Mattress selection can take quite a long time as this is an investment and you need to find something that will support your body for a long time. You have to identify which factors to prioritise when it comes to purchasing a mattress. Some of the things you need to consider are the age of your current mattress, the level of firmness you are looking for, your sleep position, your weight and lastly but most importantly, the budget you have allocated for this.

First, you have to determine whether you need a new mattress. If you have had your current mattress for over eight years, it may be time to replace it. If you are waking up sore in the morning and you don’t seem to find a comfortable position to sleep in, it could be that the mattress is too worn out and too uneven in places to offer you the comfort you need. Once you decide to buy a mattress and start searching for a mattress online you will be bogged down in many specifications and brands. So you have to understand a few basics that will help you narrow down the search. Your sleeping position can also determine the type of mattress you need. If you tend to sleep on your back more often, it is best to go for medium firmness in a mattress. If the mattress is too soft or hard, your hips can sink in or your shoulders will experience too much tension. If you're in the market for a new mattress, check out Sleep Firm

For those who sleep on their stomachs, a very firm mattress is required so that the hips are lifted in line with the shoulders. But this doesn’t mean the sleeping surface should be extremely hard. An innerspring mattress is recommended for this position. If you sleep on your side, you need to have a soft mattress that will mould to the curves of your body and give sufficient support. Memory foam mattresses are great for this position as it allows for contouring of the body. And people who tend to sleep in multiple positions will need a dynamic mattress with medium firmness so that they are kept comfortable through the entire sleep cycle.

There is a bit of confusion with people about the firmness and supportiveness of a mattress. The firmness describes how the bed feels while a supportive bed will let your spine rest on it on an even line without causing any part of your body to be under pressure. Your weight will determine how much your body sinks into the bed and the way a bed can support you. Those who weigh less than 68Kg will be just fine with a soft mattress as they won’t sink into it. Any memory foam bed will be your friend. Those between 60Kg and 90Kg in weight can either go for a soft or medium firm mattress. A medium firm mattress will have a similar number of comfort and support layers within the mattress. You can go for a firmer mattress that will have more supporting layers than comfort layers within if you are over 90Kg in weight. Make sure that you go for a bed that has a warranty attached and read the fine print of its specifications regarding the recommended lifetime for the mattress.