Is your mattress over 8 years old? Throw it out, especially if you’re not sleeping well. More than time passed, your sleep habits should be the largest factor in determining if you should change your mattress.

What mattress type is best for you?

HYBRIDS
Constructed from a combination of latex, memory, polyurethane foams, coils, or other materials, these mattresses usually are designed to maximize certain benefits. They’re great for sleepers who want the best of all worlds. Great bounce, support, comfort, and cooling. A good all around option that is a very good choice for the majority of sleepers.
LATEX
Built exclusively from latex foam, these mattresses are known for their cooling properties and comfort. Latex is known for its great responsiveness, comfort, bounce, and cooling.
MEMORY FOAM
Just like it sounds, these mattresses only consist of memory foam. Memory foam mattresses are known for their great support, pressure relief, and body contouring. Historically, memory foam has had a bad reputation as “sleeping hot”. However, many newer more advanced memory foams have been designed with superior cooling properties, creating a much cooler mattress than traditional memory foams. Definitely a good option for sleepers who want a more pronounced hug than many hybrid or latex mattresses offer.
COILS
One of the most popular and widely used mattress types. Coil (aka innerspring) mattresses have one or more layers of spring coils (generally steel) that provide the support and comfort. As technology advances, the number, types, and layers of coils change. A larger number of coils typically means better comfort and support.
PILLOW-TOP
Falling into an array of categories (coil, latex, memory, hybrid, etc.), pillow-top mattresses have a layer of soft material either stuffed or sewn into the cover. This works to add extra comfort and cushion for the sleeper.
ADJUSTABLE
These beds offer the ability to change the sleeping position of the mattress, usually by elevating the feet and inclining the back. Great for sleepers who have specific needs that would allow them to benefit from an adjustable foundation. These needs typically come from certain medical conditions, older sleepers, snorers, chronic lower back pain, among other scenarios.

You will have to choose a budget that works for you. Ideally you should spend $800-$1,000. Don’t spend less than $500 unless you want a mattress that’s going to break down very soon.

What firmness level is right for you?

Most sleepers prefer a firmness in the mid ranges. This is appropriate for all sleeping positions and most body types. Go softer if you’re a side sleeper. Go firmer if you prefer to sleep on your stomach or back.

How much do you weigh and what is your body type?

The more you weigh, the firmer you’ll need to go in order to receive adequate support.