Skip to accessibility helpYou were probably conceived on one and you’ll probably die on one. You spend nearly 3,000 hours a year sleeping in one. It’s where you spend the most time with your partner, and where you first bond with your children. Hundreds of thousands of people are injured by them each year. In short, there aren’t many things in your home more important than your bed. Which makes it all the stranger that most of us give them so little thought. For many, a mattress comes a long way down the list of domestic priorities. But it has been estimated that a quarter of the British population suffers from sleep disruption, and often a bad mattress is at the root of this problem. The wrong sort of sleep can also cause cricked necks and bad backs – not to mention domestic tension. David Villaverde knows this better than most. As a furniture specialist at John Lewis on Oxford Street in central London, he spends his days showing people how to get a good night’s sleep.
As I sprawl out over his show beds in the middle of the day, he takes me through the bed basics. “The first thing I tell people is to slow down,” he explains. “Most want to get it over with in five minutes. It’s such an important item – you might as well take the time to get it right.” David says that you should spend around 45 minutes choosing, and lie on each mattress you’re interested in for at least 10 minutes. First I try the glossy newcomer to the market, the Tempur mattress. I say “newcomer”, but it’s a relative term for a product that has been around for 20 years. The beds world, you may not be surprised to hear, is a relatively slow-moving industry. The Tempur mattress is made from “memory foam”, derived from a material initially developed by Nasa to cushion astronauts against extreme g-forces. They have become hot property in the past few years. It’s easy to see why. As I lie on it, each bit of my body is absorbed and supported just as much as it needs to be.
If you are used to a firmer mattress, you might find it a bit too squishy, but I think it’s great. It’s like lying on an enormous marshmallow. Next up are two more traditional models. Jensen, the Norwegian company, is widely seen as the market leader in pocket-sprung mattresses. This is the classic design, in which the stuffing is held in place by togs. I test an “Ophelia” model. I ask if the name means that purchasers sleep in it alone and cry a lot. David doesn’t think so, and as I lie on this two metre-wide monster of comfort, I’m rather inclined to agree with him. In the middle of the department store, I have a sudden sensation of being in a five-star hotel. A Jensen bed comes in three parts – the base unit, the mattress and the topper. They work together to provide the right resistance. The mattresses are “zoned” so that they’re firmer in some parts than others. “Your bottom and your shoulders stick out more than other parts of your body,” says David. If your partner prefers a firmer mattress, or is much heavier than you are, you can even have different levels of tension on your respective sides of the bed.
The final bed I test is from the hand-sprung Vi-Spring range, “the Rolls-Royce of mattresses”, as David explains. This venerable British brand, founded in 1901, is the leading “hand-sprung” model. These mattresses are hand made, and filled with a mixture of lamb’s wool, silk and mohair (the Jensen uses a blend of natural and man-made fibres). This makes the mattress more breathable. “People sweat on average between half a pint and a pint while they sleep,” explains David. Like good sportswear, a mattress must be breathable, to let out all that excess body heat. Poor breathability is often the cause of heat itches, which can seriously disrupt sleep. I certainly don’t think I’d be disrupted on this particular bed. I feel as if I should be eating grapes, and ordering soldiers into battle far away. None of this technology, care and quality comes cheap. A top-of-the-range Jensen will set you back almost as much as a small car. Unless you’re a serious art collector, or have a loo seat made out of gold, your bed can easily be the most expensive thing you own.
“It’s an investment,” says David. “And though they’re all covered by warranties, I’d say 99 per cent of the people who take the time to buy one of these beds are satisfied.” Compared with the tetanus-threatening, mite-ridden, prison-style bunk I usually make do with, all of these beds seemed excellent. I understood Heidi’s joy when she goes to Frankfurt and learns that it’s possible to have more than one pillow. I could have slept the day away on any of them. But forced to choose, I’d go for a Vi-Spring. British beds for weary British heads. The Tempur original, without a frame, starts at £1,500 for a double and goes up to £2,175 for a king-size “Sensation” Prices for a Vi-Spring go from £1,000 for a mattress up to £5,000 for a set Jensen mattresses start at £1,950 and go up to £4,050 for an Ophelia bed and mattress set Five tips for choosing a new bed 1 Take your time You’re going to spend many hours sleeping on your new mattress, so make sure it feels comfortable.
2 Think about long-term value £100 spent on a mattress is just 2.7p a night spread over 10 years. Even £5,000 works out at less than £1.50 a night. 3 Check your allergies Even mild allergies to some fibres can seriously disrupt your sleep patterns. Mattresses are available to accommodate every sort of problem. 4 Hunt in pairs When testing mattresses, make sure you go with whoever you’ll be sharing it with, so that you get something suitable for both of you. 5 Pay attention to details Pillows, toppers, sheets and duvets all make a big difference too. Spend your money equally, rather than blowing it all on a mattress and scrimping on the rest. MORE: The best mattress toppers MORE: How to choose a mattress Design Project by John Lewis ercol for John Lewis House by John Lewis little home at John Lewis £1000 - £1500 (2)If you can’t afford a new mattress – or you’re not ready to replace your existing one, but are aware it needs a pick-me-up – then a topper could become your new best friend.
Sitting on top of the mattress, under your sheets, it offers extra padding and comfort that could make all the difference to your quality of sleep. Research the fillings as rigorously as you would with a new mattress. They all have different benefits for different kinds of sleepers and types of people – for instance, if you get hot at night or you suffer from allergies. Check how snugly the topper fits onto the bed – you don’t want it to move about. And be sure that the filling is evenly distributed, just as you’d want it to be with a duvet. 1. John Lewis Soft Touch Washable Mattress Topper: from £75, John Lewis This 6cm polyester topper, with dual layers and woven fabric, offers cloud-like comfort. It lasts well too, staying squidgy and soft without going flat. Plus, you can wash it in the machine umpteen times without losing any of the quality. Great value for hotel-like luxury. 2. Breasley Flexcell Mattress Topper: from £129, Mattress Online This thick, comfy topper is made from memory foam, which moulds to your body’s shape and distributes your weight evenly.
There’s a smooth winter side, which gets really quite warm (great for those who feel chilly at night), and a bumpy summer side, which circulates air to keep you cooler. 3. Hästens Top Mattress BJ: from £670, Hästens This is the deepest topper in our roundup (7cm) and it feels like you’ve got a whole new deluxe mattress. It’s handmade from all-natural materials including wool, cotton and flexible horsetail hair, all of which keeps your body at the ideal temperature and means the mattress stays comfortable and durable. It is very heavy, though, and it can’t be washed. 4. Vispring Heavenly Mattress Topper: from £550, John Lewis Vispring is the crème-de-la-crème of mattress brands, and its mattress toppers are equally fabulous. Each one is handmade to order in any size and generously filled with the best British wool, which all makes for a comfy, soft, breathable and hypoallergenic sleeping experience. 5. The White Company Supreme Luxury Down Topper: from £150, The White Company
Anyone who’s experienced good duck down and feather bedding will know that this filling can swiftly take you into the land of nod in the lap of luxury. The same can be said of this incredibly comfy topper. The top layer includes down for extra softness, while the bottom layer is 100 per cent feather for support. It's box stitched for even distribution, but it does need regularly plumping up. 6. Dorma Anti-Allergy Mattress Topper: from £45, Dunelm This is excellent value for a soft and plump mattress cover, made from spiral fibre which is encased in 100 per cent cotton sheeting. We found it every bit as good as some toppers we tested (that didn’t make this list) at two or three times the price. It fits well on the bed and is machine washable. 7. The Woolroom Deluxe Wool Topper: from £111.99, The Woolroom This soft and cosy topper, made from top-notch British wool, carries the British Allergy Foundation’s Seal of Approval, making it an ideal choice for anyone who suffers from asthma, allergies or eczema.
It’s 3cm thick, extremely well-made, keeps body temperature comfortable throughout the night and is machine washable. 8. Silksleep Topper: from £110, Silksleep This works like a fitted sheet, wrapping right round your mattress. At just 1cm thick, it’s neither firm nor supportive, but the 300 thread-count cotton cover, filled with long-fibre silk, does a particularly good job of regulating body temperature – ideal for women of a certain age – and it feels luxurious. Dust mites hate silk, so it’s also good for allergy sufferers. 9. Soak and Sleep Ultimate Microfibre with Silk Topper: from £60, Soak & Sleep This is a good one for anyone who wants the luxury, springy feel of down and feather, but either can’t afford it or is allergic. The filling – top-quality, hypoallergenic microfibre and silk – is box stitched so the filing doesn’t disappear down one end, no matter how much you toss and turn at night. 10. Marks & Spencer Supersoft Mattress Enhancer: From £89, Marks & Spencer
This is soft but supportive, thanks to the cluster fibres that cushion your body. Particularly well suited to those who get chilly at night, it keeps the bed nice and warm – so probably not the best for those prone to sweating while they sleep. 11. Ikea Talgje: from £65, Ikea Ikea has a wide range of mattress covers, with this one – a blend of cotton and polyester foam filling – towards the bottom of the price range. It has a good, snug fit and although it’s only 3.5cm thick, it offers an indulgent layer of comfort, particularly for the price. It’s not for people who get hot at night and it has an initial chemical odour, although that does disappear over time. 12. Gingerlily Silk Filled Mattress Topper: from £85, Gingerlily This 100 per cent long-strand, silk-filled topper is a great natural body regulator, making it a godsend for anyone who overheats at night, as well as suiting allergy sufferers. It fits on well with elastic straps and the cover is a luxurious 300 thread-count cotton sateen.