How To Choose The Right Mattress

Question1: "How long does a mattress last?" There is no definitive answer but 7 years is a good estimate. We all lose 0.5 kg of skin per year and 0.25 litres of sweat per night. So after 7 years, even if the mattress isn't sagging or losing its comfort, for hygiene's sake alone, change your mattress.

And even if you feel your old mattress is comfortable, once you try a new one you will realise what you have been putting up with was really unacceptable. Its common sense: 8 hours a night, 365 days a year, for 7 years, and even the most durable mattress has taken its punishment.

Question 2: "How much should I spend?" A cheap double mattress will cost you £100, an expensive double mattress, £700 and a middle of the road branded mattress, eg Silentnight or Sealy, £300. Mattresses from £150 upwards are all pretty durable and good comfort and support kicks in at about £250. Add £50 extra for a king size and a third less for a single mattress.

Question 3: "How do I test a mattress?" First, before testing a mattress, strip off to your underwear. OK, that may be a bit too conscientious, but do take you coat off and wear loose fitting clothes. You need to be able to move freely and you need to be able to feel the contours of the mattress.

Lie down on the mattress. Slip a set of keys under the small of your back. If you can feel the keys, the mattress is too hard. Then try sliding you flat hand under your back and if you find it difficult then the mattress is too soft.

Now spend a good few minutes on the bed. Lie on you back, turn on your side and make sure you are using a pillow you are comfortable with. The top layer of the mattress should be soft and comfortable. However you should feel the core of the mattress pushing up and supporting your spine in such a way that your spine stays straight. That's the rule - your spine should stay straight. If you have wide hips, for example, the mattress must give more to keep your spine straight, so in this example you would need a softer mattress.

Also, as a rule, a 20 stone rugby player needs a "firmer" mattress than an 8 stone ballerina, and young children should sleep on a softer mattress than the mattress that you sleep on yourself.

Finally, if your previous mattress was very soft, do not change to an incredibly hard mattress. You are over compensating. By all means take into account what you liked about your old bed but if hard was best we would all sleep on the floor and remember the floor is flat and your body isn't.

Question 4: "What do all the technical terms mean?" It's not rocket science but bed manufacturers' terminology can get very confusing. There are really only 3 variables - the fabric cover, the mattress fillings and the type of spring unit.

You can have hours of fun asking a bed sales consultant why one mattress is more expensive than another. They may say this mattress has got twice as many springs, this mattress has a breathable coolmax cover, these fillings include latex or visco elastic memory foam etc etc. These are what the trade calls "features" which you may or may not want to become an expert. The secret however is to ask for the benefits and benefits are things that we all understand.

For example

Durability: If the kids use this mattress as a trampoline will it survive? Pocket sprung - no, Sealy posturepedic - yes.

Hygiene: How well does the mattress dissipate body moisture? Polyester stitchbond cover - badly, cotton damask with brass side vents - very well.

Support: How sensitive is the mattress to my body shape? Open coil 3" springs - not a lot, pocket sprung - an awful lot.

Comfort: Which mattress is firmer? A 12.5 gauge spring unit uses a thicker wire and therefore all else being equal will be firmer than a 13.5 gauge spring unit.

Question 5: "What mattresses are best for allergy sufferers?" Manufacturers often make the claim that their mattress is hypo-allergenic. How can that be with 0.5kg of skin loss per year and 0.25 litres of fluid loss per night?

The best advice is to take hypo-allergenic claims with a pinch of salt. What is true is that dust mites need warm damp conditions to survive and prefer natural fibres. So avoid mattresses with wool, horse hair, cashmere etc. Avoid tufted mattresses. The tufts will collect dead skin and be particularly attractive areas for dust mites.

Good hygiene is the solution and the best way to keep the mattress clean is to use a mattress protector with a waterproof breathable membrane. However a regular vacuum clean won't go wrong.

By: D. Ross

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