Guides

Why a mattress sags, and what actually fails A dip in a mattress almost always starts in one layer, not the springs. What causes sagging, how long each part lasts, and what can be done about it. Why you sleep hot, and what changes it Overheating at night is usually about where heat goes, not how warm the room is. What traps heat in a bed, and which parts of a mattress move it away. What firmness you need, and why the scale misleads Firmness ratings are not standardised, so the same number means different things. How firmness actually works, and how to tell which feel suits you. Mattresses and back pain, what the bed can and cannot do A bed can cause back pain and a bed can relieve it, but not in the way most advice suggests. What spinal alignment needs, by sleeping position. What a hybrid mattress is, and what is inside one A hybrid combines a pocket spring system with foam comfort layers above it. What each part does, how the two compare, and what spring counts mean. UK mattress sizes, with the measurements that matter Every UK mattress size in centimetres and feet, how they differ from European and US sizes, and which ones cause problems with imported bed frames. Buying a mattress you have not lain on Ten minutes in a showroom tells you less than most people think. What to check when buying a mattress online, and how trial periods actually work. Why hotel beds feel the way they do Hotel beds are built and maintained differently from beds at home, and the reasons are mostly not the mattress. What actually creates the feel. Getting rid of an old mattress in the UK Council collection, recycling centres, retailer takeback and what actually happens to a mattress afterwards. The options, with costs and what each involves. When to replace a mattress The dip is in the comfort layer, not the springs. How to tell settlement from sagging, and what can be done when the layer has gone. Looking after your mattress How to look after a mattress so it lasts: rotation, protection, spills, airing, and when the comfort layer changes.