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Mattress Buying Guide: How to Test a Mattress Before You Buy

by Sonal Shukla

The mattress you choose can either give you the coziest sleep of your life, where you wake up every day feeling like your best self. Or it can lead to restless nights of tossing and turning, where you end up with aches, pains, and stiffness. That’s why it’s so important to test your mattress before deciding on it!


But how do you do that? Should you lie on the mattress and wait for that comfort to kick in? Or should you feel it in just a touch?

 

On the contrary, testing a mattress is quite simple, provided you follow a few steps. All you have to do is follow our best mattress-buying guide, and you are good to go. Let’s get started!

How to Test a Mattress Before You Buy

Without further ado, let’s unpack all the crucial steps involved in testing a mattress.

1. Understand Your Sleep Needs and Preferences

Our sleep needs are unique and tend to differ from one person to another. So, make a note of what you need in a mattress. It can be plushness, firm support, or a bit of both.

A. Body Type 

Your body type plays a role as well because it affects how a mattress feels. It also helps determine the ideal firmness for you.

Heavier individuals may need more support to avoid sinking in. Here, medium-firm to firm can be ideal choices. Whereas, lighter individuals may prefer softer surfaces, and soft to medium-firm can be perfect.

B. Personal Comfort

Of course, in the end, don’t compromise on your personal comfort. See what feels right for you.

Even when it comes to the size of the mattress, see which one fits your needs. If you share a bed with a partner, a queen-size mattress can be excellent. But if you also have a pet who likes to snuggle with you, a king-size mattress can be great.

2. Research Mattress Types and Materials

In our mattress shopping guide, we believe that prior research is necessary. So, before you hit the stores to test the mattress, gather all essential information.

Understand the different types of mattresses and materials available. Each material comes with its own set of pros and cons. But knowing what’s out there can guide your choice.

The most popular mattress types are mentioned below.

SmartGrid mattresses are breathable and are designed to adapt to your body for exceptional comfort.
Latex mattresses are cooling and offer the firm support you need.
Hybrid mattresses offer the best of both worlds with an amalgamation of foam and coils.
Memory foam mattresses mold to your body and can offer pressure relief.
Innerspring mattresses use coils for bounce and strong support.

3. Set a Budget and Make a Shortlist of Your Choices

This one’s very important. Today, you will come across a myriad of options, each better than before. So, to ensure you don’t end up spending more than you intended, setting a budget is crucial.

Decide how much you are willing to spend on a mattress. However, keep in mind that quality is related to comfort and durability. And, a quality mattress is a wise investment.

Once you have a budget, make a list of mattresses that meet your needs, preferences, and price range. But make sure your budget is slightly flexible so you don’t miss out on anything great.

4. Opt For Comfort Testing

When you are testing a mattress, our mattress quality guide insists on feeling it. See what feels good.

A. Sit and Feel

Let’s say you tend to sit on the mattress in the morning while getting ready. So, see if the new mattress can accommodate your needs. Sit on the edge of the mattress to see how supportive it is. A good mattress should keep its shape without sinking too much.

B. Lie Down

Spend a few minutes lying down in your usual sleep position. Take your time. See how it feels. It should offer a sense of comfort and support.

C. Move Around

When lying down, make sure you change positions. See if the mattress adjusts well to your movements. This will help you know if it can keep you comfortable all night long.

5. Evaluate Mattress Firmness as Per Your Sleep Position

You must make sure that the mattress’s firmness aligns with your sleeping position. This is a key point in every mattress guide!

Back sleepers need medium firmness to ensure proper spinal alignment.
Side sleepers can opt for plush mattresses to relieve pressure on shoulders and hips.
Stomach sleepers need firm mattresses to maintain proper body alignment.
Combination sleepers can enjoy medium-firmness as it is suitable for all sleep positions because it is neither too hard nor too soft.

6. See If the Mattress Offers Motion Isolation

Motion isolation is such an underrated feature but so important. It is especially necessary if you share a bed. A mattress with good motion isolation absorbs any motion so your partner’s movement won’t disturb you or vice versa.

Let’s say you sleep with a partner who tosses and turns a little too much. Or you have a pet who jumps in and out of bed. Well, with good motion isolation, you won’t feel a thing and can snooze peacefully. To test, it out, you can lie down with your partner where one tosses and turns to see if the other feels any movement.

5. Check Edge Support

Proper edge support means when you sit on your king or a double-bed mattress, it remains stable without sinking in or collapsing along the sides. This feature is also important because it makes it easier for you to get in and out of bed. So, make a note of this point in your mattress purchase guide.

To test it, sit on the edge and notice how much it sinks. Then, lie near the edge and see if it feels secure.

6. Pay Attention to Pressure Relief and Body Contouring

A mattress selection guide is incomplete if we don’t talk about support. A good mattress must be able to offer optimal pressure point relief and contour to your body shape. This is important because it keeps you cozy and pain-free throughout the night.

Pressure relief is crucial for areas like the shoulders, hips, and lower back, which carry more weight during sleep. You can test this out by lying on the mattress. Let’s say, you lie down on a single bed mattress. See if the mattress cushions your pressure points without sinking in too much.

7. Temperature Check

The next point is breathability in a mattress. This is what will keep you cool and cozy as you snooze. And, this feature is all the more important if you reside in hot and humid climates.

So, look for materials that don’t trap heat and keep you sweat-free as you sleep.

You can also lie down for a few minutes to see if the mattress feels breathable. Check if the mattress maintains a balanced temperature as long as you are on the mattress.

8. Visit The Sleep Company Mattress Store for a Risk-Free Trial

The Sleep Company has 100+ brick-and-mortar stores across the country. So, visit your nearest showroom to try the innovative range of mattresses for yourself and see which one fits your needs.

The in-store trial allows you to lie down, move around, and get a feel for how the mattress contours to your body.

You will also receive expert guidance from the team that can help you choose the perfect fit for your sleep needs. And, the risk-free 100 trial nights ensure you never have to compromise your sleep. You can try the mattress until the trial ends and then decide if you want to commit to it. If not, you get a full refund.

Other Tips for Buying a Mattress

Now you know how to test the mattress. But take a look at these other tips for buying a mattress as they can ensure you end up with the right choice.

​​1. Read Reviews

Read customer reviews before you buy. This will give you actual insights into the mattress’s qualities, such as comfort, durability, etc. Reviews give you real-life experiences. You can also understand how the mattress holds up over time and if the purchase is worth it.

2. Understand Warranty

A good warranty should give you peace of mind and protect your purchase. Be sure to understand what’s included, like how long the warranty lasts and what it covers, such as sagging beyond a certain depth.

3. Check Delivery

Look at the delivery options offered. Some companies offer free delivery or even white-glove service, where they set up the mattress in your home. Make sure you understand the delivery terms, potential fees, and more.

4. Test with Partner

If you share a bed, it’s essential to test the mattress together. So, make sure you both head to the store and see which one aligns with both your needs. To test it out, lie down, move around, and check for features like motion isolation and edge support.

Wrapping Up

As you can see, choosing a good mattress is truly a hassle-free process. But, testing a mattress is imperative because it steers you in the right direction and ensures you end up with the right choice.

A good mattress must fetch you the perfect amalgamation of comfort and support. It should relieve pressure on your shoulders, hips, and back while supporting your body evenly. It should also align with your sleep position so you enjoy the refreshed sleep you deserve.

That’s why The Sleep Company offers 100 trial nights with every mattress. Whether you buy online or in-store, you can take it home, try it out, and see if it’s the perfect fit. You only commit once you are sure!

So, what are you waiting for? Discover perfect sleep with a 100-night trial from The Sleep Company today!

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