Choosing the Perfect Mattress

January 16, 2023

20m

Choosing the right mattress is an important decision. After all, we spend a lot of time in bed, so it makes sense to take the time to ensure your new mattress ticks all the boxes. To help you decide on your perfect mattress, we’ve created a short guide with a few things to consider before making your purchase.

What's Your Sleeping position?Your sleep position is a factor when it comes to choosing the right mattress.

Are you a side sleeper or do you sleep on your front? Perhaps you sleep on your back? Side sleepers benefit most from a pocket sprung mattress with memory foam, so that it contours to the shape of the body and cradles it. Front sleepers also benefit from a mattress with pocket springs and memory foam, though the foam layer doesn’t need to be as deep as that of a side sleeper. If you sleep on your back or change positions throughout the night, any sort of mattress will do but ensure it offers medium or medium-firm support for maximum comfort.

Pick the Right SizeMattresses come in various sizes to correspond with the different sizes of beds available.

As a general rule, UK mattress sizes have the following Lengths and Widths: Single Mattress: 190cm Length and 90cm Width Double Mattress: 190cm Length and 135cm Width (Small Double Mattresses are usually 120cm in width) King Size Mattress: 200cm Length and 150cm Width Super King Mattress: 200cm Length and 180cm Width Be sure to pay attention to the depth of the mattress too. The depth or thickness of the mattress will ultimately define how high your bed will be, so be sure to read the measurements when shopping for mattresses online.

Soft, Medium ,or FirmMattresses come in a choice of different firmness levels, allowing you the freedom to pick one according to your personal tastes.

Comfort is very subjective and, just like preference in pillow type and firmness, we all have a preferred type of mattress. Some people favour something soft that they can sink into, while others prefer extreme, futon-like firmness and many want something in between. If you share a bed with someone then you’ll either have to come to a compromise or invest in a split-tension mattress with different levels of firmness on each side.

Types of Mattresses Explained

So we’ve established that there are different firmness levels available, but what about mattress types? Here we break down some of the different mattress types available on the market today.

Spring Mattresses

Spring mattresses or coil mattresses are the most common ‘traditional’ mattress type. If you’re reading this, chances are you grew up sleeping on one of these! Open spring mattresses consist of tightly wound coils that compress when pressure is applied (when you sit on the bed or lie down). They’re typically a little bit bouncy and come in a variety of firmness levels, depending on the amount of springs they have inside – the more springs, the firmer the mattress will be. Pocket spring mattresses are different as each spring is housed in a ‘pocket’ and the springs operate independently from each other. They are generally firmer that open spring mattresses so a good choice if you like a supportive sleep.

Foam Mattresses

Growing in popularity in recent years, foam mattresses feature an all-foam construction, often crafted using a blend of foams in varying density. They generally provide good all-round support and tend to be a firmer option than sprung mattresses.

Hybrid Mattresses

Hybrid mattresses contain both foam and springs, offering the best aspects of both types of mattress. This makes hybrid mattresses a very popular choice! Hybrids will often have a spring base, with a foam comfort layer on top, or will feature foam encapsulated pocket springs.

What’s the Difference Between 1000, 2000 and 3000 Pocket Spring Mattresses?

The mattresses available at Oak&More come in a choice of 1000, 2000 and 3000 pocket springs. The spring count of a mattress doesn’t always dictate how firm it will be, however for these particular mattresses, the more springs, the firmer the mattress. Therefore we recommend that those who favour a softer mattress opt for the 1000 pocket spring mattress, for medium-firm support choose a 2000 pocket spring mattress and buy a 3000 pocket spring mattress for a firmer feel.