The Accent bedroom suite by Forty Winks

More than your couch, kitchen table or favourite armchair, your mattress is probably the most-used piece of furniture in your home. If you sleep an average of seven hours per night, that’s more than 2500 hours per year of use for your mattress. Understandably, it makes sense to think carefully about what you’re buying and purchase the best you can afford.

If you’re due for a new mattress (experts say we should replace them every 7-12 years), here are my tips for ensuring you get the best possible night’s sleep.

Know how you sleep

Before you head out to look at new mattresses, think about your sleep position. “If you sleep on your back and have a small frame, then a three zone spring system will be enough for you but it will be a different story for side sleepers or people with larger frames who need more support,” says Michelle Scaplan from Sleepmaker.

Let the sales assistant know your needs and they can guide you in the right direction. The type of mattress that will be best for you can also be dependent on how much you toss and turn during the night or, for that matter, how much your partner does.

“If you suffer from partner disturbance, a pocket spring mattress (where springs are contained in individual pockets) will be best,” says Michelle.

Sleepmaker's Cocoon mattress

To spring or not to spring

Latex and memory foam mattresses don’t contain any springs. Traditionally, these options will come in at a higher price point but, according to Michelle, if you can afford it they are well worth the investment.

“The latest gel-infused memory foam technology means a new mattress will lose less than 3 per cent of its height,” she says.

These types of mattresses are also better for a good night’s sleep. “Most people move about 40 times per night but these mattresses will recover their shape within around 4.5 seconds so you won’t find yourself ‘falling’ back into the groove which can actually disturb your sleep,” says Michelle.

Base level

Your bed frame or base is another determining factor for how comfortable your new mattress will be. “If you are using a slatted base system, the slats should be no more than 8cm apart and of good quality,” says Michelle. “Slatted bases should also contain a centre support rail with at least one leg to the floor, to avoid ‘roll together’ in the centre of the mattress.”

The Marvin suite from Forty Winks

A good way to check the support of your slat base is to try your mattress on the floor and see if it feels any different. Sprung or platform ensemble bases are another popular choice but can lack ventilation for your mattress meaning you will have to turn it more often.

Delivery

“At first, your new bed may feel a little different to the mattress you have been sleeping on and sometimes your body will tell you so,” says Michelle. “Don’t worry, your body will soon adjust to the benefits of your new mattress while your mattress also adjusts to your sleeping style but this may take several weeks.”

To prolong the life of your new mattress, you should turn or flip it regularly — every two weeks for the first four months and then every three months thereafter.