This post has been written in collaboration with Leesa. Some links in this post are affiliate links. This means I may receive a small percentage of a sale if you click these links and purchase a product.
Did it ever come to your mind that we spend about a third of our lives in bed? It’s definitely something to think about. And if you think that you are doing everything you can to sleep better at night, think again. When was the last time you changed your mattress? Is your mattress as comfortable for you as you think it should be? Does it give you enough support? For optimal sleep, it’s recommended to change your mattress every 7 years and if your mattress lost its shape or you can feel the springs when lying on it, it’s definitely time to replace it.
We all know how important sleep is for our health so don’t let your old mattress get in the way of a good sleep (just a reminder: sleep is essential for our physical health, mental health and for the prevention of chronic diseases).
In the past month or so I’ve been testing the Leesa mattress, one of the best foam mattresses you can find on the market today or is it? Well, I cannot say it’s the best for sure as I haven’t tested other foam mattresses, but I can certainly give you my full review and honest thoughts about this mattress.
Why should I buy a foam mattress?
Some people wonder why they should buy a foam mattress and not the old-fashioned spring mattress. There are several reasons for that:
- A foam mattress moulds to your body while you sleep making you feel more comfortable which results in better sleep
- A foam mattress last longer and has a minimal loss of support over years
- It’s great for pressure relief especially if you have issues with your joints
- It distributes your body weight evenly, allowing for increased blood circulation
Apparently, spring mattresses lose 16% of their support in the 1st year alone which is really shocking. They also offer poor back support and do not distribute your body weight evenly – this creates pressure points which could result in numbness and soreness. So if you have issues with your joints, you should definitely consider buying a foam mattress. But you should also consider buying this type of mattress if you just want to sleep more comfortably.
Not all the foam mattresses are created equal
When buying a foam mattress you should know that if it’s called ‘a foam mattress’ it doesn’t mean it’s amazing. Certain brands are better than others and not everybody will like a foam mattress from the same brand. Some foam mattresses will suit certain people better. So it’s good to read lots of reviews first before deciding which foam mattress to go for.
The foam mattresses differ in firmness, price, the way they are manufactured, materials and the ability to keep you cool at night. Many foam mattresses feel too hot at night to some people and that’s because they reduce air circulation around your body. However, the Leesa mattress is different as it has a top layer of Avena foam which allows airflow through the mattress for a cooler night’s sleep.
Who is the Leesa mattress for?
The Leesa mattress is designed to cater well for all the sleeping positions so whether you are a side sleeper, a back sleeper or a stomach sleeper, the Leesa mattress should suit you.
The mattress is also great for couples as you don’t really feel your partner move around during the night (the mattress has little to no motion transfer).
How is the Leesa mattress different?
Buying a good foam mattress these days may not be a simple job as there are quite a few brands out there to consider but here is what makes the Leesa mattress different:
- The price tag: Leesa operate exclusively online so that they can offer a premium luxury mattress without the premium price tag.
- Universal adaptive feel: Meticulously engineered with three premium foam layers, so it feels incredible, whether you are a back, stomach or side sleeper.
- 100-night sleep trial: You have 100 days to test your new mattress and if you don’t like it you can return it for free. No questions asked!
- The social impact: Any mattresses that are returned within 100 days are donated to the local charity. The One-Ten program also donates one mattress for every ten sold (to those in needs). What’s more, they plant a tree for each order.
- Accreditations: The Leesa mattress has ‘Which? Best Buy’ status and has been awarded Good Housekeeping Institute approval. It is also Men’s Health Lab approved.
The Leesa mattress – My review
After I ordered the Leesa mattress online, it arrived in 3 days (if I remember right) although they allow 5-7 days for the delivery.
A mattress in the box
The mattress arrived compressed, in a box which is really cool as this takes little space, convenient if you are in the middle of the move. The box is easy to move around and can be moved by one person although I don’t recommend that as it’s quite heavy (about 30kg for standard double mattress).
Once you take the mattress out of the box, there is no way you can put it back so the best is to take it to the room where you are planning to use it first.
Unboxing is easy: you just take the mattress out of the box (on the side) and then position it on any solid or slatted foundation on your bed. You then remove the outer plastic and unfold and unroll the mattress. The mattress will quickly expand and take its shape.
In the beginning, the mattress will have this ‘new’ smell so the best is to leave it bare in the room and open the window and doors so that it ventilates. I found the odour quite strong but leaving the window open and ventilating for a few days helped to get rid of it.
I was worried that this odour may not be good for health but Leesa assured me that the foams in the Leesa mattress are produced using REACH approved chemicals – REACH is an EU regulation concerning the Registration, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals, aiming to provide a high level of protection of human health and the environment from the use of chemicals. This means that even though there is sometimes a slight newly manufactured smell, there is no harm or potential for any hazardous emissions.
My experience
When I first started sleeping on the Leesa mattress, I thought it was so comfortable and so much better than my old spring mattress. No springs to feel, just this wonderful softness.
The mattress, in my opinion, is not too firm, not too soft, I would say it’s medium in terms of firmness. I remember years ago I slept on my cousin’s foam mattress which was firmer than this so the Leesa mattress is not the firmest, that’s for sure. But this is not a bad thing, it really depends on what you are after and your weight. Heavier people may need a firmer mattress as otherwise, they may ‘sink’ in too much.
I felt that the Leesa mattress offered a really good support for my body and my joints. I have some knee issues and certain positions are not good for my knees so I tested those positions on the Leesa mattress and can confidently say that the mattress certainly helped to ease the pressure. Although my knees will never be the same due to injuries, sleeping on the Leesa mattress created less discomfort.
While the Leesa mattress moulds to my body perfectly, this doesn’t make me feel stuck and I find it easy getting out of bed. I understand that some foam mattresses are not like that and some people feel that they are getting ‘stuck’ on the mattress.
My overall experience of the Leesa mattress was great, the only thing that was a slight negative was that I was feeling too hot at night in the beginning when I first started sleeping on the mattress. This shouldn’t have happened as the mattress is designed to keep you cool at night but after contacting the company to inquire about this they explained that I should make sure to use 100% cotton bottom sheets (which I wasn’t using). After changing the sheet, this made the experience better but I am not sure whether I have 100% cotton sheets as most of the labels are washed out. So I definitely need to invest in some good cotton sheets and I am even thinking of getting a thin mattress protector but it has to be made of breathable material, as recommended by Leesa.
The final verdict
Sleeping on a good quality foam mattress definitely makes a difference. It’s so much more comfortable compared to the spring mattress and it’s especially beneficial if you have issues with your joints and need a better support and pressure relief. From that point of view, the Leesa mattress can certainly improve your sleep. And if you are a couple, you will love it, as you won’t feel your partner move at night so they won’t wake you up during the toilet visits.
The Leesa mattress has thousands of positive reviews online so you almost cannot go wrong with buying it. It may be a perfect foam mattress for you, you just have to try it. Remember, you can try it for 100 days and then if you don’t like it, you can return it easily.
If you want to try the Leesa mattress for yourself, I have arranged a discount for my readers – you can get £100 off the Leesa mattress with a code BEHEALTHYNOW. Check out the Leesa website here.
* Full disclosure: This post was created in collaboration with Leesa, who provided a Leesa Mattress for review, but all views and opinions expressed are my own. This post contains affiliate links – I may get a commission if you purchase a product after clicking on a link. This does not cost you anything.