I’M A WEE BIT EMBARRASSED by this little secret, but I think it’s important to share my views on this subject because I get asked about this topic all the time. Honestly, this is one area where I say one thing and sheepishly do the opposite. Yes, I believe there’s a word for this–hypocrisy. Part of my knowledge, expertise and understanding as a chiropractor revolves around counseling patients regarding ergonomics, posture, proper lifting techniques and lifestyle choices that will make an impact on their musculoskeletal system. So, it’s no surprise that patients often ask me for mattress recommendations. Unfortunately, there is no golden rule to buying a mattress other than *Buy what feels good and comfortable to you.

Buying a mattress is an important decision, but it is truly ‘patient-specific,’ which means there is NO SINGLE mattress that equates to better health outcomes, or is guaranteed to reduce your complaints. You are empowered to choose what feels best for your back based on how you FEEL when you wake up in the morning. Did you feel refreshed? Did you sleep peacefully? Are you sore or achy? Do you have more or less body complaints after a few days on the new mattress?

Ready for the confession? My own mattress is awful. Not only is my mattress over 7 YEARS old, we bought it USED. It’s hard to type this. It’s almost too embarrassing to go on. Gasp, gag, and do whatever you need to do. Please note that when we bought this mattress, I was a full-time student and you guessed it and we were not prepared to spend 2-5k on sleeping. The current slumber situation is so bad that my husband and I argue over who gets the “hump” so you won’t slide into two big crevices. Seriously, I know you may look at me differently now and never want to come spend the night at our house (because our guest room mattress is also terrible), but I really had to address this with you all.

I feel your pain. Literally, I get it. No one enjoys the process of spending a lot of money on something nobody else can admire, or having to haggle with a mattress salesperson to feel like you aren’t getting ripped off. That being said, I know it’s crucial to my spinal health and we’re going to have to figure out how to put it in the budget ASAP. If you have overcome your frustration and fear of mattress buying, or have recently bought a mattress you love, please leave comments below! I would love to hear your thoughts on this and have more inspiration to buy a mattress that will change my life for the better.

Blog update 2019: We have all new mattresses in the house and sleeping is much improved over here. We have shopped at Austin Natural Mattress, Austin Urban Mattress and Ikea.

Thanks for reading this blog! Let’s cut the small talk and get right to the good stuff, I’m way cooler and funnier in person, so click here to schedule your appointment. If you really want to gain karma points, follow me on twitter @drcoriseyhoon and like me on Facebook because that’s how I measure my true success. Feel free to e-mail me feedback at drcoriseyhoon@gmail.com!