Mattress Quiz: Find Your Perfect Mattress

What's this mattress quiz all about? It's simple. The selections you make on the quiz will determine what you need from your mattress. We recommend several models on our best mattress list and we want to make sure you find the right one for you. To help you find your dream mattress, we need to know a few details, including your body type, sleeping position and firmness preference. 

Now, you probably want to know the basics of mattresses. We'll break down all the terms you need to know below, so if you have any questions while taking the quiz, you can scroll down and get your answer. 

Your firmness preference 

When shopping for your mattress, the first factor you should consider is how firm you want it to be. You can think about firmness as how hard or soft your mattress is. "Hard" often has a negative connotation, but it can be a good thing for mattresses. A firmer mattress provides a lot of support for your neck and back. On the other hand, a softer mattress will give you less support but more pressure relief. 

Some companies use numbers to describe the firmness, while others use terms like "Plush" or "Luxury firm." These variations can get confusing, but we like to think about firmness as a sliding scale.

Soft -- When you lay on a soft mattress, you should expect to sink into the bed. Imagine slowly settling into a cloud. Some companies call soft mattresses "Plush" or "Ultra soft." 

Medium -- Medium mattresses give you the best of both worlds. You have plenty of pressure relief and support. If you don't have a strong firmness preference, medium firmness is an excellent place to start. 

Firm -- Firm mattresses are going to give you the most support out of any other bed. They also are going to come with the least amount of pressure relief. 

Your preferred sleeping position 

The position you sleep in will significantly influence which mattress you should choose. Different sleeping positions need varying levels of support and pressure relief from a bed. 

Back and stomach sleepers

Back and stomach sleepers need mattresses that support their spine and neck. Generally, medium-firm and firm mattresses are best suited for these types of sleepers because they don't allow you to sink in too far. 

If back or stomach sleepers choose a mattress that is too soft, their hips and pelvis sink into the bed too much, which could lead to spinal misalignment. 

Side sleepers

If you are a side sleeper, you have to watch out for pressure points on your knees, hips and shoulders. You'll want to stay on the softer side of the firmness scale. Softer mattresses make sure side sleepers have ample pressure relief to keep you from waking up in pain. 

Combo sleepers

What if you roll around your bed like a rotisserie chicken? Combo sleepers can be hard to pin down. Thankfully, almost everyone can sleep on a medium mattress without issue. 

We recommend that you think about what position you end up in the most. When you wake up, how are you sleeping? That will help you decide which side of medium you land on -- medium-soft or medium-firm. 

Your body type

The next factor that comes into play is your body type. Your body type and weight will influence how the mattress feels when you lay on it. 

Petite people (under 150 pounds) put less pressure on the mattress when they lay down. This essentially translates to the bed feeling firmer to them. A firm mattress will likely feel like a stack of bricks. 

If you're a petite side sleeper, we recommend that you choose to stay around medium and softer firmness levels. If a mattress is too firm, you risk developing pressure points on your shoulders, hips and knees when you sleep. 

Heavier people (over 250 pounds) put the most pressure on the mattress. Which means beds will feel softer to you. Generally, all-foam mattresses will not give heavier body types the support needed. If you fall into this category, we advise you to choose either a hybrid or innerspring mattress to ensure you don't wake up with a sore back or stiff neck. Not to mention that hybrid and innerspring mattresses have the durability you're looking for. 

Any health concerns you have

Specific preferences and health considerations will help you decide on one bed over another. The three big factors are back pain, joint pain and being a hot sleeper. 

Back pain

When your back hurts, all you want is a heating pad and a nice, plushy bed. Unfortunately, a plush or soft mattress might make your back pain worse. Medium-firm and firm mattresses give your spine the proper support throughout the night, thus limiting back pain. We're not saying that you can't buy a mattress with some cushion; it just has to have the right amount of support for your needs. 

Don't forget to consider your body type when selecting your mattress firmness. If you're a petite sleeper with back pain, a firm mattress might be too firm. If you're a heavier sleeper, then a medium-firm mattress might not be firm enough to provide relief. 

Joint pain

Unlike back pain, joint pain does call for plenty of cushion -- especially if you sleep on your side. Mattresses that provide ample pressure relief are best suited for people who live with joint pain. For most people, mattresses with foam comfort layers are going to do the trick. 

Hot sleeper

Whether it be hot flashes or you just naturally run hot, no one likes to wake up sweaty. Besides the obvious discomfort, getting too hot or sweating at night will keep you from sleeping well.

Certain types of mattresses trap heat more than others. All-foam, specifically traditional memory foam, tends to sleep hotter than hybrid or innerspring mattresses. The coils in hybrid mattresses give them better airflow. Remember, just because the bed has coils doesn't mean it will actively cool you. 

If being cool while you sleep is at the top of your list, then you should look for a mattress that uses unique cooling fabrics or foams. Many mattresses are infused with cooling gels or are made with phase-changing fabrics that are supposed to keep you cool while you sleep. We recommend that you read our cooling mattress review as well as customer testimonials to ensure the technology used in the mattress has cooling properties. 

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.