How to find the best mattress for older adults?

We all know that a night of good sleep is essential for overall health and well-being. It aids in improving your mental health, boosting memory and immune system and keeping you rejuvenated the entire day. While a good 7 hours of sleep is must for everyone, older adults do not get enough of it during the night. They wake up in between their sleep due to various body ailments, aches, insomnia or other health issues. But, more than often the mattress is also the reason behind such sleep disturbances.

Researchers say that a good mattress is important for sound sleep, especially for older adults. We need to take good care of their health, and if you think their mattress is causing disturbances to their sound sleep, it is best to address the issue right away. However, finding the right and best mattress for older couples is not a small task. Many factors need to be considered while choosing mattresses for these senior citizens in India.

It is said that nearly 50-70% of older adults are experiencing severe sleep issues and around 50% of these cases go. Sleeplessness due to a bad mattress is an important underlying factor that isn’t often spoken about.

Different types of mattresses

There are various types of mattresses available in the market. Each mattress serves a different purpose - like a mattress for back pain or backache, for Arthritis, neck pain, shoulder pain.

Mattresses can further also be classified into 3 categories:

• Based on Material
• Based on Firmness
• Based on Size

Mattresses based on material:

When it comes to mattresses by material, there are different variants available in the market. For example, at Duroflex you can pick from mattress materials like foam, memory foam, coir, bonnell spring, pocket spring or natural latex. Every material brings along with itself a distinct feature to address different kinds of sleep needs.

• Firm Mattress: Like Back Magic Orthopedic Coir Mattress & Tatva Natural Latex and Coir Mattress. These are ideal for people looking for firm feel for back pain relief. A preferred choice for older adults.
• Medium Firm Mattress - There are a lot of variants available in a medium-firm mattress. Most of these mattresses are used for orthopedic purposes and hence serve the best for older adults.
• Medium Soft Mattress - Kaya Chemical Free Natural Latex Mattress and Rise Spring Soft Mattress are examples of soft mattresses. They are usually not recommended for older adults.

When it comes to mattress based on size, the following options are available:

• Single Size Mattress
• Double Size Mattress
• Queen Size Mattress
• King Size Mattress

At Duroflex, we also offer to customize the size of the mattresses in case you have a non-standard size bed.

What should older adults look for, in their mattresses?

Now that we have seen the different types of mattresses available in the market, let us understand which ones are suitable for older adults. The sleeping needs vary from one person to another. Similarly, it varies from one elderly adult to the other. Some may be having severe backache problems. For them, you need to buy a mattress that provides the most advanced orthopedic support.

Older people lack proper sleep due to poor health conditions and unhealthy sleeping patterns. It means they sleep at times during the day, which decreases their sleeping hours during the night. As we age, we do get a change in our sleeping patterns and our lifestyle. We need to understand the needs and changes in our bodies and buy a new mattress accordingly. For older adults, it is mandatory to buy a new mattress if there are any sleep-related issues and change the mattress every 7-8 years. Visible sagging, wear, and tear are also important signs that call for mattress replacement.

Older adults might suffer from various ailments that should be considered while buying the mattress

Types of ailments due to poor mattress in adults:

• Arthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Back Ache, Neck Pain, and Hip Pain
• Fibromyalgia

Considering all the above diseases, let us see the factors to be considered while choosing mattresses. These factors are crucial as they are directly proportional to the health and sleep of older people.

• Material of the mattress
• The Firmness of the mattress
• The adjustability of the mattress

The selection of the right material plays a crucial role in buying a mattress for older adults. You must be well aware of the various options that are available to you. A memory foam mattress is a good choice for elderly adults as it provides the necessary support to the entire body, relieving the pain to a great extent. The material used in these mattresses helps the muscle and the joints to relax, giving you uninterrupted sleep.

Another choice is the latex mattress, which has rubber as the main material. The natural rubber offers good support to your body, thus helping you with pain relief. Natural latex mattresses are also hypoallergenic and breathable.

Another material is a combination of both foam and spring coil. It is a good choice for aged people who will feel comfortable with the combination of foam and spring coil.

The firmness of the mattress is also very important. Since older people are more prone to pain and aches, we should ensure we choose a firm or medium-firm mattress that can help them relieve the pain and provide good sleep.

For older adults, the mattress should be adjustable and comfortable. Their body and skin will be very sensitive, and hence, the mattress must be comfortable enough to make them relax.

Factors to look out for while buying mattresses for older adults:

• Maintenance
• Durability
• Suitability
• Support offered
• Budget
• Comfort

The maintenance guidelines should be checked and followed while buying a mattress for older adults. The mattress should regulate the air and the temperatures to give them good sleep and comfort. Older people are not healthy enough to flip the mattress to circulate more air inside. So, we should look for a low maintenance mattress while buying.

The chosen mattress must meet all the needs of older adults while being durable. Go for a mattress that comes with a 7-10 years warranty.

Any mattress that is bought for older adults must be suitable for their needs. It should not disturb their sleep, should not heat their body, nor should give them pain while changing sleep positions.

Care and support are very important factors for older adults. They need extra support as they have weak muscles, inflammation, etc. A good mattress with extra support can help them to overcome these ailments. It is best to explore branded orthopedic mattresses while buying mattresses for elderly adults.

Budget is yet another factor to be considered while buying mattresses for elderly adults. Mattresses can be expensive so it is best to go for a brand that offers multiple options within a price range to pick from.

No matter what, if the mattress does not offer the needed comfort, it will be a problem for adults. Hence, make sure that you buy the most comfortable one owing to the demand and the need of the older adults in your home.

The biggest joy in adult life is to enjoy a good night's sleep. Hence, do not compromise on anything for the sake of it. Please choose the best mattress for older people considering their physical needs, ailments, and lifestyle habits.