01.Sleeping beautifully

In brief

• Buy on comfort and price, and make sure you can return the mattress if you find it’s not as comfortable as you expected.
• The only way to choose a new mattress is to lie on as many as possible. We give you tips on what to look for and how best to test when you hit the shops.
• Replace your mattress every 10 years. Using the same one for too long can cause back and neck problems, not to mention hygiene risks.

There’s no scientific consensus on what makes a good mattress. People around the world sleep comfortably on all sorts of beds: straw mats, hammocks, futons, waterbeds, airbeds and all manner of mattress. In a market where what feels good is good and comfort is subjective, it comes down to you — what feels comfortable, what you can afford, and what you can do if your new mattress turns out not to suit you.

When should you replace your mattress?

Manufacturers and chiropractors recommend you replace your mattress around every 10 to 13 years, depending on how it’s treated. If it’s on a sprung base, plan to replace it every 12 or 13 years. A mattress on an unsprung base (including fixed-slat bases) should last about 10 years. See Good foundations for more on bases.

If your mattress is of poor quality or you don’t look after it properly (see Caring for your mattress), it may not last this long. And in any case, it’s recommended you replace your mattress at least every 10 years for hygiene reasons.

Some obvious signs you need a new mattress are annoying peaks, dips or lumps, or if you wake up stiff. If it’s uncomfortable, interferes with your sleep or leaves you with a backache, it’s definitely time to act.

Another reason for regularly renewing your mattress is that your needs change as your body ages. As you get older, your body will appreciate softer padding to support and protect pressure points. But don’t confuse softer padding with a soft, saggy bed — the underlying structure should be firm enough to support your spine as it gradually loses strength and flexibility. Furthermore, you may have difficulty moving around in — and getting out of — a bed that’s too soft.

Your options

There’s a variety of mattresses and bed bases on offer these days, and what’s best for you ultimately comes down to personal preference. Most people buy an inner-spring mattress and box base or slatted bedstead, so we’ll concentrate on this set-up. Latex and foam mattresses, futons and waterbeds are discussed in Alternatives. We also take a look at the new kid on the block: viscoelastic mattresses — see Memory foam.