Innerspring Mattress ... Consider this ....

According to Dr. Scott Bautch, a Wisconsin chiropractor interviewed by Mary Duenwald in The New York Times, "Your spine should look the same when you're lying down as it does when you're standing up." That means that when you are lying on your side, your shoulders and hips should sink into the mattress, while your waist is supported. A too-firm mattress—whether made of foam, springs or air chambers—may not allow enough give for that to happen. Heavier people, however, may need a firmer mattress than average people in order to provide similar spinal support.

Cornell University's Ergonomics group recommends looking for a mattress designed to conform to the spine's natural curves and to keep the spine in alignment when you lay down. Also suggested are mattresses designed to distribute pressure evenly across the body to help circulation, decrease body movement, and minimize the transfer of movement from one sleeping partner to the other, as well as one that includes perimeter edge support.