Right now is absolutely the best time of year to be buying a new mattress, and time's running out if you're after a bargain. However if you've been forced into the position of finding the best Cyber Monday mattress deals because your old mattress is showing its age, but on the whole you'd really rather not spend a load of money on a new mattress right now, there's another option.
In many cases you could save money by instead choosing one of the best mattress toppers to give your old bed a new lease of life. There are some great deals around right now, and the bottom line is that you could find yourself sleeping soundly again without the worry of having spent hundred (or even thousands) of dollars on one of the best mattresses.
I've been writing about mattresses and learning about the mattress business for the past few years, and I can tell you that a good topper can be an effective and relatively inexpensive alternative to ditching your old mattress for a new one; in some cases it's actually a better option. The trick is knowing when buying a topper will see you right, and when you're going to have to bite the bullet and get a new mattress.
Below are some of the best Cyber Monday deals on mattress toppers; after that I'll talk you through the signs that it's a topper, not a mattress, that you should be shopping for:
The best cyber monday topper deals
5 signs you should buy a mattress topper
1. Your current mattress doesn't feel quite right
We should all know by now that it takes a while for our bodies to adjust to the feel of a mattress - that's why most of the top sleep brands offer lengthy sleep trials. Conversely, though, you might find that your mattress feels just right at first and then, as time goes on, notice that the 'new mattress' feel has worn off and it just doesn't seem as comfortable to you.
In this situation there's nothing wrong with the mattress itself; it just doesn't feel quite right to you, and that means that a topper should be all you need to get that new mattress feel back.
2. You're getting too hot in the night
Even some of the best mattresses have a tendency to get a bit warm in the night, and yes, I'm looking specifically at the ones with a load of memory foam in them. Memory foam's a terror for trapping heat, and the nearer it is to the top of your mattress, the more likely it is you'll feel the effects.
Choosing a specifically cooling topper, or instead a topper with a filling that isn't foam - such as latex, wool or even microfiber - can help prevent you overheating at night. It's worth noting, though, that it'll also reduce the sink-in feel that you get from memory foam, which could be a downside for many.
3. You've started waking up with aches and pains
If you've been sleeping soundly on your current mattress for a while but recently started waking up with aches and pains, well, I hear you. The same thing happened to me, and while the mattress itself was still in good condition I'd got a bit older, and its firm sleep surface wasn't as right for me as it previously had been. A slim memory foam topper made just enough difference for me to stick with a perfectly good mattress for quite a while, with fewer aches and pains in the morning.
4. You're more aware of the springs in your mattress
Nothing lasts forever, and if you've been sleeping on a hybrid mattress for a few years, the foam layers could be starting to wear a little thin, especially if you've neglected to rotate your mattress every few months. If that's the case, then there may be areas of the bed where you're aware of the feel of springs, which is just the thing to spoil your sleep.
As long as the springs are still properly contained within the mattress though, this is another situation in which a mattress topper is an easy fix; not only will it stop you feeling the springs, it'll also give your bed a refreshed feel in general.
5. You're really short on budget
There are some good cheap mattresses out there, but honestly, the less you pay for a mattress, the less likely it is to give you a comfortable night's sleep for the next few years. Many of the cheap mattresses we see are best suited to a spare bed, as they have just enough cushioning and strong enough springs for occasional use, but after sleeping on them every night for an extended period you'll find that they become a lot less comfortable.
If your old mattress is past its prime but you only have the budget right now for a cheap replacement, it's likely that a quality topper would be the more sensible alternative. It'll improve the feel of your bed and things should stay good for another few years; likely longer than it'll take for the performance of a cheap mattress to fall off a cliff.
