It’s that time of year again – as spring turns to summer, so do students become college graduates. There are a lot of things running through a grad’s mind, such as where am I going to work and where am I going to live?
One thing all college grads need to think about is how well do they want to sleep at night and what type of mattress is going to help make that happen. It all starts with buying your first mattress.
Tips for Buying Your First Mattress
If at any point you slept in a dorm room, you know firsthand the difference between a good mattress and one that is basically padded cardboard. That’s why your first mattress needs to be one that fits your individual sleep needs. There are so many choices out there, you might be tempted to just go with a cheaply-made option, thinking “all mattresses are the same.”
Here are a few tips on buying your first mattress:
- Soft, Medium, or Firm: You’re going to be sleeping on this mattress for several years, so it’s a good idea to invest in the right mattress the first time. What you think you want and what your body needs might be two entirely different things. No two people are alike, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that different people need different levels of support in a mattress. Sure, the thought of falling asleep on something as soft as a cloud might sound nice, but your back might say otherwise when you wake up.
- It’s What’s on the Inside: Generally speaking, there are three different types of mattresses – an innerspring mattress, a memory foam mattress, and a hybrid. An innerspring mattress might give you more support in the long-run, but memory foam and hybrid mattresses come in all different comfort levels and make up the popular mattress-in-a-box A mattress-in-a-box might not be a bad choice for your first mattress as there are so many options from which to choose.
- Financially speaking: Yes, mattresses are an important investment in your overall wellness, and if you take the overall cost and divide by however long you plan on having the mattress (8-10 years or longer?), then it doesn’t seem as expensive. That being said, as a recent college graduate, your finances are probably wrapped up in student loans, other bills, and hopefully food. The good thing is you don’t have to spend a fortune on your first mattress to get great quality. Finding a good sale or a company that offers a price guarantee always helps. This is also another good opportunity to check out a mattress-in-a-box, as they are great quality mattresses with different price points.
Finding the Best Mattress for Apartment Living
If your first residence after becoming a college grad is an apartment, there are a few things to keep in mind when looking for your first mattress. You don’t want to get a king-sized mattress if you have a small, one-bedroom apartment. Of course, on the other side of the spectrum, a twin mattress might be too small.
Everything depends on what you decide to do with the space you have. If you plan on having a lot of furniture in your bedroom, you might want to opt for a smaller mattress. That being said, if you have a larger bedroom, or if you only plan on having a few pieces of furniture, then a full- or queen-sized mattress might make more sense.
Of course, if you’re moving into a new apartment with your partner, then you will almost assuredly want a mattress with a little extra space.
How to Upgrade Your First Mattress
Some college grads might have stayed at home and commuted to school or, during the pandemic, did remote learning. If that’s the case and you’re ready to move out on your own, you’re probably looking to upgrade your first mattress into something that fits you a little better.
As mentioned above, finding a great mattress is all about finding the right fit for you. Fortunately, at Mattress Warehouse, you can find the right mattress at the right price just for you. With bedMATCH®, Mattress Warehouse’s patented diagnostic sleep system, you’ll be able to take the guesswork out of picking your first mattress.
Stop by any store to try out bedMATCH, or look for our assortment of mattresses online.