How to Choose a Mattress: The Ultimate Guide | Fortune

This makes itall the moreimportantthatyou choose the right one, findingyour own personalGoldilocks level of firmness, size, material, cost, and more.

“Sleep quality can be significantly influenced by certain mattress characteristics such as firmness, pressure distribution,and age,” saidDr. Dionne Morgan, a sleep medicine physician atBaptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute.

But is it possible to respect your body by giving it ultimate comfort at night while also respecting your wallet and the spatial limitations of your bedroom? Yes. To cut through the bed-buying hype, we spoke with a physical therapist and a sleep medicine doctor to guide you on your path to the perfect mattress.

How to know when you need a new mattress

Sometimesit’shard to tell whetherit’syour sleeping position making you sore, or if your mattress has run its course.

“If you’re waking up in pain, that’s a big red flag,” said Heather Jeffcoat, DPT, physical therapist and owner ofFusion Wellness & Femina Physical Therapy. Any pain should be investigated, but sheadvisestrying to adjust your sleeping position or switching out pillows before buying a new mattress, as those tweaks cost much less than a new bed. You can also take note of whether you feel less stiff when sleeping in a hotel or on someone else’s mattress.

However, no mattress will last forever. “If it’s been 7 to 10 years, you should consider looking for a new mattress,” Jeffcoat said.It’salso important to note that some mattresses will show wear and tear much earlier, depending on the quality of thebedmaterials.

Morgan added that mattresses that arevery old(around 9.5 years) have been associated withmore lowerback pain.

Besides new pain or stiffness in the morning, your bed may show you real signs of breakdown if you notice lumps, sagging, and new creaks or noises, Jeffcoat said.You may also develop allergies as the bed material starts breaking down, she added.

What type of mattress should you get?

Brands sell mattresses under all types of different names and withdifferent materials, but most can becategorized asthree main types of mattresses: innerspring, memory foam, and hybrid.

Innerspring mattress

An innerspring mattress isatypical, coil-containing mattress that gives your bed a little bounce. While not as enveloping as a foam mattress, many innerspring mattresses on the market today are topped with soft material, offering some comfort as well as sturdy support.They’realso more breathable than foam mattresses, making them more ideal for those who overheat at night.

Memory foam mattress

Memory foam mattresses aremade out offoamlayers, leading to a dreamy, cloud-like sleeping experience. Generally speaking, they alsohave good motion isolation,which is a measure of how well a mattress absorbs the movement of another person in bed with you.

While a memory foam mattress may offer ultimate comfort for some, they may not be supportive or firm enough for others. (There are some firm mattresses made from memory foam out there, though.) For hot sleepers, this type of bed may also be uncomfortable because itisn’tas breathable as other mattress types.

Hybrid mattress

Hybrid mattressescombinethe structuralcomponentof an innerspring mattress with the pressure relief and comfort of a foam mattress. They typicallycontainsprings on the bottom, supportivelayers,and foam on top. How much foam a hybrid mattress has, or what type of comfort material it includes, varies.Many peoplesleep well on ahybrid mattress.

How to choose the right mattress size

Mattresses are commonly sold in a handful of sizes, ranging froma twinsizetoa king size.

Space of your bedroom:The first step ofselectingyour idealmattress size includes measuring your bedroom or apartment to see what you have space for. Even if you have the space, you should consider how much roomyou’rewilling to give up for a mattress.

Who else is sleeping in your bed:If you sleep with a partner or a pet,you’llprobably wanta larger mattress to accommodate everyone’s body and movements during the night.

How much do you like to spread out:Some people enjoy ample space to roll around or spread their arms, while others’ movements are more minimal.

For a more in-depth lookatmattress dimensions, readour guide to bed sizes.

Everything to look for when choosing a new mattress

Firmness,painand pressure relief

The perfect level of firmness for you will depend on your sleeping position, bodysize,andifyou experience back pain. However,it’sworth noting thatthere’sresearch supporting a medium-firm mattressfor better sleep in people with back pain.

“Medium-firm mattresses seem to reduce back pain and improve sleep quality, especially in patients with chronic low back pain,” Morgan said. She added that people with a higherbody mass index (BMI) maybenefitfrom a mattressthat’sa little firmer, since body weight willimpacthow supportive a mattress feels to someone.

Amedium to medium-firm mattress is also likely to suit side sleepers, who need enough support to keep their spine aligned and enough softness to relieve pressure on their joints. So, ifyou’reunsurewhere tostartyour mattress-testing journey, start by lying on somemedium to medium-firm mattresses in a store to gauge whatfeels good.

Sleeping position

Jeffcoat recommends trying out beds in person, lying in your preferred sleeping position for at least five minutes to get the right feel and judge how supported and comfortable you feel.

Generally speaking, stomachsleepers need more supportfromtheir mattress to keep their abdomen from caving into the mattress and creating an arch in their back, which contributes to back pain.Back sleepersrequiregood lumbar support. Side sleepers should prioritize pressure relief in addition to spinal alignment.

“If you’re primarily a side sleeper, you need to know that cushioning is important to your hips and your shoulders,” Jeffcoat said.

Mattress type and materials

Mattresses are made with a variety of materials and come in a few different forms: innerspring, memory foam, and hybrid. Between the few types, there is a world of difference in terms of mattress topping (pillow top vs. Euro top, for example), but also material factors like whether a mattress is organic or eco-friendly. There are also natural latex mattresses, for example. Before you buy, consider your personal priorities and lifestyle.

Another mattress difference to consider is whether you want to buy a “bed in a box” that hastheadded convenience of shipping to yourdoor, butmay be more likely to suffer quality issues like poor edge supportcompared to mattresses thatdon’tcome compressed.

Size and cost

With each size upgrade comes a price tag upgrade. The best mattress for youwon’tbreakthebank and will fit neatly in whatever spaceyou’dlike to keep for it.

Warranty and trial period

Before you buy a mattress, always confirm the store’s and/or mattress company’s warranty in case your mattress becomes damaged, and ask about any return fees or other warranty fine print. The extent of a warranty and what it covers willvaryfromcompany to company and mattress store to mattress store.

Some companies also offer trial periods, which allows you to try the mattress out at home without being locked into the purchase. Just be cautious about what you sign and whatyou’reagreeing to before you bring a bed home to try.

Our favorite mattresses

Ifyou’dlike a jump start on where to look for a new mattress, read our lists of thebest mattresses overallfor 2026 so far, our list ofhigh-quality affordable beds, thebest hybrid mattressesand themattresses that feel like a hotel bed. We review and test all mattresses in our lists according tostrict performance and comfort protocols.

FAQs

Where is the best place to buy a mattress?

There is no “best” place to buy a mattress. However, we recommend testing different mattresses in a store to narrow down what is best for your body, based on firmness, motionisolation,andother important factorswe rely on when testing beds.

How do I know if a mattress is good for me and my partner?

A mattress is suitable for two people if both can sleep as comfortably and soundly as possible. If youcan’tagree on a firmness level or mattress type, consider looking for an adjustable bed or a split king, which isessentially twotwin XL beds pushed together.

How do you know if a mattress is good for back pain?

The expertswe’vespoken with recommend a medium-firm mattress for people with back pain, andthat’ssupported by existing research on sleep quality in people with low back pain.

However, mattress firmness isultimately subjective.What’sbest for you will also vary depending on your body weight (heavyweight sleepersgenerally needa firmer mattress for adequate support compared to lightweight sleepers), sleeping position,and overall personal preference.

Sodon’tfeel likeyou’vemade the wrong choice ifyou’vetried a mattress that’s labeled differently but feels better on your body.

How do you know if you should choose an innerspring or memory foam mattress?

Innerspring mattresses tend to be better at regulating heat than memory foam mattresses, whicharen’tas good at cooling. Memory foam mattresses typicallycontour toyour body for a softer, more cradled effect.

A hybrid mattress combines the innerspring support with a softer layer on top, potentially making this type of mattress appealing to more people.