Extra-long beds can be up to 7ft 6 inches (236 cm), which are truly longer than the regular size beds (190-200 cm). If you’re tall, you might want to go for at least a Twin XL (80″ / 6’6″).
They are designed for tall people (over 200 cm) to make them feel comfortable while sleeping. No more freezing and hanging feet!
The standard mattresses also have the same size as traditional beds. That is why it may be hard to find a mattress that may fit your extra long bed.
However, if you can’t find a bed or mattress for your size, you can order from the manufacturer to customize it.
How to Choose the Best Type of Bed?
You need to educate yourself on a few basic sizes and dimensions of the most common beds and mattresses you can get. The Twin, Full, Queen and King are the most common types of beds.
You need to be careful when choosing a bed and be informed about all the possible options. As it is a major purchase, you need to ask yourself the following questions before buying the bed.
Main consideration before purchase:
- What is the size of my room?
- What is my body size?
- Who is going to sleep on the bed? (children, adult, elderly)
- Am I going to share the bed, or will I be sleeping alone?
- What is my budget?
- Which materials have the longest duration of life?
- Which type of mattress am I going for?
After understanding what your specific needs are, you can start searching.
What are the Types and Sizes of Beds?
There are 6 main bed sizes and more than 70 types of beds.
The range starts from smaller ones such as twin beds and continues with larger ones, including queen or king beds.
Below I will introduce the six main sizes and give answers to the most common questions, to help you decide.
Twin
Twin size beds are the smallest beds of all the options, and the standard dimensions are 96.5×190.5cm.
They save a lot of space and are incredibly comfortable for children, small rooms, hotels, hostels, etc.
Because of the dimensions, it is easy to find accessories for this bed, such as sheets, mattress protectors, pillows, frames, etc. Also, twin size bed accessories are cheaper than almost all other ones.
The main disadvantage is that if you buy a twin bed for your child, you may need to change it after a couple of years, as your child grows.
Twin XL
Twin XL is a little bit longer than twin beds but has the same width. The standard dimensions are 96.5x203cm. This one is a good option for teenagers, college dorms, and hotel rooms with limited space.
Twin XL beds are more expensive than twin beds. Although the price difference is not very significant (approximately $100), the bed accessories are also more costly. So, choose a normal twin size bed, if you aren’t that tall and on a budget.
Another important aspect is the height of your child. If your kid is taller than the usual kids of their age, then you should probably buy twin XL. Otherwise, after a couple of years, you’ll need to buy a new bed and mattress.
Full
A full-size bed is excellent for individual sleepers, and the dimensions are 134.5 X 190.5cm.
These beds are comfortable for young single adults, guest rooms, and hotels. If your height is not more than 180 cm and you are single, then go for it!
Full-size beds are also a good option for those parents who sleep with their child on the same bed.
Or if you enjoy sleeping with your pets, then you won’t disturb each other on the full-size bed.
However, I wouldn’t recommend full-size beds for couples, as there will be very limited space for both of you.
Queen
Queen beds are perfect for single sleepers who enjoy a lot of space and for young couples. The standard dimensions are 152.5 x 203cm.
The minimum recommended size of the room for a Queen bed is 10×10 square feet.
Queen size beds are more expensive than full-size beds. The price difference may be approximately $300.
However, Queen size beds have a long duration of life, and can serve you for up to 10 years.
King
As the name tells, King beds are quite big. This one is a good option for those couples who have kids. Couples can freely sleep with their toddler on the same bed, and it will still be comfortable.
The dimensions of the King bed is 193 X 203cm.
However, King beds may not fit in every room. Your room should be at least 12 x 10 square feet for a King bed.
Such a bed is a more expensive option, and the accessories are also more costly than other options.
Also, because of the size, King beds are harder to move. So you may need some extra help.
California King
If the King bed size is still small for you and not comfortable, then the next option is the California King bed.
It is one of the biggest beds with 183 X 213 cm dimensions. It is the perfect bed for people who are taller than 180 cm and enjoy a lot of space.
Because of the size, it may be harder to find the necessary accessories.
California King bed is primarily an American preference and not the most popular options globally; hence the demand for the accessories is less.
How to Choose the Best Type of Mattress?
The wrong mattress can have negative consequences on your health. It can affect your muscles, spinal cords and lead to insufficient sleep.
In other words, the right mattress can change your sleeping quality. Here are a couple of crucial aspects that are important to consider while choosing a mattress.
Sleeping Position
While choosing the mattress, you should consider whether you are a back sleeper, side sleeper, stomach sleeper, or everything mentioned.
For example, back sleepers need balance and a firmer mattress, so they don’t sink. On the other hand, side sleepers need a soft mattress that will adapt to the curves of the body.
In the case of stomach sleepers, they need a very firm mattress so the hips don’t sink.
The Scale of Firmness
The firmness of the mattress represents how hard or soft it is. Besides your personal preferences, you should understand what is better for your health.
For example, people with back issues may need harder material. I would recommend you to try to lie on a lot of mattresses and also ask for detailed information from the staff in a store or online.
Weight
The comfort of the mattress highly depends on your weight. Whether you are a light, average or heavy sleeper plays a considerable role.
For example, light sleepers (less than 68kg) may prefer softer material because they won’t sink into the mattress.
However, heavy sleepers (more than 90kg) may need mattresses with harder and thicker layers.
And finally, my recommendation is to invest in a high-quality mattress and bed. Don’t be cheap about this one particular piece of furniture. You’ll spend 6-8 hours in it (every day!) and that’s more than any other chair or couch you own.
Putting a little more money into a bed that fits your body will come back tenfold over the years.
You’ll rest better, sleep better and feel better when you wake up.
I’ve bought a huge bed that is 220 cm long and 200 cm wide, so there’s plenty of room for me and my partner.
This has been the best purchase ever, and we even got it at a 50% discount on Black Friday.
So watch out for those offers that occasionally come by and strike right then and there.
Your body (and partner) will love you for it.
References:
Size comparison guide: https://casper.com/mattress-size-comparison-guide/
How to choose a mattress: https://sleepopolis.com/guides/how-to-choose-a-mattress/
Mattress size dimensions: https://www.mattressfirm.com/mattress-sizes-dimensions.html
What do you think?