Our Methodology
Every SleepMatch recommendation is powered by a scoring algorithm that evaluates mattresses against your personal sleep profile. Here is exactly how it works.
1. Your Sleep Profile
The quiz captures five dimensions that research shows matter most for mattress fit:
- Sleep position — side, back, stomach, or combination
- Body weight — affects how deeply you compress the mattress surface
- Pain points — back, neck, shoulder, hip, or joint pain
- Temperature preference — hot sleeper, cold sleeper, or neutral
- Budget — your price comfort zone for a queen-size mattress
2. Mattress Scoring
Each mattress in our database is scored against your profile across weighted categories:
| Category | Weight |
|---|---|
| Sleep position match | 25 pts |
| Body weight compatibility | 20 pts |
| Firmness range fit | 20 pts |
| Pain relief match (per point) | 15 pts |
| Temperature regulation | 20 pts |
| Budget fit | -25 pts penalty |
| Priority preference bonus | 15 pts |
| Trial & warranty bonuses | Variable |
3. AI-Powered Explanations
After scoring, we send your top three matches along with your quiz answers to an AI model (Claude by Anthropic). The AI generates a personalized explanation of why each mattress suits your specific needs — covering sleep position advice, temperature considerations, and value assessment. If the AI is unavailable, we fall back to rule-based template explanations so you always get results.
4. Product Data Sources
We catalog mattress specifications directly from manufacturer websites, including firmness ratings, materials, cooling features, weight capacity, trial periods, warranties, and pricing. We update this data regularly to keep recommendations accurate.
5. Independence
Our scoring algorithm treats every mattress identically regardless of affiliate relationships. A mattress with no affiliate program can and does outrank one that pays us a commission — the math is the same either way.