1. Remember that you are investing in a better quality of life through a mattress that addresses your specific needs, not just buying a mattress. If you wake up with sore joints you may want to get something that is going to remedy that. If you have health issues such as arthiritis, fibromyalgia, or chronic back pain search for the mattress that is going to take care of those issues.

2. Sitting on a mattress, or pushing down on a mattress will not give you an accurate depiction of how the bed will feel. Stretch out and try each mattress 5-10 minutes to make sure you experience the features and benefits of each type of mattress before selecting one.

3. Make sure you get a comfort guarantee in case the initial mattress you select is not the best for you. If you're not satisfied you should be able to exchange it.

4. A bed with good "support" can be soft or hard. You want to get a bed with good support, but it also needs to be comfortable. If you can't sleep in one position for more than a couple hours at a time, you'll never get to REM sleep which is where your body and mind get rejuvenated.

5. Shop with an open mind. Everyone has a different comfort and support needed to get the best sleep. Whether it is coils, memory foam, latex, air, or something else, what works for one person doesn't necessarily mean it works for the next.

6. There will be the same "prices" on mattresses everywhere you go. The difference is "value". One bed might be the same "price" as another, but the features and benefits of one may outweigh the other making one a better "value". Your salesperson should be able to tell you differences between all type and manufacturers off mattresses to help you understand what good "value" is.