Buying a mattress is a lot like buying a car, according to Jim Lyons, owner of America’s Mattress in South Portland. And with custom made varieties filled with horsehair and cashmere for $60,000, it can be just as expensive.

Though the high-end varieties are just for show – the Bentleys of the mattress world, Lyons said – the benefits of a good mattress could be worth spending a little extra cash.

“We sell sleep, and we sell comfort,” Lyons said. “We don’t sell by price.”

In order to determine which mattress is best for a customer, Lyons has them test out the different varieties, starting with the most expensive bed.

“If you’re going to buy a car, you’re going to try a nice car,” he said, comparing mattress sampling to taking a test drive. “At least you know what the bells and whistles are.”

Before customers hop into bed, Lyons asks them questions to determine what bed to bring them to first. He said considerations include what size they are looking for, why they are buying a bed, who the bed is for, what they are currently sleeping on and if they’ve had any recent physical changes. Lyons recommends wearing loose clothing, being relaxed and planning on spending some time at the store when going to buy a bed.

Once Lyons has led his customers to a bed, he asks them what the one thing they would change about the bed if they could – would they want it firmer, softer, less expensive?

“The tougher thing is when there’s two people,” Lyons said.

As the customers move down the line of beds with different feels and different prices, Lyons said, at some point they start to go back up to the beds they tried before and find a happy medium.

Lyons said one of the biggest misconceptions is that a bed with a firmer feel is better for the back. However, he said, when a doctor says to get a firm bed, it doesn’t have to do with the feel, but the support system underneath. Lyons said, as beds go down in price, materials are taken out of them, meaning they provide less support.

One test to see how supportive a bed is by laying on it is to place your hand underneath your lower back to see whether or not there is a gap between your back and the bed. If there is none, then it is supporting your back. Better beds have several support zones, which provide the correct support for different parts of the body.

Another aspect to consider when buying a bed is how safe it is. He said new federal regulations were recently put in place to increase the level of safety mattresses should achieve. Mattresses should be covered with a flame retardant to give more time to sleepers to get out of bed and out of the room in a fire, which are commonly started by candles and extension cords.

After finding a bed that is safe and comfortable, accessories are another thing to consider. When buying a new bed, Lyons said, you’re likely going to need a new pillow because of the difference in support from the old bed.

According to Lyons, beds should be replaced every eight to 10 years.

“And that’s if you have a good bed,” he said. “Most people sleep in their bed too long.”

Whether your bed is old, your body shape has changed or you’ve come into money, it’s never a bad time to consider buying a new bed.

Lyons’ line of Serta beds range in price from an $89 Sertapedic twin bed to the $3,200 First Impression Ultra-Cushion top. Though Lyons claims to have the best bed at every price, he said the advantages of the more expensive bed include less motion transfer across the mattress and foam that stays cool. But most importantly, he said, is that the bed you sleep in leaves you feeling refreshed and replenished in the morning. However, sometimes buying the perfect bed can backfire.

“The only problem with this bed?” Lyons asked about his most expensive offering. “You’re going to be late for work in the morning.”

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