Mattress Dancing

I'm going mattress shopping in a little while.  I guess that's more mattress rolling than dancing, but dancing made for a better blog title. 

We spend around a third of every day in bed, give or take an hour, so choosing the mattress is no decision to take lightly.  I've been thinking about it for awhile, testing and assessing different hotel beds when I travel and asking some friends what they've chosen.  Guess you could say I've been sleeping on the matter before actually going shopping.

I really like the beds in some hotel chains like the Hampton Inns, Sheratons or Westins.  Sealy makes the mattresses for one chain; Serta the other two, I think.  I'm also considering Tempur-Pedic but I couldn't find a hotel chain that uses them, so I don't believe I have first hand, or first body, experience with that make.

The commercials are certainly enthusiastic for the Tempur-Pedic and, honestly, people who own them stop just short of bursting into actual song when singing their praises. 

Choices, choices, choices.

Thing is, with the exception of the Soma watermattress I bought, and loved, years ago, I've never shopped for a regular mattress before.  Apparently there's a process to follow and I should be prepared to take my time.  Literally.  According to things I've read, I should lie down on each mattress I'm considering and stay there for at least 15 minutes to see how my body feels about the degree of support, plushiness and other qualities.  After narrowing down the options, before I make that final commitment, I'm supposed to lie on the chosen mattress for a minimum of half an hour! 

This could take hours.  What's the etiquette of mattress shopping in this manner?  Does the salesperson stay with you the whole time?  Do you converse during the trial period?  I read in bed every night before turning off the light and actually going to sleep.  Should I bring my Kindle, to help kill the time if nothing else.  What if I get sleepy?  I can't imagine taking an actual nap on display in a furniture store. 

Do they sanitize the mattresses after someone has taken them for a test lie?  Not for nothing, but it's freaking hot in Florida right now.  People sweat walking from their cars into the stores.  Do they wait long enough for the air conditioning to dry their bodies?  Are they leaving sweat droplets or flaky skin on the mattress I'm about to stretch out on? 

Come to think of it, are those mattresses marked as samples only or do they later get sold as new by the stores?  When my new mattress is delivered, how many other bodies will have been on it before it gets to my house?  Maybe I should sanitize it once it's home.

I can tell that shopping for a new sleeping system is far from restful.  I'd best get ready to go.

I wonder if anyone has actually worn pajamas to test out mattresses.

Have a great Saturday, everybody.