I've Slept 1,400 Hours on This Mattress, and My Back Has Never Felt Better
Pexels / Andrea Piacquadio
When it comes to positive things you can do for your body and brain, getting a full night of sleep is right up there with, well, breathing. But there are lots of factors that can interfere with falling and staying asleep. Some of us are hot sleepers. Others struggle with anxious thoughts or constantly needing to make trips to the bathroom. For me, it was back pain keeping me from getting my full eight hours.
I even suspected the culprit: an ancient hand-me-down mattress that I had gratefully accepted as a recent college grad. It had more than a few pokey springs and was squishy-soft, which turns out to be not so great for spinal alignment. But it wasn't until I moved in with my now-fiancé that I decided it was time for a change.
Honestly, the internet was the first and last place I looked when picking a mattress. Not only did visiting a store in person feel risky prior to getting the COVID-19 vaccine, but I was comforted by the thousands and thousands of reviews from fellow sleepers that I could easily access. And that's what led me to Nectar's Memory Foam Mattress.
The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress
- 899 Available at Nectar
With a jaw-dropping 4.8-star rating from nearly 36,000 reviewers, Nectar's mattresses are some of the most popular on the internet. They are protected by a lifetime warranty and offer a 365-night sleep trial. Plus, shipping is free and setup is a piece of cake—just slide the mattress out of the box, roll it onto your frame. It expands to ready-to-sleep thickness in less than 24 hours (my queen took about five).
But what earned all those rave reviews was the Nectar's innovative design. Made with three separate foam layers and measuring 6.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, the Nectar mattress offers 12 inches of incredible spinal support and pressure relief for stomach, side and back sleepers. Its top 3-inch layer of gel-infused memory foam contours, cushions and cools the body, while the second 2-inch support layer keeps you from sinking too far in. Lastly, its 7-inch base layer gives the mattress a solid foundation, and a non-slip cover keeps it from scooting around your bed frame.
I'm both a side and back sleeper, so I appreciate how the gel memory foam layer cushions my shoulders, hips and knees, but isn't so soft that I feel as if I'm falling through the mattress. The foam layers also means there's little to no motion transfer, so my shifting from side to back doesn't disturb my sleeping partner.
Related: 3 Things I Keep in My Bedroom for a Better Night's Sleep
Another notable feature of the Nectar is its temperature control. My body runs pretty cold, which used to cause issues with my always-hot fiancé. But the Nectar has a quilted poly-blend cover that's not only cool to the touch, but actually wicks away heat transfer. Now, he never complains about my cozy comforter.
I've been sleeping on a queen-sized Nectar mattress since February, which equates to about 1,400 hours of catching zzz's. And I can assume a full seven hours of sleep each night because I've been zonking out ever since I switched. The Nectar is soft and comfortable, so generally it takes me less than 30 minutes to fall asleep, and I've been waking up rested and without an achy back. It truly has been life-changing.
Nectar usually runs impressive deals on its mattresses, and Labor Day weekend is no exception. Right now, you can get a queen-sized mattress for only $800. In addition to discounted beds, you can also get up to $400 worth of free sleep accessories, like sheets, cooling pillows, and a mattress protector in the sale. You'll need to hurry, though: the Labor Day deal ends Monday, September 6 at 11:59 p.m.
