I tried the Bear mattress to help with my stiff, achy joints — here's what happened
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When it comes to mattresses, I’m like Goldilocks. From too hard and too soft to everything in between, I’ve experienced it all—and rarely have I been satisfied. But I’m happy to report that after years of trials and tribulations, of stiff joints and aching everything, I finally found the one—the Bear Hybrid mattress—and I’ve got a limited-time $350 discount code just for Yahoo readers.
My old, sad mattresses
One mattress I had, which I tried out at the store and swore was the end-all-be-all, made my hips hurt come morning. It was just too hard. I have a bad back, so thought a hard mattress was the answer, but I needed something with more give, I guess. Off to the store it went (and, yes, returning a mattress to a store is just as annoying as you’d think).
My last mattress, which I had until just a few months ago when Mr. Right walked in (snoozed in?), was way too soft. At first, thanks to the fluffy pillow top, it felt great. But over time, just like our skin seems to do as we age, it got saggy. To the point where I’d start off on the far left side of the bed and gradually end up in the middle! I even went so far as to call the mattress company (not naming names, but it’s a very popular one) who sent over a “measurement specialist,” complete with a ruler, to figure out the extent of the problem. And although the pro agreed the mattress wasn’t wearing well, according to her calculations the sagging wasn’t enough for me to exchange it. Ahhhhhhh!
So I kept sleeping on that too-soft, marshmallow-in-a-bad-way bed. But then something amazing happened.
Meeting my new mattress
I learned about the Bear Hybrid Mattress and decided, thanks to an amazing return policy that I’ll get into later, it was worth a shot. I’d heard about bed-in-a-box brands, but had never tried one. It just seemed strange to me that something so massive would arrive on my doorstep crammed into a small box.
But I went ahead with the order and loved that the mattress shipped free. Yes, free. And when it arrived, the box was very manageable—about the size of a chair. And the opening of this mattress was better than any unboxing video, more thrilling than tearing into a huge present on Christmas morning. It was kind of like a Jack-in-a-Box meets a Clown Car.
The mattress was very well wrapped in nice thick plastic, so if it had rained it would have been protected. Sure, it was heavy, but I got a king size so that’s to be expected. I had two burly men handle that part.
And then...magic! I carefully cut the plastic with scissors and the mattress started expanding. (I made sure to take it out of the box in the bedroom it was to be used!). In a minute or two, it was fully expanded. I couldn’t believe it—with some mattresses, you have to wait a day or two to sleep on it. But this one was ready to go in a snap.
I was worried that it would have a chemical smell as some mattresses do, but this one had a very minor odor if anything. I opened my windows just to make sure and decided to give it a day. I felt better knowing the mattress was certified for low emissions (in my book, the less VOCs and formaldehyde, the better).
What miracle is this?
Now, this isn’t any mattress. There’s a reason why people say Bear mattresses leave them feeling refreshed—they’re medically designed to do so. I repeat, medically designed. The mattress top is hand-woven with Celliant, which is an FDA-approved infrared textile that somehow, fantastically, uses minerals and fibers to harness your body’s energy. The result? Your temperature is regulated, and blood flow is increased to help with circulation and other issues. Basically, Celliant absorbs the energy our bodies give off and redirects it back into our skin to make us feel more renewed and energized in the morning. Say what?!
The rest of the mattress is a mix of memory foam, gel memory foam, and innerspring coils—and this combo is what keeps this mattress cool (memory foam alone is often very hot).
The sleep test
I am not exaggerating here. My sleep on this mattress has been off the charts. Sure, I had been using a lumpy mess before, but still. This is a solid mattress that feels absolutely amazing. When I first lay down I ooze into it like butter, but then I also feel fully supported, almost like it’s fit for my specific body. It’s very strange. (But awesome.)
Not only did it feel like sleeping on a cloud (thanks to the plush top layer), but it was like sleeping on a perfectly temperature-controlled cloud. Also, I’m not just a hot sleeper. I’m a scorcher. I wake up sweaty (sorry, I know this is TMI). But with this mattress, I’ve noticed a big difference in my drenched-ness. Sleeping cooler has allowed me to sleep through the night. That’s big.
What if I change my mind?
I know I won’t. But there’s a great return policy just in case. You can sleep on this baby for 100 days and if you’re not in love, Bear will pick it up—for free!—and deliver it to a local charity that they find themselves. (I’ve always wondered if other companies just rewrapped the used mattress and passed it off as new. Delivering to a charity is brilliant, in my personal opinion.)
There’s nothing to lose, so do yourself a favor: Try out a mattress, and thank me later. Sweet dreams!
For Yahoo readers only: Use code YAHOO350 to save $350 on the Bear Hybrid, now through May 31.
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