We spend a lot of time on our mattress, about 7 - 10 years to be exact. When living in a small dorm room, a mattress is a place to sleep but often doubles as a space to study or read. With how much time we spend on our mattresses, it’s no wonder that mattress sales have recently gone through the roof. In 2020, the bedding industry saw, on average, a 30% increase in sales, and that increase has not slowed down. People are recognizing the importance of having a comfortable bed to sleep, read, or “Netflix and chill.” While investing in a new mattress is tempting, there are certainly downsides to making the purchase. We’ve mentioned in a previous blog that mattresses can take 80-120 years to decompose and that mattresses are piling up in landfills contributing to our environmental crisis. Aside from environmental concerns, other issues make mattress purchasing challenging, such as the cost and size. A durable, high-quality mattress can cost upwards of $1,000, and many college students do not have an extra $1,000 lying around (I know I don’t!).
Additionally, college students are transient, meaning they often move to a new dorm room or off-campus apartment every year and will inevitably graduate and move to a new location. All this moving makes it challenging to lug around a mattress, and stuffing the mattress into trucks or moving vans can cause damage. If that’s not enough to have you reconsider purchasing a mattress, consider the type of mattress you prefer. Nowadays, many mattresses are bought online and shipped in a box to your doorstep. With that, it is challenging to determine if the mattress will meet your comfort needs. Many mattress companies offer free returns within a set period of time if the customer is unsatisfied, but the hassle of returning a big, bulky mattress is less than ideal.
Mattress Alternative
So, with all of this said, a new mattress becomes less appealing, so what’s a good alternative? A mattress topper! Mattress toppers are becoming more and more trendy in the college scene due to their portability and comfort-enhancing abilities. Mattress toppers are perfect for college students because they can enhance the discomfort of a dorm-room mattress and are easy to pack up when the student moves to a new dorm room or off-campus apartment. Moreover, investing in a mattress topper won’t break the bank because they cost far less than a high-quality mattress. Finally, companies such as Sleepyhead has a good till graduation guarantee, so on the off chance your mattress topper does not stand the test of time, you can feel assured knowing it is covered under warranty. So what are you waiting for? Make your bed as comfortable as you’d like!
