For something that claims to support you night after night, the mattress is surprisingly misunderstood. We lie on it. We complain about it. We replace it when the springs start poking us in the ribs. But most of us—truthfully—don’t give it much thought until our backs give out or our mornings begin with groans.
And when the time finally comes to replace it, the chances of getting it wrong are higher than most people think.
Here are seven of the most common mistakes people make. You might recognise a few.
They Buy in a Hurry
Most people spend longer choosing a new pair of trainers than they do a new mattress. It’s strange, really. You’ll wear those shoes for a couple of hours a day. But the mattress? Eight hours a night, every night, for years. And yet people rush it. They walk into one shop, lie down for 90 seconds, and buy based on a discount tag. No research. No real thought. Just a panic purchase.
They Believe the Hype
Branding. Jargon. Fancy names for foam and coils. People fall for it. They think a mattress with a long name must be clever. Words like “orthopaedic” or “platinum support layer” get thrown around, but they often mean very little. It’s just packaging. What matters is how it feels, how it’s built, and whether it suits your body—not whether the ad says it was engineered by sleep scientists in Switzerland.
They Choose One That’s Too Firm (or Too Soft)
There’s a myth that a firmer mattress is always better. It isn’t. And going soft for the sake of comfort can be just as unwise. People often choose based on touch alone. But what your back needs isn’t just softness or hardness—it’s balance. Something that holds your shape without letting you sink like a stone. This is personal. Age, weight, sleeping position—they all matter. There’s no one-size-fits-all.
They Forget About Size
It’s amazing how many people shop for a bed online that’s too small. They settle for a double when they really need a king. Or worse, they buy a new mattress without measuring their bed frame properly. The result? Gaps. Overhang. Arguments in the night when someone rolls too far. It’s not only about comfort—it’s about space to sleep like a human, not a sardine.
They Don’t Test It Properly
Lying flat on your back in a brightly lit shop for 20 seconds doesn’t tell you how you’ll sleep. But that’s what most people do. No turning. No curling. No checking how it feels on your side. And because they’re self-conscious, they don’t ask questions. They nod politely and leave with a mattress that might haunt them for years.
They Ignore What’s Inside
Too many buyers care more about the cover than the construction. It looks clean. It feels soft. That’s enough for them. But what’s beneath the surface is what counts. Pocket springs, foam layers, latex, fillers—this is where the quality lives. A bad mattress can be disguised with a nice outer layer. The inside is where the truth sits.
They Skip the Return Policy
Here’s the kicker. After all that, some people don’t check if the mattress can be returned. They take it home. Sleep on it. Wake up aching. And then discover the shop won’t take it back. Trial periods matter. Some retailers offer 30, 60, even 100 nights. These aren’t just sales tricks. They’re safety nets. Use them.
Buying a mattress isn’t just a purchase. It’s a decision that follows you into every night. Every bad back. Every stiff morning. Most mistakes aren’t dramatic—they’re small choices, made in shops under bright lights, when all you want to do is go home.
So don’t rush. Don’t buy for the brand. Don’t pretend it’s simple.
Because when you get it right, a good mattress doesn’t just support your back.
It gives you your sleep back.
