We spend a huge portion of our lives in bed, getting rest and replenishing our body for the day ahead.  Getting a good night's sleep is a vital component of staying healthy and reducing stress.  Getting a bad night's sleep is akin to torture and virtually guarantees we won't be at our absolute best at home, work, or play. 

The key to a good night's sleep lies in the mattress you sleep on.  If you don't have any current musculoskeletal problems, count yourself lucky.  Over 80 million people suffer from back pain on a daily basis and are in a constant search for a mattress that will provide them relief and allow them to get a full night's sleep.  There are dozens of mattress brands to choose from, but care should be taken to make sure you get a mattress that will actually support your back and not simply suck money out of your wallet. 

The ongoing fad for several years has been to manufacture mattresses out of space-age foam or some type of memory foam.  Advances in spring design have also resulted in many mattress brands with individual spring coils that give quite a bit of comfortable support.  There have even been mattresses designed that are completely air-filled and can be adjusted to varying levels of softness or hardness, depending on your comfort level. 

The mattress you eventually choose should not be determined by the material.  This is a complete waste of time and money.  The mattress you choose should be as firm as possible but still be comfortable to sleep on.  This is because only a firm mattress can support your spine and posture in a straight position as you sleep.  Extra soft or sagging mattresses will not support your spine in a straight line and will instead mold you into a slight half-moon shape - definitely not a position you want to remain in for six to eight hours, awake or asleep.

Each of the major mattress brands make products that offer excellent support and firmness.  Other factors such as body weight may come into play when making your selection.  For example, a petite woman may get plenty of support by a coil spring mattress, while a larger male may require an air mattress that can be adjusted for maximal support.

You may need to try out several mattresses to find one whose firmness is maximal but still comfortable enough to sleep on nightly.  Luckily, many of the more reputable mattress makers offer 30 to 60 day money-back guarantees.  Don't be afraid to utilize these guarantees to get the right fit for your back.  Once you have the right mattress dialed in, your bed will be absolute heaven for you and your spine.