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The Ultimate Guide to buying the right Mattress & F.A.Qs

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Buying a mattress can be a daunting prospect, especially if you have been used to the same one for the past 10 years! There are so many different types available and so many different guides on which is the best one to buy.

Mattresses are very personal and individual – what you might find to be a really comfortable mattress, someone else might find far too hard (or soft) and not for them at all, so making the right choice is key and has been found to account for an additional hour’s worth of good quality sleep per night.

So what is the right mattress for you?

 

Open Coil Mattresses

Open Coil Spring unit.

Open Coil Spring Unit.

Open Coil is the most traditional and cost effective way to make a mattress. They generally carry a smaller price tag due to the low production cost involved. The mattresses are made using large springs which are all arranged in rows and connected together with a wire gauge outer rod which helps strengthen the perimeter of the spring unit. The coils will work together as a unit to sense your weight and help provide a good night’s sleep. There are approximately 320 coils in a king size mattress (smaller mattresses will have less to ensure the same tension is kept). The outer gauge can be altered to change the tension of the mattress as well. Typically, a 13.5 gauge will be a softer tension mattress ranging to a 12 gauge being firmer tension.

The most common issues you may tend to find with open coil mattresses is that it is much easier to feel the springs inside the mattress. Whilst these mattresses will provide a good level of support, they rely on fillings which are added in addition to the coils to do this. Whilst this is initially ok, as the mattress becomes more & more used, these fillings will begin to flatten which means your spine will not be as supported as it should be. This can lead to discomfort in your lower back over time. Realistically, an open coil mattress would be a good shorter term option of between 3-5 years.

There are manufacturers that produce higher quality Open Coil mattresses using different techniques such as Sealy who use Titanium alloy springs which retain 98% of their original height.

Open Coil mattresses are generally turnable and will require flipping / rotating every month in order to prolong their life.

 

Memory Foam Mattresses

Hand Impression on Memory Foam

Memory Foam

Memory Foam is made from polyurethane, adding additional chemicals which helps adapt its density. It has an open cell structure which allows air and moisture to easily move through the mattress. The foam is heat responsive, meaning it will sense the pressure and heat applied to it and respond accordingly. One of the great things about Memory Foam is that it relieves pressure and moulds to your body’s natural shape, responding more easily to your contours than a sprung mattress would. Memory Foam mattresses promote good blood circulation and help relax your muscles. The pressure relieving qualities will allow you to drift into a much deeper sleep and wake up feeling significantly refreshed. Lower Density Memory Foam also helps your body to naturally maintain a good posture throughout the night as you sink into the mattress ever so slightly.

Mattresses which are described as Memory Foam will likely have a base of Reflex Foam, which is a denser type of foam and doesn’t allow heat to pass through it as easily. This is one of the things that helps lead to one of the most common complaints about Memory Foam mattresses, they retain a lot of heat which can make them quite hot to sleep on.

During the winter months, this can be quite comforting but could become very uncomfortable during the hotter summer months. We wouldn’t recommend Memory Foam for individuals who naturally get hot during the night or for Children. The reason for latter is that children tend to sleep differently to adults, particularly on their front. There are more pressure points which the foam reacts to whilst sleeping on your front, so it is likely this will tend to make you hotter during the night. One option to counteract this is to look at a Memory Foam mattress with a pocket sprung base – pocket spring units will allow air to pass through the mattress a lot easier so you will get all the benefits of Memory Foam and shouldn’t get as hot during the night. Manufacturers have also worked to develop cooling effect covers which has helped with over heating issues, but we would still recommend looking for alternative mattresses if you do naturally get hot during the night.

Some Memory Foam mattresses can have a residual smell from when they are made, once opened. This smell will dissipate once the mattress is aired for a period of time (this sometimes can be up to two weeks). It will help to sleep on the mattress if possible during that time.

 

Reflex Foam Mattresses

Reflex Foam is a more supportive, denser option than Memory Foam. It works differently to stop you from sinking in to the mattress as much. Unlike Memory Foam, Reflex Foam is not reactive to heat so you will naturally find yourself cooler and more comfortable during the night. This makes Reflex Foam mattresses a great option for Children. Like a lot of foam mattresses, they will come vacuum packed for ease of transportation. All you would need to do is unroll them and leave them to expand for 3-5 hours before use.

 

Latex Foam Mattresses

Latex Foam

Latex Foam

Latex Foam is the densest type of foam available. Latex is generally used in firmer tension mattresses and is more malleable, durable and resilient than other types of foam. Latex mattresses are made in two different ways, they can be made from 100% natural Latex or man made synthetic Latex. The benefits of Natural Latex is that it is completely sustainable and comes without any synthetic fibres. Synthetic / man made latex is still just as durable but is cheaper to produce, meaning it will give you the same benefits for a better price. Latex mattresses tend to be long lasting and very good quality, but do come with a more expensive price tag. The majority of mattresses on the market do have some synthetic elements to them due to 100% natural Latex mattresses being very costly to produce.

 

Pocket Spring Mattresses

Pocket Springs

Pocket Springs

Pocket Sprung mattresses are probably the most common and can vastly range in different tensions. Pocket springs are all separately encased so will not be able to be easily felt through the mattress. They also work individually to help greater sense the required level of support required. This takes the pressure off your shoulders and hips, allowing for better support of the lighter areas of your body as well the heavier areas. As this type of mattress works by supporting the weight exerted onto specific springs, it’s a good choice for couples of differing weights too.

We would generally recommend 800 springs for an older child or teenager, 1000-1500 for one person and 1500-2000 springs for two people sharing a mattress. Whilst this is not something which is set in stone, you can find that if you order a mattress which doesn’t have enough springs in it to support the amount of weight being placed on to it, the mattress might start to sink in the centre quite quickly (within 5 months of use), causing you some discomfort.

The amount of pocket springs in a mattress are all based on a king size model so to ensure the tension stays the same in smaller or larger models, the manufacturers increase or decrease the amount of springs as necessary. For instance, in a mattress which is advertised as having 3000 springs, the breakdown is approximately:

3ft Single (90cm x 190cm) – 1715 springs

4ft 6 Double (135cm x 190cm) – 2650 springs

5ft King (150cm x 200cm) – 3000 springs

6ft Super King (180cm x 200cm) – 3520 springs.

Softer tension mattresses will have thinner springs used, firmer tension mattresses will have thicker springs used.

The most common misconception about pocket springs is that higher spring counts can make the mattress too firm. This isn’t always the case, higher spring counts will help to give the right level of tailored support and are particularly good for above average stature individuals and those who have back issues.

Pocket sprung mattresses with similar tensions can still feel completely different as there are different fillings which are added to different mattresses. For instance, the more expensive options which have natural fillings such as lambs wool and horse hair will feel more luxurious than a cheaper alternative.

 

Pocket Sprung & Memory Foam Mattresses

Pocket Springs & Foam

Pocket Springs & Foam

There are plenty of mattresses on the market now which offer a combination of different fillings. The most popular is Memory Foam with Pocket Springs. This option would be great for those who like the benefits of memory foam but still prefer to have a pocket sprung base. The pocket springs will allow air to move more freely through which should mean that the memory foam would not make you as hot during the night as a standard foam mattress might. These mattresses can still come in a range of tensions, and will feel different to standard pocket sprung mattresses (as the memory foam will alter the tension) so if you are not sure how it might feel, we would advise trying them out first.

 

Children’s Mattresses

For younger children, we would advise a shallow reflex foam mattress as being the best option. If you want to buy a pocket sprung mattress, you will not need any more than 800 pocket springs otherwise it will likely be too firm. For teenagers, depending on height & weight – either an 800 or 1000 pocket sprung mattress would be the best options.

We would advise to avoid all memory foam mattresses, especially for younger children due to the reasons discussed above in the Memory Foam section of the guide.

 

Mattress Features

There are also a number of different features which mattresses can have which make a difference to how they feel and behave. Below are some of the most important ones to look out for.

Hypo-Allergenic

Hypo-Allergenic

 

Hypo Allergenic & Dust Mite Resistant 

The make up of some mattresses makes it difficult for dust mites to live in, usually because of a dense foam structure. Alternatively, some mattresses are treated with a chemical that is harmless to humans but prevents dust mites. Because dust mites can aggravate allergies, mattresses with these features are ideal for allergy sufferers.

Ortho Support

Ortho Support

 

Ortho Support

Mattresses with Ortho Support are usually firm or medium to firm and will be specifically designed to help fully support your back. No mattress will ever cure any back issues but finding the right mattress can significantly help support your back which will lead to a more comfortable night’s sleep.

Roll-Up

Roll-Up

 

Roll-Up

This means that the mattress will arrive vacuum packed and rolled up. It is primarily done for ease of transportation and can be particularly useful for people who might wish to store the mattress for a week or so before use. Once received, you would need to unroll the mattress and leave it to fully expand before use. This process can take between 3-5 hours.

Cooling-Effect

Cooling-Effect

 

Cooling Effect

A lot of mattresses which have some kind of foam in will come with cooling effect covers as standard. These are designed to help combat the issue of over heating during the night. The cover works by making excess moisture evaporate, allowing you to breath easier during the night.

Turnable

Turnable

 

Turnable / No-Turn

Turnable mattresses need to be both flipped over and rotated on a regular basis. Manufacturers generally recommend once a week for the first month and every month there after. No-Turn mattresses still need to be rotated using the same guidelines to extend the useful life of the mattress.

Hand-Tufted

Hand-Tufted

 

Hand Tufted

Hand Tufting is a process which involves placing the fillings into the mattress and keeping them in place using fabric buttons. This makes the mattress more durable and long lasting.

 

There are other smaller features to look out for:

Natural Fillings – ideal if you are looking for a mattress which has fillings such as mo-hair, cashmere, silk and wool.

Vents – Allow air to flow freely through the mattress, keeping the mattress fresh and making it longer lasting.

No Roll Together – this feature only works if your purchase the correct type of mattress for your needs. For instance, two people buying a 1000 pocket sprung mattress might find that they do start to roll together as the mattress may not be providing the correct amount of support.

No Roll Off – Some mattresses come with raised edge support in the form of either a high tensile wire frame or high density foam perimeter. This should mean that you can roll closer to the edge of the mattress without rolling off.

 

F.A.Qs

Will all mattresses that are advertised as the same tension feel the same?

No. A medium tension pocket sprung mattress will feel completely different to a medium tension memory foam mattress and equally, the same memory foam mattress will feel different to an open coil. Two pocket sprung mattresses which are advertised as being the same tension can also feel different if the fillings that are used differ. If you are unsure, it is well worth trying before you buy if possible.

Will the base I put my mattress on make a difference? 

Yes. Divan bases can either come ‘Platform Top’ or ‘Sprung Edge’. Platform Top means that the base will be solid so the mattress will remain the tension advertised on the site. Sprung Edge involves placing open coil springs across the divan base. This makes the mattress feel softer as the springs in the base will also react to any weight placed on them. Sprung Edge bases would be a good option for those who prefer softer tension pocket sprung mattresses.

Slatted bases can also make mattresses feel different depending on the type of slats that are used.

My mattress has arrived but it is higher than the advertised depth. Why is this? 

The majority of sprung mattresses include so many fillings that they need to be manufactured to be 2-3cm higher than the advertised depth. The reason for this is that the mattress fillings will compress whilst being used for the first couple of months. After that period, the mattress will measure the advertised depth. For anyone looking for mattresses which are a specific height, we would always recommend buying a mattress which is 3-5cm shallower than the depth required, unless you are prepared to wait for a couple of months whilst the fillings compress.

My mattress has arrived rolled up. Is it a proper mattress?

The majority mattresses that include any foam will come vacuum packed / rolled up for ease of transportation. This is very normal. Once the mattress has arrived, you would just need to leave it to unroll and expand for 3-5 hours before use. The mattress will expand significantly within that period of time.


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