging off of the sides or ends of the mattress. If you cannot lay your entire body on the mattress without curling your body into a ball to avoid going over the edge, then the mattress is too small and you need to purchase a larger mattress.

Another thing that should be looked at is the comfort of the mattress. Sleeping on a mattress that is not comfortable to the body will cause the person to toss and turn all night attempting to find a comfortable position to sleep in. People that toss and turn all night while asleep are not obtaining restful sleep and they will feel tired and sore when they awake in the morning, often without knowing the reason why.

An easy way to tell whether the mattress that you are sleeping on is comfortable or not is to lay flat on your back on it for a period of at least 15 minutes without any outside distractions. This will allow you to objectively evaluate the quality of the mattress and determine whether or not it is time for you to purchase a new mattress to sleep on. If the mattress feels lumpy in any areas, is sagging, or you can feel the springs, then it is time for you to purchase another mattress to sleep on.

It is important to choose a mattress that is not too stiff or too soft for you to sleep on comfortably during the night. When choosing a mattress at a retailer, it is important for you to lie on the mattress for at least 15 minutes so that you can truly feel what the mattress will feel like when sleeping on it at home. If it feels like you are laying on a board or certain parts of your body feel like they are not touching the bed, then you will need to choose a different mattress to feel comfortable at night.