In this article we’ve put together a few tips and tricks to help you in your quest for finding the right mattress for the guestroom.
It’s easy for the guest room to become the catch-all space in your home, including storing the oldest mattress in the house. But what if your beloved people are coming for the holidays? As the host, you can make your guest bedroom as welcoming and comfortable as possible so that your guests can not only enjoy their stay but also get the full seven to eight hours of sleep they need. This envolves comforatble bedding and a mattress.
1. Consider Who Stays with You Most
Who comes to visit most often? Frequent weekend visits from family can certainly help you narrow down what kind of mattress you need. If you come from a family of taller, shorter, heavier, or thinner than average people, you can look for a mattress that supports the size and body type of your most frequent visitors. For example, people over 230 pounds need a firmer mattress than those who are under 150 pounds.
2. Accommodate All Sleep Positions
Everyone has a preferred sleep position—back, stomach, side—with many people switching between the three throughout the night. You can’t predict how your guests may like to sleep, so look for a mattress that works most sleep positions, which means good overall support and firmness somewhere between medium and medium firm or a 5-7 on a 0-10 firmness scale.
Keep in mind that mattresses in the middle of the scale tend to work better for people with back problems. While some of your guests may be uncomfortable on a mattress that’s in the middle for firmness and support, the majority will be happy no matter what position they sleep in.
3. Comfort Layers
The comfort layers of the mattress cover the support core and are directly against your body while sleeping. Comfort layers come in varying thicknesses. To keep the majority of your guests comfortable, look for mid-thickness comfort layers. Comfort layers that are too thin tend to make side sleepers uncomfortable while a comfort layer that is too thick might make a stomach sleeper wake up sore and achy. A medium comfort layer should have just enough layers to fill the gap at the small of your back.
4. Mattress Size
Your guest bedroom may be one of the smaller rooms in the house, so the mattress will need to be the right size for the room. A full-size mattress can fit two sleepers but takes up less space than a queen. You also want to leave enough space in the room for your guests to move around. A king or queen might dominate the room and crowd your guests.
If you have enough space, you might want to consider two twin beds. Two twins give you extra options when you have guests who are not comfortable sharing a bed or are not related. You also have the option of getting an extra long twin for taller guests.
5. Storage for a Multi-Purpose Space
If you have a multi-purpose space and you don’t have guests very often, a high-quality air mattress might be what you need. They can be folded and stored in a closet, garage, or attic so you can use the guest room as an office, craft, or exercise room when you don’t have guests. If you want to have a regular mattress, don’t be afraid to shop for mattresses at sales times. Remember, someone will only be sleeping on it every few weeks or months.
Amy Highland is a sleep expert at SleepHelp.org. She loves taking naps during thunderstorms and cuddling up with a blanket, book, and cats.
