7 pro tips for choosing the right bedding

We pass neara third of our life sleeping. The choice of bedding should therefore not be done lightly! The mattress must be firm but not too much, large enough, supported by a compatible box spring … and of course, comfortable according to your criteria. The quality of your sleep depends on it, and can be deteriorated.

The bedding has a limited lifespan. “Changing bedding every ten years is a good rhythm” estimates Professor Damien Léger, head of the Center for Sleep and Vigilance at Hôtel-Dieu in Paris and President of the Scientific Council of the National Institute for Sleep and Vigilance (INSV). Indeed, even a quality mattress wears out, and over the years accumulates sweat and dust mites.

Some clues can also encourage you to change your bedding: sleeping troubles, softness of the mattress, back pain, etc. According to a recent study *, “bad sleep” concerns more than one in two French people! A sometimes major problem that can be solved by changing the bedding. Are you tempted? Follow our advice so you don’t go wrong.

* Ipsos survey for the Adova Foundation, August 2018.

Choosing your mattress: the different technologies

Each brand of bedding offers a technology good to it, to the point that the choice is very wide:

• Springs : this technology provides very good ventilation of the mattress;
• Multi-spiral springs: good ventilation as well, and better support than the previous ones;
• Pocket springs: ditto, with the significant advantage of allowing you to move without waking your spouse;
• Combialveolar, among which :
  • Classic foams: for a limited budget and occasional use, because they are not very firm;
  • Polyurethane foams: much firmer than conventional foams, it is one of the most common technologies;
  • Shape memory foams: they adapt durably to the shape of your body, which limits friction and offers suitable support. But these models are among the most expensive on the market, and allow less air circulation;
  • Latex: this rubber-based foam is hypoallergenic and often gives an impression of greater firmness.

How to choose your mattress?

“The most important for choosing the right bedding, is to go try it!“ summarizes Gérard Delautre, Director General of the Association for the Promotion of Bedding (APL), met on the occasion of Sleep Day, organized by the INSV under the patronage of the Ministries of Health and National Education . Lie down for at least ten minutes on the mattress allows to test it optimally. An undeniable advantage of in-store sales, compared to the sale of bedding online.

“The mattress is a mille-feuilles which provokes sensations”, adds Jean-Marc Barbier, innovation manager of the furniture division at the FCBA technological institute. Indeed, a mattress is made up of two parts:

• Blade, which supports the body, and which incorporates mattress technology;
• The surface layer, which plays an important role in the feeling of comfort.

“The thicker the mattress, the more enveloping it is, and the feeling will necessarily be different “, decrypts Jean-Marc Barbier. What about the different technologies of the soul? “Their main difference is in their reaction. It appeals to personal feeling.” explains Gérard Delautre. In other words, everyone perceives each of the technologies differently, depending on their morphology and their sleeping habits, but their quality is equivalent. “The overall quality of products has changed a lot in recent years”, estimates Jean-Marc Barbier, who is working on the CTB Literie certification.

So choose the mattress that best suits your physique… and to your wallet! And dare to get out of your way: “human nature memorizes the comfort of the mattress, so we will tend to seek the same comfort”, adds Jean-Marc Barbier. You will therefore have to take it upon yourself, and also test different models of your current mattress.

Remember that the bedding you leave has adapted to your body: the new model will therefore necessarily seem uncomfortable, at least for the first few seconds. Persevere and multiply the tests in the store – and plan a few hours on site, to make the right choice!

Mattress: a firm model … but not too much!

“Firmness is often the only argument put forward to qualify a mattress” regrets Professor Léger. A good mattress should however to be firm without being hard, because “the better you are supported, the less you move, but the bed must remain welcoming” insists the professor.

We often choose a very firm mattress, hoping that its lifespan will be longer. A false idea, according to Gérard Delautre. “Thirty years ago, we recommended placing a wooden board under the mattresses. Today we know that it is a mistake”. On a bed that is too rigid, the raised parts (shoulder, hips, etc.) are poorly irrigated.

Even worse : choosing a mattress that is too firm might disappoint you ! “The notion of firmness is anchored in the mind of the consumer, as a sign of quality. However, some subsequently regret it”, estimates Jean-Marc Barbier. The expert dares a funny comparison, but clear: “a mattress is like a pair of shoes, you should feel good about it when you buy it! The product must not start to degrade to become comfortable“.

On the other hand, on a too soft mattress, the back is not properly supported, which can cause a lot of back pain. Cushions and bolsters also play an important role in providing good neck support.

How to choose a quality mattress?

When you have defined the technology that suits you best, all that remains is to compare the products with each other to choose the ideal model for you.

“Watch out for cheap and synthetic mattresses, which do not absorb moisture or breathe poorly “ insists Professor Léger. To sleep well, the body temperature must drop by one degree. Good bedding promotes this slight drop in temperature. If you opt for a foam mattress, prefer a foam with a Volumic mass important.

The CTB Bedding certification can help you choose a quality mattress. “The products are proven to simulate daily use: crushing, heating, humidity, etc. For the consumer, it is a simple way to ensure that the product exceeds a certain level of quality, and that it meets criteria of durability and comfort “, explains Jean-Marie Barbier.

Bedding: size matters!

A double mattress is tested by two! In fact, each person has a build and sleep patterns different.

“The surface is a big problem: the French population is growing, some couples cannot turn around without waking the other … This can be a source of sleep disorders” regrets Professor Léger. So choose for a bed in your size, even if it means reorganizing the bedroom to fit a 160 cm bed in place of the old 140 cm bed.

Also prefer a independent sleeping mattress (the two parts of the mattress move separately) or, better, if your budget allows it, two single mattresses (width 80 or 90 cm) instead of a double, joined together and installed on a single base.

Each mattress has its own box spring

If you change the mattress, also change the bed base, because it wears just as much, and supports a third of the load. “Too old a box spring will damage a new mattress twice as fast!” explains Gérard Delautre, who deplores the fact that today we sell twice as many mattresses as box springs.

“The models of box springs have evolved a lot in a short time”, analysis Jean-Marc Barbier. Today, almost all models take on the appearance of box spring (covered with fabrics), but there are several types, and several technologies:

• Fixed bed bases: the most classic. With the following technologies:
  • The box springs: they offer a lot of flexibility when sleeping;
  • The slatted bases: composed of rigid wooden sleepers, they allow good ventilation;
  • Sommeris with flexible slats: wooden and fiberglass slats allow flexibility of suppleness.
• The articulated bed bases: Motorized, they allow you to raise the backrest, for reading for example, but also to raise your legs slightly, an asset if you suffer from circulation problems. Here again, several technologies:
  • The box springs: these studs sink in independently, like the pocket springs, to allow quasi independence of the two parts of the bed base;
  • Flexible slatted bases.
• Box springs with integrated storage: very practical to save as much space as possible in a room.

To choose the right bed base, trust … your mattress ! The two items come in pairs, and the manufacturer always recommends a box spring to go with your mattress. “Choose it from the same brand as the mattress, to be sure that the technologies are compatible” insists Gérard Delautre. In addition, some manufacturers refuse to invoke their warranty on the mattress if the base is not from the same brand …

Maintenance: simple but important

Your brand new bedding, you want to keep it as long as possible. So do not neglect the maintenance ! The number 1 enemy of bedding? Humidity, because it can cause the mold and dust mites development.

Ventilate the mattress at least once a day, not making bed immediately, and also ventilate the room, to limit indoor air pollution. Change the sheets very regularly, for the same reason.

To vacuum right on the mattress from time to time helps limit allergens, dust and mold growth. Be careful, however, “do not use a brush that is too aggressive, which could damage the fibers of the mattress“, warns Jean-Marc Barbier. Also remember to remove the mattress to also clean the box spring, above and below, in order toactually remove all dust.

“The ideal remains the dry cleaning… or failing that, cleaning the cover if it is removable “ says Gérard Delautre. Therefore prefer a removable mattress in absolute terms.

As to pillows, “they must be cleaned every six months” indicates Professor Léger, who also advises turn the mattress regularly, if the model allows it.

The draw sheets, which protect the mattress, can also prevent it from breathing, even make it mold ! Avoid plastic mattress pads, or choose a breathable one. “For the same reasons, do not forget toremove packaging plastic of the mattress! “ explains Gérard Delautre, laughing at this mistake that many households make …