Go to a long-established 'proper' bed shop for advice - only one in the city where I live, although there are lots of chain bed stores. We also got exactly the same advice from JL so I'd go back there too. We had back pains in our 40s, bought a soft sprung bed on their advice, mattress and divan base. Now we still have the most comfortable bed I've ever slept in, ViSprung, which cost a fortune, we thought, but worth every penny in comfort, considering the years we've had it. And no back pains since then. It is now still comfortable but ready to be changed, so we'll have to decimate the bank balance again! As another poster said take your time and pick what is right for you - for our spare bedrooms we went to chain stores, and they felt comfortable in the shop, but we have tried them and couldn't sleep in them for any length of time. Fortunately they are just for guests, who are often much younger! Get the most comfortable bed and shoes you can afford, if you're not in one you're in the other. 