When first starting to look for a new mattress, many shoppers ask a similar question: is there a single, universally best mattress? The answer is a firm “no.” No single mattress can universally suit everyone. After all, we all have different sleep habits, body types and comfort preferences.
When searching for a new mattress, it’s best to leave any notion of a single ‘best’ mattress behind and focus instead on asking, “what mattress is right for me?”
The following three factors can help you prioritize:
The Best Mattress for Your Body Type
Believe it or not, your body type can greatly influence the firmness and support that a given mattress will provide you with. Think about it: even a mattress made from the highest quality materials will feel differently and offer different support to a 120-pound woman compared to a 200-pound man.
Claims about firmness and comfort are highly subjective and mainly serve as a marketing tool. Regardless of what the labels state, your individual experience will vary based on these important factors. For this reason, it’s critical to be aware of your body type—including your height and weight—as you shop for a new mattress.
Mattress Construction
The majority of a mattress’ support is found in its core materials, which makes it an important area to evaluate when deciding whether a mattress is right for you. Specifically, the cushioning layer in the mattress core needs to be the proper depth for your body type to ensure proper spinal alignment and prevent bodily aches and pains. A larger framed person may need a greater depth of cushioning in order to find the support they need, whereas a smaller framed person might find the same mattress too firm.
Mattress Material Type
Mattresses are now made with an array of diverse materials which deliver different sensations and performance features. For instance, batting, quilting, and pillowtop materials can be made from polyester, wool, cotton, which all offer different performance in areas of temperature regulation and cushioning. Foams range from natural latex, polyurethane, or soy-based materials.
Individual needs and preferences about comfort greatly influence what materials will be the best fit. Those will allergies will require hypo-allergenic materials, or may need to avoid latex. Others will prefer eco-friendly or natural material options whenever possible.
Finding the Best Mattress for You
In order to find your custom mattress, read our guide, abandon any notion of a single “best” mattress, and disregard labels promising a specific level of firmness or comfort.
Next, it’s critical to test out different mattresses in a mattress showroom in order to experience the materials and construction firsthand. Finally, doing some research and preparing questions in advance to ask a qualified mattress specialist will go a long way in finding something suited to your needs.
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