What Makes a Mattress "Good"? More Than Just a Feeling

Did you know we spend approximately one-third of our lives sleeping? (Tonetti et al., 2011). That's a significant portion of our lives. Sleep is one of the most important activities we do daily; it has a huge impact on everything else we do throughout the day. "Sleep deprivation can also cause a decrease in work productivity, a greater number of sick days used, and increased injury rates, with 56,000 motor vehicle crashes being a result of sleepiness due to 50% slower response time and decreased accuracy" (Jacobson et al., 2010 as cited in Radwan A, et al., 2015). I have firsthand experience with this. I can recall feeling tired, moody, and unmotivated after a restless night or during times when I had difficulty relaxing to sleep. I felt slow and underperformed at school and work.

Even with good sleep habits—such as avoiding screens before bed and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule—we should not underestimate the impact of our environment. More specifically, the mattress we sleep on can significantly affect our sleep quality, regardless of our preparation. Just as we cannot cook in a dirty kitchen even with the best ingredients, we cannot expect to get quality sleep on a poor mattress. Today, I will share with you what researchers have found about how to find the perfect mattress for us.

The Showroom Illusion: Why "Testing" a Mattress Falls Short

You might initially think that finding a good enough mattress isn't a big deal—that it's just a matter of going to a furniture or mattress store and testing as many as possible to find the right fit. However, in an experiment conducted by Hogan et al. (2011), researchers simulated a typical mattress shopping experience to determine if people would choose the mattress offering the best sleep quality. Even when participants were allowed to take as much time as they wanted to choose and lie on a mattress, Hogan et al. (2011) later concluded that "ordinary showroom experience does not lead individuals to select the mattress that results in best sleep."

I find this very interesting. Personally, I'm biased against buying things online, like clothes or any product that I need to physically test before purchasing. After realizing that merely lying down on a mattress and reading about it in a store isn't enough to identify the right one, it makes me wonder: How do we identify the right mattress for us? Research has revealed a couple of key things to look for and be aware of when identifying a good mattress.

The Science of Sleep: Key Factors for Mattress Comfort

Several studies have attempted to identify the characteristics that make a mattress comfortable or uncomfortable. One factor that these studies consistently agree on for determining mattress comfort is the measurement of overnight motion. In a study by Lee and Park (2006), researchers analyzed how body movement at night while sleeping impacts sleep quality. They discovered that skin temperature was lower for people sleeping on a comfortable mattress compared to those on uncomfortable mattresses. This might suggest that the body was better supported by the comfortable mattress, leading to fewer movements during the night. Another study reported that the best bed in their experiment was the one that exhibited a lower overnight motion measurement, fewer awakenings and minutes awake at night, and less morning pain. All of these factors translated into less daytime sleepiness and increased daytime energy (Hogan et al., 2011).

Another factor on which studies agree is how well the body and spine align with the mattress. "Uncomfortable mattresses do not provide enough support for the body, causing people to have trouble getting deep sleep and making more body movements" (Lee and Park, 2006). The article written by Radwan et al. (2015), which reviewed 27 research articles and their experiments, concluded that the analyzed articles agreed that spinal alignment is important for evaluating mattress quality, and that every person has individual needs. In short, there is no one mattress type that fits all.

Finding Your Perfect Match: Firmness, Motion, and Alignment

Lastly, another factor closely related to the previous one that plays an important role is mattress firmness. We might assume that the softer the mattress, the better; however, research seems to indicate otherwise. "Very low and very high levels of firmness tended to be associated with relatively worse sleep, greater morning pain, and poorer daytime function" (Hogan et al., 2011). If very soft and hard mattresses are not good for sleep quality, it appears that medium-firm mattresses are the way to go. Research ultimately states that medium-firm mattresses were rated as more comfortable than softer mattresses; they also seemed to improve sleep quality in patients with chronic low back pain by 55% and decrease their back pain by 48% (Radwan A, et al., 2015).

However, as I wrote before, there is no single mattress type that fits all. There are also a couple of discrepancies in research regarding this; for instance, the study by Hogan et al. (2011) concluded that "We find that optimal mattress firmness varies among individuals and is reflected, at least to a degree, by overnight motion." This means there's no definitive answer regarding the perfect mattress firmness, but based on current research, it seems that starting your search in the medium-firm aisle is a good first guess.

Your Best Rest Starts Here: Choosing Wisely

In conclusion, the perfect mattress is unique for every individual. However, when searching for an adequate mattress, in addition to considering the price tag and mattress size, we should also be aware of how well our body aligns with the mattress, if it helps us stay asleep through the night, and if it assists in maintaining a good body temperature while sleeping. If you're currently looking for a mattress, don't forget to visit our website or our store locations in California.

Sources

Hogan, S. O., Edinger, J. D., Bieler, G. S., and Krystal, A., D. (2011). Choosing the best mattress: An experiment in testing whether individuals choose a bed that leads to improved sleep (RTI Press publication No. RR-0016-1108). Research Triangle Park, NC: RTI Press. Retrieved July 23 2025 from http://www.rti.org/rtipress.

Radwan, A., Fess, P., James, D., Murphy, J., Myers, J., Rooney, M., Taylor, J., & Torii, A. (2015). Effect of different mattress designs on promoting sleep quality, pain reduction, and spinal alignment in adults with or without back pain; systematic review of controlled trials. Sleep Health, 1(4), 257–267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2015.08.001

Tonetti LL, Martoni MM, Natale VV. Effects of different mattresses on sleep quality in healthy subjects: an actigraphic study. Biol Rhythm Res. 2011;42(2):89–97.

Lee, H., & Park, S. (2006). Quantitative effects of mattress types (comfortable vs. uncomfortable) on sleep quality through polysomnography and skin temperature. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 36(11), 943–949. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ergon.2006.07.007