
We all need our beauty sleep, and the quality of our slumber is greatly influenced by the quality of our mattress. Whether you like a firm mattress, a soft mattress, a memory foam mattress, or a sprung mattress, This buying guide is on hand to give you the information you need to make a good choice for your body shape and sleeping style.
From the firmness to the size, as well as the material your mattress is made from, there are lots of features to take into account when it comes to finding the perfect mattress for a comfortable night of rest. There's no exact time frame for when a mattress should be replaced, but there are some clear signs to let you know that yours is past its best. If you are waking up tired, sore, or have taken to sleeping elsewhere in the house then it is probably time you looked for a new mattress.
We each spend around a third of our lives in bed, so getting the right support during the night could revolutionise your sleep pattern, ensuring that once you close your eyes you fall into a deep slumber for seven to eight hours. Don't just settle for what you have, find the perfect one for you.
Mattress Tension
The firmness of your mattress makes a great difference to how well you sleep. Everyone's needs are different, and the right mattress for you generally depends on your height and weight.
A soft mattress provides the ideal option if you are of light to average build. It also offers the right support for people who like to sleep on their sides, and those who change sleeping positions during the night.
Ideal for most people, medium soft mattresses allow for a comfortable night's sleep in all manner of sleeping positions, whether you lie on your front, stretch out your arms and legs, or curl up with the covers wrapped tightly around you.
Mattresses of medium softness are great for people of average build. They are designed for those who like to sleep on their back or on their stomach.
The best choice for those who weigh over 15 stone, firm mattresses offer extra support for a comfortable rest. The firmness of the mattress keeps your back in a relatively stable position, which can help if you suffer with back problems.
Spring Type
Open-sprung mattresses, also known as open coil and continuous coil mattresses, are a comfortable choice for the budget conscious. They are also one of the lighter options on the market, so are easy to turn over and transport. The springs are in fact one long piece of metal coiled into individual shapes. Since the springs move as one, they tend to suffer from a lot of wear and tear and need to be replaced more frequently than other mattresses. This can be a benefit for use in a child's room, as replacing them when your child grows doesn't have to cost the earth. They also offer a good choice for a spare room.
Pocket-sprung mattresses contain thousands of individual springs in separate stitched pocket sleeves. This means each spring moves independently (as shown in the photograph below) offering unique support for all parts of the body. The extra comfort that comes from a pocket-sprung mattress ensures that it is categorised as a top of the range product.


Mattress finishes
Mattresses don't just differ on the inside; they have a variety of finishes on the outside too. This ranges from decorative quilting to handles and air vents that help improve the functionality of the mattress.
Hand tufting mattresses
Perhaps the most common mattress finish, hand tufting applies when strong tape is threaded down through the mattress to give a full and familiarly dimpled surface. This keeps the filling of the mattress in place, and ensures it keeps its shape over time. Hand tufting is the most popular finish for sprung mattresses.
Quilted mattresses
Micro quilting is the most common finish for memory foam, latex, or gel mattresses. This involves stitching the quilted cover directly to the mattress filling. It offers a smoother finish than tufting.
Pillow top mattresses
These mattress have a layer of pillow at the top (hence the name) for extra comfort. The layer is attached to the top of the mattress and can be found on both sprung and foam mattresses.


Mattress care
Aside from utilising a mattress protector, there are a number of ways to increase the lifespan of your mattress. The first thing to keep in mind is not to fold the mattress when transporting it, as this can damage the internal materials and lower the quality of your comfort.
To get the best of your mattress you should aim to air it regularly. Do this by removing bed sheets and protectors and leaving it for a few hours. It is also advisable to turn it regularly. For sprung mattresses it is best to flip and rotate the mattress as this will, while foam ones can be turned lengthways. This will increase their lifespan by spreading any signs of wear and tear evenly throughout the mattress, meaning you get the most out of your product.
Mattresses may seem like simple products, but there are lots of options to consider, we highly recommend that you come down to our showroom to try them out for yourself in order to find your own personal preference, as there isn't really a one size fits all for your perfect nights sleep.
Mattress protectors
Due to their bulky size, cleaning mattresses can prove to be a tricky business. With this in mind they stain easily, and therefore don't stay looking new for long. Mattress protectors help fight against that by providing a layer of protection on top of the mattress.
Most manufacturers offer an extended warranty or guarantee on some of their products but for hygiene reasons they cannot accept stained mattresses therefore a protector will help you make the most of your warranty or guarantee. Some mattress protectors nowadays also contribute to a cool nights sleep like the snow protector from protect a bed, its Nordic chill fibres radiate heat around the bed encouraging heat dissipation resulting in a cooler nights sleep. Don't just take our word for it though come to our showroom and find out for yourself.