Most people decide on a mattress after lying on it for less than a minute. That’s not much time to judge something you’ll sleep on every night for years. The good news is that testing a mattress well doesn’t take special knowledge, just a plan. Here’s a simple one you can use anywhere, whether you’re shopping in the Jackson metro or anywhere else.
Before you test: know what you’re comparing
Start with three quick questions. What size do you need? How do you usually sleep: on your side, your back, your stomach, or a mix? And what do you like or dislike about the bed you have now? Write the answers down. They give you a starting point so you’re not testing everything at random.
If you share a bed, answer the questions for both sleepers. Two people often want different things, and it’s better to know that before you start than to discover it halfway through. If you’re not sure where to begin on firmness, our guide to mattress firmness by sleep position is a good primer.
Dress for it and bring your pillow
Wear comfortable clothes you can lie down in, and shoes you can slip off easily. Then bring the pillow you sleep with. A pillow changes where your head and neck sit, and a mattress can feel quite different with an unfamiliar pillow under your head. Testing with your own pillow makes the comparison closer to a real night’s sleep.
Give each mattress real time
A quick sit on the edge and a bounce tells you very little. Plan to spend several minutes lying on each mattress you’re seriously considering. That’s long enough for your body to settle in and for your muscles to relax, which is when you start to notice how a mattress actually supports you.
Try to keep it relaxed. If you feel rushed or watched, you’ll tend to hop up too soon. It’s fine to close your eyes, breathe slowly and take your time. You’re making a decision that lasts for years, so a few extra minutes is worth it.
Test in the position you actually sleep in
Most people lie flat on their back when they test a mattress, even if they never sleep that way. Start in your real sleep position and stay there for a while. Then try the other positions you move through during the night.
- Side sleepers: notice your shoulder and hip. They should sink in enough that you feel cushioned, without feeling like you’re sagging into a hole.
- Back sleepers: notice the small of your back. You want to feel supported there, not like there’s a gap between you and the mattress.
- Stomach sleepers: notice your hips. If they sink too far, the mattress may feel too soft for how you sleep.
- Combination sleepers: roll from one side to the other a few times. Notice how easy it is to change position and whether the mattress feels good in each one.
What to pay attention to
As you lie there, run through a short checklist. You don’t need to score anything; just notice how each one feels.
- Support: does your body feel evenly held up, or do some parts feel like they’re working to stay in place?
- Comfort: does the surface feel pleasant to you, whether that’s plush, medium or firm?
- Ease of movement: can you turn over without effort, or do you feel stuck in the surface?
- Edges: sit on the side of the bed as if you’re putting on your shoes in the morning. Then lie near the edge. Does it feel secure?
- Motion: if you share a bed, have your partner lie down and move around while you stay still. Notice how much you feel it.
Compare side by side, not from memory
The hardest part of mattress shopping is comparing. By the time you’ve tried five or six mattresses, it’s easy to forget how the first one felt. A better approach is to narrow down to two or three strong options and test them back to back. Go from one to the next and then back again. Differences that are hard to remember become much easier to feel when you switch directly between them.
It also helps to compare across price points. Trying a good, a better and a best option side by side shows you what you gain as you step up, so you can decide what’s worth it for you. When you visit our mobile showroom, we can hand-pick 2-3 mattresses for you, ranging from good to better to best, based on the size, firmness, brands and budget you tell us about.
If you share a bed, test together
A mattress that feels perfect to one person can feel wrong to the other. Test together whenever you can. Lie side by side in your usual positions, talk about what each of you notices, and be honest. If you strongly prefer different feels, that’s worth knowing early, because it shapes which mattresses make sense to compare. You can browse our mattresses ahead of time to get a feel for the range.
Don’t forget the rest of the bed
The base under a mattress and the pillow on top of it both change how a bed feels. If you’re thinking about an adjustable base, or you’d like to try new pillows, it makes sense to test those with the mattress you’re considering rather than separately. That way you’re judging the whole setup you’ll actually sleep on.
Why testing at home is easier
Every tip above is easier when you’re not in a busy store. That’s the idea behind our Free Mobile Showroom Visit. We bring our enclosed mobile showroom trailer to your house, and you try mattresses right in your driveway, with no store trip and no pressure. You can take your time, bring your own pillow from inside, and test together with the person you share a bed with.
We carry name brands such as Sealy and Stearns & Foster at 30-70% off retail. Once you’ve found the right mattress, you buy on the spot, and delivery and setup are free. We serve Jackson and towns across the metro, including Brandon, Flowood, Madison and Ridgeland.
Ready to test a mattress the easy way?
Book your free mobile showroom visit and we’ll bring the showroom to you. If you’d like, tell us your preferences and we’ll hand-pick 2-3 mattresses for you to compare side by side. Book your free mobile showroom visit or call (601) 503-0818.