How to Choose the Right Size Mattress

We’ve said this before, and we’ll say it again: there is no one-size-fits-all mattress. There’s not even a one-size-fits-most bed. Every aspect of your mattress, from the way it’s constructed to the size of the bed makes a difference in how you’ll feel sleeping on it. So, while things like your height, the person or pets you share your bed with, and your room size matter a great deal, choosing the right size mattress has a whole lot to do with how you feel on that size mattress. Here are our thoughts on the factors you should consider:

Your size  

Your height and weight make a difference in how comfortable you will feel on any given mattress. If you’re taller than 5’8”, it’s not likely that a twin or full bed is going to give you enough room to stretch out.

Our rule of thumb is that a mattress should be about 6 inches longer than the tallest person sleeping on it.

If you’re taller than 5’8” and other circumstances, like the size of your room, prevent you from getting a queen or king size mattress, a twin XL may be a good option. Twin mattresses come in regular length and extra long. A traditional twin mattress is 38 inches wide by 75 inches long. A twin XL measures 38 inches wide by 80 inches long, which is the same length as a queen.

The size of your bedroom

The size of your room can be the most limiting factor in terms of how big a mattress you should buy. Your bed should fit comfortably in your room, with space to walk around three sides. If you don’t have at least that much space, changing your sheets and making your bed will become a big pain.

Think about what your existing furniture is like and what furniture you might add to your bedroom in the future. For example, if you have two bedside tables, consider those measurements as part of the width of the bed. Do you have a dresser, a wardrobe, or a chair you’d like to incorporate? It’s a good idea to draw our your room on graph paper and then add furniture to scale. See how everything fits with a couple of different bed sizes. If a king mattress seems like a tight fit on paper, try to mark it out in your actual room and see what you think.

The people (or pets) in the bed with you

A twin or full size mattress can be a great option for single adults in small spaces. But when you add another bed partner, those mattresses don’t usually provide a sufficient amount of space. Two people who don’t toss and turn much and don’t mind sleeping close will fit fine on a queen size bed. However, for those who like more room, get hot at night, or let a pet sleep in bed, a king size mattress is a much better bet.

How you feel on your mattress.

Even if you’re a single adult, under 5’8”, you might just feel better in a bigger bed. Some like to stretch out as much as possible. Others find a big bed overwhelming. What matters is that you think through all of the important factors and test out what you like and what you don’t like about different mattress sizes. Come by one of our four locations — we have plenty of different mattress sizes and styles — and try a few out.