How to choose the right Mattress

If you sleep for the recommended 8 hours a day and you keep your mattress for the average of 9 years, you will spend 3 of those years in your bed.  It is therefore one of the most important pieces of furniture you can buy.
Choosing a mattress can be an overwhelming experience. With all of the options available in firmness, top covers, cooling materials, and spring vs foam, it is hard to have a starting point.
I often get asked, "what is the best mattress?".  And the answer is: there isn't one.  People come in all different sizes, shapes, and all have different preferences when it comes to sleep.  This article will give  you some tips and ideas to consider when you are purchasing that next mattress for your bed.

What is Your Sleep Position?
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Some of us love to hug that pillow and sleep on our tummy or curl up in a ball and sleep on our side.  Each different position that we sleep in causes different pressure points on the mattress. 
Side sleepers often feel a soft to medium mattress is more comfortable so that the hips and shoulders do not get excess pressure and the small of the back is supported. The basic principle is you should feel that the mattress is contouring to your body.  Back and tummy sleepers benefit from a firmer mattress to help distribute the pressure throughout. Tummy sleepers will get back pain if the mattress is too soft as the most pressure on the bed is through the torso.  This area will drop into the bed if the mattress is too soft and cause over extension of the spine. 

How Much Do You Want to Spend?

Like most purchases, cost sometimes does not mean a better product. Don't go for the retail price. Mattress prices are often well inflated and go on sale for up to %50 off or even more.  You can even negotiate a price with most Mattress retailers.  There is also a large online industry for mattresses and the prices are significantly lower than going to a retail store.
Be cautious if a sales person is telling you that the bed will last longer if you pay more for it.  This is true if the material in the top cover and fabric are of higher quality but not true regarding the structural materials that make up the mattress. Most mattresses regardless of price only last around 10 years. 
Also do not pay more for a mattress that is endorsed by a group or association or is marketed with gimmicks such as "orthopedic", or "medically approved".  This is simply a marketing ploy. 

Try it, Test It, Then Take it

Try it:
Online mattress purchases can be a lot cheaper however, you don't get the chance to lay on the mattress before purchasing it.  When you do this in the store you should assume your sleep position and lay on the bed for at least 10 minutes. I know you are thinking that it would be a little odd laying on a bed in a store for 10 minutes, but think of it as taking a car for a test drive.  You don't just sit in the car seat and decide if you like it.  When laying on the mattress, concentrate on the pressure points on your body and do this with a variety of mattresses. 
Test it:
Make sure you get the money back guarantee trial so that you can take your mattress home and sleep on it for a month. Most stores offer this with conditions that the mattress doesn't get stained or damaged. 
Take it:
Keep the mattress if you notice that you are comfortable when waking up, you are not getting too hot, and  that your sleep partner is happy too!

Think of Your Sleep Partner

If you share your bed you must think of your sleep partner when choosing a mattress.  Most companies now offer mattresses that can have  different level of firmness on each side or have adjustable firmness options. This is essential if your sleep partner is of a different size than you or sleeps in a different position than you.  
You must also consider if your sleep partner is a "hot" or "cold" sleeper.  If you don't match in this department it is important to consider the materials of the mattress you are buying.  Often mattresses made of foam are warmer than the  coil option. Some top covers can also cause the bed to be warmer. 

Body Weight

People naturally think that the more you weight the more firm your mattress should be.  This is true due to the fact that the heavier you are the more you will sink into the mattress.  Especially if you are over 200 pounds. However,  you must also consider the position that you sleep in when deciding the firmness of your mattress. Again, if you are a side sleeper, usually a softer mattress is more comfortable. 
Heavier people with a smaller partner might also want to purchase an  independent coil mattress so that when they move, their sleep partner isn't disturbed by the movement transferred through the mattress.  
heavier people also might want to consider a hybrid type mattress made with different layers of support that makes the mattress have a softer top layer but more rigid base layer, giving it longer life span.

There are many factors to consider when choosing a mattress.  Go to a shop that specializes in sleep and talk to a knowledgeable sales person.  Make sure you are aware that mattress prices are significantly inflated and can be purchased below list price. Lay on the mattress in the store for at least 10 minutes, consider how you sleep when choosing the firmness, make sure you have the warranty so you can return the bed and make sure your sleep partner is happy too!

Activity fact:-  If the average night's sleep is eight hours (ie one third of a day), one sleeps for one third of one's life. If you live, say, 75 years, that's 25 years asleep, or 9,125 days.