Despite spending more than half of our lives in bed, a new study has revealed a massive 57% of us neglect to seek advice when purchasing a new mattress and it could be having a detrimental impact on our sleep and overall health.
According to the findings from leading bed manufacturer Sealy, in partnership with the British Chiropractic Association (BCA), more than half of us do not seek professional advice when choosing a mattress. A massive 40% of us spend less than half an hour selecting this vital household item – shorter than the average power nap.
In doing so, we’re putting our health at risk – potentially choosing a mattress which is wrong for our body type and individual sleeping habits. Sealy has found that a regular good night’s sleep can significantly improve our health – helping our bodies to repair themselves and boosting our immune systems. However, the BCA has warned that an unsuitable mattress can contribute to back and neck pain, impacting on the quality of sleep we receive.
Despite these health implications of having a good night’s rest, of the small percentage of people who do actually seek advice when buying a new mattress, the majority simply look online (16%) instead of speaking with a professional from the industry. Only 1% would consult with their neighbours, 4% discuss with friends and just 9% seek guidance from a qualified chiropractor.
Neil Robinson, Sealy’s sleep expert said: “The research indicates that people aren’t taking their sleep seriously, underestimating the impact of a mattress on their everyday lives and wellbeing. That’s why we’ve teamed up with the BCA to encourage people to seek professional guidance when choosing a new bed or mattress. There may be a misconception that “a mattress is a mattress” but this really isn’t the case – different products offer different benefits catered for individual sleep requirements – from zonal support to the materials used in production. That’s why we’ve developed our new Bed Selector App, to make the process clearer and easier for consumers. We hope our study, and the new application, encourage people to take more time to consider the model and features they opt for before making a commitment.”
Rishi Loatey from the BCA said: “People don’t realise just how important a suitable bed and mattress is for their back. We all come in different weights, shapes and sizes so, given we spend a third of our lives in bed, it makes sense to find the best possible bed to give the optimum level of support and comfort.
“We recommend you spend as much time as possible choosing a new bed or mattress – and try it out before you buy it! Chiropractors generally recommend that you should sleep on your back or side and when lying on your side, your spine should be parallel to the mattress and not be sagging or bowing.”
Those looking for a new mattress can now choose the one that’s right for them with Sealy’s innovative new bed selector app: www.sealy.co.uk/bed-selector/. The app takes the user through a series of question about their body, sleep habits and preferences, from support, comfort and profile to value, to identify the perfect bed. Advice on safeguarding back health when making that selection can be found on the BCA website .
Research conducted in January 2015 on a sample of 2,127 UK adults.
