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Buying your first mattress? Here's 9 things you need to know
Thinking of getting your first mattress? You’re just in time as we see some great deals landing as part of Sleep Awareness Week 2025.
However, we understand that buying a mattress for the first time is overwhelming. It is crucial that you choose a bed which suits your sleeping style rather than going for one offering the biggest discount.
To make your search easier, we have created a list of questions to ask yourself before choosing the best mattress for your preferences and needs.
Plus you can find all the lowest prices on the mattress brands we recommend in our Sleep Week mattress sale hub. But first, let’s take a closer look at how to choose the right mattress for you.
Questions to ask yourself before buying your first mattress in the Sleep Week sales
1. What is your sleep position?
Your sleep posture is one of the biggest parameters in choosing your ideal mattress.
This is because mattresses are designed and made from a range of materials that suit specific sleeping positions.
If you're a side sleeper, your key pressure points are your shoulders, hips and knees.
A soft to medium-firm mattress will relieve the tension in these areas and provide a cushioning yet supportive sleep. Consider choosing from this year's best mattresses for side sleepers.
In contrast, back sleepers often need a medium-firm mattress which provides extra lumbar support.
A sink-in soft bed will compromise your spinal alignment and might even cause back pain. If you prefer a plush feel to your bed, one of the best pillow-top mattresses could be your workaround.
Stomach sleeping is not recommended by doctors due to the strain it puts on your neck muscles.
The best mattresses for stomach sleepers are usually medium-firm or firm, as they will keep you on top of the sleep surface, minimize any risks and offer a comfortable rest.
2. What is your body type?
Lighter bodies will not sink into mattresses as much as heavier bodies and this will influence the overall performance of the bed and how well you are suppored as you sleep.
According to our in-house certified sleep coach, soft contouring mattresses will suit people weighing under 130 lbs while those between 130 lbs to 230 lbs should choose between a medium-soft to medium-firm bed.
Those who weigh over 230 lbs can opt for one of the mattresses for heavy people as these are crafted to provide firm support so your spine is aligned and supported all night long.
3. Do you share your bed?
If you share your bed, buying your first mattress needs to be a joint decision, considering both of your sleep preferences.
When sharing a bed, your sleep inevitably is affected by your partner's movements (especially if they are a restless sleeper) during the night. So, it's important to consider motion isolation — a bed feature which absorbs the movements made on one side of the bed and prevents it from getting transferred to the other side.
The best memory foam mattresses do exceptionally well at keeping motion transfer to a minimum. But you'll also want to consider edge support, so you and your partner can make full use of the space.
Need to know more? Explore our best mattresses for couples, which were tested and reviewed by our experts.
4. Do you sleep hot?
Despite setting your thermostat to the ideal temperature, do you still struggle with night sweats or overheating? If so, you may be more prone to sleeping hot by nature. However, your mattress can make a big difference.
Memory foam is used in many mattresses, but it has quite a dense structure, which means it has a tendency to trap heat.
So, if you think you need one of the best cooling mattresses, consider shopping for a hybrid bed or a mattress with specialist cooling tech. This could include a Glaciotex cover, copper infused materials, or phase change materials.
5. Do you struggle with any aches or pains?
If you experience existing aches and pains, it's important to consider this when choosing a mattress. Sleeping on the wrong type of mattress can exacerbate existing conditions and put further strain on your muscles and joints.
You'll want to ensure you have optimum pressure relief to avoid any stiff joints, but you'll also need a robust surface that will keep your spine aligned.
The best mattresses for back pain are designed to offer pressure relief with a cushioning feel, while also supporting your lower back and keeping your spine in alignment.
6. What’s your budget?
Buying a mattress can an expensive purchase but it doesn't have to break the bank.
However, we'd always advise you spend as much as you can on a bed, because it's a worthwhile investment that can last you up to 10 years. Or, if you choose to shop one of the best organic mattresses, even up to 20 years.
The good news is that there are plenty of super high-quality mattress options at an affordable price point. However, prices vary depending on what you're looking for.
The average price of a queen memory foam mattress is between $699 to $1,099 while that of a hybrid is currently between $899 to $1,599.
If you want a pillow-top mattress or one of this year's best luxury mattresses, the prices will inevitably increase.
We report on the latest deals among top mattress brands in our monthly mattress sales hub, so you find your perfect pick at its lowest price. We update it regularly, so be sure to bookmark the page.
My top tips for buying a mattress in the Sleep Week sales
1. Check the perks
Most mattress brands now offer industry-standard benefits like a sleep trial, warranty and free shipping.
This helps to cover your purchase and provides you with an option to change your bed, in case after sleeping on it, you realize it was the wrong choice.
Top names in the mattress industry, like Saatva and Helix, give you a lifetime warranty, free shipping and a sleep trial up to 365 nights. In fact, Saatva even include free white glove delivery, which means they'll remove your old mattress, too.
If you're purchasing your bed from third-party retailers like Amazon, be sure to check what perks are included.
2. Check the price
It's true that a sale event like Black Friday is usually the perfect time to buy a mattress.
However, while some deals are genuinely good, others are evergreen, which means they run all year round. So, double check it really is a good deal before feeling pressured to buy.
If you're unsure how to tell if it's a good sale, we have pages dedicated to reporting on the price history and current deals of our recommended mattress brands.
Check out our Helix mattress sales, Saatva mattress sales and DreamCloud mattress sales pages to start.
3. Opt for a reputable brand
Yes, it may be tempting to buy a cheap mattress from Amazon for convenience and call it a day. However, as we mentioned, a bed should ideally last you up to 10 years.
Choosing a cheap mattress will cost you more in the long run in the form of sleep troubles (aches or pains), repairs or frequent re-purchasing.
A good mattress is an investment and buying it from a reputable brand which has been tried, tested and reviewed will ensure quality, cover for damages and comfort.
