Sleep On It

Before you blame backaches on your stressful desk job, consider another culprit: your mattress. Silently tucked under a sheet, the place you snuggle the night away could be the cause of sore muscles and joints by day.

If you’ve been sleeping on the same mattress for a decade or more, it’s probably time for a change—after ten years, most mattresses begin to lose their spring and support. Physical signs that your mattress isn’t doing its job are tossing and turning before you drift off to sleep at night and waking up feeling tired and sore in the morning.

Happily, you don’t have to take the pain and fatigue lying down. Finding the perfect mattress requires research (a few Saturdays lounging around on floor models), but the payoffs are worth it: uninterrupted sleep, early-morning energy and an overall suppleness in your body. Here, a step-by-step guide to purchasing your ticket to dreamland.

WHERE TO START?
On your back, on your side, curled in a ball, even upside down, if that’s how you sleep. The right choice ultimately depends on testing out your in-bed habits. “Lie on the mattress in your usual sleeping position and stay that way for a few minutes,” says Clete A. Kushida, MD, PhD, director of the Stanford University Center for Human Sleep Research in Stanford, CA. “If you sleep with a partner, you should both lie on the mattress at the same time to make sure it’s comfortable when the two of you are in bed together.”

HARD OR SOFT?
Forget the notion that a bed a touch softer than concrete will protect your back. “A mattress should promote good spinal alignment,” says Kushida. Your bed should give at your heavier points (shoulders, hips) and rise up to the lighter ones (lower back, neck, legs) so that your spine is in the same position when you lie down as when you stand up—whether you sleep on your stomach, back or side. An overly hard mattress may not “give” in the right places and can sometimes bring about soreness. “But when a mattress is too soft, the heavy body points aren’t adequately supported and the spine can also go out of alignment, causing back problems,” says Kushida.

Age plays a role in the hard vs. soft debate as well. As our joints age, they need more cushioning, say sleep experts. If your new mattress is going to last ten years or more—say from your 30s into your 40s—it will have to span your comfort needs as you (sigh) get older. One rule of thumb is to go a little softer than you think.

Most mattresses on the market are made with synthetics—polyurethane foam, water repellent coatings and flame retardants—which are suspected of “offgassing,” or releasing chemical byproducts into the air. Lab tests have shown a link between emissions and ailments such as lung irritation, asthma, headaches and sinus infections, says Rosalind Anderson, PhD, president of Anderson Laboratories, the independent toxicology lab in Vermont that conducted the studies. But all-natural mattress options aren’t necessarily the answer. Even natural products such as cotton, wool and latex emit small amounts of gases, says Eleanor Lee, a representative of Vivetique Sleep Systems, a natural bedding manufacturer. These mattresses also must comply with federal flammability regulations and thus are usually covered with naturally flame-retardant wool. If you’re allergic to wool, a physician’s prescription is the only way to purchase a 100% cotton or cotton-rubber mattress. Conventional or natural, “always ventilate a new mattress for a few hours, especially if it has a strong smell,” says Kushida. Leave it unmade and open the windows in the bedroom if possible. “If the odor doesn’t go away, contact the manufacturer,” Kushida advises.

COIL, FOAM OR AIR?
In the past 20 years, the three most common mattress types have undergone revolutionary changes that make for ergonomic bedding. Ultimately, the type of mattress you buy is a matter of personal choice. Expect to spend at least $700 to $800 for a mattress that will stand the test of time, though some brands and styles may cost more.

Coil or innerspring These classic mattresses are made with a web of metal coils and layers of padding. Look for styles with 390 coils or more for all-over support. Ignore the song and dance about different coil types—they all work well. There’s no need to spring for expensive fabrics such as silk or cashmere in the upper padding either—you’ll just spread a sheet over them.
Best for: Budget shoppers and sleepers who prefer a bed that has the same firmness and cushioning all over. The only way to comparison shop is to go from store to store and try different models—mattress manufacturers (King Koil, Sealy and Simmons are trusted brands) market the same mattresses under different names.
Price range: $299–$4,150

Foam No, we’re not talking about egg crate mattress-toppers, but sleep surfaces that conform to your body shape rather than just supporting it. The mattresses are made of cutting-edge textiles, such as Tempur® material, a foam designed by Tempur-Pedic for NASA using certified space technology. Because foams “remember” your body contours instead of springing back, fans liken their feel to “sleeping on a cloud.”
Best for: Restless sleepers—the foam absorbs movement instead of letting it jostle another body in the bed. Also good for people with allergies, because the foam is resistant to both dust mites and allergens. Not ideal for very heavy people because the mattress can crunch down and become misshapen.
Price range: $500–$3,500

Air injection Instead of providing spring support, these mattresses are made of air-filled chambers that inflate or deflate via remote control.
Best for: Sleepers on the fence of the hard/soft issue: Most models, such as Select Comfort Sleep Number, come with two remotes so couples can adjust firmness on both sides of the bed.
Price range: $1,600–$2,300

WHAT ABOUT A NEW BOX SPRING?
Upgrading your box spring isn’t necessary unless the one you have is noticeably warped. Save money by purchasing a lower-priced model—a box spring can often run as much as the mattress. If you go with a different make from the mattress, check the warranty: Some manufacturers void the guarantee when shoppers pair ill-fitting pieces.

HOW DO I GET THE BEST DEAL?
Vendors work on commission, so they’ll try to bump up the bottom line by showing you premium styles. But there’s plenty of bargaining room if you:

Shop the sales. Some retailers advertise sales without significantly reducing prices, but others offer steep discounts. Just remember: Never pay the full listed price.

Negotiate. Offer 15% less than the price to see what the salesperson can do. When you sense the price is as low as it can go, ask for extras, such as free delivery or a mattress pad.

Get a guarantee in writing. Most retailers let you return a mattress within 30 days if you don’t like it.

Skip the extended warranty. Manufacturers cover defects (which you’ll probably discover in the first 30 days), but not flaws that develop from use.

Hard or soft, coil or foam, your dream mattress is out there. It may take a lot of lounging, a few test naps and a little negotiation, but there’s no better guarantee for sound and healthy sleep.