Waking up with lower back pain? Your mattress might be letting your hips sink or leaving your lower back unsupported. Here’s how to check your sleep surface, what research says about firmness, and when it’s time to speak with a doctor.

Most mattress guides tell you to 'consider your sleep position and budget' and stop there. This guide goes further covering foam density, body weight vs firmness matching, how to calculate real cost per year, and the manufacturing questions most buyers never think to ask. Seven practical checks, with actual numbers.