Finding a new mattress can be a confusing, frustrating process. What type of mattress is best? Choosing a mattress based on material composition, price, and other factors requires extensive product research — no easy task, considering hundreds of brands and retailers offer new mattresses online and in brick-and-mortar stores.

Do You Really Need A New Mattress?

Many people change their beds after just a few years, and that’s perfectly fine if you can afford it. The fact is, it’s not a small investment, so take a moment to determine do you really need a new.

Generally, after seven or eight years you will most likely need a new mattress. Of course, it depends on the quality and material (we will cover the types and materials later in this article). And if you feel back or neck pain it might, your bedding is a good place to start.

Average lifespan of mattress in years based on material and type:

Futon:                   5 years
Air:                        5-7 years
Waterbed:           7 years
Innerspring:       7-8 years
Hybrid:                7-8 years
Memory foam:  7-10 years
Latex:                  10-13 years

Ready for a new mattress? What is best type of mattress?

Here’s how to find the one that suits you best:

1. Determine your Budget

Not anyone will have the budget to walk into a store and buy something for several thousand dollars. Luckily, these days there are many online options you can choose from ranging from $500 to $1200. There are also Black Friday bed deals (and Cyber Monday) that can result in additional savings as well.

Here are some guidelines for you:

• Don’t always go with the cheapest option you find – This is a rule of thumb for most products you buy online. Spending less than $500 for a queen mattress simply because it means lower durability, more toxins and lower sleep quality in general.
• Higher Price does not mean Higher Quality – I bet you know this one, but it’s worth mentioning.
• Go with $1000 range for Queen size – This is usually where you will find the best bang for your buck.
• King / Cal King will cost slightly more – I would increase the budget for King and California King to $1400-1500 as you will have many more choices in that range.

Now that you have your new budget set, I’m guessing you are asking yourself “what type of mattress is best for me?”

2. Choose Your Ideal Type and Material

Memory Foam

Memory foam was first developed in the 1970’s by NASA as a safety material for seat cushions to protect pilots and passengers during plane crashes. Since then, the material has blossomed into the burgeoning product employed by virtually every mattress maker.

Why has it become so popular? The answer is that it is said to provide superior comfort and support for the entire body. Anyone who’s pressed their hand into this material immediately understands its appeal.

Memory foam uniquely conforms to every inch of the body that is pressed into it. When you lift your body from the material, it slowly regains its original form, essentially making it perfect for every body type and every sleeper.

Another unique property of memory foam is its motion isolation capabilities. You may have seen those commercials with a lady jumping on a mattress with a glass of wine at the other end. Miraculously, the wine doesn’t spill.

The wine doesn’t spill because the energy from jumping is not transferred to other parts of the mattress. This translates to better sleeping for partners, because the tossing and turning of one does not affect the other, a feature that is not found among any of the other options on the market.

One of the most common issues that people experience is that the material retains heat. If you are someone who requires a cool night sleep, the memory foam option may not be the best choice for you. While the manufacturers are coming up with new and better ways to keep the heat down, the jury is still out as to whether or not they’ve succeeded.

Pros (+)

• Close conforming and above-average pain and pressure relief
• Good motion isolation
• No noise

Cons (-)

• Sleeps hot for some
• Weak edge support
• High off-gassing (odor) potential

Latex Mattresse

These mattresses are known for their fantastic cooling and comfort. Latex has a good bounce, responsiveness too. It’s also great because you don’t get off-gassing and odors like with memory foam products.
Construction: The comfort layer features at least one layer of latex, a substance extracted from the sap of rubber trees; the latex may be mostly natural or synthetic. The support core may also be made from latex or, alternatively, high-density polyfoam (similar to foam/memory foam mattresses).

What type of mattress is best? There are two types to choose from:

• Natural – More healthy option and environment-friendly. But it’s also more expensive so expect to pay around $2000 for a good natural latex mattress
• Synthetic – Made by mixing synthetic polymers with natural tree sap. Less expensive of course but less healthy in turn.

Pros (+)

• Longer-than-average lifespan
• Notable conforming with some pain and pressure relief
• Good motion isolation and no noise
• Sleeps cooler than foam

Cons (-)

• High average price-point
• Off-gassing (odor) potential
• Weak edge support
• Quite heavy and difficult to move

Hybrid Mattresses

Construction: By definition, a true hybrid is constructed with at least two inches (2″) of memory foam and/or latex in the comfort system and a pocketed coil support core. Other models may be listed as hybrids, but this label is technically inaccurate.Providing the best of both worlds, this option offers the contouring and lack of motion transfer of foam coupled with the support of springs.

The term “hybrid” is very loosely used to describe the combination we just mentioned. However, the amount of foam for these beds varies widely depending on the level of firmness desired. Some options employ less than 1.5 inches of foam, lending to the fact that they more closely resemble that of a traditional spring bed rather than the more modern memory foam option.

To find the most optimal version of a hybrid, it’s best to choose the one that has close to 3 inches of foam. Anything above that, and you might as well forego the springs all together.

Pros (+)

• Closer conforming and more pain/pressure relief than innersprings
• Better-than-average motion isolation
• Good responsiveness for sex
• Strong edge support

Cons (-)

• High average price-point
• Shorter-than-average lifespan
• Odor and heat retention issues in memory foam models
• Noise potential

Airbed Mattresses

Construction: Most airbeds either have thin foam comfort layers or no comfort layer at all. The support core features at least two individual air chambers that can be inflated or deflated to adjust mattress firmness and support.

Pros (+)

• Long lifespan when maintained
• Customizable firmness and support
• Close conforming and above-average pain and pressure relief
• Suitable for all sleep positions and sleeper body types

Cons (-)

• High average price-point and low availability
• Susceptible to breakdowns and malfunctions with costly repairs
• Sleeps too hot or too cool for some
• High noise potential

Innerspring Mattresses

This is the most traditional form of the mattress, and as of late, it’s received a bad rap. However, it is important to understand the potential benefits you could receive from going the traditional route, as well as the reasons why this option has lost its luster.

An obvious pro to purchasing a bed with springs is that it is one of the most affordable options on the market, due in part to a decrease in demand and also in part to so many other options that have the potential to be more comfortable and better for overall health.

Another consideration is that these mattresses are known to last for decades. Spring beds are exceedingly durable. Being that the springs are typically made from different types of metals, they tend to keep their shape for many years.

The last notable advantage to this style of bed is that, because of the amount of space located between the springs, this option allows for the most circulation of air. This flow helps to keep the temperature down, allowing for a cooler night’s sleep.

Construction: Most innerspring mattresses have one or two layers of polyfoam in the comfort system. The support core features evenly spaced steel coils, as well as a base polyfoam layer in most cases.

Pros (+)

• Low average price-point and wide availability
• More responsive and better for sex
• Sleeps cooler due to better airflow in support core
• Strong edge support

Cons (-)

• Below-average lifespan
• Minimal conforming and pressure relief
• High noise potential
• Little to no motion isolation

Waterbed

A rather weird option, but sometimes very fun especially if you love waterbed sex. Some of the most common reasons for opting in for this type is a backache and arthritis relief. These beds are also great for people with allergies.

Good for: People with back pain, arthritis and allergies and anyone looking for something less conventional.

3. What type of sleeper are you?

Sleeping Position

Everyone has their favorite position to sleep in. Different positions have different support requirements, so what type of mattress is best will depend on whether you are a side, back, stomach, or combination sleeper.

Back

The most important factor for back sleepers is firmness and support. If your mattress is too soft, your body will sink and cause back pain. You will need one that’s soft enough to provide pressure relief but still provides enough support. On a scale of 1-10, the perfect range would be 5-7.

It’s the consensus that memory foam mattresses provide the highest level of comfort for people who sleep on their backs. This is because it provides adequate contouring to the spine while maintaining a longevity of proper support and structure.

Side

Many people who often sleep on their sides, endure discomfort and pain in their hip joints and shoulders.It’s usually due to unsuitable bedding.

It’s advised that you go with a bit softer option than for a back sleeper as these they provide for an equal distribution of pressure while you’re sleeping on your side.

Ideally, you want to choose a mattress with firmness level of 3-6 (out of 10) which falls under medium soft.

Stomach

This is considered the worst sleeping position. The most important thing for stomach sleepers is to provide equal distribution of weight across your entire body as your torso will apply most pressure. If the mattress is too soft (not enough support) your spine will curve causing back pain.

You will want to look for something in 5-7 range, which falls under medium to medium-firm. The good thing is that most options are in this range.

Weight

On first glance, you might be asking yourself, what does weight have to do with choosing a mattress? The truth is, support, hug, feel, sinkage and even cooling will depend on your body type and weight.

• Light (Less than 150 pounds) – You will want a medium firm bed around 5-6 firmness that doesn’t sink too much. If you are lighter than 150 lbs, you can even go with four since most beds are rated for average sleeper of 180lbs.
  If you want a softer feel or if you are a side sleeper you can opt for 3-4 firmness range. These are soft or plush options.
• Average (150-200 pounds) – Like with the previous category you can choose industry standard of 5-7, providing perfect support and comfort. Some sleepers will want to opt for more softer beds, and that’s perfectly fine, just go with 3-5 range if you sleep on your side and you are all set.
• Heavier Person (200+ pounds) – Heavier people can cause more pressure points on their back, and ideally you want to choose a firmer option to adjust for sinkage. If you are having problems with cooling, you ought to consider coil mattresses. Ideally, choose a thick (12”) or thicker bed. This will provide good support and soft feel.

Do you sleep cool or hot?

Some mattresses sleep warmer than others. For example, soft, conforming mattresses allow less airflow around your body and trap more heat than firmer options. Mattress material can also retain heat, like foam mattresses with solid support cores.

If temperature regulation is an important factor for you, consider choosing a hybrid or innerspring mattress style. These allow for more air circulation and sleep considerably cooler.