Mattress Buying Guide
The Impact of Your Mattress on Your Sleep
A good night's sleep starts long before you close your eyes. It begins the moment you pull back the sheets and settle onto a comfortable surface - a mattress that supports your body, regulates your temperature, and helps you fall into deeper, more restorative sleep.
We spend roughly a third of our lives in bed, yet many of us hold onto a mattress long after it's stopped working for us. Discomfort, restlessness, overheating, or pressure points often creep in slowly, until they become impossible to ignore.
The right mattress can transform your sleep routine. It can ease pressure, reduce tossing and turning, support your back and joints, and help keep night sweats and allergens at bay - so you wake feeling genuinely rested.
In this buying guide, we’ll walk you through what really matters when choosing a mattress, explain why wool works best, and ultimately help you find the one that works with your body, not against it.
How to Decide on Mattress Firmness Levels?
Choosing the right firmness (or tension) is one of the most important steps in finding a mattress that really supports your body. Yet it’s also one of the most misunderstood. Many people assume that ‘firmer means uncomfortable’ or that ‘soft is always the most comfortable,’ but these are common misconceptions.
The reality is that we’re all different. The ideal tension depends on a combination of factors: your body type, your sleep position, and your personal preference when it comes to comfort.
Here, at the Woolroom, we offer three mattress firmness options: Firm, Regular and Soft. Let us talk you through them.
Soft
A soft mattress gently cradles your body, allowing your hips and shoulders to sink in slightly.
It’s best for:
- Side sleepers who need extra cushioning on pressure points
- Lighter-weight sleepers
- Anyone who prefers to ‘sink in’ to their mattress.
It feels: plush, cushioned, and pressure-relieving.
Regular
Our regular tension, sometimes described as ‘medium’ by other brands, offers a balanced level of support. It keeps your spine aligned while still providing enough comfort for most sleeping positions.
It’s best for:
- Most types of sleepers
- Combination sleepers (those who shift between positions at night)
- Couples with different firmness preferences
It feels: supportive yet comfortable, without too much sink or push-back.
Firm
A firm mattress keeps the body lifted and well supported, preventing excessive sinkage.
It’s best for:
- Back or stomach sleepers
- Heavier-weight sleepers
- Sleepers who prefer a stable, more supportive feel
It feels: strong, stable and supportive – ideal for maintaining spinal alignment.
Sleep Positions and How They Impact Which Mattress You Should Buy
There are four primary sleeping positions – side, back, stomach and a combination of any of the three. Each position places pressure on different parts of your body, which means the type of support and cushioning you need can vary.
Below you’ll find a quick guide to the four sleeping positions and how they should influence your mattress choice.
Side Sleepers
Side sleeping is the most common position. It creates pressure on the shoulders and hips, so a mattress with enough cushioning is essential to keep the spine aligned and reduce discomfort.
What side sleepers need is: gentle contouring and pressure relief
Back Sleepers
Back sleepers typically need balanced, even support that keeps the spine in a neutral position. Too much sink can cause lower-back strain, while overly firm mattresses can create pressure on the upper back.
What back sleepers need is: stable support with a touch of cushioning.
Stomach Sleepers
Stomach sleeping places more pressure on the lower back, meaning sleepers can easily dip into the mattress if it’s too soft. A firmer tension helps keep the hips lifted and spine aligned.
What stomach sleepers need is: firmer, more elevated support.
Combination Sleepers
Combination sleepers shift between positions throughout the night. They need a mattress that adapts quickly, offers balanced support, and feels comfortable whether they’re on their side, back or stomach.
What combination sleepers need is: responsive, medium-balanced comfort.
| Sleeping Position | Key Pressure Areas | What You Need in a Mattress | Recommended Firmness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side | Shoulders, hips | Good cushioning and contouring to relieve pressure | Soft or Regular |
| Back | Lower back, upper back | Even, stable support with gentle comfort layers | Regular or Firm |
| Stomach | Lower back, hips | Firmer support to prevent dipping and maintain spinal alignment | Firm |
| Combination | Varies throughout the night | Responsive feel that adapts quickly, offering balanced comfort and support | Regular |
What Types of Mattress Can I Buy?
As well as your sleeping position, it’s also important to consider the different types of mattress available. Each type offers a different configuration of comfort, support, breathability and durability. Knowing how they compare can make your decision considerably easier.
We’ve put together this short overview of the most common types you’ll find when mattress shopping:
Pocket Spring Mattresses
Pocket spring mattresses contain hundreds – sometimes thousands – of individual springs, each housed in its own fabric pocket. The springs move independently, so they contour to your body to provide consistent support across the surface.
They’re best for: balanced support, breathability and couples
What sets them apart: they’re responsive to movement, durable and maintain good airflow
Natural Fiber Mattresses
Packed with natural materials, such as wool, cotton, silk, cashmere, horsehair, mohair and more, they’re designed to offer a clean, natural sleep experience. They’re breathable, hypoallergenic, moisture-wicking and chemical-free.
Some traditional mattresses also use feather and down as a comfort layer. While natural, these fillings tend to compress over time, offer limited support and can retain heat or trigger allergies - which is why they’re far less commonly recommended today.
They’re best for: hot sleepers, allergy sufferers, eco-conscious buyers
What sets them apart: when filled with materials like wool, they offer cooler sleep and excellent moisture control. They’re also sustainable and hypoallergenic.
Pillow-Top Mattresses
With a pillow-top mattress, you get an extra comfort layer – often consisting of mini-springs, wool or natural fibers. It’s stitched onto the top of the mattress to create a plush, cushioned feel.
They’re best for: a softer, hotel-style sleep surface
What sets them apart: it’s all about the luxurious feel and enhanced pressure relief they can deliver.
Open-Coil (Traditional) Spring Mattresses
Made from a single interlinked spring system. They’re typically more affordable but offer less contouring and can transfer movement more easily.
They’re best for: guest or spare rooms or short-term use
What sets them apart: they’re often more budget-friendly and lighter, but also less adaptive.
Memory Foam Mattresses
Memory foam softens with heat and pressure, moulding closely to the body. This can feel enveloping, but it may also trap heat and feel less breathable.
They’re best for: deep contouring, minimal motion transfer
What sets them apart: they provide that sink-in feel, which can be appealing, but can be slow to respond to movement, while the sleep experience can be consistently warmer.
Hybrid Mattresses
Hybrids combine pocket springs with foam or latex layers. They aim to offer the support of springs with the softness or contouring of foam.
They’re best for: blending bounce with cushioning
What sets them apart: they’re offer a more versatile feel depending on top layer.
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Hypoallergenic and cleaner by design
Wool is naturally hypoallergenic – it’s resistant to dust mites, mould spores and bacteria. When compared to materials like feather and down - which can compress, retain moisture and trigger allergies - wool provides a cleaner, more hygienic sleep environment.
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Naturally fire-resistant
Wool is a keratin fiber – it’s naturally high in water and nitrogen content. This composition gives it flame-resistant properties. There’s no need for the chemical treatments often used in foam or polyester-based mattresses. It means you can rest easier at night.
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Durable and resilient
Wool fibers naturally spring back into shape, helping your mattress maintain its structure and comfort over time. Unlike foam, which can soften or form body impressions, or feather and down, which can clump and flatten, wool keeps performing night after night.
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Sustainable and ethically sourced
Here, at the Woolroom, our mattresses are filled with British wool (the best type!). You can even trace it back to the farm it came from, with our Wool ID® traceability program. It’s sustainable, and all produced by sheep reared on a diet of water, grass and sunshine. Learn more about the importance of having the right wool for the right bedding.
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Breathable and moisture-wicking
Forget the stereotypes of woolly jumpers in warm weather - wool is incredibly breathable. It allows air to circulate and draws moisture away from your body when you’re warm, helping to keep your sleep environment cool, dry and comfortable.
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Temperature regulating
Wool actively helps your body stay at a comfortable temperature as you sleep. The fibers respond to changes in heat and humidity, reducing the build-up that can lead to overheating or night sweats - ideal for hot sleepers or couples with different temperature needs.
How To Choose A Mattress From Woolroom
We currently offer seven handcrafted models in our wool mattress range – with something for every sleeper. Whether you struggle with allergies, night sweats or simply want a more natural, sustainable way to sleep, there's a Woolroom mattress to suit your needs.
Below, we’ve broken down each model in our collection:
Classic Wooly Mattress
Our Classic Wooly Mattress offers an affordable all natural mattress combining 2000 coils with the finest hand-selected natural fillings to offer a supportive and comfortable sleeping surface. A simple, yet natural design provides you with a natural environment to let you sleep peacefully.
Deluxe Wooly Mattress
Introducing the Luxury Wooly Mattress - our most luxurious mattress ever designed, delivering unparalleled comfort and support using 8,500 of the latest coil technology combined with the finest, hand-selected natural fillings. A Merino wool blended outer cover ensures this mattress is completely chemical free, while also being naturally flame resistant.
Luxury Wooly Mattress
Introducing the Luxury Wooly Mattress - our most luxurious mattress ever designed, delivering unparalleled comfort and support using 8,500 of the latest coil technology combined with the finest, hand-selected natural fillings. A Merino wool blended outer cover ensures this mattress is completely chemical free, while also being naturally flame resistant.
What Is The Most Comfortable Mattress?
A natural and handmade mattress, The Wooly combines layers of the latest spring technologies with layers of hand-picked British wool. This unique combination offers an exceptional level of support and comfort that fibers such as memory foam or latex simply can’t match.
What Type Of Mattress Is Best For The environment?
Unlike many other mattresses, The Wooly is free of foams, synthetics, glues and adhesives, petrochemicals and chemical flame retardants. This means that every component of The Wooly mattress is recyclable, breathable, eco-friendly and ethically sourced – providing a healthier sleep for you, and a healthier environment for our planet.
How To Choose A Mattress With Woolroom
Ready to transform the way you sleep? Take a look at The Wooly mattress collection for a natural, breathable and eco-friendly sleep that doesn’t cost the Earth.
FAQs
Ready to Find Your Perfect Wool Mattress?
Explore our full range of Classic and Artisan Wool Mattresses today.
For the complete clean sleep experience, bundle with a wool mattress protector and topper from our collection – you’ll find full help and advice on choosing the right one to pair with your mattress in our toppers and protectors buying guides.
Looking For More Buying Guides?
Check out a selection of other buying guides via the link below.