Mattress Depth vs Sleep Quality

It’s understandable to have a fair few questions when it comes to mattress thickness. After all, does the depth and thickness of a mattress really matter when it comes to getting quality sleep? 

Well… yes it does. 

Of course there are many factors that determine how well you sleep and not just the mattress depth; from the overall firmness level to the cooling abilities of the materials used. Your body weight and preferred sleeping position will also play a pivotal role in your sleep quality. However, the depth and thickness of your mattress will still greatly affect your sleep experience. 

How the mattress is made

We can’t really talk about the depth and thickness of a mattress without talking about its structure and construction as well. In fact, how a mattress is made matters just as much as the overall depth. 

Higher quality mattresses are usually in the range of 9-12 inches, but the difference in thickness of a few inches doesn’t make much difference, as long as the mattresses are well made. For example a well-made 10 inch mattress can still be just as comfortable and supportive as a well-made 12 inch mattress, generally speaking.

When we say well-made we’re also referring to the quality of materials used in its construction, and a mattress that has a greater depth is able to fit in more of these sleep enhancing materials.

Filled with more comfort and support

More often than not the depth of a mattress is linked with its overall quality, because the thinner ones tend to have a lot less fillings inside. It’s these fillings that determine exactly how the mattress makes you feel, and how it supports you alongside the spring unit. This is why you really need to know the Grams per square meter (GSM) of any mattress you are considering.

This is why John Ryan mattresses are thicker and deeper than many other cheaply made alternatives, as they are packed with substantial layers of high quality upholstery fillings. 

Many cheaply made, mass-produced mattresses are often only one sided. This means that even if they have some decent fillings, they don’t have to provide the same quantity of fillings on either side. A lot of our mattresses are also fully-turnable, such as our Origins Pocket Reflex 1000, which provides the same quantity of fillings on either side, so that you get the same level of soothing comfort no matter which side you sleep on. 

How deep should a quality mattress be?

It’s difficult to determine just how deep a quality mattress should be in terms of a minimum depth, because it’s such a hotly debated question. Before we go into it though, we do have our sizes listed here to help you. 

We can’t compare our standard depths to other comparison brands, as that important information is not disclosed to us. However, we can tell you that our standard depths for our Origins and Artisan range are between 12 and 13 inches. This includes the depth of the quality pocket spring unit, and the layers of upholstery on top of that to provide the comfort layers. 

It’s worth noting that the pre-tuft height of our mattresses will be a few inches more. But after tufting the mattress upholstery is neatly compressed to avoid problems such as movement and undue settlement. Because our mattresses are so jam packed with sleep soothing quality fillings, a specialist tufting machine is the only way to get the tufts in tight enough. 

If you ever come across mattresses that are less than 9 inches, it’s best to avoid them, as there will simply not be enough material, upholstery or support to last long term. The same goes for rolled and boxed mattresses. If they can be rolled and boxed the likelihood is they are light on fillings. Your quality of sleep will suffer because of this, as compression and sagging will occur far quicker with these thinner mattresses. 

If you have any other questions about how mattress depth can improve the quality of your sleep, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 0161 437 4419.