Moms can’t afford to be tired or achy every morning — you have places to be and kids schedules to keep up with. Your mattress is one key component to a good night’s rest. If you have the wrong mattress, you may be doomed to years of bad sleep and joints that hurt. The key to sleeping well on your mattress is getting one that meets your needs. Some people need a firm mattress, while others requires something more malleable, like a memory foam model. It all depends on your body shape, weight, and how much support you need.

Space
The first thing to consider when you’re selecting a mattress is the size. If you’re tall and you get a full size mattress that requires you to sleep diagonally or have your feet hang off the end, you probably won’t be as comfortable as if you had a larger model. Likewise, you need to think about how tall your sleeping partner is. If he takes up a lot of space, then you need to get a queen or king size mattress so you can both sleep well.

Material
The two most commonly used mattresses are innerspring and memory foam. Innerspring mattresses have coils in the inside, which are often individually enclosed to stop them from popping up through the top of the mattress. If your mattress has a lot of smaller coils, it will have more flexibility and bend to it. Mattresses with fewer, larger coils tend to be much more firm. Memory foam has no coils on the inside. Rather, it is one continuous piece of foam that will contour to your unique shape when you sleep. The material you choose is pretty much just a matter of preference. If you are carrying extra weight, however, an innerspring mattress with large coils may provide you the best support.

Test Driving
Don’t buy a mattress based on its reputation or price alone. The only way to know if a mattress will afford you a good night’s sleep is to go to a retailer and actually lay on it. Spend several minutes laying on the models you are considering. If you’re not comfortable when you’re laying in the store, you’re not going to be comfortable when you bring the mattress home and try to sleep on it.

Get a Topper
Sometimes a brand new mattress isn’t in your budget. That’s OK — there is a way to work with what you have and still sleep well. Get a memory foam or egg crate topper that will sit on top of your mattress under the sheet. Usually no more than three inches thick, toppers give you some added cushion and support and cost much less than a brand new mattress would. You can easily take toppers on and off from memoryfoamexpress.co.uk if you change your mind.

Pillows
Think about your pillow when you’re trying to improve your sleep. Even if your mattress is good quality and exactly the right firmness, a bad pillow can lead to restless nights. Ideally, your neck should be well supported so that it doesn’t dip too far down or get raised up an awkward angle. Like mattresses, pillows come in so many firmness levels and materials that you should try a pillow out before you make a purchase. If your neck is really sensitive, get a memory foam model that will bend to your neck’s shape. Photos Via Memory Foam Express