HEALTH: Dream Bed Guide

'Remember you're going to spend over 20,000 hours on your bed during its seven-year lifespan.'

Chiropractor Dominic Cheetham is definitely a believer: 'I always ask patients who say they wake up feeling stiff or achey if they have had their mattress more than seven years.

'If the answer is yes, I suggest they consider investing in a new mattress on an appropriate base.'

Here is Dominic's advice, together with some tips from the Sleep Council (

sleepcouncil.org.uk

) and handmade bed manufacturer Savoir Beds (

savoirbeds.co.uk

)…

● Always try before you buy.

Wear loose clothing and test several mattresses, spending at least ten minutes lying on each in the position you usually sleep in. Only buy a mattress online if it comes with a long trial period and no-quibble returns policy.

● If you sleep with a partner, shop together.

If the difference in weight is over 18kg, or one partner has particular requirements, this may mean buying two single mattresses of differing tensions that zip together. Choose one that gives you both space to move easily.

● You get what you pay for.

The better the quality, the better the support and comfort and the longer it will last. Once you decide on the make and model, shop around for the best price.

● The type of base is key.

If you are not buying a new base with the mattress, make sure the one you try in store is the same type as the one at home.

● There is no overall industry standard for firmness/softness.

The label simply represents what is in that particular range. The support will depend on your weight, height and sleeping position. The lighter you are, the softer the mattress and vice versa. Back sleepers should consider a firmer mattress than those who sleep on their sides. (NB your spine should always be horizontal.) The term orthopaedic only means that the bed is a firmer specification from that particular manufacturer.

● Firmer is not necessarily better.

Your body should be able to relax, with your spine supported in its natural curve. However, do not confuse soft with saggy. A high-quality mattress can be soft, allowing hips and shoulders to sink in but providing support for the rest of your body.

● Once you have chosen your mattress, look after it.

Most need regular turning (usually every month) to air properly and help the material settle easily.

Our tester tried out a Leesa foam mattress, which you can order online and trial for 100 nights. If it doesn't suit you, Leesa will collect and refund in full.

'The mattress came compressed in a box. Once unpacked and on my bed base, I cut off the polythene wrapper and unrolled it in its neat grey striped jersey cover.

'The mattress consists of three layers of foam with 5cm of contouring memory foam in the middle. It's incredibly comfortable, staying beautifully firm but letting your body sink slightly into the top layer so that you don't bounce when you move. My old one had subsided into body-shaped troughs that I got stuck in, so I'm luxuriating in being able to spread out – and my joints feel properly rested in the morning. The only downside was a distinctive smell that took several weeks to disappear with the window open.'

From £390 for a single mattress to £740 for a super king size, with free delivery,

leesa.co.uk

. (The company plants a tree for every Leesa sold and gives one mattress to a homeless shelter for every ten.)

EGGS FOR EVERYONE

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