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I'm currently shopping for a mattress, and prices range from $200-$2000+.

My current mattress is a $500 IKEA memory foam mattress, and I feel like I get a good night's sleep, but if it could be shown that spending two or three times more could improve my quality of sleep than I would spend it without reservations.

Is there any evidence that more expensive mattresses result in better sleep quality?

Oddthinking
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Jeremy T
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    Different mattresses offer different comfort levels. I have two mattresses that I sleep regularly on and they cost roughly the same (on the expensive side). One give me neck ache while the other is perfect. Just lying on them I personally can't really say what's really different. In general though, cheaper mattresses are thinner and are less comfortable. On the other hand, I sometimes just sleep on the carpet in front of the TV and it's perfectly comfortable. – slebetman Apr 20 '16 at 03:52
  • Based on my reading of the February 2016 Consumer Reports magazine there is no relationship between cost and comfort. – jsf80238 Apr 20 '16 at 03:57
  • $20 camping air mattress is adjustable, not too hot or cold, and works great in every way. I have corrected neck and back discomfort by placing pillows underneath near the top to raise it (also good for reflux issues), and using different pillows for my head based on sleep position (thin for back, thicker for side). "*More than this comes of evil.*" Mt 5:37 –  Apr 22 '16 at 00:46

1 Answers1

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There are no known relations between mattress cost and sleep quality. In fact, there are no standards to recommend a particular bedding system over another.

No benchmark standards presently exist for recommending bedding systems, whether for the purpose of alleviating pain-related sleep disturbance, stress, or for the purpose of enhancing sleep quality. Recommendations of medium-firm mattresses, hard beds, or suggesting that no difference exist between sleep surfaces add to the confusion. Indeed, the ideal mattress is yet to be determined and likely depends on many variables illustrating the need for additional research. It may be overly optimistic to conclude that one type of mattress fits all individuals because of the range of varied anthropometric characteristics of the human body.

--Changes in back pain, sleep quality, and perceived stress after introduction of new bedding systems

However, using a new mattress (possibly medium-firm) will result in better sleep, less back ache and less stress, than sleeping in an older bed:

In the present study, [new] medium-firm bedding systems reduced back pain by approximately 48% (37.1 [pre mean] − 19.3 [post mean week 1-4] = 17.8/37.1 = .48) and improved sleep quality by 55% (43.5 [pre mean] − 21.0 [post mean week 1-4] = 22.5/43.5 = .52)

--ibid.

Sklivvz
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    "Sweet is the sleep of the laborer, whether he eats little or much." (Ecclesiastes) So best sleep is from being tired. –  Apr 21 '16 at 04:08