Choosing a Mattress

Q. How can you best shop for mattresses?

A. You need to understand your needs before you start to choose your mattress. We recommend that you think about your lifestyle. How has it changed since you last bought a mattress and how might these changes affect your purchase? And what about your body? Has it changed and how has this affected your needs for support or your comfort preferences?

Armed with this information, go to a mattress retailer you trust, someone who will answer your questions with information.

Then, take a “rest test” to compare the feel of different mattresses by lying down on them. You will quickly find some mattresses you like and others that do not meet your personal comfort preferences and support needs. Through this process of elimination, you can determine which mattresses you like best.

Q. What’s the best mattress?

A. The answer is a matter of individual taste. What’s best for me may not be best for you. When it comes to mattresses, there is no one-size-fits-all. After all, we’re all built differently and have different comfort and support preferences, so why would the same mattress be “best” for all of us? To determine the mattress that’s best for you, we recommend using the process of elimination to weed out the ones you don’t like. Go to a retailer and use the “rest test” to narrow down your choices. As you lie down on the mattresses, pay attention to three of the mattress’s most important features: comfort, support and space. The mattress that best fulfills the combination of these needs is the “best” mattress for you.

Q. What should people look for in a new mattress?

A. Four keys to keep in mind are support, comfort, space and matching sets. The mattress that’s right for you will keep your spine in proper alignment – how your spine is when it’s in good standing posture – supporting your body and cradling it along its curves. The right mattress will also be comfortable for your body. Keep in mind that your comfort preferences are likely to change as you age. Make sure the mattress provides enough space for easy, free movement. Couples should sleep on a queen or king-size mattress.

And keep in mind that a mattress and foundation are designed to work together. Buy them as a set and get the most out of your investment in yourself.

Q. What is the best way to try a mattress?

A. The best way to try a mattress is to take the “SLEEP Test”: Select a mattress Lie down in your sleep position Evaluate the level of comfort and support Educate yourself about each selection Partners should try each mattress together

Don’t be embarrassed.

You don’t think twice about test driving a car, and you shouldn’t think twice about “SLEEP Testing” a mattress. Lie down on the mattress for several minutes and assess how well it provides support and how comfortable it is for you. The only way to tell if a mattress is right for you is to lie down on it.

Q. How much money should be spent on a mattress?

A. Your rest – the amount and quality of your sleep – is a critical factor in your overall well-being. It can affect how you feel physically and mentally as well as your productivity. Accordingly, we urge you to invest in your rest, and spend enough on a mattress to ensure that your individual comfort and support needs are being met. Be sure not to shortchange yourself out of a good, quality night’s sleep and buy the best mattress you can afford.

The average person spends one-third of his or her life in bed. This equals 220,000 hours over the course of a lifetime! And the mattress is the most used piece of furniture in the home.

From The Better Sleep Council, www.bettersleep.org