Getting the Most Out of Your Mattress

Sleep is one of the most fundamental human activities—but not everybody gets a good night’s rest. And if you struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep, it can impact everything from your energy levels to your weight.

A mattress can make or break how well you sleep. So, to get the most out of your mattress (and sleep), it’s important to know what to look for and how different constructions and materials affect your experience.

We’ll walk you through the basics of mattresses and help you decide which type is right for you. We’ll also share tips and tricks for getting the most out of your mattress, including how to prepare for a better night’s rest, and how to keep your bed clean.

Beds are designed to support you through the night while cradling your body in a supportive shape. They help your spine maintain its natural curve, which is vital to maintaining a healthy posture. The top few inches of your mattress—what’s called the comfort layers—do most of this conforming and contouring. Some beds are better at this than others, depending on how much they contour to your specific body shape.

A mattress’s firmness level is determined by the thickness of the comfort layer and how much it sinks when you lie down. This can be influenced by the mattress’s material, which is usually either foam or latex. It can also be impacted by the mattress’s zoned support, in which the firmness of the comfort layer changes to support certain parts of the body.

Lastly, the bed’s edge support is essential to a great night’s rest because it ensures that you don’t roll out of bed in the middle of the night. This feature can be found in many mattresses, and it’s usually comprised of a 3-inch perimeter of high-density foam around the coil section of the bottom layer.

Soft Feel

If you’re a light sleeper, opt for an all-foam mattress with a soft feel to support your weight and promote proper spinal alignment. A mattress with a soft or medium-soft feel typically has a thicker top layer of body-hugging foam than a medium or firm option.

Medium Firm

For an all-foam mattress with exemplary support, check out our pick from Stearns & Foster. This bed has a medium-firm feel and features an adaptive coil system to provide premium support. It also has a thick comfort layer made of OEKO-TEX and CertiPUR-US certified foam, plus an additional OEKO-TEX-certified latex layer that adds durability, structure and firmness.