Best Mattress Features to Look For

If you’ve done any mattress research on your own, you’ve likely run into one of the many industry-specific terms that mattress companies use to describe their features, like “responsiveness” and “motion isolation”, not to be confused with “motion transfer,” which is similar but not exactly the same. Is your head spinning yet?

No need to worry. We’re breaking down the key characteristics of a good mattress, minus the industry jargon, to help you understand why they’re important when it comes to finding the best mattress.

Comfort

The comfort system of your mattress determines how well the mattress conforms and reacts to your movements and how well it regulates body temperature while you sleep. In the comfort category, the three main features to define are responsiveness, motion transfer and temperature control. Here’s what you need to know:

Responsiveness

What it means: How well the mattress reacts and adjusts to your body’s movements while you sleep. Responsiveness is an important feature for combination sleepers or anyone who changes positions frequently throughout the night.

Motion Isolation 

What it means: How well the mattress absorbs movement. Motion isolation is important for couples and light sleepers who don’t want to be disturbed by their partner’s movements at night.

You’ll also see references to motion transfer in the mattress world. Motion transfer is the measure of how much movement is shared from one part of the mattress to another. A mattress that has high motion transfer moves all over when there is movement on one part of the mattress, whereas a mattress with low motion transfer isolates movements to the part of the mattress they occur on. A mattress with low motion transfer is also referred to as a motion-isolation mattress.

Temperature Regulation

What it means: How well the mattress promotes airflow and breathability. Temperature regulation, also referred to as temperature control or heat transfer, is an important feature for many sleepers, but especially those who tend to sleep hot. If you’re sensitive to the heat or cold, look for a temperature controlled mattress.

Support

The support system of a mattress is engineered to provide durability and added support to the comfort layers above it. Pressure relief, spinal alignment, edge support and durability are some of the key features of support that we’ll break down in this guide.

Pressure Relief

What it means: How well the mattress relieves pressure at key points, especially the shoulders and hips, and provides even body weight distribution. Side sleepers and heavier sleepers should pay attention to pressure relief, as they tend to need a mattress that pushes back more significantly when pressure is applied.

Spinal Alignment

What it means: How well the mattress keeps your spine in its natural position. A healthy spinal alignment allows your muscles to rest, meaning you’ll wake up feeling more refreshed in the morning.

Edge Support

What it means: How much support there is on the edge of the bed. It’s what prevents you from rolling off the bed if you sleep too close to the edge. 

Innerspring mattresses typically have a strong, built-in edge support system, while foam mattresses do not. But that doesn’t mean you’ll roll off a foam mattress since they have a considerable “sink in” quality to help keep you in place.

This feature is important for those who prefer a firmer edge to the bed, especially anyone who sits on the edge of the bed to put on socks or shoes in the morning.

Durability

What it means: How durable the materials of a mattress are, the quality level of its structural support and its expected lifespan. This feature should be top-of-mind for all shoppers. You want to get the highest level of quality that you can afford in a mattress, so it maintains its support and elasticity for as long as possible.

Firmness

What it means: How stiff or soft a mattress feels. Firmness may be the single most important feature of a mattress, as it determines both comfort and support.

Firmness is measured on a scale of one to 10, with a 10 being the firmest. Mattresses that are medium or medium-firm fall around five to seven on the firmness scale.

While all sleepers are different, sleep position generally helps determine the ideal firmness for you. Side sleepers tend to prefer a slightly softer mattress that contours the body while supporting the shoulders and hips. Back sleepers need more support around the lower back and tend to prefer a mattress that’s on the medium-firm side. Stomach sleepers also prefer a firmer mattress to better support their midsection since this position puts more stress on the lower back.

Thinking about purchasing a new mattress? Check out our Mattress Buying Guide for everything you need to know.