The ultimate mattress buying guide

Our bed buying guide takes the guesswork out of mattress shopping. We’ll help you do a little bit of research before heading in-store to try out your dream bed. Find out where to start, the key questions you need to ask yourself and, most importantly, how to know which bed is right for you.

1.

Plush, medium or firm mattress, which is best for me?

Whether you like a plush, medium – the best of both worlds, firm or extra-firm bed, choosing the correct feel comes down to your own personal sleeping preference. For example, a plush (soft) feel bed tends to provide pressure relief at core compression points, like the hips and shoulders. This tends to be the perfect choice for side sleepers, whereas front and back sleepers tend to apply an even radius of compression across a wider surface area and might prefer a firmer sleeping environment.

Illustration of a single mattress with a quilted top surface

Plush

The softest feel in the range offers the highest level of conformance to relieve crucial body pressure points.

Designed for:
Side sleepers or those who sleep in positions with pressure relief in more concentrated areas.

Medium

Medium feel conforms at pressure points and provides reliable support to ensure your body can get the rest and recovery it needs at night.

Designed for:
This bed is right in the middle of the comfort feels, making it perfect for supporting mixed sleepers whose sleeping position varies between side, back and front throughout the night.

Firm

The perfect choice for people who want greater support across a wider surface area. If you’ve ever stayed in a hotel, chances are you’ve slept on a firmer bed.

Designed for:
A firm mattress works well for back or front sleepers who require an even distribution of pressure relief over a wider area.

Our bed buying tips for choosing the right firmness

Try a range of comfort feels available. Spend at least 3 minutes on each soft, medium and firm to make sure you can feel the difference.
When you find the mattress firmness you prefer, try a range of beds in that same comfort range.
Spend at least 10 minutes resting on the bed you prefer. Kick off your shoes and rest in your natural sleeping position (side, front or back).

How do I know what size mattress is best for me?

We all know that sleep plays a vital role in restoring and healing the body. If you’re suffering from sleep problems or feeling tired during the day, it’s important to assess the quality of the mattress you’re sleeping on. Mattress size plays a key role in getting good quality sleep and choosing the right size can depend on a variety of things. For example, how many people will be sleeping with you? What is the size of the person(s) who will be sharing it with you? Do you have kids who like to spend time in bed with you? Do you sleep with your pets on the bed?

Single

91cm x 188cm, everyone’s first mattress.

Designed for: The perfect ‘first real bed’ for your child, or an ideal spare bed for guests.

King Single

107cm X 203cm, perfect step up from a single.

Designed for: Great option for a first big kid’s bed to last well into the teenage years.

Double

137cm x 188cm, a generous size for an adult.

Designed for: Ideal for growing teenagers that need more space or a single adult living alone. A double bed is ideal for the guest bedroom.

Queen

153cm x 203cm, the minimum choice for couples.

Designed for: A good starting point for couples where bedroom space is limited.

King

167cm x 203cm, for when the queen won’t do.

Designed for: A good choice for couples who want more room, or may have pets in the bed.

Super King

183cm X 203cm, get a lot more sleep space between you and your partner.

Designed for: Good for couples who need extra space or who have kids visit in the night.

Illustration of a california king mattress

Californian King

203cm X 203cm, for the largest mattress available on the market.

Designed for: Larger or taller adults who want as much space as possible to get the best night’s sleep.

Our bed buying tips for choosing the right size

Size matters! We suggest you invest in the biggest bed you have space for, while still having room to open drawers and wardrobes, and walk around the bed. For children it is worth considering a King single, Long single or Double mattress so their bed can grow with them.

Is a spring or foam mattress better?

The final piece of the puzzle is determining the right bed technology for a good night’s sleep. At Sleepyhead we go beyond the traditional spring v foam debate with a variety of spring technology and hybrid spring and foam combinations available to cater to anyone’s needs.

Pocket Spring

Hundreds of individually encased springs sit independently of one another to conform to the pressure points created from your unique body shape.

Designed for: Perfect for assisting with spinal alignment, providing pressure relief and effectively minimising partner disturbance.

Continuous Coil

Strengthened z-shaped continuous coils in a zoned support system are designed to reduce back stress and provide even greater support across the hips, shoulders and lower back - where your body needs it most.

Designed for: Ideal for back pain sufferers, or those who frequently experience body aches and pains, as the continuous coil shape expertly defines the areas where support is needed most through body compression.

Sensorzone

The ultimate combination of spring and foam technologies. Each spring sits separately within a Dreamfoam core, providing luxurious comfort and targeted support exactly where you need it most, while virtually eliminating partner disturbance.

Designed for: Perfect for those after the heavenly comfort of luxurious Dreamfoam, while seeking the outstanding support that comes with our expertly designed spring support systems – the best of both worlds.

SmartCell

Smart comfort layer crafted with a fine, uniform bubble structure using clever chemistry (the same elements that make soft drinks fizzy), designed to enhance breathability and minimise partner disturbance.

Designed for: Ideal for those who sleep hot, partners with different sleep schedules, and eco-conscious shoppers, as SmartCell’s open-cell design rapidly dissipates heat and moisture while absorbing movement, so you stay dry, undisturbed, and perfectly supported all night.

Smart Suspension Technology

Smart Suspension Technology (SST) is a revolution in mattress design. Featuring the perfect integration of SmartCell and new geometry springs activing as a giant shock absorber, SST is next-generation mattress technology: eliminating partner disturbance, enhancing airflow, and conforming more precisely to your body so you fall asleep easier, sleep cooler, and sleep deeper.

Designed for: Ideal for back pain sufferers, hot sleepers, or those who frequently experience body aches and pains, as Smart Suspension Technology provides individualised support and superior airflow so you fall asleep more easily, sleep undisturbed, and stay cool throughout the night.

Do you need to test your bed in store?

At Sleepyhead, we believe in a try before you buy. You’ll never truly know if a bed is right for you and your lifestyle without experiencing it first-hand. To help make the bed shopping experience a little easier, we’ve compiled some useful tips below to ensure you get the right bed to help you achieve a good night’s sleep. Need to find your local store? Find a stockist below.

Find a Store

Family of three, a man, woman, and child, lying on a Sleepyhead bed with blue bedding.

Tips

Steps to test your bed in store

Dress comfortably and kick off your shoes so you can recreate your normal sleeping environment. Test mattresses in your usual sleep position.
Are there two of you in bed? If so, try the beds together to make sure you’re getting the best solution for both your sleep needs.
Try a range of mattresses within and just outside your price range. Take your time to experience the key differences in a variety of ranges and identify what you liked and didn’t like.
Next, try a range of feels available to see which one you prefer the most – spend at least 10 minutes on each one in your typical sleeping position, ideally with your partner.
Ask one of our expert retail salespeople for some guidance on the various features and benefits available in each bed. Ask which spring system is used and why, if there are any temperature regulation technologies like KülKōte, if the mattress has allergy support treatments and so on.
You’re ready to make the perfect decision!