How to Choose a Mattress: Sleeping Position, Body Type, ...

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How does your mattress feel these days?

Maybe the springs creak when you turn over, or, worse yet, they poke into you and completely prevent you from finding a comfortable sleeping position.

Perhaps it feels too bouncy, too soft, or too hard and keeps you lying awake. Maybe it even sags when you get into bed &#; a sure sign a mattress is on its last legs (or springs, as it were).

You might wake in the morning feeling tired and stiff. You could also start to notice back, neck, and joint pain, along with irritability, fatigue, and other effects of poor sleep.

Without a good-quality mattress, your sleep eventually suffers. If you&#;re experiencing any of the above, it&#;s probably time for a new mattress. Still, the prospect of mattress shopping might seem daunting enough to make you delay your search.

Picking up a secondhand mattress on Craigslist or accepting a hand-me-down from a friend or family member might seem like a quick solution, but you&#;ll sleep much better on a mattress that&#;s right for you.

Yes, you&#;ll need to spend some time considering different factors, but our guide can simplify the process. Keep reading for more details on what to consider when shopping for a new mattress.

How to choose a mattress

Decided how much you want to spend on your new mattress? Understand your essential characteristics, such as body type and sleeping position?

Once you check those off, you can start thinking about specific mattress features &#; and there are, in fact, plenty to consider.

Mattress type

Deciding on a mattress type can help you start narrowing down your search. You have several options to consider:

Innerspring

Who it&#;s best for: Solo sleepers who are looking for an affordable option.

Chances are, you may have grown up sleeping on an innerspring mattress. Once a popular and inexpensive option, the innerspring mattress is harder to find these days. Here&#;s what you need to know about an innerspring mattress:

• Contains steel springs: A true innerspring mattress contains steel springs, either in one continuous coil or coils individually pocketed in fabric. A thin layer of padding rests above the coils to prevent them from poking out.
• Newer &#;innerspring&#; mattresses have added comfort layers: Most newer &#;innerspring&#; mattresses have enough comfort layers above the springs to push them into the &#;hybrid&#; category. These mattresses usually feel bouncier and harder than foam beds.
• Continuous coil systems can be tricky for sleeping with a partner: These types of coils are generally unable to prevent motion transfer between sleepers since they&#;re all connected. So if you sleep with a partner, you&#;ll want to look for a mattress with individually wrapped coils.

Foam

Who it&#;s best for: Depending on the type of foam mattress you choose, it can be a great option if you&#;re looking for contouring, weight distribution, and pressure relief along the spine.

You&#;ve likely heard of memory foam, but foam mattresses come in other varieties, too:

• Polyurethane foam is often used as the bottom layer in many foam mattresses. Some cheaper mattresses are made entirely of this foam, which gives them a firmer feel.
• Open-cell foam tends to be more breathable and less dense than memory foam. You might find it cooler and more responsive to the pressure of your body.
• Memory foam cushions and contours your body to relieve pain and pressure. However, it&#;s known to trap heat, leaving many sleepers uncomfortably hot.
• Foam blends are created by many mattress companies by adding gel or perforations to help improve airflow and regulate mattress temperature.

Latex foam

Who it&#;s best for: People searching for a more durable, organic mattress option. It&#;s also a good pick for people who are hot sleepers.

If you have a latex allergy, you&#;ll want to avoid latex mattresses. Other sleepers, however, may find them cooler and more responsive than memory foam. You may benefit from a latex foam mattress:

• If you sleep hot or change positions often, a latex bed may work for you. They&#;re known to give the comfort of foam without making sleepers feel trapped in one spot.
• If you prefer organic, you may like a latex option. Many latex mattresses are natural or organic since they can be made with plant-based materials.
• If you&#;re looking for durability, latex foam is also often more durable than memory foam, a benefit that slightly increases its price.

Hybrid

Who it&#;s best for: People who don&#;t mind paying a little more for a comfortable sleeping temperature, firm support, and durability.

Hybrid mattresses feature a coil spring base under layers of latex or foam. This creates a blend of firm support and comfort that many people find ideal. You may want to consider a hybrid mattress if you&#;re looking for:

• Greater airflow: Their construction also allows for more airflow than mattresses made entirely of foam, so hybrid mattresses often maintain a more comfortable sleeping temperature.
• Firm support: While hybrids may not be the best option for people who need very soft beds, they work well for many body types and sleeping positions.
• Durability: The spring coils in hybrid mattresses also make them more durable than foam mattresses. They&#;re also usually more expensive.

Airbed

Who it&#;s best for: While sleeping on an airbed each night isn&#;t for everyone, it may be a good option for people looking to customize firmness or those who need a temporary mattress option that&#;s easy to deflate and store away.

Of course, you can take an inflatable bed with you when you go camping, but you can also purchase a slightly superior version for regular use. Here are a couple of things to look for:

• Customizable firmness: Air mattresses that allow you to customize firmness may work well for people with changing support needs. Adjusting the mattress to your desired level of firmness each night could help improve spinal alignment and lead to reduced pain. Just make sure to seek out a quality option with a good warranty.
• Added comfort options: Airbeds intended for nightly use generally have foam or other padding on top for added comfort.

Waterbed

Who it&#;s best for: People who like a softer, bouncier feel to their mattress and don&#;t mind the occasional maintenance.

In a waterbed, your water-filled &#;mattress&#; rests inside a sturdy foam or wooden frame. These beds can allow you to heat or cool the water to your desired temperature. They feel softer and bouncier than a typical mattress. However, they don&#;t offer as much support.

That said, a waterbed might be a fit for some:

• People with back pain: Older research suggests waterbeds may have more positive benefits for lower back pain than a hard mattress &#; but not any more than a foam mattress would.
• People who don&#;t mind the maintenance: Waterbeds do require regular maintenance and occasional patching since they can easily spring a leak.

Firmness

Mattress firmness describes how a mattress feels under your body. Firmness typically ranges on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the firmest bed you can find.

In general, medium-firm mattresses (which are often between 5 and 7 on the firmness scale) provide a good blend of support and comfort for most sleepers. A small study with 27 people suggests sleeping on a medium-firm mattress may help relieve pain and improve sleep quality.

Of course, firmness is a subjective measurement. A mattress that feels hard to one person may feel too soft to someone else.

Firmness can also vary depending on mattress construction and brand. One brand&#;s 6 may feel like another brand&#;s 5, and a medium-firm hybrid might feel harder than a medium-firm foam mattress. That&#;s why it&#;s always important to try out your new mattress and make sure it provides the right support.

Longo recommends choosing the firmest possible mattress that still allows you to get quality sleep. If you&#;re lying awake or tossing and turning to get comfortable, your mattress isn&#;t at the right firmness level.

Note, however, that your body may need some time to get used to a new mattress, particularly if it&#;s firmer than your old one. This breaking-in period can take 3 to 4 weeks, so give it time.

Support

People with lower body weights can generally get good support from a foam mattress. But people with higher body weights may prefer the added sturdiness of coils underneath foam.

Support also refers to whether you sink into the bed. Some people want to feel cushioned by the bed, while others want to rest firmly on top. Mattresses with coil systems generally provide sturdier support, keeping you on the mattress, not in it.

You may not think much about the edges of your bed if you sleep alone. But good edge support can make all the difference if you share your bed with a partner or pet, move around a lot, or sit on the edge of your bed to get dressed.

If your bed has weak edges, you might feel like the bed gives way easily when you sit on it. This can spell bad news at night if your partner rolls you to the edge, and you feel like you&#;re going to tumble to the floor.

If you want good edge support, look for mattresses with reinforced edges. Customer reviews often give a clearer picture of how much edge support a mattress has.

Pressure relief and body contouring

Generally speaking, foam mattresses provide the best pressure relief and body contouring.

If you want pain relief at key pressure points, look for a mattress that gently conforms to your body when you lie down. This allows for your hips and shoulders to sink in slightly.

A memory foam mattress offers the most pressure relief. Hybrids with foam layers may also work well.

Mattress height

While some budget mattresses may measure 9 inches (or less), 10 inches is a fairly standard mattress height. Mattresses under 10 inches won&#;t offer as much support or durability.

You&#;ll find some midrange and luxury mattresses measuring 13 or 14 inches in height, but taller isn&#;t always better. If you have less body weight, you may not need the extra support, so the mattress may feel too firm.

Taller mattresses can also make it harder to get in and out of bed. This is something to consider if you have a limited range of movement or a bed frame that&#;s already tall.

You may also need new sheets for a tall mattress. Most standard sheets only fit beds up to about 14 inches.

Motion isolation

This is an essential feature for partners sleeping together. Motion isolation refers to the mattress&#;s ability to keep you from feeling your partner&#;s movements at night.

Good motion isolation means you can turn over, stretch, and even get out of bed without waking the person next to you.

Foam mattresses tend to isolate motion better than other types of mattresses. If you don&#;t want an all-foam bed, look for a hybrid with individually wrapped coils.

Temperature regulation and cooling

The temperature of your bed can make a huge difference in the quality of your sleep. If you&#;re too warm, you might wake up sweating or have trouble staying asleep.

Cooling mattresses have special features designed to help keep you cool as you sleep, including:

• air cell or open-cell foam
• gel infusions
• mattress covers made from phase-changing, moisture-wicking, or stay-cool fabrics

Customer reviews can help provide a more accurate picture of whether the cooling features mentioned in the mattress description really work.

Off-gassing

The mattress-in-a-box industry has taken off in recent years. Many mattresses bought online arrive compressed and rolled into a box. When you open the package, your mattress quickly inflates. You might notice it gives off a strange smell.

This odor comes from the various chemicals used to make your mattress flame-retardant. It may be somewhat unpleasant, but it&#;s not necessarily harmful.

Mattresses carrying the CertiPUR-US certification often still have an odor, even though this certification means they contain no toxic chemicals or heavy metals. Even some natural or organic mattresses have a strange smell when you first unwrap them.

Customer reviews often mention off-gassing. If you&#;re particularly sensitive to smells, you may want to check what other people have to say.

Usually, this smell clears up after a few days, especially if you leave the mattress near an open window.

Organic or eco-friendly materials

Many brands prioritize sustainability and natural, renewable materials in their mattresses. They tend to mention this clearly on their website or in product descriptions.

Reputable brands use clear language to describe which parts of their mattress have natural or organic certifications. If buying organic matters to you, note some brands may describe their mattresses as &#;eco-friendly&#; or &#;all-natural.&#;

An organic mattress, however, will have specific certifications for some or all of its materials, such as:

• Global Organic Latex Standard
• Global Organic Textile Standard
• Organic Content Standard 100
• USDA Organic

Other certifications to look for include:

• Rainforest Alliance Certification
• Greenguard Gold Certification
• Made Safe

Other important considerations when choosing a mattress

A mattress is often a significant investment. Once you find the mattress of your dreams, you might hesitate before committing to the purchase. What if it doesn&#;t quite measure up to the description, feels uncomfortable, or doesn&#;t stay cool?

The good news is, most mattress brands understand your dilemma and offer some options to help give you peace of mind.

Whenever possible, consider the following before you click the &#;Complete Order&#; button:

Company policies

When shopping online, you&#;ll want to verify whether a company offers:

• A trial period: This should be long enough so you can determine whether the mattress really works. 100 nights is a standard trial period, but some companies offer longer than that. A 30-night trial may seem like enough, and sometimes it is. But it may take more time for you to get used to your new mattress. In fact, some brands require you to sleep on the mattress for at least 30 nights before sending it back.
• Free shipping: Most mattress brands offer free shipping, but you&#;ll want to double-check before you purchase.
• Free returns: While many brands cover the cost of your return, some may charge a processing fee or restocking fee. You&#;ll also want to check how returns work. If you don&#;t like the mattress, will you need to arrange for disposal or pickup, or will the company handle it? Proceed with caution if you notice a large number of customer reviews reporting difficulties with returns.
• A good warranty: Just about every mattress will come with a warranty. A 10-year warranty is fairly standard, but remember that warranties don&#;t cover everything. You may want to read through it before purchasing to make sure you know what it covers. Also, note that setting your mattress on the wrong kind of frame or leaving it on the floor could void the warranty.

Company reputation and transparency

At Healthline, we look at the following criteria to determine a company&#;s reputation and commitment to transparency:

• Does the company make unproven claims about health benefits the mattress offers?
• Have they been involved in any lawsuits in the past 3 years?
• Have they recalled any products in the past 3 years?
• Do they have a C rating or better from the Better Business Bureau?
• Does the mattress meet United States federal flammability standards?

Along with the company&#;s business reputation, we also consider whether they provide clear, easy-to-find information about the materials they use in their mattresses and where they&#;re made. You&#;ll typically find this information in the FAQ section of the company&#;s website, if not directly on the product page.

If you like the mattress and the price, you may want to go for it regardless of what you find about the mattress company&#;s reputation. But at the very least, it&#;s always best to check whether the mattress meets flammability requirements.

Customer reviews

If you&#;ve spent any time reading product reviews, you might already know to take them with a grain of salt. Reviews can offer a lot of insight about a product, yes. But you&#;ll also find that some customers leave 1-star reviews for issues beyond a company&#;s control.

You&#;re generally safe to purchase a mattress that earns mostly positive reviews. Still, specific patterns in the reviews can give you a better idea of how the mattress holds up over time.

You may notice a lot of customers mention things like sagging, loss of support after a few years, cooling features that don&#;t actually cool, weak edges, or low motion transfer.

Where to shop for a mattress

You can make a trip to a local retailer to purchase a new mattress, but you can also shop online.

Shopping for a mattress in person offers a completely different experience from browsing online. Here&#;s what to know to prepare.

In-store

While lying down on the mattress in-store can absolutely give you an idea of how firm or soft it feels, don&#;t be fooled. A mere 5 or 10 minutes can&#;t compare to a full night of sleep &#; not to mention it&#;s a floor model that plenty of other people have already tested. You&#;ll still want to look for a mattress that comes with a trial period.

Make sure to ask the salesperson plenty of questions about the mattress and its warranty:

• What materials are used?
• Does the mattress offer any special features?
• What kind of frame do I need? Will I need a box spring?
• What does the warranty cover?
• Do you offer free delivery, setup, and old mattress removal?
• Do you charge return fees?

Brick-and-mortar mattress stores often charge more than online retailers that sell the same mattress. Doing some research before you buy can help you make sure you&#;re getting the best price. You might find the same mattress at another store, or online, for much cheaper.

Just keep in mind that different stores often call the same mattress by different names. You may be able to talk the price down a bit, but not everyone feels comfortable negotiating for a better bargain.

If the mattress doesn&#;t feel right to you, keep looking! Your sleep is worth it.

Online

Many people find online mattress shopping a much more appealing option. One benefit of online shopping? You won&#;t have to do much digging to get your questions answered. You&#;ll often find most of the answers on the product page.

Many websites also offer live chats with customer support staff, just in case you can&#;t find answers to more specific questions.

It&#;s always a good idea to read through customer reviews before making a decision. Reviews often provide honest, detailed information about products and policies. Things to look for include:

• Was it easy to purchase and return the mattress?
• Did the mattress live up to its description?
• Does the company honor their sleep trial and warranty?
• Does the company offer free returns?

You&#;ll often save a lot just by shopping online, but many brands also offer sales and other discounts throughout the year.

If you know you&#;ll have trouble setting up the mattress yourself and you don&#;t have anyone to help, check to see if the company offers delivery, setup, and old mattress removal. Not every online company offers this service, and many brands charge an additional fee.

Frequently asked questions

What are the qualities of a good mattress overall?

When choosing the best mattress for you, it&#;s best to focus on durability, support, price, and material. You&#;ll want to select a mattress that both fits within your price range and helps you get the best rest possible.

What questions should you ask when purchasing a mattress?

You&#;ll want to ask questions about firmness, durability, and sleeping temperature before making the purchase. Does the mattress have good ratings and reviews? Have there been any common complaints or lawsuits?

It&#;s also important to ask about the warranty, return policy, and care instructions for your new mattress.

What brands offer the best mattresses?

Some of Healthline&#;s favorite mattress brands include:

• Casper
• Tuft & Needle
• Saatva
• Layla

For more information, please visit Mattress Bed.

Start your search for the perfect mattress

Ready to start your search for the right mattress? This quiz can give you a head start on finding the perfect fit.

Check out our top picks for mattresses here.

The bottom line

Mattresses aren&#;t meant to last forever. You&#;ll want to start considering a new one once your sleep quality starts to decline or when your current mattress is more than 8 years old.

Choosing the right mattress requires some time and effort, but this effort is usually well worth it.

After all, as Longo notes, &#;We cannot maintain health without quality sleep.&#;

Crystal Raypole has previously worked as a writer and editor for GoodTherapy. Her fields of interest include Asian languages and literature, Japanese translation, cooking, natural sciences, sex positivity, and mental health. In particular, she&#;s committed to helping decrease stigma around mental health issues.

Sleepopolis may earn a commission on sales through our affiliate links in this article. This commission allows us to run our testing lab and continue to bring our readers the most comprehensive information on sleep and related products. See our disclosures

If you&#;re looking to learn everything there is to know about mattresses, you&#;ve come to the right place. There are several factors to consider when making your final shopping decision. Do you go in-store or shop online? Do you prioritize budget-friendly options or splurge on a fancy model? And what about the size, shape, material make-up, and design?

For those a little wary of the considerations ahead, never fear, Sleepopolis is here! In this handy guide, I&#;m walking you through exactly how to choose the perfect mattress for you. We&#;re going to chat about different types of beds, ways to determine what feel works best for your sleep style, how to choose a mattress within your budget, and much more. By the end, I guarantee you&#;ll know exactly how to find the mattress of your dreams. And once you feel ready to take things into your own hands, hop on over to our best mattresses page to see our reviews of the market&#;s top models.

Looking for a New Mattress? Check Out Our Top Picks

Mattress Buying Guide Video

When organizing this resource, I broke it down into the six most important questions to consider when buying a new mattress. Each section, then, will teach you how to answer these questions in the way that&#;s right for you. For a little tease, here are the Q&#;s we&#;ll be exploring along with links to their respective sections (so you can jump around as you please): 

Though everyone&#;s search is going to look a little different, riddling these quandaries will set you up for major shopping success. So, let&#;s get started by talking about mattress age.

How Old Is Your Mattress? 

This is the very first question you need to answer, as the age of your current mattress can play a big role in determining whether or not you need a new one. As a general rule of thumb, you&#;ll want to start thinking about getting a new bed if you&#;ve had your old one for over 8 years. This isn&#;t a set standard by any means, but is usually a good benchmark for figuring out whether your mattress is still doing its job, (lulling you to sleep).

For a quick primer on the typical expiration dates for different mattress materials, check out the graphic below: 

While these numbers are helpful in contextualizing the lifespan of your mattress, the best way to determine whether or not it&#;s time to switch things up is to listen to your body. Are you waking up with new pains in the morning? Do you have trouble finding a comfortable position at night? Have you noticed any new dips in your mattress that can&#;t be fixed by rotating it regularly? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it may be time to bid adieu to your bed. 

If you&#;re searching for long-lasting options, see our roundup of the best durable mattresses. You can also find out how to keep your mattress in good shape with our guide on How to Clean Your Mattress.

What Is Your Sleeping Position?

While we&#;ll be digging into a lot of different factors that have to do with you and your unique slumber style, the first thing to figure out is what position you sleep in. Though a majority of folks tend to toss and turn between different positions in the night, most people favor certain positions over others. If you&#;ve never really thought about your preferred sleeping positions before, I&#;d encourage you to pay extra close attention to how you sleep over the next week. You&#;ll likely find that you&#;re either a back sleeper, side sleeper, stomach sleeper, or some combination of the three. 

Back Sleepers

If ever there were a type of sleeper in need of a Goldilocks mattress solution, it would be back sleepers. Too firm, and these folks could experience unnecessary tension at the shoulders and lower back. Too soft, and their hips could sink out of alignment with their shoulders, resulting in a bowed back and shooting pains up the spine. Therefore, these dreamers need a medium-firm feel that falls right in the middle of these two extremes. For today&#;s top picks, see our back sleeper mattress roundup or our collection of the best medium-firm mattresses.

In my experience, back sleepers will want to go with a bed that lands somewhere in the 5.5-7 out of 10 range on the firmness scale (more on this below), with 1 being the softest mattress in the world and 10 being the firmest mattress. For reference, 6.5 is typically considered to be our standard for medium firmness. 

Why is this vibe right for back sleepers? Well, it helps to lift and set the spine in a neutral alignment. When I talk about neutral spine alignment, I&#;m basically just referring to the idea of establishing an even line all the way from the shoulders to the hips. This helps to alleviate tension across the back and prevent aches and pains as related to fibromyalgia and arthritis. 

Side Sleepers

Where back sleepers need balance, side sleepers need deep pressure relief at the shoulders and hips. This means that they&#;ll typically want to stick with a softer mattress that contours to the curves of the body to help prevent uncomfortable jamming in the night. 

While softness is a fairly subjective term, for me, it can be defined as anything within the 4-6 out of 10 range on the firmness scale. Again, we&#;re comparing these measures to our standard 6.5 out of 10 for medium firmness. 

Since side sleepers are exerting so much force on their joints in the night, it&#;s crucial that they land on a gentle bed designed specifically with pressure relief in mind. A lot of mattresses claim to alleviate shoulder and hip pain, but it&#;s important to dig into the construction specs to figure out how well a bed is going to relieve pressure at these spots. I recommend side sleepers stick with memory foam mattresses, which are known for their deep body-contouring, sinkage, and pressure relief. Curious to see some of my favorite side sleeper beds? Then head on over to my full best side sleeper mattresses roundup, or peruse our best soft mattresses.

Stomach Sleepers

Stomach sleepers are basically the opposite of side sleepers in that they&#;ll want an ultra-firm mattress that lifts the hips in line with the shoulders. The biggest issue these folks will face is a soft mattress that causes the hips to sink out of alignment with the rest of the spine, so they&#;ll want to keep their eyes set on highly supportive models. 

When considering the range for stomach sleepers, I like to keep things between 7-9 out of 10 on the firmness scale. Once again, comparing these numbers to our standard of 6.5 for medium firmness reveals that stomach sleepers will definitely want to hang out on the higher end of this range. 

But that doesn&#;t mean you&#;ll want to end up with a mattress that&#;s hard as a rock. The key here is to find a bed that combines super supportive foundations with thin comfort layers to provide just a touch of cushion to the overall firmness. Therefore, stomach sleepers will likely do best on an innerspring or hybrid mattress that marries tall coil sections with either pillow tops or a quilted cover layer. Don&#;t know where to start? I suggest my guide to the best stomach sleeper mattress or our roundup of the best firm mattresses.

Combo Sleepers 

And finally, combo sleepers, those folks who combine all three positions into a snuggly smörgåsbord of comfort. A popular sleeping style, but one that requires a dynamic mattress able to provide comfort across the back, side, and stomach. 

Generally, I recommend that combo sleepers aim for a medium-firm mattress i.e. one that hovers right around the industry standard of 6.5 for medium firmness. 

A medium-firm mattress is an excellent choice for combo sleepers because they typically strike a pleasant balance between pressure relief and support. They&#;re soft enough to provide pressure relief to the shoulders while sleeping on the side and firm enough to support the hips whilst dozing on the back. More than anything, though, I think combo sleepers will want to consider the bounce and mobility of their mattress. It&#;s vital that these sleepers are able to move around and adjust positions with ease, so they&#;ll likely want to focus either on buoyant latex or hybrid mattresses. For more inspiration, take a look at my guide to the best combination sleeper mattress. 

Still wanting to learn more? See our guide on The Best Sleeping Position for Better Health and Sleep.

What Firmness Do You Need? 

Since we&#;ve already started to discuss firmness, I thought we might as well dedicate an entire section to the measure. Put simply, firmness refers to how hard or soft a mattress feels. While it might seem like a simple question to answer, determining a bed&#;s firmness (and the firmness that you, the sleeper, needs) can actually be quite tricky. That&#;s because the feel and firmness of a mattress depends on your own personal definitions for soft, medium, and firm as well as your specific body type, weight, and size. 

This conversation can get further complicated by the fact that many consumers confuse support with firmness. A supportive mattress is one that sets the spine in an even line without creating pressure points and can be achieved on a soft, medium-firm, or firm mattress. Firmness refers only to the actual &#;feel&#; of the bed. Long story short, you can find a supportive mattress all across the firmness spectrum. 

With this in mind, the average preferred firmness level for sleepers falls between the 4-7 out of 10 range. As we discussed above, certain sleepers will either want to dip into the lower end of that range or the higher end, depending on their preferred sleeping positions. 

If you want to get really in-depth with firmness, take a look at our Sleepopolis Firmness Guide.

How Much Do You Weigh?

Weight is another huge factor to consider when choosing a new mattress as the sinkage, hug, feel, cooling, and support of a bed can be highly affected by how much you weigh. Before we dive into this section, we want to recognize that people come in all shapes and sizes, and people of every size deserve a mattress that works for their body type. We use the weight categories light, average, and heavy to more easily categorize sleepers based on how mattresses will perform for their body type, as most mattresses are designed for the group we call &#;average&#; (59 to 113 kilograms, or 130 to 250 pounds).

As a general takeaway, lighter sleepers don&#;t require as much support as average weight sleepers, and mattresses will tend to feel firmer to them. On the other hand, heavy sleepers tend to need more support than average weight sleepers and tend to sink into the mattress more.

As far as sleeping positions go, side sleepers tend to need a softer mattress while stomach sleepers usually need a firmer, more supportive one. Back sleepers are usually somewhere in the middle.

Light Sleepers

Though light sleepers might fall within the same weight range (again, typically at or below 130 pounds), that doesn&#;t mean they all sleep the same. Therefore, I&#;m going to provide mattress recommendations based on the different feels these sleepers might be after. 

• Soft Feel (4-6 out of 10 on the firmness scale):

  As a light sleeper, you shouldn&#;t have any trouble landing on a soft mattress. You&#;re not as likely to sink through the materials as other sleepers might be, so you should be well-satisfied on any sort of all-foam bed, preferably one with a memory foam comfort layer. 

• Medium Feel (5.5-7 out of 10 on the firmness scale):

  Lighter weight sleepers won&#;t sink as deeply into their mattress, which can make beds with super dense or thick top layers of foam uncomfortable for these folks. So, if you&#;re a lighter individual, I recommend going with a mattress that&#;s .5-1 firmness points lower than the feel you actually need. This is because most medium-firm mattresses are rated with an average weight sleeper in mind (typically around 180 pounds)

• Firm Feel (7-9 out of 10 on the firmness scale):

  Lighter sleepers after a firm feel will want to prioritize mattresses with thin comfort layers. In fact, they might be better off with a simple pillow top or quilted cover comfort layer. Why? Well, these folks aren&#;t going to sink as readily through any top layers of foam, so don&#;t need to be buffeted from ultra-supportive foundational layers. 

For options, see our roundup of the best lightweight sleeper mattresses.

Average Sleepers

Again, we&#;re going to explore this weight category (from those who weigh 130 pounds to around 250 pounds) by breaking things down into different firmness needs. 

• Soft Feel (4-6 out of 10 on the firmness scale):

  Your needs are pretty similar to lighter sleepers in this area. If you weigh closer to 150 pounds, you can follow the exact same rules as we outlined above for lightweight sleepers. But if you&#;re closer to 250 pounds, you&#;ll likely want to go for a mattress with thick top layers of foam to provide plenty of cushion as you press into the structure. 

• Medium Feel (5.5-7 out of 10 on the firmness scale):

  This is probably going to be the easiest feel for average-sized sleepers to satisfy. Since most mattresses are designed with both average-weight sleepers and medium firmness in mind, you should have no issue finding a bed to meet this need. In general, medium firmness is achieved when there&#;s a balance of comfort and support layers. 

• Firm Feel (7-9 out of 10 on the firmness scale):

  If you&#;re on the prowl for something firmer, you&#;ll want to reduce the thickness of your comfort layers and increase the thickness of your support layers. Average-sized sleepers will press into the structure more than light sleepers will, so they&#;ll need extra support in the base to achieve a &#;firm&#; feel. 

Heavy Sleepers 

Unfortunately, it can sometimes be difficult for heavier folks (those who weigh over 250 pounds) to find a comfortable mattress. That&#;s not to say that there aren&#;t cozy options out there, but many brands build their beds with only one type of sleeper in mind. As frustrating as this is, there are some tips and tricks you can use to find a mattress to satisfy all your firmness and support needs. 

• Soft Feel (4-6 out of 10 on the firmness scale)

  : If you&#;re looking for a softer feel, I recommend going for a tall bed that features thick top layers of foam over a sturdy coil section. Heavy sleepers are likely to press deeply into their beds, so making sure there are at least 4-5 inches of foam up top to sink through will help create a softer feel. 

• Medium Feel (5-7 out of 10 on the firmness scale):

  For a medium-firm feel, I&#;d keep the top layers of foam thick, but reduce them by an inch or two. Though the industry standard for medium firmness is 6.5 out of 10, I&#;d suggest that heavier folks go for something in the 7-8 out of 10 range. What would be considered firm for other sleepers should be just right for those in need of a medium-firm feel

  .
• Firm Feel (7-9 out of 10 on the firmness scale):

  And finally, if you&#;re a heavier sleeper looking for a firm feel, I&#;d recommend going with a sturdy innerspring mattress with a pillow top layer. There are plenty of firm models available on the market today, but I&#;d keep the focus on beds that land somewhere in the 8-9 out of 10 firmness range. 

For more information, check out my roundup of the best heavy people mattresses. 

What Type Of Mattress Do You Need? 

Now that we&#;ve explored some of the most important factors to consider when shopping for a new mattress, it&#;s time to figure out exactly what type of bed you need. Below, I&#;m going to introduce you to the most popular options. I&#;ll describe what they are, how they feel, and who might like the most. But if you&#;re still itching to know more, see our guide on Mattress Material Layers.

Memory Foam

Memory foam mattresses are built predominantly with memory foam, a material known for its slow response to pressure and deep contouring hug. Therefore, they provide an immense amount of pressure relief at sensitive spots like the shoulders, hips, and lower back. 

One slight caveat for the dense material is that it tends to trap and absorb body heat. This can be a big issue for folks who naturally sleep hot. But nowadays, most brands circumvent this pesky problem by infusing their memory foam materials with cooling agents such as copper, gel, or graphite. 

Best For: In my opinion, memory foam is best for sleepers who want to feel more &#;in&#; their mattress than &#;on top&#; of it. Side sleepers, in particular, may benefit from the material&#;s deep contouring hug as they press into the structure. 

Worst For: Memory foam is a super soft material, so likely won&#;t be firm enough for stomach sleepers. If you want an ultra-firm feel from your mattress, you&#;ll want to skip the memory foam altogether. 

Popular Memory Foam Mattresses: There are a lot of memory foam mattresses on the market, but some of my favorites include the Nectar, Amerisleep, and Loom & Leaf mattresses. 

For more picks, check out my guide to the best memory foam mattresses. 

Latex

Unlike memory foam, latex foam has a quick response to pressure, so is bouncy and lively. It&#;s also an all-natural material, so could be a great fit for eco-friendly sleepers in search of an organic mattress. Plus, it&#;s naturally cooling, marking it as a nice option for folks who sleep hot. 

Best For: Latex can work for a wide range of sleepers, but I especially like it for combo sleepers. These folks need to be able to move around and change positions with ease, so should benefit from latex foam&#;s natural bounce. And as mentioned above, eco-friendly sleepers will likely enjoy its organic composition. 

Worst For: If you need deep pressure relief at the shoulders or hips, latex may not be the best fit for you. The material is soft and cozy, but won&#;t provide you with the same hug you&#;d get from a memory foam mattress. 

Popular Latex Mattresses: There are many latex models available online, but I particularly enjoy the Plushbeds Botanical Bliss, Zenhaven, and Avocado mattresses. 

For more latex inspiration, take a peek at my guide to the best latex mattresses.  

Innerspring

One of the most popular and widely used mattress types, innerspring mattresses are bouncy, supportive, and firm. Featuring tall sections of steel coils, these beds work best for those after a traditional, &#;old-school&#; vibe. 

Best For: I tend to recommend innerspring mattresses for folks in need of major support, namely back sleepers, stomach sleepers, and heavier sleepers. They may also work well for those who prefer a supremely bouncy structure. 

Worst For: Innerspring mattresses aren&#;t going to do a lot for those in need of pressure relief, so if you deal with hip, shoulder, or back pain, you may want to consider another type of mattress.

Take a look at our best back pain mattress, best shoulder pain mattress, and best hip pain mattress roundups for beds with outstanding pressure relief.

Popular Innerspring Mattresses: You can find innerspring mattresses pretty much anywhere, but I&#;d suggest starting off your search with the Saatva, WinkBed, and Layla Hybrid mattresses. 

See more options at my full best innerspring mattress guide.

Hybrid 

One of the newest mattress types is the hybrid mattress, which combines top layers of foam with coils or springs for a one-two punch of pressure relief and support. These mattresses differ from innerspring models in that they have a more &#;balanced&#; feel.

Best For: Hybrid mattresses can work well for a wide range of sleepers, but I tend to recommend them for back sleepers and combo sleepers. These folks should appreciate both the added support of these beds as well as their bounce and mobility. 

Worst For: There are so many different types of hybrid mattresses on the market that I wouldn&#;t necessarily say they&#;re bad for anyone. The key here is to focus on the types of foams used in the top layers &#; side sleepers will want a hybrid with memory foam while back sleepers may want a hybrid with latex, for example. 

Popular Hybrid Mattresses: A few of my favorite hybrid mattresses include the DreamCloud, Leesa Hybrid, and Casper Hybrid mattresses. 

Explore even more hybrid options at my best hybrid mattress guide. 

What Is Your Budget?

After considering all of these different questions, we&#;re left with one final quandary: What is your budget? Every shopper is going to have a different answer for this question, but it&#;s important to think about it before you start your search. Luckily, there are incredibly comfortable options all across the pay spectrum, so finding a bed you love at the price point you need shouldn&#;t be a problem. However, there are some things you&#;ll want to keep in mind. 

• You Get What You Pay For:

  Though I wish I could say that you&#;ll be able to get an ultra-luxurious mattress for under $200, you and I both know this isn&#;t true. So, adjust your expectations to the budget you&#;re working with. And remember that there are plenty of wallet-friendly mattresses that are just as comfortable as their pricier siblings. 

• Name Brand, Shmame Brand:

  Don&#;t be fooled by flashy advertisements. Just because you see a certain type of mattress popping up all over the place doesn&#;t mean it&#;s comfortable. Long story short, don&#;t get distracted by cheeky ad campaigns; instead, do your research and focus on your specific slumber needs. 

• I Spy A Warranty:

  There are plenty of ways to increase the value of your mattress purchase. One of the easiest is to land on a brand with a super solid warranty. Many of the best bed-in-a-box mattresses come equipped with lifetime warranties, which ensures that your bed will be fixed or replaced if it&#;s ever damaged. Read the fine print to find out what the actual life expectancy of your mattress could be.

  How to Return a Mattress for more on mattress policies.
• Shop Around the Holidays:

  If you&#;re dealing with a very strict budget, I recommend shopping around the holidays. Most mattress brands host huge sales around President&#;s Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day, so keep your eyes peeled for special discounts and bargains. 

• Sleepopolis Secret:

  Pssst

  &#; we here at Sleepopolis actually have a ton of year-round discounts on some of the most popular mattress brands on the market. Check out our special

  deals page

  to see if your favorite mattress is on the list

  .

If you&#;re still wanting some more info, see our guide on How Much You Should Spend on a Mattress.

Final Word

If I could offer one piece of advice as you attempt to find the mattress of your dreams, it would be to keep things focused on what YOU specifically need. This is a personal journey, so pay attention to the factors most important to you and how you sleep. If you do that, I have no doubt you&#;ll land on a mattress that&#;s totally right for you. 

Logan Block

Logan is the former content director of Sleepopolis. As content director, he reviewed new mattresses every week and curated the comparisons, best of pages, and video guides on the site. Logan perfected his method by personally testing over 200 different mattresses, so he&#;s not only able to discern the overall vibe of a specific bed, but to contextualize its feel within the bed-in-a-box market as a whole.

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