Your Mattress Is Only As Good As the Base Beneath It
A good bed base makes all the difference to your mattress and sleep. One of the most common complaints about mattresses is sinking, sometimes also referred to as sagging where there is a significant indentation to your mattress that causes you to be trapped in a valley of your mattress. Sleeping on a sunken mattress is not only aggravating, but it can make it difficult for you to fall asleep or even disrupt the important stages of deep sleep. The most common problem that causes sagging is the lack of adequate support for the mattress. Pairing your mattress with a supportive base ensures you will get the maximum benefits of comfort and durability out of your mattress. If you use a poor quality mattress foundation then you are certainly limiting the benefits that your mattress can give you.
It is true that a mattress and a base both affect each other. A good mattress on a good base will feel amazingly comfortable and will last longer. The same mattress on a poor quality base may neither feel as good to you nor last as long. Not all mattresses wear out in a few short years, but nothing lasts forever and over time coil mattresses especially will eventually weaken and not spring back. While all mattresses will eventually wear out, a proper mattress foundation can provide your mattress with its needed support for years to come. It is key to not think of the mattress in itself, but instead it is best to think of your bed as a sleep system containing a mattress and a base. It is best to buy your mattress and base together from the same brand as the experts would already know what works well together.
It can be tricky to recognise a good bed base, the common mistake made is selecting a bed base from how it looks. A great design does not mean great support, it is important to find a strong and supportive base as it needs to physically bare the weight of your mattress and you without bending, sagging, cracking or breaking. A good foundation will be solidly constructed with a sturdy structure to support the right amount of counter-pressure evenly and to all areas of the mattress. It is recommended to choose a platform base, sometimes known as divan or plywood base with a minimum surface solid wood thickness of 9mm to avoid cracks that will result in sagging.
A slatted bed base has a fishbone structure. This base is made of planks of wood – known as slats, which are attached to a frame. Slatted bed base are problematic if there are few slats and ample space between each slat. There are many options in the market and a huge difference in quality. The wider the distance between the slats, the greater the chance of wearing and tearing the mattress. Ideally, the slats should not have a gap of more than 30mm apart.
Any base that is used for a double size (queen or king size) mattress or larger should have a centre support bar for added stability.
If you have the mattress stationed directly on the floor, you may consider that the humidity may accumulate moisture that could lead to a mould issue. Sleeping close to the ground may also expose you to breath in more dust or dirt that naturally accumulates on the ground.
It is also important to note that an ideal bed base should not contain too many metal parts, for example, spring coils. Numerous studies have shown that metal can act as an antenna, and for the benefit of our health and safety, it is advisable to avoid sleeping sleep on a field of amplified electromagnetic radiation. Opt for non-metal based materials such as a wooden base.