What to Look For

Mattresses are huge investments for many people, and when you spend as much as time and money on a mattress as most people do, you want to be sure you aren't wasting your money or endangering your health. Here are a few tips for finding a durable, healthy mattress.

Wool: Naturally fire- and dust-mite resistant, wool also breathes very well, so you sleep better in both summer and winter. Just be sure the wool is untreated; chemically treated wool no longer has the oils and properties that prevent fires and dust mites. The greenest wool is either organic or "Pure Grow Wool," a label applied to wool from humanely and organically raised sheep.

Organic cotton: Used as both a wrapping material and as batting, it’s just as eco-friendly as wool. However, organic cotton is not inherently fire-resistant, and untreated organic cotton mattresses (meaning those without flame-retardant compounds applied) don’t comply with Consumer Product Safety Commission flammability standards. Before these can be purchased, many states require a doctor’s prescription verifying that a customer has chemical sensitivities.

Doctor’s prescriptions are not needed if an organic cotton mattress has either a wool wrap or layers of wool sandwiched between the cotton wrap and the cotton batting.

Natural latex: Mattress cores can be made with either springs or foam. Your choice between the two should be based on comfort and personal preference, but if you prefer a foam core, natural latex, derived from rubber trees, is a better choice than petroleum-based polyurethane.

Shopping Tips

• Some signs that it might be time for a new mattress:

  You wake up with aches and pains or feeling tired.

  You sleep better in other people's homes or in hotels than you do in your own bed.

  Your mattress has visible signs of wear and tear, like sags or uncomfortable lumps.

• If you do opt for a foundation, choose one made from solid wood, not particleboard, which can emit formaldehyde.

Usage Tips

• Rotate your mattress every six months, flipping it both side-to-side and top-to-bottom.

• Don't let kids use it as a trampoline.