Finding the mattress for your new home? Or replacing an old musty mattress?
It’s easy to be swayed by salesmen and advertisements but they don’t know your sleeping habits and preferences!
Here’s what to look for in a mattress so you don’t just buy the first mattress that catches your eye!
How To Choose A Mattress In Malaysia
Sure, showrooms will have beds and mattresses you can try in person. But don’t depend on the sales person to tell you what you need!
Because besides the available mattress sizes and mattress types:
Buying a mattress is quite a personal affair! You (and your partner) know your sleeping habits (e.g. sleeping position) best! (Ref: 1 & 2)
These are all aspects to consider when getting a good mattress:
- Mattress Life
- Mattress Type
- Budget
- Firmness
- Body Weight
- Sleeping Positions
1. Mattress Life
If your mattress still has its shape and feels supportive, then you probably don’t need to change it.
Even though experts do advise that you should change out your mattress every 7-10 years!
You can prolong the life of your mattress too by rotating it to another side on your bed. Do this once in a while!
Latex mattresses generally have the longest lifespan! Followed by memory foam. While pillow tops have the highest tendency to sink.
As for spring mattresses, we’ve had spring mattresses (from Vono) that are still going strong after 10 years too!
100% coconut fiber mattress while cheap, do sink after a while. Their lifespan is relatively short – 3 to 5 years! So it’s not unusual to see hybrid mattresses that combine coconut fiber with a spring support layer.
2. Mattress Type
The type of mattress you choose will determine its longevity, firmness level, breathability, and ability to isolate motion from your sleeping partner, and provide good for your back!
- Latex – These are suitable for Malaysia’s hot climate. They have some bounce and won’t hug your body; natural latex material is breathable and biodegradable too
- Memory foam – Conforms to your body, giving support and relief. Synthetic components can feel warmer than natural materials.
- Pocket-spring– Don’t underestimate an innerspring mattress! With multiple layers or more spring coils, these can provide support and bounce! Especially at the edge of the mattress!
Note: Traditional spring mattresses are known as open-coil (i.e. Bonnell Springs).
Bonnell Vs Pocket-spring:
- Pillowtop – Feels like you’re sinking into soft cushion; Usually with an underlying spring layer
- Hybrid – Utilizes a combination of different technologies (e.g. latex on top of memory foam)
- Coconut fiber – Excellent ventilation, hypoallergenic, firmer than other materials, prone to sagging, biodegradable
We think it’s important to consider sustainability too.
Pocket mattresses still have value at the end of their life due to the metal springs inside them. While latex and coconut fiber (coir) will degrade naturally. A quality that makes them more eco-friendly!
On the other hand, hybrid mattresses are harder to recycle due to the complexity of layers.
And it remains to seen what will happen to all the new memory foam mattresses that are penetrating the market! The process of making them (e.g. use of flame retardants) is questionable for health too.
But there are third-party certifications you can look for, like Oeko-Tex Standard 100 or CentiPUR-US.
3. Budget
Keep quality in mind when buying a mattress! It needs to last you for many years!
Do not assume that the best mattress in Malaysia is the most expensive! Sometimes, you may be paying for the brand (and their marketing campaigns)!
Buying online does remove the retail markup and transportation costs of mattresses you buy in-store! Which is the main selling point of mattress-in-a-box companies that are gaining popularity worldwide!
But you should never compromise and buy the cheapest mattress you can find! Low cost does imply lower grade materials. And your back will suffer for it!
Note: Natural latex mattresses are expensive for all the labor that goes into harvesting the latex.
You can expect to pay around the following for these types of mattress in Malaysia:
- Coconut fiber – Below or around RM1,000
- Foam/ Spring – <RM1,000 to 2,000 – don’t know whether to choose a foam or spring mattress?
- Latex – At least RM3,000
- Hybrid – RM1,300 to RM7,000
Of course, the size of the mattress (e.g., single, queen, king, etc) matters too! Don’t assume that the mattress you want comes in all sizes!
4. Firmness
This is how soft or hard the mattress feels to you. As your body type plays a key role in finding a good mattress!
However, most companies will follow a universal firmness scale where the firmness rating most people prefer is between 4 and 7 on a scale of 10.
Note: 10 being the firmest and 1 the softest.
It’s common to find mattresses between 6 to 7 on the firmness scale in Malaysia. To cater to the widest range of users possible – people of average build and back sleepers!
If you want an exceptionally hard mattress, a pure coconut fiber mattress is worth looking into, just click on the link for our recommendations!
5. Body Weight
Which brings us to the next point when choosing a mattress, body weight:
- Below 70kg – A universal comfort mattress will be fine. And you can always take it down a notch if you want as softer mattress. While 8 should be the maximum firmness for you!
- Between 70kg to 90kg – Universal comfort mattresses (aka most mattresses) were made with your body weight in mind! Stick to those!
- Above 90kg – At least 4 inches of comfort material for a plushy feel; Look for cooling properties and edge support! Memory foam or coil-on-coil (innerspring) mattress will work for you!
Besides your bodyweight, do mind how much weight your existing bedframe can take! Especially if you decide on a latex mattress!
6. Sleeping Positions
Whether you sleep on your back, stomach or side:
It makes a difference to finding the right mattress (and the best pillow for you)!
- Side – A soft mattress will improve your sleep quality. To avoid pressure on your shoulders and knees! Somebody contour will help too!
- Stomach – Medium firmness is recommended (Firmness: 5-7). Your stomach should not be sinking into the mattress!
- Back – Again, universal comfort mattresses will be ideal.
Generally, heavier sleepers and those with back pain should choose firmer mattresses. If you frequently sleep on your side, you’ll be better off with a softer mattress.
If you have a sleeping partner, try to test out mattresses together at a showroom. If that is not possible, pick a mattress of medium firmness!
Conclusion
Remember to take these factors into consideration when choosing a new mattress – budget, type of mattress, the firmness you need based on your usual sleeping position and body weight!
Now that you know how to choose a mattress, the next question is how to dispose of the old one! There are also ways that you can prolong the life of your mattress!
Related: How To Choose Bedsheets And Types Of Bedsheets Explained
