Mattresses

As sleepers have varying comfort preferences, there's no such thing as a 'best mattress' when choosing your new mattress. Instead, it's a case of working out which mattress is best aligned with your specific needs. Consider the following:

Comfort Grade: Ranges from soft to extra firm. A comfy mattress that's too soft may not keep your spine aligned, while one that's too firm may cause pressure on the hips and shoulders.

Pressure Relief: Essential for comfort, particularly for side sleepers and those with joint pain. Memory foam and high-count pocket-sprung mattresses relieve pressure more effectively than others.

Temperature Regulation: Important for maintaining a comfortable sleeping temperature. Gel and latex mattresses have properties that help dissipate heat and keep you cool throughout the night.

Durability: Robustness and durability significantly affect how often you will need to replace your mattress. Latex and high-quality memory foam are generally more durable than traditional open coil mattresses.

Motion Isolation: Critical for couples, ensuring that one partner's movements don't disturb the other. Pocket sprung and memory foam mattresses excel in this area and help to stop 'roll-together' - where two sleepers 'roll' into the centre of the bed during sleep due to poor motion isolation.

The journey to find the perfect mattress for you and your partner should consider all aspects of what makes a restful sleep experience for both of you.

If you and your other half have issues keeping cool throughout the night, a gel mattress with cooling technology will suit you well, as they're designed to regulate temperature.

If you and your partner favour different sleeping positions and therefore contrasting firmness preferences, a zip and link bed and mattresses may be better suited. Zip and link models feature two smaller beds that join to create one large bed, meaning each mattress can offer tailored support.

Firmness plays a pivotal role in the support and comfort a mattress provides. It affects how well the mattress can align your spine, relieve pressure points, and support your body throughout the night. For those with back problems or specific support needs, the firmness of the mattress can be critical in providing both relief and comfort. Your ideal firmness level will vary depending on your weight, preferred sleeping position, and personal comfort preferences.

Side sleepers and less weighty individuals usually benefit from soft, medium-soft to medium mattresses.

For those who prefer a back sleeping position, enhanced lower-back support is crucial, meaning back sleepers often need medium to firm mattresses that can adequately support them.

Stomach sleepers generally require a firmer mattress to prevent excessive sinking and ensure proper spine alignment.

It's generally recommended to replace your mattress every 7 to 10 years. However, this may vary depending on the mattress type, quality, and how it's been used and cared for over time. Signs that it's time for a new mattress include noticeable sagging, decreased comfort, and increased allergy symptoms, which may indicate a buildup of dust mites and allergens.

If you suffer from back pain, pocket-sprung mattresses offer great levels of pressure relief and better spinal alignment as they conform to your body, distributing weight evenly. The spring count influences the level of support - the higher the spring count, the better the mattress can adapt to your shape. But, while some individuals find solace in the responsive support of a pocket spring mattress, others may seek the targeted relief of anorthopaedic mattress to alleviate joint discomfort.