Sleeping on a mattress that is too small or not right for you can be a trying experience. You can spend hours tossing and turning, trying to make a twin bed feel like a full or queen size mattress. When you are in the market for a new bed, look into getting a king size mattress. King size mattresses offer the pinnacle of comfort, allowing you enough space to fully spread out and make the bed your own. If you sleep with a partner as well, you will need to find the right size bed to accommodate both of you and adjust to your specific sleeping needs.
The benefits of owning a king mattress can be astounding to someone who has never slept on one, but shopping for one can be overwhelming. Here are 5 reasons why you need a king size bed, along with some information that will be helpful when you finally ditch your double bed and start sleeping like a king.
1. Extra Space for You and Your Partner
Falling asleep on the wrong size bed can be challenging, and with a partner it can seem impossible. If you and your partner share a double bed that only affords you a little over two feet of space each with an inch or two left over, that’s not nearly enough space for each of you to find a comfortable position and fall asleep. College students may also have the uncomfortable experience of sharing a twin xl or a regular twin bed with a partner. Not fun.
A king bed offers you and your partner enough room to spread out when you are trying to sleep. You and your partner will have 38 inches each to spread out over the entire king mattress. Lots of space for each sleeper to find their own comfortable position, while still being able to meet in the middle and cuddle.
If your nighttime routine differs from your partner’s, both of you will have not only plenty of sleeping space, but also space to get ready for sleeping. If you like to read in bed and your partner prefers streaming a show before drifting off to sleep, both you and your partner can have enough mattress space to do whatever is needed for a good night’s sleep.
If space is the main goal, some couples think, Why spend the extra money on a king size mattress when a queen bed can offer some extra space at a more affordable price? A king mattress is not just a little bit larger than a queen. A standard king size mattress is around 16 inches wider than a queen and is the same length. That’s over a foot of extra space for you and your partner. If you’re just looking for a larger bed, you may want to go with a queen mattress. However, if you want to sleep like a king with your partner, make the jump and grab those extra few inches. You will not regret it.
Finding the right firmness or softness when you are sharing a bed can be a struggle as well. Your partner may be a side sleeper who needs a softer mattress, while you may sleep on your stomach and need a very firm surface. A split king mattress allows you to adjust your sleeping position and firmness without affecting your partner’s sleep. Although smaller beds do also offer a split style, only a king size mattress will offer you enough space to make your side of the bed your own fully.
If you are a single sleeper, this is not wasted space either. Imagine the luxury of waking up in a sea of sheets, able to stretch your whole body out without once finding the edge of the bed.
2. A King Size Bed is Perfect for Family Time
If you and your partner have children or pets, chances are they are going to be finding their way into your bed at some point. With a king size mattress there will be plenty of space for the whole family. Bringing a king size bed into your house opens up a new space for the family to relax all together. Pillow fights with the kids, reading stories together under the covers, and even snuggling up to watch movies are perfect activities! There is plenty of space for any family activity on a king size mattress.
Think about what your family looks like and find a custom mattress for your needs. Do you have a lot of pets that find their way onto the bed in the middle of the night? Go for a California king mattress for some extra space at the end. Cal king mattresses have an extra 4 inches of length, allowing your pet extra room to curl up at your feet.
If nightmares often send your small children to your bed in the middle of the night, look into a Wyoming king mattress. With 8 inches of extra space, everyone will feel safe all together in bed.
When you do have nightly visitors from pets or children, set up your bedroom space with whatever you need to keep them entertained, or put them back to sleep. With a king size mattress, you can give your pet or child enough space to find their own way back to sleep. If sleep isn’t the goal, have a bookshelf in your room with plenty of picture books to read or a television with children’s shows lined up for viewing. If your pet is getting rambunctious, they will have plenty of room to roll around on the end of your king size bed without disturbing you or your partner.
3. Making an Investment in a Quality Mattress
Buying a new mattress isn’t something you do every day. On average, we keep the same bed for at least seven years, and for good reason. Mattresses are expensive, and you do not want to have to purchase a new one frequently. That’s why you should make sure that when you do buy a mattress, it is the best mattress for you.
The price of a standard king size mattress can be daunting enough to send shoppers down a mattress size to a queen bed. The best way to conceptualize this cost would be to break it down, and look at the cost-per-sleep. With 365 days per year, and at least seven years’ life out of your mattress, this cost seems much more reasonable.
When considering this investment, also keep in mind that a lot can change in seven years. If you’re a single sleeper now on a twin xl mattress, you could find a partner before you have need of a new mattress. If you’re a tall person who has not yet stopped growing, investing in a larger and longer mattress, like a Cal king, that you can grow into wouldn’t be a bad idea at all. Weight can change as well. If you are a heavier person or a lighter one, within seven years a lot can change about your physique. Investing in a standard king size mattress, or even a memory foam mattress, will ensure that your bed will be able to support you no matter how much you change.
4. Get Better Sleep on a King Size Mattress
It’s no secret that getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. You need ample space to find your preferred sleeping position, spread out, and move around as you please throughout the night. This is very hard to do on a twin size mattress.
Mattress size does matter when it comes to a good night’s sleep, especially if you share your bed with a partner. Getting kicked and poked, having your covers stolen, and overheating from another body next to you all make it difficult to get to sleep and stay asleep. While many couples prefer sleeping right next to each other, it’s helpful to have your own space to retreat to when you need to cool down or spread out a little more.
On a king size mattress, you will always have enough space to spread out. When sleeping very close to a partner, it’s possible to slightly compress each other’s respiratory systems during the night, making it more difficult to breathe. While this may not cause any real harm or damage, it can contribute to a lower quality sleep, and a more irritable partner in the morning.
Even if you don’t have a partner to share a bed with, having space to spread out before, during, and after sleep comes with numerous health benefits. Stretching improves blood flow to your muscles and limbs, and helps all parts of your body wake up from their sleep. If you ever wake up with pins and needles in your hands or feet, chances are you are on a bed that is too small. If you can’t adequately spread out in the night, there’s no way your sleep will be very restful.
Finding your preferred sleeping position is much easier when you find the correct bed size for you. If you’re stuck on a twin mattress, you’ll be tossing and turning for a while looking for the right spot to drift off. Compare that to the experience of losing yourself in the folds of an Alaskan king mattress, and you will want to make the switch as soon as possible. The improved back support offered by a king size mattress will also pay dividends when it comes to your sleep quality and quality of life.
5. A King Size Bed Will Elevate Your Bedroom
If you’re looking to have a bedroom worthy of an Instagram or Pinterest post, you must have a king size bed as the centerpiece. There are few sights as beautiful as a freshly made and appointed king size bed, covered in pillows and high thread count sheets. If you aim to have a bedroom to impress, pick up a king size mattress.
Think about how your bed fits into the rest of your room as well. Pairing a king size mattress with the correct bed frame and furniture will elevate the space past just a bedroom. When picking furniture for your bedroom, a king size bed goes with anything. If you have one of the smaller standard bed sizes, and large dressers and furniture in the room, your bed will feel and look tiny in comparison. Having a king size bed or even a larger California king bed, you’ll be free to decorate your room with as much furniture as you please, provided that you have enough space.
When you do pick up your king size mattress, you’re going to want to spend a lot more time in bed. Spend some time re-designing your room to ensure your comfort in your new bed. If you watch television to unwind after a long day, put a TV across from your king size to enjoy entertainment in comfort. Add a bookshelf and a nightstand if you prefer to read with a glass of wine at the end of the day, or a cup of coffee at the start. Whatever you do to relax and unwind, a king size mattress is the perfect setting for relaxation.
Finding Your Best King Size Mattress
There are many factors that go into picking your perfect king size mattress. The first thing you should consider is how much space you have in your bedroom. Keep in mind that a standard king size mattress is 76 inches wide by 80 inches long, and the custom sizes just get larger from there. Make sure that your room can comfortably accommodate a king size bed with room on either side for you and your partner to get in and out of bed. Most master bedrooms should be able to fit a king size mattress with a little space on either side. Make sure you measure your space before picking up a king mattress, otherwise you may be returning it for a queen size.
Choosing the Best Material for Your King Size Mattress
Choosing the right material for your mattress can be the difference between a poor night’s sleep and a great one. This process starts with picking the best material for your king size mattress. Consider all your options, from inner spring to memory foam, and everything else in between.
Standard Inner Spring Mattress
This is the most common type of king size mattress. A bed of springs underneath a soft fabric material offers some support, and a bouncier surface while you are sleeping. While this is the most common type of mattress, it offers little pressure relief, and the bounciness of the springs sends every movement through the whole bed, making it less than ideal for sleeping with a partner.
Standard Inner Spring Mattresses We Like
Memory Foam
One of the most popular materials for mattresses today, a memory foam mattress offers unparalleled pressure relief while sleeping. The foam contours to your sleeping position and isolates movements as well, making it an ideal mattress material for sleeping with a partner. Without coils, there is very little bounce to a memory foam mattress, and no chance of a coil breaking or getting stuck in a strange position.
Memory Foam Mattresses We Like
Amazon productHybrid Mattress
Hybrid king size mattresses have a thick layer of foam on top of a thin layer of coils underneath. The foam on top provides a comfortable sleeping experience with above-average contouring for motion isolation and pressure relief. The strong coil core provides the mattress with a slight bounce that many sleepers look for in a mattress.
Hybrid Mattresses We Like
Latex Mattresses
Another popular alternative to foam and hybrid mattresses, latex offers above-average contouring for enhanced comfort, and bounce from the tension in the material. These mattresses are popular for being extremely durable and for their natural heat-dissipating properties. Latex mattresses will keep you cooler than traditional spring and foam mattresses will. If you overheat in the night, pick up a king size latex mattress to keep cool all night long.
Latex Mattresses We Like
Sleeping Positions and Your King Size Bed
Consider your sleeping position when you choose a material for your king size bed. Side sleepers have different firmness requirements than back sleepers and stomach sleepers. Sleeping on the right material will greatly affect your quality of sleep.
Side Sleepers
Side sleepers should look for a king size bed that is very soft and allows you to sink deeply into the mattress to keep your neck and spine in alignment. Look for a foam or latex king size bed with a lot of give to it.
Back Sleepers
If you sleep on your back, look for a firmer king size bed that won’t allow you to sink too far in when drifting off to sleep. This will help keep your pillow from elevating your neck too much to enjoy a comfortable sleep.
Stomach Sleepers
Stomach sleepers should look for the firmest mattresses of all. Inner spring and latex king size beds would be best if you prefer to sleep facing down.
Consider some of these reasons and factors when purchasing your next king size bed. Make sure to check out a mattress review or two about the specific mattress you are looking to purchase to make sure it will be the right king size bed for you.
