Buyer’s Guide to choosing the right mattress

Sleep is one of the most important pillars of a long and healthy life. A bad night’s sleep can be harmful to both your physical and mental health, and a continuous lack of sleep can in fact shorten your life expectancy. Now more than ever stress levels may be running high, and getting a good night’s sleep both tackles and manages stress, boosting physical health and improving emotional wellbeing.

Essential to a comfortable, restful night is the right mattress, and this is your comprehensive guide to finding just that.

How Does Your Mattress Affect Your Sleep?

Sleeping on an uncomfortable (and/or old) mattress which disrupts your slumber can cause achy joints and back pain, increase allergies due to dust mites housing in your mattress, and increase stress.

Alternatively, sleeping on a comfortable mattress and getting a good night’s sleep can offer the support your body needs and reduce aches and pains, as well as lift your mood and increase productivity and energy, encouraging a sense of calm and improving your quality of life.

The perfect mattress can give you a luxurious hotel-feel and leave you waking up having the well-rested effects of a relaxing holiday.

Mattress Size Guide

Size (Feet & Inches)	Ideal For…
Small Single	2’6” x 6’3”	Narrower bed frames for children or guest beds – useful when trying to save space
Single	3’0” x 6’3”	Children of all ages as they accommodate for growth
Queen (Small Double)	4’0” x 6’3”	One or two people – suitable if your bedroom is smaller than average
Double	4’6” x 6’3”	Two people
King	5’0” x 6’6”	Taller people who need more space for their legs
Super King	6’0” x 6’6”	People who value a lot of space

Ensuring your mattress fits your bedframe is very important, or better yet, purchasing a bed that comes with a mattress.

What Mattress Type is Best Suited for Your Sleep Position?

It’s important to choose a mattress that supports your entire body, which is very dependent on your sleeping position. The three main positions are side, back, and front, and you should consider which one you are before choosing the most comfortable mattress.

Side sleepers, or those who lie in the foetal position, are most suited to a soft mattress because it allows you to sink into it and provides ultimate comfort. However, a side sleeper looking for a plush mattress with a bit more support may opt for a medium firmness.

Those who sleep on their back are suited to both a medium and a firm mattress depending on how much support the individual requires. A medium firmness will still offer a little bit of give, which is convenient if you are both a back and a side sleeper. The most common to snore are back sleepers, and in order to help prevent this, it is suggested the individual opts to lie on their side, for which a memory foam mattress is thought to be useful as it supports side sleeping in a comfortable manner.

Front sleepers are also suited to both medium and firm mattresses, as they will help prevent arching of the spine. Individuals who lie on both their back and front may choose a firm mattress because it offers optimal support.

If you’re someone who suffers from back pain, choosing the right mattress is entirely dependent on the individual, including their sleeping position. This being said, it is often suggested that back pain sufferers should look into memory foam mattresses of both medium and firm. Sometimes a too-firm mattress will cause pains on the pressure points, in which case a medium is more suitable, but otherwise a firm can be very supportive.

Memory Foam vs. Spring Mattress

A Pocket Spring Mattress can contain anywhere between 800 and 2000 individual springs which are each encased in its own fabric pocket and move separately from each other, offering support while relieving pressure points. Because each spring works independently, it is a good mattress choice if you tend to move around a lot in the night. Unsurprisingly, this mattress type provides a more springy, bouncy feeling rather than a sinking one. The number of pocket springs is not always related to the firmness of the mattress.

On the other hand, the Memory Foam Mattress softens and moulds to your shape, promoting particular comfort and support. They are incredibly dense, making them resistant to dust mites, and their moulding abilities evenly distribute body weight before returning back to its normal shape once pressure is removed. The memory foam mattress is suitable for those looking for a firmer sleeping surface and is often recommended to back and joint pain sufferers because of its ability to provide an individualistic sleeping experience.

The Pocket Memory Mattress combines both memory foam and pocket spring features, meaning it has the same moulding-to-your-shape characteristic as a memory foam mattress, but it has pocket springs too which makes it last longer as it doesn’t eventually permanently stay in your shape. This mattress type is the best of both worlds, offering the perfect night’s sleep.

Mattress Types – Soft vs. Medium vs. Firm

Soft mattresses allow the sleeper to almost ‘melt’ into the mattress. Smaller, lighter people are often suited to a soft mattress as they will feel supported and are less at risk of damaging their back, while still enjoying the cushioned feeling of it.

Medium mattresses are the ‘goldilocks’ of mattresses – not too hard, not too soft. They prevent the sleeper from getting lower back pain, and unlike a soft mattress, they will distribute your weight more evenly, meaning there is less of a sinking feeling.

Firm mattresses provide a proper alignment of the spine which improves posture. If you’re sharing your bed, a firm mattress means you won’t feel the other person’s movements as much as you might with a softer mattress. Often larger, heavier people will opt for a firm mattress as they provide the proper support they may need.

Orthopaedic mattresses are extra firm and are sometimes recommended to those suffering with particular discomfort in their back and joints. They distribute weight evenly which reduces pain on the pressure points.

Out & Out mattresses have been made using 100% recycled components, so your new mattresses can be good for both you and the environment.