What is a Mattress Pad?
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What is a Mattress Pad?
It is recommended that adults should get approximately 8 hours of sleep at night. This should be restful sleep. But, if you have an uncomfortable mattress, you may have realized that it is quite difficult to get a full night’s sleep and actually feel rested when you wake in the morning. To remedy your sleeping troubles, you may want to consider getting a mattress pad to enhance your comfort level while you sleep.
A mattress pad, sometimes incorrectly referred to as a mattress topper, is a very convenient product to own. It is placed on top of a regular mattress and is often used to provide additional comfort for many types and sizes of mattress. It is very important that you do not get confused with the terms mattress pad, mattress topper and mattress cover.
They are actually 3 different products and they are also used for different reasons. Although there may be instances of overlap, the reasons for purchasing each, as well as the function that they provide, are not exactly the same.
Advantages of using a mattress pad
Mattress pads have several advantages. Here are some of the advantages that may affect your decision of whether or not to purchase a mattress pad.
- Increases comfort level while you lay on it
- Protects the mattress underneath by preventing staining
- Decrease pressure on the skin
- Helps improve blood flow
- Prevents sores from forming on persons who are in bed most of the time
Other things you need to know about mattress pads
As the name suggests, a mattress pad is a padded product for your mattress. A mattress pad is equipped with a skirt which allows it to be placed on top of the mattress, similarly to a fitted sheet. Once it is properly placed on the mattress, the mattress pad should be firmly secured and will not slip off regardless of the type of activities that occur on top of it. For some mattress pads with skirting, there is an all-round elastic so it fits exactly as a fitted sheet would.
Mattress pads are made to fit different depths of mattresses as well as different sizes. It is therefore important that you know the size of your bed before attempting to make a purchase. They are also sold with varying levels of padding and can be made from a variety of materials.
In some cases, the mattress pad may actually have cooling effects, while in other cases, the mattress pad is designed to provide additional warmth. These 2 effects may be heavily dependent on the type of fabric used to make the mattress pad.
Of course, some mattress pads may be more durable than others. In many cases, the durability of the mattress pad is not dependent on the cost of the product. As we all know, there are many products that are overpriced and are not necessarily better than those that are less expensive. One very important factor that can determine durability or quality of a mattress pad is the thread count. The type of material that is used can also have bearing on durability as well as the care that is exercised when cleaning or handling the product.
Some mattress pads are quite heavy. This variation in weight helps to determine how the pad is to be cared for. Usually, when the mattress pad is lighter, it is machine washable. On the contrary, when it is heavier, it is often recommended that the mattress pad should be professionally laundered.
In either case, a lot of care has to be exercised when cleaning the mattress pad. Because some mattress pads have a vinyl back, they cannot be dried with high heat. If the pad is exposed to too much heat, the vinyl will melt and cause damage to the product. In these instances, it may be best to tumble dry the mattress pad or even air dry if possible. The most important thing, however, is that you read the care instructions that come with your product.
At the end of the day, find the product that works best for you. Select a pad thickness that is appropriate for your needs and ensure that you check whether or not it is a cooling mattress pad or one that provides warmth.