Mattress shopping can be one of the most daunting tasks we each face at some point in our life. Whether the reason being due to the fact that you have no idea if the mattress you try in the store is going to feel the same as when you buy it, or you are simply overwhelmed by the sea of white rectangles in the mattress showroom, we have come up with five mattress shopping tips to turn a once daunting task into an enjoyable experience.

1. Bring Your Pillow!

The pillow is one of the most important pieces to this puzzle. Your back support and comfort all starts with the pillow. The pillows is 15-20% of your spinal support, so if that’s out of alignment, everything else is likely to follow. A pillow can greatly affect your experience on the mattress. Some pillows respond better on certain types of mattresses. If you are happy with your pillow at home then we recommend bringing it with you when you go mattress shopping. If you’re not happy with it, then make sure you are properly fitted for the right pillow when you are in the store.

2. Know your sleep position

Side sleepers– Most of the weight and pressure is on your shoulders and hips. A mattress that is too firm will trigger those pressure points causing you to toss and turn. A medium to plush mattress is recommended for a side sleeper.

Stomach sleepers– Beware of the soft mattress. A mattress that is too soft will cause you to get in the reverse hammock position and will cause lower back and neck pain. Just an fyi, this is the unhealthiest of the sleep positions because most of our weight is in our midsection and makes it difficult to maintain a neutral spine position.

Back sleepers– The most versatile of the sleep positions. As long as the mattress is conforming to your natural “S” curve then Plush, medium or firm can all be an option. A quick tip for back sleepers, placing a pillow under your knees helps with keeping your spine in alignment.

3. Know Your Support      

      Too Firm                              Too Soft                         Just Right

4. Know Your Materials

The materials of the mattress greatly affect the durability. Latex, Memory Foam, and Polyfoam, are the 3 main materials that are used for padding. Latex is the longest lasting and most expensive, followed by memory foam, and then polyfoam.

If you like latex, make sure you know if the latex you are buying is 100% all-natural latex or blended latex. Some places may mislead charging you all-natural prices when in reality they are giving you synthetic latex.

If you’re leaning toward memory foam, try not to go with anything less than 4 – 5 lb density. Also choose an open cell memory foam as it sleeps cooler than a closed cell and usually is of a better quality.

If you are keen on a more traditional polyfoam mattress, make sure the density of the foam is 1.8 lbs or greater. Foam that is less than 1.8lb density is cheaper quality and assured to wear down quicker. If the shark, I mean salesperson, does not know that, then go on to the next store.

5. Know your budget

A new mattress does not need to break the bank. And just because one mattress is more expensive than another doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better for you. Only you know your budget, but a high quality traditional coil mattress should not cost thousands of dollars.

Budget guide  Mattress lasting

1-5 years: $200-$500

5-10 years: $500-$1300

10-20 years$1100-$2500

6. Know your comfort

When you first lay on a mattress your body is likely to be tense and not relaxed. We recommend you spend at least 3-10 minutes on each mattress to give your muscles and joints time to relax. Doing this will allow your body to detect any uncomfortable pressure points or pains that are not being relieved by the mattress.

Bonus Tip  Wear comfortable clothes when mattress shopping similar to what you wear to bed. If you wear your birthday suit when you sleep then make sure you come dressed with loose clothes because ain’t nobody wanna see that.

If these tips have helped you in any way during your time out mattress shopping drop us a line as we would love to hear from you. If you have other criteria you use when mattress shopping let us know as we would love to hear what helped you ease through that daunting task.

Also If This was just too much information for you take in all at once. DOWNLOAD our FREE PDF by clicking the image below. It’s a simplified version of this article. You can print it out and take it with you while you mattress shop.