A guide to buying a mattress

We look at the different sizes and types of mattress available, as well as how to choose the right mattress to meet your personal needs.

Mattress size

There is a standard range of mattress size available in the UK, the most common being the small single (2ft 6 inches wide), single (3ft wide), the small double (4ft wide), double mattress (4ft 6 inches wide), kingsize mattress (5ft wide) and super king size (6ft wide). Within the different sizes you can get mattresses with different levels of comfort. For instance, you can have soft mattresses for extra comfort, firm mattresses, or orthopaedic mattresses for special requirements. Advice It is advisable to try any mattress in a bed shop before you buy one. It is impossible to tell how comfortable a mattress will be unless you do. The last thing you want is to buy a mattress online which is too hard and you cannot sleep on it. Your local bed shop is bound to have mattress deals and will arrange mattress delivery to your home.

Types of mattress

Sprung mattresses Sprung mattresses are by far the most popular type and within this category there are several distinct types to meet a variety of needs. The traditional mattress is an open coil type. You can also get ‘Zoned’ mattresses which have extra support built into the middle area of the bed. Many mattresses offer ‘No Roll Together’ which means that if the person next to you moves, you don’t automatically move as well, as it used to happen with older style mattresses. Memory Foam mattresses Memory Foam mattresses are becoming very popular and are made from a combination of Latex and P.U foam. They are much more dense than a traditional P.U foam mattress and offer greater support by moulding to the contours of the body. Once you get up, the mattress reverts back to its original state.You might also consider an air mattress for general use, which are quite different from the ones used for camping and can provide a very comfortable night’s sleep.

What is the mattress for?

The type of use will determine which type of mattress you should buy. For example, a guest bedroom will only have occasional use, so a lower quality and cheaper mattress will suffice, you might even choose a simple P.U foam mattress, or cheap divan beds. If you are choosing the master bed, then you would need to have a mattress which is up to the job of everyday use and generally we are advised to change our mattress every five to seven years, so that we keep the correct level of support for our bodies and to ensure we get a good night’s sleep.