There is a host of reasons why you might be wondering how to buy a mattress. Whether you want to improve your sleeping habits, find a better posture, or you’ve moved into a different sized bedroom – it’s a question that everybody asks themselves at some point in their lives.
You spend approximately 33% of your life asleep, so it’s important that you find the best mattress for you. But what do you need to know before you make the investment?
With a host of shapes, sizes, and softnesses available, it can be hard to know how to shop for a mattress the right way. However, these sleep experts will make turn the process into a dream.
Budget
A mattress is one of the most expensive homes purchases you can make, so know what your budget is and stick to it. The frenzy around sales periods like Presidents' Day and Black Friday can make it tempting to go all-in on a mattress that's hugely discounted but outside your budget. Remember that half off doesn't mean much when the discounted price is still a couple thousand dollars.
You'll start to see diminishing returns once prices go above $3000, so don't go overboard. We've found plenty of great mattresses for $1000 or less, so don't assume that a more expensive mattress is better.
Sleep style
Before you look for a new mattress, it's important to think about the way you sleep. I promise that this isn't just a made-believe marketing gimmick, there's actual physics involved.
For example, if you sleep on your side, you need a slightly softer mattress so the hard points of your shoulders, hips and knees can sink into the bed. Otherwise, they'll be pressing onto firm material that can become uncomfortable. If you've ever had pins and needles in your upper arm as you try to sleep, this is why.
Alex Savy, a Certified Sleep Science Coach and the Founder of Sleeping Ocean, explains that this primarily comes down to your sleeping position.
‘Side sleepers need more of a hug for the protruding shoulders and hips. That’s why they are usually advised to pick softer mattresses,’ Alex explains. 'Meanwhile, back sleepers need a good balance between support (for the spine) and cushioning (for the hips), so they should opt for medium-firm mattresses.
‘As for stomach sleepers, they require sturdy support and don’t really need much cushioning. That’s why they are recommended to stick to firm mattresses,’ he says.
H&G’s former mattress editor Jaclyn Turner agrees. According to Jaclyn, most people find comfort with a medium mattress, but it depends on how you sleep. ‘While a super soft, cloud-like mattress may sound like a dream, it might not be doing you any favors,’ she adds.
The Leesa Original is our pick for the best mattress for side-sleepers. The soft surface is ideal for relieving tension on shoulder, hips and knees.
See our full Leesa Original Mattress review.
Our pick for the best memory foam mattress, the firmness of this Nectar mattress is perfect for those who sleep on their front.
See our full Nectar Memory Foam Mattress review.
Our pick of the best mattress for pressure relief, this mattress suits all sleep styles. If you and your partner have different ways of sleeping, this mattress will suit you both.
See our full Tempur-Pedic ProAdapt Mattress review.
Trial period
As we've just discussed, mattresses are a big investment, and crucial for your day-to-day. If you get it wrong, not only will you have wasted a couple thousand dollars, but you won't get a decent night's sleep.
Thankfully, lots of mattress brands have introduced 100-night sleep trials, so you can see if your mattress holds up over time and if it's really right for your. However, 100 nights isn't very long. It's only a season, so you might find that the cozy mattress you buy in winter might be unbearably hot in summer.
If you're at all worried about this, some mattress brands have extended trial periods of up to a year. You can see if the mattress loses its form over time, as well as check how it handles changing temperatures.
Mattress type
There is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to mattresses, suggests Logan Foley, a Sleep Science Coach & Managing Editor of Sleep Foundation. However, you shouldn’t always follow the most popular bedroom ideas of the moment.
‘People may hear that Tempurpedic mattresses are the best in the business, but then it comes, and they don’t like how memory foam feels, and it traps too much heat for them,’ Logan says.
If you’re looking for ways to sleep better, Jaclyn suggests researching the different mattress characteristics available to find the one that works best for you. ‘It comes down to how you want your mattress to feel: bouncy, responsive, contouring, or a mix, which will lead you to choose among hybrid, foam, and latex options,’ she says.
Aches and pains
If you have any health conditions, Alex suggests consulting your physician before making the investment. ‘In some cases, memory foam would be the best choice (for example, tender joints, back pain, or ulcers),’ he explains.
However, in some other cases, your doctor may suggest a different organic mattress or a hybrid bed that is better for dealing with mobility issues.
Keeping cool
Another similar but nonetheless important factor to think about is your bedroom’s temperature. South-facing bedrooms will inevitably be hotter, and those with poor ventilation or no AC will be warm. What's more, some of us just run hot, and get sweaty in the night.
Thankfully, the type of mattress you choose will also have a direct impact on your slumber. Lots of the best mattresses are designed with cooling in mind.
‘People who tend to overheat during sleep should consider mattresses that use cooling components (such as gel infusion),’ Alex says.
‘Breathable models like hybrids and spring mattresses should work too. Another option is mattresses that have convoluted layers. Such models can achieve improved breathability that aids temperature regulation during the night.’
Certifications
Alex further warns that some mattresses aren't made with this highest-quality materials. Shoppers should look for such seals of approval as Certi-PUR, GreenGuard, Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS), or Organic Content Standard.
If your mattress is missing any certification, you may want to rethink your choice. Alex explains that these ‘signify that the mattress does not contain potentially harmful chemicals or materials.’
Final thoughts
It sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how often this happens: make sure you select the right size before you buy your bed. Most major mattress brands stock all the standard sizes: Twin; Twin XL; Full; Queen; King; and California King.
If you're seeing the terms 'Single' or 'Double', then you've probably ended up on a British mattress brand's website. Be sure to double-check your dimensions against the table in our expert guide to US vs UK beds.
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