Finding a bed to suit you

What to look for when buying a mattress

Comfort: Gone are the days when a mattress had to be hard as a board to be good for you. A too-hard mattress may only succeed in putting your shoulders and hips to sleep. You'll sleep best when your bed helps you feel cradled in comfort, cosy and secure. Today's top quality mattresses are built for superior comfort. Luxurious new cushioning materials and extra-soft surface treatments create a plusher, more comfortable feel.

Support: Correct support is the essential ingredient for a healthy body. A good mattress and foundation will gently support your body at all points and keep your spine in the same shape as a person with good standing posture. Pay special attention to your shoulders, hips and lower back -- the heaviest parts. If there's too little support, you can develop back pain. But if the mattress is too hard for you, you can experience uncomfortable pressure.

Durability: It's the quality of the materials used and how they're put together that determine how long a mattress and foundation will provide the comfort and support you bought them for. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the highest quality bed you can afford.

Space: Cramped quarters can turn sleeping into a nightly wrestling match. A healthy sleeper moves anywhere from 40 - 60 times a night, including some dozen full body turns. You need freedom of motion while you sleep and to help you relax while getting to sleep. If you sleep with a partner, be sure to select queen or king size. Both are not only wider, but also longer than the standard double.