What Should You Look for When Buying a Mattress?

Updated on May 26, 2022

Those looking for ways to guarantee a good night’s sleep and overall well-being need to consider that the choice of mattress matters. 

After all, a suitable mattress provides the necessary support for one’s body, especially for one’s spine and pressure points.

Of course, having a quality mattress also makes for a better bed. Choosing the mattress with the right firmness will undeniably lead to comfort.

This article details the factors one needs to consider before purchasing a mattress. 

Factors to Consider When Purchasing a Mattress

Other than ensuring that you have the budget that it takes to buy your ideal mattress, we hope that the factors detailed below will help you before you decide to buy one.

1. Identify the mattress type that fits your preference.

The good thing about buying mattresses is that you have a lot of choices. The major mattress types include hybrid, foam, and innerspring.

On top of that, there are more specific variations to choose from, including synthetic and natural latex and memory foam. 

Therefore, you should align your mattress type of choice with your priorities – is it the mattress’s life span, a temporary one, or is it for health purposes?

A rule of thumb for the practical ones out there is to pick out a mattress that can last 8 to 10 years. On that note, you might want to consider a gel type, too.

Latex mattresses, on record, can last up to 9 years. Of course, you must exercise proper care to guarantee this. 

On the other hand, innerspring types can last up to 5 years. 

2. Look for a mattress suitable for your sleeping position.

Another primary consideration is the choice of a mattress made vis-a-vis your sleeping position. There is a mattress for you, whether you are a stomach sleeper, back sleeper, or side sleeper (maybe even two or three). 

The consensus is that back sleepers need mattresses with a medium firmness to avoid having bowed back and spine pains. 

Getting a mattress with medium firmness also ensures a neutral spine alignment for back sleepers.

On the other hand, slide sleepers might need to consider buying softer mattresses, especially ones that adjust to the body’s curves. 

A soft mattress tends to help slide sleepers avoid discomfort and provides pressure relief for side sleepers’ hips and shoulders. 

A specific recommendation for side sleepers is the memory foam type. After all, memory foam mattresses provide sinkage. 

Stomach sleepers might want to consider buying ultra-firm mattresses. 

3. Consider your weight, too, before purchasing a mattress.

Besides sleeping position and personal preference, one’s weight also matters when buying a mattress—one’s body type and weight impact the overall support of a bed and its cooling and feel.

Those who weigh below 150 pounds will be okay with any soft mattress or mattress to prevent them from sinking through its material. 

For example, a mattress with a memory foam layer or an all-foam bed will do. 

Those who weigh more than 150 pounds, on the other hand, might want to go for mattresses that have thick layers of foam—having thick layers guarantees proper and plenty of cushioning for the body. 

Benefits of Buying the Right Mattress

Given the details mentioned above, equally important is knowing the benefits of having a quality mattress. 

Below are the things you are “buying” when choosing the right mattress, which goes beyond mere material and type.

1. Pain Prevention

The right mattress for you helps you avoid all sorts of bodily pain. Those with chronic back pain must make sure that they sleep on a quality mattress.

2. Proper Spinal Alignment

We have already asked you to consider the factors that will help you buy the mattress that ensures proper spinal alignment. 

This benefit reinforces that your body needs support when you sleep, done with even weight distribution.

3. Decreased Stress

A quality mattress guarantees better sleep quality, crucial to decreased stress levels. Having an inadequate sleep only creates more stress hormones and even puts you at risk for elevated blood pressure. 

4. Allergy and Snoring Prevention

Lastly, purchasing the right mattress helps you avoid having allergies. Quality mattresses prevent dust mites from inhabiting your bed.

On a different note, cheap mattresses almost always cause obstructed airways, leading to snoring. Having a good mattress helps prevent this type of throat restriction.

The Bottom Line

We hope that the factors mentioned above will help you look for a good mattress. Live well, and do not regret spending a bit more on your mattress budget– after all, you will spend every night and day and every bit of rest on your bed. 

Thus, it is best to make sure you have a good time when you do! With the excellent mattress, your physical and even mental well-being needs will be met– at least a part of it, for a good night’s sleep and an injured back will no longer be part of your list of worries. 

The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.