4 min readBuying a mattress is not an easy decision, especially if you want a change from your current model or you’re upgrading to a different style to address aches and pains. The process feels high-stakes, which is why our editors are enthusiastic about testing and recommending mattresses, plus sharing any tips and tricks we learn along the way to prevent buyer’s remorse. Recently, we learned that picking out a bed simply based on its designated labels—twin, full, queen, king, and Cal king—may not be the most efficient way to buy a mattress.
Instead, Paul Keenan, store manager at U.K.-based brand Linthorpe Beds, suggested several sleep tests to gain more insight into buying the perfect mattress for your needs. “Most people know whether they sleep on a [full, queen or king-size mattress], but far fewer have ever checked whether those dimensions actually suit their body, sleeping habits and bedroom,” he notes. “Bed size is really easy to overlook because most of us shop using familiar labels like queen or king rather than thinking about the actual measurements we need.”
He goes on to suggest that your height, how much you move at night, and whether you share the mattress with someone else can all affect how much space feels comfortable. “There are some very simple checks you can carry out at home before deciding whether your current setup is right for you,” he says. Read ahead to try out his easy “tests” before you buy your next mattress.
What Is the One-Roll Test?
This is a test you can try in stores if you’re testing the mattresses there, or at home if you’re doing a trial run with the mattress you just bought. These days, most brands offer at least 30 days of testing to see if you like the bed. To start, position yourself in the part of your bed you’d normally sleep on. Then, roll naturally into another comfortable position, such as from your back onto your side.
“Don’t deliberately tuck your arms or legs in to make yourself fit; the aim is simply to recreate the sort of movement you would make during the night,” says Keenan. “We move around far more in our sleep than we realize, so whether you can simply lie on a mattress isn’t the only thing to think about.
Most people, when testing a mattress in stores, just plop down horizontally and get up versus tossing and turning. The key is to shift your whole body into different positions, ideally with your partner next to you, to see if you both fit on the bed. If you sleep alone, you’re in the clear.
“If one normal turn takes you straight to the edge or into the person next to you, that can be a useful sign that the amount of usable space is more restricted than it feels when you’re lying still,” Keenan says. “It isn’t a strict pass or fail test, but it gives you another reason to look at the actual width you have available [versus relying on the categories of full, queen, king, etc].”
This one-roll test is helpful because, while mattress sizes are standardized, the physical size of two people sharing the bed changes how spacious a mattress can feel. Thus, what works for one couple may not work for another, so the one-roll test will specifically tell you if your mattress is too small, too big, or just the right size for your needs.
Other Tests to Try
The Elbow Test
According to Keenan, there are several other tests you can try to determine if a mattress is right for you. One is called the 30-second “elbow test.” Both sleepers should lie on their backs, place their hands behind their heads, and allow their elbows to point naturally outwards. “If their elbows immediately touch or overlap, it may be a sign they would benefit from more width,” says Keenan. “It takes about 30 seconds, but it gives you a quick visual indication of how much personal space you actually have.”
The Height Test
Both the aforementioned tactics address width, but we can’t forget about height. As a general rule, add at least six inches to the tallest person in bed to ensure their feet do not hang off or press against a footboard. “The easiest way to check is to measure your own height against the length of the mattress, which will show exactly how much clearance is left between your height and the end of the bed,” says Keenan. “If you’re approaching six feet or taller, measure the mattress rather than relying on its label. You ideally want some room beyond your actual height, and the test takes less than a minute.”
The Pillow Test
Lastly, if you want a simple way to visualize how much space two people will actually share on the mattress, just place two standard pillows side by side on the bed. “The two-pillow test is a really simple way of putting the dimensions into perspective because most people have probably never thought about the width of their pillows in relation to the mattress underneath them,” Keenan explains. “If you already feel like you’re competing for space, seeing that comparison for yourself can make the dimensions much easier to understand. It doesn’t mean everybody sleeping on a double needs to size up, but it does show why the name of a bed size doesn’t necessarily tell you how spacious it will feel when two people are sharing it.”
Before you buy your next mattress, try these simple tests. They’re easy to do and could save you the headache of buying the wrong size for your sleep needs.
