How to Choose a Mattress: The Ultimate Guide

This makes it all the more important that you choose the right one, finding your own personal Goldilocks 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,” said Dr. Dionne Morgan, a sleep medicine physician at Baptist 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

Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether it’s your 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 of Fusion Wellness & Femina Physical Therapy. Any pain should be investigated, but she advises trying 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’s also important to note that some mattresses will show wear and tear much earlier, depending on the quality of the bed materials.

Morgan added that mattresses that are very old (around 9.5 years) have been associated with more lower back 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 with different materials, but most can be categorized as three main types of mattresses: innerspring, memory foam, and hybrid.

Innerspring mattress

An innerspring mattress is a typical, 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’re also more breathable than foam mattresses, making them more ideal for those who overheat at night.

Memory foam mattress

Memory foam mattresses are made out of foam layers, leading to a dreamy, cloud-like sleeping experience. Generally speaking, they also have 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 firmer memory foam mattresses out there, though.) For hot sleepers, this type of bed may also be uncomfortable because it isn’t as breathable as other mattress types.

Hybrid mattress

Hybrid mattresses combine the structural component of an innerspring mattress with the pressure relief and comfort of a foam mattress. They typically contain springs on the bottom, supportive layers, and foam on top. How much foam a hybrid mattress has, or what type of comfort material it includes, varies. Many people sleep well on a hybrid mattress.

How to choose the right mattress size

Mattresses are commonly sold in a handful of sizes, ranging from a twin size  to a king size.

Space of your bedroom: The first step of selecting your ideal mattress 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 room you’re willing to give up for a mattress.

Who else is sleeping in your bed: If you sleep with a partner or a pet, you’ll probably want a 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 look at mattress dimensions, read our guide to bed sizes.

Everything to look for when choosing a new mattress

Firmness, pain and pressure relief

The perfect level of firmness for you will depend on your sleeping position, body size, and if you experience back pain. However, it’s worth noting that there’s research supporting a medium-firm mattress for 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 higher body mass index (BMI) may benefit from a mattress that’s a little firmer, since body weight will impact how supportive a mattress feels to someone.

A medium 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, if you’re unsure where to start your mattress-testing journey, start by lying on some medium to medium-firm mattresses in a store to gauge what feels 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, stomach sleepers need more support from their mattress to keep their abdomen from caving into the mattress and creating an arch in their back, which contributes to back pain. Back sleepers require good 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 has the added convenience of shipping to your door, but may be more likely to suffer quality issues like poor edge support compared to mattresses that don’t come compressed.

Size and cost

With each size upgrade comes a price tag upgrade. The best mattress for you won’t break the bank and will fit neatly in whatever space you’d like 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 will vary from company 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 what you’re agreeing to before you bring a bed home to try.

Our favorite mattresses

If you’d like a jump start on where to look for a new mattress, read our lists of the best mattresses overall for 2026 so far, our list of high-quality affordable beds, the best hybrid mattresses and the mattresses that feel like a hotel bed. We review and test all mattresses in our lists according to strict performance and comfort protocols.

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