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.

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 Fibre 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 fibres. 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.

What Makes Wool Mattresses a Great Choice?

We believe wool can genuinely transform the way you sleep – and there’s a good reason it’s been used in bedding for centuries.

As a natural fibre, wool offers a rare combination of comfort, breathability and durability. Try as they might, no synthetic material has ever truly replicated the benefits of nature’s miracle material. And even other natural fillings struggle to match wool’s performance.

When layered over a supportive pocket-spring system, wool creates a sleeping environment that actively helps your body rest, recover and regulate its temperature throughout the night.

Want to know more? Here are some of the key reasons:

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:

Which Mattress is Best for You?

To help you determine which mattress is best for you, we’ve compiled all the key features and specifications of each of our models into the table below.

Want to compare specific models against one another?

Use our Mattress Comparison Tool to help you find the right one for you.

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.

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