Do you wake up in the morning all stiff and with a pain in the back? Chances are that you are not sleeping on a comfortable mattress. Mattress plays a significant role in ensuring a good night's sleep. You spend about one-third part of your day sleeping in bed; hence it is imperative that the mattress you sleep on is comfortable for your body. Here are things which you should consider before buying a mattress:

When buying a mattress, comfort should be your primary consideration. For your bed, pick a mattress of superior quality that would provide maximum comfort and support to all parts of your body especially your back, neck and hips.

It is your personal choice whether you want to go for a hard mattress or a soft one. But do keep in mind that extremely soft mattress may seem cozy, but it is not good for your health and body. It tends to sag easily and doesn't provide proper spine alignment. But at the same time, mattresses that are too hard can cause stiffness in the joints. Therefore look for a mattress which is neither too soft nor too hard.

Even if your plan to buy discount mattress, it is better to know the four basic types of mattresses and their respective benefits which will help you make your purchase decision:

Inner Spring Mattress: Innerspring mattress is the conventional mattress and most of the people are familiar with it. It is made up of steel coils and covered in layers of cushioning. Innerspring mattresses come in a wide range of variety.

Foam Mattresses: Foam mattresses have become quite popular in recent years. They offer great comfort and conform well to the shape of the body. There are two types of foam used, regular latex foam and memory foam. The major benefit of foam mattress is that it is resistant to dust-mites, bacteria and other allergens, and is long-lasting.

Air Mattress: In an air mattress, chambers of air provide support and the correct amount of comfort. The major advantage of these mattresses is their ability to adjust to your personal comfort. Some air mattresses are lightweight and are used for camping. Some others are meant for daily use at home. There is a wide variety of air mattresses available so choose the one which is of superior quality. You can check out various online stores in UK which provide top quality air mattresses at discount prices.

Waterbed: Waterbed mattresses come in a variety of styles, and sizes to choose from.

They are of two types: hard-side water beds and soft-side waterbeds. Both are made of vinyl and filled with water. These mattresses provide maximum support to the spinal alignment. Waterbeds mattresses contain a valve to fill or remove water. This water can also be heated during the winters to keep the bed warm. Compared to other mattresses, waterbed mattresses are quite bulky and expensive.

The size of the mattress is another important factor while buying a mattress. The basic mattress sizes which fit the most bed frames are full, twin, queen, and king-size mattresses.

Twin size: A twin-size mattress is good for children. It measures about thirty six inches wide and is seventy-five inches long.

Full size mattress: It measures about fifty-four inches wide and seventy-five inches long. It is suitable for a single person.

Queen-size mattress: It is about sixty inches wide and eighty inches in length. It is good for couples.

King-size mattress: A king-size mattress is the biggest of them all. It is seventy-six inches wide, and eighty inches long. It is perfect for couples who are looking for optimum space, but make sure you have a large bedroom to accommodate it.

Mattresses are designed in a way to work best with certain foundations. So when you buy a mattress, make sure to get its companion foundation too. A foundation absorbs weight and stress for the mattress and can extend its life.

The quality of mattress directly affects your sleep. So make sure you buy a mattress which is comfortable and is of high quality. After all, it is an investment which would reap you benefits for years to come.