Sleep better: We test a homegrown, adjustable foam mattress.

Imattress.

T ARRIVED IN a box, smaller than I thought capable of holding such a large (and comfortable, I discovered)

All 35-odd kg of it, which was hauled up several flights of stairs to our bedroom. As bed-buying techniques go, this method was definitely a first for me. Okay, I maybe haven’t bought that many beds. I mean, who has? In spite of how many hours of our lives we spend on them, we don’t change or upgrade our mattresses nearly as often as we should. Let’s face it, buying a bed is generally an onerous mission, and a huge expense. Who wants to willingly go through that complex operation on a regular basis?

Well, a company called Sloom is busy flipping the whole bed-buying experience on its head. Their operation is entirely online, which makes for an effortless buying experience. Using Sloom’s intuitive website tools, you choose exactly what you want from its menu of high-quality South African-made memory-foam mattresses, stylishly designed beds, and memory-foam pillows, and then add your selection to your cart where the purchase is completed. Next comes the free delivery service, within twoto five days, no matter where you are in

South Africa. But that’s not the best part. Sloom has a 100-day trial, meaning you can try out your new purchase for a little more than three months – to give your body time to adjust to the foam, to experiment with different firmness arrangements (yes, the mattresses are adjustable!), and to ensure you’re entirely satisfied with your purchase. After all, spending your hard-earned cash on something you’ll use virtually every day should be an informed decision. If at the end you’re not happy, Sloom will come and collect, free of charge, and refund your money in full. (There are a few Ts and Cs for the trial, which you’ll find on the website.)

So, how was the new mattress? Let’s set the scene… I’m a tall guy, just over 1.9 m. I’m a side- and back sleeper, and I have suffered from lower-back pain in recent years (probably due to too much time at my desk). I do daily core-strengthening exercises to help with the back pain, but a comfortable sleeping position is of paramount importance.

The fact that I could adjust the firmness of my side of the bed, independently of my partner’s, was a uniquely appealing feature. She’s much smaller than me, and a stomach sleeper – our different sleeping strategies require distinct mattress firmness ‘settings’. As such, I arranged my side a little softer, to cushion the pressure points while sidesleeping, and she opted for firmer. The adjustments were quickly achieved by unzipping and rearranging the various colour-coded layers (grey being extra firm, blue – firm, pink – medium, and white – soft).

Our first night on the new mattress went better than I could’ve hoped. I slept super soundly (something my new Fitbit Versa 2 confirmed). Granted, we’d been using a memory-foam mattress all along, so the transition wasn’t too jarring. If you’re coming from a spring mattress it might take a few days to get used to the transition. And the Sloom pillows? … like laying my head down in perfectly soft, puffy clouds. Subsequent nights have been even better, and now I’m waking up with less stiffness than before.

Being able to adjust the firmness is something every mattress should offer, and the 100-day trial, two-year guarantee against faulty workmanship and materials, and a 25-year service warranty offer solid peace of mind. The mattress cover is also fully washable.

Mattresses and beds have been sold in the United States via similar methods to Sloom’s for quite some time, so it’s great to see this technique being adopted locally. Visiting a bed shop is so 2003. – Mark Samuel

Sleeping well should be a basic human right. Local company Sloom has a highly innovative mattress, and selling strategy, to help you achieve that.