Mattress Forum

The problem is it seems, from what I've read, to get a decent mattress you have to spend $1000+ to get even a decent mattress.  That's a little out of my price range, I'm 26, single, and fresh out of college and don't really have that sort of money to spend on a mattress right now.  I just need something cheaper that will be nice and comfortable for a good 5-6 years.  Anything will be better than my current situation, a $100 8-inch futon mattress that I've had since September.  I haven't had a good nights sleep in weeks, I wake up every hour or 2 because its so uncomfortable and I have to to readjust.  I took the mattress off the frame the other week because the bars were poking through, but now I just feel the floor through the mattress. 

For the six years before that, I slept on another $100 futon mattress, but it had springs and was at least comfortable for about a year.  Before that I slept on a twin mattress my parents bought me from the age of 3 to the age of 19.  So in my 26 years of life, I've had a pretty crappy sleep history. 

Sorry for going off-topic there, just wanted to share how desperate I am for a good nights sleep.  Here are the qualities I'm looking for in a mattress:

- Firm to med-firm core (I'm a stomach sleeper)

- Reasonably soft upper layers, but don't want to sink into them too far.

- Something that doesn't get too hot.  I live in Phoenix and I had a girlfriend with a memory foam mattress and couldn't stand it, it got way too hot. 

Right now I'm leaning towards the cheap $400 mattress, I mean it will last me a couple years at least right?  I really don't think I can make it through another week of research, I am just too damn tired.  I realize this is my fault for waiting to the last minute.  Anyways thanks in advance for any input.