What to Look for in a Mattress? Does the mattress conform to your spine's natural curve, keep your spine aligned when you are in bed and distribute pressure evenly across your body?  Is there edge support around the perimeter of the mattress? This will usually be a foam-encased edge that will provide increased comfort and support from edge-to-edge. If the answer to these questions is 'yes' then your mattress will help circulation, decrease disturbance from body movement and enhance the quality of your sleep. Pocket/independent coil innerspring mattresses, viscoelastic memory foam mattresses, or latex mattresses generally do a better job of providing adequate support than other mattress types. Remember, if you are comparing similar size mattresses, more coils of lower gauge (thicker) wire may give better support and last longer than fewer coils with a higher gauge (thinner) wire. Firmness factor, Softness factor, Both or Neither? Unless you've come from another planet, you are limited to three main sleeping positions: on your back, on your stomach, or on your side, though is common for people to use more than one position during the night. Depending on what position you are sleeping in, different parts of your body will need to be supported. Some say that a "firm" or hard mattress will provide better support. But what really matters is that a mattress distributes pressure evenly across your body thus providing better support. Some experts recommend firm mattresses because back and stomach sleepers will not sag into the surface and will prevent spinal ending that can result in back pain. Back sleepers usually benefit from mattresses that offer support to fill in the gaps in the contours of the back, but at the same time provide enough comfort as not to feel like a board. Keep in mind that it is easy to add some softness to a firm mattress with padding. Overstock.com often has great deals on foam mattress toppers. Keep in mind that firm mattresses are designed to feel hard, so in some cases adding a pad will not make it feel like a soft mattress or soft enough. Side sleepers experience a great deal of pressure from putting the most weight on smaller areas of the body, reducing circulation and causing increased tossing and turning. A softer mattress can help a side sleeper by minimizing pressure in these areas. A recent study of adults with chronic back pain showed that sleeping on a medium-firm mattress will create less back pain than on a firm mattress. Always Replace the Foundation You may be considering only replacing a mattress and keeping your old foundation to save money. Don’t! An old foundation will negatively impact the feel and durability of the new mattress and may void your warranty. Size (and Space) Considering that most people sleep better when a partner isn’t crowding them, you should buy the largest size mattress that fits your bedroom and your budget. See our mattress size page for more information. Make sure you have room to stretch out. Whether the mattress is a twin, a full, a queen or a king, you'll know if it's spacious enough if you don't feel like you are being crowded. Beware of Cheapies! "Cheapie" sleep sets are no bargain if they result in a poor night's sleep. Don't just shop for the lowest price. You’ll be sorry. A few more hundred, if you can swing it, will make a huge difference. Remember, you spend one-third of your life on a mattress.