1. Go To a Reputable Store
Many stores sell mattresses. For the best selection, service and prices, however, visit your local sleep specialty store. A knowledgeable salesperson can guide you through the often confusing maze of available options

A reputable specialist will also offer a wide variety of benefits such as free delivery, installation of your new bed, removal and disposal of your old bed. If you are made to feel at ease when trying out beds, you have probably found the right place for you to buy.

2. Lie Down
When your salesperson shows you a mattress, lie down on it. Sitting on the edge of the bed or testing it with your hands offers no indication of the comfort or support of the bed. Lie down from head to foot and move into the position inwhich you usually sleep. Use a pillow if you sleep with one. Take several minutes to get a feel for the support and comfort the bed is providing. Close your eyes to block out any distracting stimuli.

If you are a side sleeper, make sure the mattress offers enough cushioning for your shoulders and hips. Too hard a surface causes buildup of pressure points. This restricted circulation leads to more tossing and turning and less restful sleep. If you sleep with a partner, bring him/her with you so you can both try the mattress.

Avoid looking at too many different mattresses; this can cause confusion. Look to your salesperson as the expert who can help you make an informed decision.

3. Buy the Best Mattress Set You Can Afford
The technological advances in the mattress industry have been astounding in the past 10 years. If you haven’t shopped for a mattress lately, you will be impressed and perhaps a bit surprised at the selection of comforts, the span of qualities and the range of prices.

Start by trying out the best that the store has to offer. If it is comfortable, supportive and affordable, you have found your bed. Keep looking until you are satisfied and buy the best quality you can afford. Remember, you will spend a third of your life on this new bed. The benefits you receive from a good night’s sleep will affect the way you look, feel and perform in life.

4. Don’t Forget the Accessories
Once you have selected your new mattress and boxspring, make sure you have the right accessories for them. A new sleep set should be placed on a sturdy bedframe, one with a center support if you are buying full, queen or king size bedding.

A mattress pad should be used to protect the mattress and keep it clean for years of good use. As with sheets, the higher the thread count, the better the pad.

Throw out those dusty old pillows! Proper spinal alignment while sleeping includes the right support for your head and neck. Try various pillows on the mattress you’ve selected and choose one that supports you comfortably. Goose down is the most supportive and longest lasting for pillows. It is more expensive but, like a good mattress, is just pennies a night when you consider how long it will last.