Thinking about buying a new mattress and not sure what size to buy? Perhaps these tips from the Better Sleep Council will help: Buying a too-small mattress is one of the biggest mistakes
new bed-buyers make. Couples who've been sleeping on
a "double" since they got married may think that's
just fine, until they learn that each person has only as much
sleeping space as a baby's crib! Here are size guidelines
for shoppers from the Better Sleep Council:
Full beds, sometimes still called "double,"
are 53 inches wide, which is just 15 inches wider than a twin
size (single). That leaves each partner only 27 inches of
personal space, or about the width of a crib. Both twin and
full sizes are approximately 75 inches long, which may be
too short for some adults, especially men.
Recommendations: Full size is only enough
space for a single sleeper and only if under 5 feet 5 inches
tall. Parents are increasingly choosing full size over twin
for teenage bedrooms, and even for younger children in order
to give parents a more comfortable place to rest when reading
together at tuck-in time.
Queen beds are 60 inches wide by approximately
80 inches long – 6 inches wider and 5 inches longer
than a full size mattress. These added inches can make all
the difference in comfort, especially for couples, and have
made the queen today's most popular mattress size. However,
with 30 inches of personal space, each adult still has 9 inches
less width than if they slept alone in a twin bed.
Recommendations: Queen size is a good choice
for guest rooms, smaller master bedrooms and for couples who
prefer close quarters. It's also a great choice for
single sleepers who are also "sprawlers."
King beds are 76 inches wide by approximately
80 inches long – about 18 inches wider than a queen.
This is the closest a couple can come to having as much personal
space (38 inches) as each would have on a twin bed. In fact,
two twin extra-long beds pushed together are about the same
size, an option that can offer a flexible arrangement for
a guest room.
**For consumers on the west coast, there is also the "California
King," which is 72 inches wide by 84 inches long –
4 inches narrower and 4 inches longer than a regular king.
Recommendations: King size is the best choice
for couples that want maximum personal sleeping space. It's
also the best bet to accommodate that time on Sunday morning
when children may pop into bed – or if the pets in your
house have mattress privileges! However, size can be a problem.
Even with a "split box spring" – two twin-size
foundations to support it – to make a king set more
manageable, it may be too big for some bedrooms or too bulky
to navigate through some corridors, doors and stairwells.
It's a good idea to break out the tape measure if there
is any doubt.
Mattress size chart
| California King |
72" x 84" |
| King |
76" x 80" |
| Queen |
60" x 80" |
| Full ("double") |
53" x 75" |
| Twin |
38" x 75" |
(All dimensions may vary by +/- one half inch)
|
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