Our Methodology: How We Test Mattresses and Sleep Products
As part of our ongoing quest to get better sleep, we’ve tried everything: trackers galore, weed gummies, booze, complicated breathing techniques, and the list goes on. But the change that’s had the biggest impact on our overnight habits is creating an optimized sleep space with supportive mattresses, cushy pillows, and cooling sheets. Now, turning in for the night has become more than a biological necessity—we look forward to it all day.
To take the WTF out of getting solid REM, we aim to simplify the buying process by reading between the lines on technical jargon and putting “wonder” products to the test. We tap sleep experts with a zero-BS policy to help make shopping for sleep products a lot less frustrating and time-consuming. Through objective, first-person mattress testing on hundreds of new mattresses and sleep products, we’ll tell you which beds work best for each type of sleeper.
Here’s a look at our review process and how we rank a mattress’s feel, firmness, quality, and more.
Our Hands-On Testing: How It Works
Our writers and testing team have tried more than 500 mattresses and sleep products. These subject matter experts work in tandem with actual experts—a team of certified sleep science coaches and sleep health experts—who score each item you’ll see along a range of qualitative and quantitative comfort and performance metrics. First, they give the mattress a “rest test” that involves napping on it to see how it feels. Then, the team uses tools like a pressure map and thermal gun to put numbers to otherwise intangible factors like how well the mattress relieves pressure, controls temperature, supports a range of sleep styles, and beyond.
These pros have designed their testing measures to help identify which types of mattresses and products will best support sleepers of different body types in different sleep positions. Throughout the analysis, they assess not just the comfort of a mattress but also factors like pressure relief (critical for side sleepers), lumbar reinforcement and spine alignment (vital for back sleepers), and optimal firmness for all positions. They also dig into how a mattress’s support level best meets your needs.
After testing and sharing our insights about each mattress, we’ll confirm claims with the latest peer-reviewed research and check in with a network of physical therapists, doctors, psychologists, neurologists, registered dieticians, and other medical reviewers to verify any and all medical claims. That means if we say a mattress has pressure relief features to help ease back and neck pain, we run our text by a physical therapist for confirmation.
Once this testing and medical review is buttoned up, we’ll present our reviews clearly and concisely to help make your decision process quicker and easier. Read on for more details at every step of our testing and how we score all the sleep products in our labs.