How to Choose the Best Mattress

When I was a kid I remember being able to throw a sleeping bag down on a patch of rocky ground and fall instantly asleep. I remember sleeping on a creaky old twin bed mattress in a room in my grandparent's house. At one point, my parents and I had a small, cramped one-bedroom apartment and I had to sleep on a roll-away bed in the kitchen. Never had a problem sleeping.

Even after I grew up and moved out I never had a problem either. As a matter of fact, I still have the first bed and mattress that I bought. It has to be over 30-years-old. A few years ago, I went out and bought a space foam mattress pad and that at least kept the springs from sticking me in the back. The only problem is that it really made my back hurt so I had to put another regular mattress pad on top of it. That worked for a while.

But for the last few months the back aches seem to have gotten worse. So now I've decided that I have to break down and buy a new mattress. But the question is what kind? Mattresses are expensive. They can run a thousand dollars or more. I don't want to go out and buy the cheapest one that I can find. I'm afraid that may make the back problems worse. But more expensive doesn't necessarily mean better either.

So it pretty much boils down to a sleep number or the space foam (the real stuff, not the cheap copy like I have now.) Both type of mattresses inundate the late night infomercial scene. I guess I could go to the store and try each one of them, but something tells me that a bed that really feels comfortable for five minutes may not feel that way after eight hours.

A guide to buying mattresses may help. According to WebMD:

"When it comes to getting a good night's sleep, there's no question -- your mattress matters. But with so many choices -- traditional coil, air, latex, and memory foam mattresses being some of the top contenders -- buying a new one can be a nightmare. "

It's a delicate choice and everybody's different. You don't want it so hard that it feels like you're sleeping on a piece of concrete, but you don't want to be so soft that you look like a pretzel when you get up either.

First of all, spend some time checking out the mattresses. Spent at least about 20 minutes checking out each mattress. Don't be shy. If the mattress store doesn't want you on the mattress that long, then go somewhere else.

Also, if you have a significant other make sure they try it out to. If you want to know what the mattress feels like when you are having sex on it, I'm afraid you'll have to wait until you get it home. Most stores frown on that sort of thing.

Many people still prefer conventional mattresses. If you buy one of those make sure that you buy the one with the most number of coils. More than 600 is best. This can eliminate or reduce pressure spots. Lie on your side. See if you feel like your back is properly aligned. If your hips sink into the mattress it's probably too soft.

Space foam latex mattresses aren't very good for people who roll around a lot or sweat a lot. They adapt to the body's contour and don't absorb fluids. But they can be good for people with allergies, except if they're latex allergies, of course. Pillow top mattresses may allow you to have a firmer mattress underneath and that can be good for your back.

Source: http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/best-mattress-good-nights-sleep?page=3