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This Silentnight mattress is the perfect companion for back- and side-sleepers

We blissfully drifted off and kept our cool even during warm summer nights

Dominique Boulan
Tuesday 18 July 2023 05:28 EDT
The medium-firm mattress provides support in all the right places
The medium-firm mattress provides support in all the right places (The Independent)

A good night’s rest is oh so important; it allows time for your mind and body to recharge, so you can start the next day fresh. Quality sleep helps improve brain performance, mood and health, so there are many benefits to be had from our daily beauty sleep.

To get your full eight hours of shut-eye a night, comfort is of the utmost importance, so make sure you’re properly set up with the best pillows, mattress toppers, duvets and, of course, mattress. There’s a whole range of mattress brands and types across all price categories, and sleeping position is an important factor when it comes to choosing which mattress might be best for you.

There are memory foam and pocket-sprung mattresses, as well as hybrids (which feature a combination of foam of springs) to choose from. A side sleeper will benefit from a mattress that considers the vulnerable pressure points (such as hips and shoulders) and has adequate cushioning, while front sleepers need plenty of support, and back sleepers have more flexible options as the position doesn’t interfere with spinal alignment.

Convenience will also be a factor, as you’ll need to get the mattress onto your bed. For that reason, bed-in-a-box brands have become more popular and all you have to do is unpack and unroll.

Silentnight has been in the business for more than 75 years, perfecting its mattresses to help get the perfect eight hours of sleep, so it’s safe to say the brand knows what it’s doing. It has a range of seven rolled mattresses that are delivered straight to the bedroom, and we put one of its designs to the test.

How we tested

We unpacked the mattress and, following instructions, let it set for 24 hours once rolled out on our bed before sleeping on it. Over a two-week period, we’ve slept through both warmer and more crisp nights, so we got a good feel of how the mattress faired during different conditions.

To find out how well the mattress absorbed movement, we wanted to see whether our fellow tester’s tossing and turning would wake us up. We also paid special attention to how well the mattress regulated our body temperature and kept us from overheating and, most important of all, how comfy it was.

Silentnight just breathe eco comfort hybrid mattress, double

Silentnight just breathe hybrid mattress
  • Mattress sizes: Single, double or king
  • Type: Hybrid
  • Warranty: 10 years
  • Sleep trial: 365 nights

Design and features

The just breathe eco comfort hybrid mattress arrived rolled up in plastic packaging, so no unboxing necessary, and was delivered right to our door. It comes in UK standard single (£369), double (£449) and king (£509) sizes. We tested a double standard and, at 26kg, it was quite heavy to manoeuvre. While we managed to drag it to our bed and unroll the mattress on our own, we would recommend calling in back-up or, even better, using Silentnight’s option for delivery to a room of choice, meaning they’ll do all the heavy lifting for you.

When unwrapping the mattress, we immediately noticed how soft its top layer was, which made it look inviting and we couldn’t wait to try it out… but Silentnight recommends letting the mattress decompress for 24 hours, so that’s what we did. While the mattress didn’t look too thick upon unrolling, after having let it set for a day, it reached its full 24cm height.

The mesh-fabric on the sides of the mattress looks like a breathable material, but we did have to be careful not to damage it when cutting open the mattress’ packaging. The corners on this mattress are slightly more rounded than on our previous one, so our sheets fitted a little more loosely around the edges.

Read more: Hypnos wool origins 6 mattress review

The just breathe eco comfort mattress is a hybrid that combines 1,000 individually responsive pocket springs with an eco comfort fibre layer and 3D fabric. For extra support, there’s miracoil and mirapocket spings. The first is made from a continuous stretch of wire and provides great support. It can also reduce disturbance from a partner’s tossing and turning.

Silentnight’s exclusive mirapocket design essentially has the same structure as regular pocket-sprung mattresses, meaning they’re individual springs spread out and designed to move with the contours of your body. Again, this helps reduce partner disturbance and eliminate roll together. The main difference with regular springs is its zoned support; the top and bottom zones are softer to keep the upper- and lower body comfortable, but the mid-region provides firm support for the lower back and hips – promoting spine alignment and improving posture. The difference between the sections of the mattress was immediately noticeable when we unrolled the mattress, with the top and bottom denting more when pressed.

Read more: Simba hybrid luxe mattress review

The eco comfort fibre layer is made using sustainable, breathable material that can help you stay cool at night. This, in particular, was an important feature for us.

Finally, the mattress is covered in a hypoallergenic soft knit fabric, which feels incredibly soft to touch but, as this cover isn’t removable for washing, it might be worth purchasing a mattress protector to make sure the mattress stays in top condition for longer.

Mattress comfort

The medium-firm mattress really hits the sweet spot. While it’s firm enough to feel supportive, the soft fabric of the top layer still made it feel like you sink into it a little. The breathable eco layer really does what it’s supposed to, and we noticed we woke up a lot less during the night from overheating (except from on exceptionally hot summer nights). It made us keep our cool, meaning a good night’s rest.

Previously, we would often wake up with sore shoulders and lower back, but we noticed improvement after using this mattress for a while. It keeps our back and hips well supported and, as we’re a side- and back-sleeper, it’s exactly what we needed to keep our posture in check.

Read more: Can this Dormeo mattress keep you cool?

When lying down, you can feel your body slightly sinking into the mattress; it’s quite subtle, and feels more like a warm hug than the mattress absorbing you. We’d say there’s a perfect balance between firmness and softness, making it extremely comfy.

Overall, we’ve loved this mattress during our testing time. It’s comfortable and we’ve noticed we drift off a lot quicker as we spend less time tossing and turning to find the right sleeping position. We’ve also noticed we wake up less often during the night, and find it harder to say goodbye to our bed in the morning, which for a mattress is usually a good sign.

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The verdict: Silentnight just breathe eco comfort hybrid mattress

Expectations are high when ‘comfort’ is literally in the name, but this Silentnight mattress did not disappoint. We found the brand’s signature zoned springs really helped improve our posture overnight, as we woke up without any aches in the morning. The eco comfort fibre layer kept us from overheating and the mattress perfectly absorbed movement from our fellow tester too, making sure we slept through the night. It also falls in the mid-range price category, so, if you’re on the lookout for a comfortable yet firm mattress that won’t make too big of a dent in your wallet, we’d recommend you pay a visit to Silentnight.

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