What To Look For In A Mattress For Athletes

While getting a good night’s sleep is essential for everyone to perform well in their daily life, athletes require far more care. The lifestyle of an athlete takes more energy than less active individuals need to keep up with their lifestyle. Athletes can’t sacrifice a couple of hours of sleep like less-active people might find themselves needing to do.

Losing sleep takes a toll on strong performance, and the number one culprit of a miserable night’s sleep could be your mattress. When you’re an athlete, there are certain things you need to look for in a mattress to keep your body in top condition, even while you sleep.

Things to Look For In a Mattress:

Full-Body Support

Sometimes we have those days where we just hurt all over. As an athlete, you’ll want a mattress that provides overall support for all aspects of your body because you’ll probably feel more sore and tired than your less active friends. 

Generally, you’ll want at least three layers of support with a top layer of high-density foam. All these layers provide a level surface for the body and take the pressure off of your muscles when you need your rest the most.

Conformity

Your mattress isn’t going to be comfortable if it’s too stiff as it might make you feel like you’re sleeping on a padded brick. The design of a mattress should conform to your body, molding to your shape to allow you maximum comfort. 

A mattress adjusted to your body will alleviate the tension in your muscles, especially your neck, shoulders, and back while decreasing any body pain you might have. You do want to be careful that you don’t invest in a mattress that you end up sinking into too much, however, because your body then ends up resting on an uneven surface, possibly making your sore muscles worse.

Pressure Point Relief

Certain parts of the body are more sensitive to pressure. If you’re frequently working out or participating in athletic events, you have a higher chance of agitating these pressure points. 

When you try out a mattress, pay attention to the pressure points of your body, such as your shoulders and hips. You’ll want to find a mattress that takes the pressure off, alleviating soreness and pain. The high-density foam layer we mentioned earlier is crucial to look for in a mattress for this reason.

Spinal Alignment

The right mattress should always be one that properly aligns your spine with your ears and shoulders in any sleeping position you take. It should also align your spine with itself when you sleep on your back, alleviating any back pain. If a mattress doesn’t feel right on your back, you’ll want to avoid it entirely.

Trial Periods

Unlike a new pair of shoes that only takes a day or two to break in, it takes months for a mattress to adjust to your body correctly and vice versa. Many mattress companies will offer 100-day trial periods (or more), and you’ll want to take advantage of that period to help you decide if a mattress is right for you.

Being able to test a mattress out for an extended period and return it if it doesn’t work for you is vital to being able to test out another mattress as soon as you can. The sooner you find the right mattress, the better. 

Other Considerations:

Body Temperature

Everyone has a different body temperature and every mattress has different ways of complimenting those body temperatures. A mattress made with material that isn’t suited to your body can amplify or decrease your body heat making it uncomfortably hot or cold. 

It’s important to note how your body temperature feels when sleeping on a mattress and whether you end up being too hot or cold overnight. A consistent temperature is ideal to get a good night’s sleep, so it’s important to take your own body temperature into consideration.

Firmness

Depending on your body weight, preferred sleeping position, and any pre-existing injuries, your ideal firmness is likely going to be different than the person next to you. Paying attention to how firm or soft your mattress is can be essential because every mattress varies in the amount of firmness. Some beds have adjustable firmness as well, which may be optimal if your preferences differ depending on how hard you worked yourself on any given day.

Mattress Covers

Fabric mattress covers are optional, but the cooling material they’re made with works to soothe an overheating body. High-performance covers are also made for people who sweat a lot during the night by wicking away the moisture that your body produces. While a mattress cover might not be necessary for everyone, it’s ideal for athletes to keep their bodies cooled down during the night.

Take Time to Consider What You Need in a Mattress

There are a lot of things to consider as an athlete when you want to buy a mattress and the pressure of finding something perfect might overwhelm you. Hopefully, these considerations help you narrow down your search and give you everything you need to find the best mattress for athletes because your sleep is crucial to keeping up your healthy and active lifestyle.

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