What is the comfiest Mattress This is a very common question but unfortunately not one that we can easily give an answer. Everyone has their own idea of what they find comfy and unfortunately, to date, there isn’t a bed or mattress that suits all.
Although we can’t give you a solid answer to this question we don’t want you to just leave without any advice. Therefore we have provided information on the different elements within a bed that affect the comfort of a mattress.
Working from the floor up here are the main contributors to comfort.
The Base – Sprung or platform top (Divans)
Many people are under the assumption that the comfort of a bed is mainly due to the mattress. This, however, is not entirely true. The base also plays a big part in the feel of the bed and therefore has a part to play in finding the comfiest mattress. The effect the base has is mainly down to whether it is sprung or if it is a platform base.
Platform bases tend to give a much firmer feel than their sprung base equivalent. They tend to be used in either lower end beds (removal of the springs lowers the cost) or beds which have been designed to have a firmer feel.
A sprung divan base has springs within its top surface that function like a shock absorber for the mattress. Due to these springs, sprung bases tend to provide a feel that is much more appealing to those after a softer feeling bed.
Mattress Spring Systems
The spring system in a mattress has a huge effect on how it feels. This is down to both the type of spring system and how the spring is constructed. For the purpose of this article, we are simply going focus on the spring systems themselves as delving into the spring’s construction is a topic all on its own.
The three main spring systems are Pocket sprung, Open coil and Continuous.
Open coil
Open coil and continuous springs work in a similar fashion as the whole system is one interconnected unit. When you suppress a spring unit like this (lie on it) you actually affect not only the springs you are above but every spring around them. These spring systems tend to have a “bouncier” feel with movement transferring throughout the mattress much more obvious. Better quality spring systems like these do however provide good support for a heavier person due to the design of having each spring supported by each of its neighbours.
Pocket Springs
Pocket sprung mattresses work in a completely different way to other spring systems as the springs are not directly linked. This is achieved by placing individual springs in fabric pockets. These pockets are stitched or glued together in rows to work as one whole system. This method of constructing a spring system results in a mattress that can mould to your body much more accurately.
The number of springs in a pocket sprung can also have a big effect the feel of the mattress. Although more springs do not necessarily mean a mattress is firmer or softer. The way the springs are layered, connected to each other and the thickness of the wire used to make the spring all make a big difference.
There seems to be a growing trend by manufacturers to increase the number of pocket springs by layering them and inserting springs inside springs. Although many of these mattresses provide exceptional support, the quality of the pocket spring is also important. When looking for a bed you may notice that some high-end models don’t necessarily have the highest spring count. This is usually down to the manufacturer focusing on the quality rather than the quantity. Therefore, when shopping for a new bed or mattress aim for comfort and quality, not the highest spring count.
Zonal Support
Many mattresses now provide zonal support in their mattresses. This is a design where different areas of the mattress offer different tensions of support. This allows heavier parts of the body to be supported in a different way than the lighter parts of your body.
Mattress Fillings for the Comfiest Mattress
Fibre fillings can be used in different ways to affect the feel of a mattress. The quantity, depth and type of filling can all be adjusted to offer a firmer or softer feel. Along with this different fillings can offer warmer or softer properties to a mattress. Materials such as cotton, for example, can provide a cooler feel to a mattress whilst materials such as wool offer a warmer feel. Therefore the fillings are a big hting to consider when finding the comfiest mattress.
Latex
A natural rubber which provides a soft feel whilst having the ability to recover shape immediately. Due to this Latex mattresses allow their users to have a more restful nights sleep as movement transfer from the user throughout the night is limited.
A variation to the solid latex mattress is the hybrid style latex mattress. A mattress that incorporated both springs and latex into its design. The comfort of these mattresses is heavily dictated by the springs used. See above.
Memory Foam
This man-made material has a very distinct feel due to the way it has been designed to work. The mattress responds to the weight and heat of the user allowing it to mould perfectly to the shape of your body, providing optimal support and pressure relief. A big factor towards the way a memory foam mattress feels is down to its density. The denser the mattress the better the memory foam works. This, however, tends to also means less breathability and a warmer sleeping surface. Due to this, the better manufacturers have developed numerous techniques and technologies to overcome the problem. All of which are now commonly implemented.
Geltex
A more recent addition to foam comfort layers is Geltex. A synthetic foam that takes the best of memory foam and latex and combines them. Geltex tends to be used with springs so their comfort is very much dependent on what springs are used.
Rigid/Solid slats or Sprung slats (Bed frames)
Although sprung slats do have advantages over rigid slats the difference between the two isn’t dramatic. We would always recommend choosing sprung slat over rigid slats due to the advantages they do offer, but if you really like the style of a bed frame and it fits your requirements don’t be put off if it does have rigid slats. Sprung slats do tend to give a slightly softer feel, but it can be barely noticeable.
Conclusion to Which is the Comfiest Mattress
As already mentioned, it is impossible for us to give you an answer to what is the comfiest mattress as each person reading this will have a different idea of what is comfortable. If you want something specific call into one of our stores or give us a call with a bed/mattress you have in mind.
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