Although most people generally spend a third of their day on a mattress and only less than two hours in a car, comfort tends to be a greater aspect when people buy a car than when they choose a mattress. Mattresses today offer a variety of support types and support levels, both of which can have a significant impact on the quality of your sleep. Read on to find out more on how to choose the twin mattress that is suitable to your needs.

Important Terms About a Twin Mattress

Box Spring: A foundation that distributes the innerspring mattress weight and prevents sagging.
Coil Count: The number of innerspring coils inside a mattress. The standard coil count in a full-sized bed is 312.
Memory Foam: A material used in mattress construction that responds to heat and pressure, adjusting itself to the shape of your body. Once the pressure is removed, the foam reverts to its normal shape.
Pillow Top: A mattress with a big pillow-like surface that is filled with soft material for extra comfort.
Wire Gauge: A measurement of the thickness of the metal wire used in innerspring mattress coils. Thicker-gauge wire provides firmer support and lasts longer than thinner wire.

Five Key Points to Look At When Choosing a Twin Mattress

SIZE
A twin mattress is 39 x 75 inches long (or 99 x 190 cm), but you might want to opt for slightly larger twin x-long mattress which is 39 x 80 inches long (99 x 203 cm). Twin size mattresses are perfect for children’s rooms or guest rooms, while twin x-long mattresses are usually used in dorm rooms.

MATERIALS
Coil Twin Mattress – Traditional coil mattresses are the most readily available type of mattress. They are the typical choice for many people. These types generally have a box-spring foundation with an innerspring mattress on the top. If you are looking to buy one of these, consider the density of its coils; the more coils a mattress has, the smaller and the more flexible they are, which helps the mattress adjust to your body.
Foam Twin Mattress – Foam mattresses generally molds to the shape of your body. Before you buy one of these mattresses, know your sleep habits. Foam mattresses limit your ability to move once you’ve sunk in, which is inconvenient for those who toss and turn in their sleep. However, people with joint sensitivity, arthritis and other conditions may benefit from the extra support and reduced mobility.
Air Twin Mattress – Air mattresses generally have a couple of inflatable air chambers that provide support. They are adjustable, meaning that you can adjust the firmness of these beds to the point of your liking. Some larger air mattresses offer dual chambers that allow each side of the bed to be adjusted to different levels of firmness. These types are a good for couples, as each person can adjust their side to their liking.

THICKNESS
There’s no right thickness for a twin mattress. Choose whatever thickness is comfortable for you. But a mattress that’s too thick will probably make it hard for your feet to get on the floor in the morning. When you’re looking at the thickness of an innerspring mattress, find out how much of the thickness is coils and how much is foam. Thicker, stronger coils will provide better support; thick foam looks comfortable, but it might not help you sleep better.

FIRMNESS
The firmness of your bedding is also for the most part a matter of personal preference. Generally, a good mattress will keep your spine in the same position as it would be if you were standing up straight. Most mattresses have different levels of firmness: extra firm, traditional firm, cushy firm, plush and extra plush. A firmer mattress tends to have coils made with thicker-gauge wire, which is longer-lasting over time.

FOUNDATION
If you’re looking for a twin mattress only, make sure that your existing bed frame can support your new mattress. For larger beds, you want to make sure to have a center support leg or beam to keep the frame and mattress from sagging over time. The box spring is the foundation for an innerspring mattress. Box springs help to distribute the weight of a mattress and people sleeping on it, which keeps it from developing sags. If you have a platform bed, a box spring is optional, as the bed itself functions as a support.