
Traditional wisdom put forth from the
1940s through

the 1990s
said "The firmer the mattress, the better it is". This was
widely repeated, and accepted, but was never actually
accurate. Today, people are developing a better understanding
of what the mattress choices are for them, personally.
That's really what it is all about. Mattresses are a personal
taste. Comfort and quality combined with your budget, are the
two most important factors when choosing your mattress. Is the
mattress comfortable to you? If it is not, you won't sleep on
it. Tossing and turning, because somebody else said you should
sleep on a brick, is not a good solution.
One of the most important steps in buying a mattress is
actually trying it out. Controlled tests have shown that, on
average, within 5 minutes, a consumer can determine if a
particular mattress is acceptable to them. New technology
mattresses may take slightly longer for the customer to adapt
to, or determine their personal issues with. Most good stores
welcome their customers trying out the mattresses. Be wary of
side of the road or mail order dealers where you cannot sample
the merchandise!
For example, the latest high-tech (higher priced) blow up
adjustable firmness beds may feel extremely comfortable to a
couple when laid on individually. If, however, they do not lay
on them as a couple, they may miss the fact that having two
sides of a bed at different firmness levels leads to a
"mountain/valley" problem. Some couples do not find this
disturbing, many do. So the primary issue again comes down to
what feels good to the people who are going to sleep on them.
This is why
visco-elastic
memory foam, gel infused, and individually pocketed coil
beds have become so popular. The beds (if properly
constructed) adapt themselves to the each sleeper. It is
important that you find a store you feel comfortable working
with and people who will be able to discuss the mattresses
with you. Then try out various units
until one suits your comfort level.
There is a very good blog review that can help you to
pre-choose a mattress before you try them out, this is
courtesy of "Jen Reviews",
How to Choose
a Mattress, According to Science – 9 Factors to Consider