The Mattress Buying Checklist: 5 Questions to Ask While Shopping

Is it time to get a new mattress? If so, you’d better start asking yourself the important questions. Mattress shopping isn’t as easy as walking into a store and buying the first mattress you see. Instead, consider these questions carefully and make your mattress buying checklist.

What Size Mattress Should I Buy?

Before you decide anything else, know what size mattress you need. The size of your bed has a lot of factors, including the size of your bedroom and how many people are sleeping on it. If you’re sleeping alone and want a smaller bed to conserve space, a twin size mattress is your best bet. But if you share a bed with another person, you’ll want a full sized mattress at the minimum. 

Another factor to consider is your own body. For example, if you’re tall, you shouldn’t sleep in anything smaller than a twin XL mattress, or you might even want to splurge on a king size bed.

What is My Sleeping Position?

The position you sleep in is a major factor in what you should buy. There are three major sleep positions, and each one comes with its own requirements for the ideal mattress. For example, 54% of adults are side sleepers, and they need a mattress that will contour to your body while also providing support to your spine and joints. Meanwhile, a back sleeper’s body weight is distributed differently, with more pressure being put on the spine if the mattress is too soft. So a mattress that’s suitable for a side sleeper might not benefit a back sleeper.

Soft or Firm Mattress?

Determining if you need a soft or firm mattress is important because these things are relative. Each person has their own definition of what they consider the perfect mattress. To put it in fairytale terms, Goldilocks might have called Papa Bear’s mattress “too hard” but for him, it was clearly “just right.” It’s the same with real people; everyone has their own preferences and baseline. This is also why it’s essential to shop for your mattress in person. Testing out the mattress yourself is the only way to be certain if it’s the right fit for you.

Am I a Hot Sleeper?

Being too hot or too cold can be a major detriment to the quality of your sleep. 14% of adults report always being too hot when sleeping, while 57% report at least occasionally being too hot. Your mattress can sometimes be the cause, but the right mattress can actually help regulate your temperature so you can sleep more easily. 

There are mattresses that use materials that can cool you down, wick away moisture if you sweat, and won’t trap the heat your body naturally gives off. So if you’re a hot sleeper, you’ll want to pay special attention to the different materials that make up your mattress so you’ll be cool and comfortable.

What’s My Price Point?

The final thing on your mattress shopping checklist is determining how much you’re willing to spend. You might assume this would be the first step, but the fact is, the price of a mattress can vary based on size, materials, quality, and more. So you need to ask yourself all of the other questions before you can be certain how much a mattress is worth.

Remember that your mattress is an investment; you’re meant to sleep on it basically every night for the next decade. Therefore, giving yourself a higher budget so you can buy a high-quality mattress could save you more money in the long run than buying a cheap mattress you’ll have to replace in only a few years.

When it’s time to buy a new mattress, remember this checklist. It will make the mattress shopping process easier and will result in the ideal mattress for your body, lifestyle, and budget.