Made in Britain
Single memory foam mattresses
A single memory foam mattress is 90 x 190 cm (3ft x 6ft3) and moulds to the sleeper, suiting side-sleeping children, teenagers, guest rooms and adults who sleep alone. Memory foam singles usually arrive rolled, and slim ones suit bunks.
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90 x 190 cm drawn to scale
- Fits bunk bedsMade in Britain
- Fits bunk bedsMade in Britain
Is a memory foam single mattress good for a child?
A memory foam single suits most school-age children and teenagers, as long as it's supportive: medium to medium-firm rather than soft. Memory foam moulds around the shoulders and hips, which helps children who sleep on their side, and it stays quiet when they turn over.
Children are light, so they sink less into the foam than an adult would, and a mattress that feels medium to you will feel a little firmer to them. Very firm mattresses can feel hard to a child, which is why medium to medium-firm is a better starting point than firm. Memory foam isn't for babies under 12 months, who need a firm, flat cot mattress in line with the Lullaby Trust's safer sleep advice. Browse our kids single mattresses for younger sleepers.
Can a memory foam single go on a bunk bed or high sleeper?
A memory foam single can go on a bunk bed, high sleeper or cabin bed if it's the right size, usually 90 x 190 cm, and no deeper than the maximum mattress line marked on the bed. On many raised beds that line allows 15 to 16 cm.
Under BS EN 747 the line is there to keep at least 16 cm of guard rail above the sleeping surface, and a topper counts towards the depth. Memory foam has two advantages up there. It's usually lighter than a sprung single of the same depth, which helps when you're leaning over a rail to change the sheet, and a slim one is normally a moulding layer over a firmer foam base, so low profile doesn't mean flimsy. The same standard rules out the top level for children under 6. If your bunk or high sleeper isn't a standard single, our bunk bed mattresses and high sleeper mattresses include other sizes.
How deep should a single memory foam mattress be?
A single memory foam mattress should be at or below the maximum mattress line on a raised bed, often 15 to 16 cm, and about 18 to 25 cm on an ordinary bed that an adult sleeps on every night.
| Where the single goes | Depth to look for |
|---|---|
| Top bunk, high sleeper or cabin bed | At or below the maximum mattress line, often 15 to 16 cm |
| Trundle drawer | Often 10 to 15 cm, so the drawer still closes |
| Ordinary bed, child or occasional guest | 15 cm is usually enough |
| Ordinary bed, adult every night | Standard depth, about 18 to 25 cm, or deeper |
With memory foam, look at the depth of the memory foam layer as well as the whole mattress. A slim single only has room for a thin layer, so it usually moulds less closely than a deeper one. Whatever the depth, the fitted sheet needs a pocket deeper than the mattress.
Are memory foam single mattresses hot?
Memory foam singles can feel warmer than sprung ones, because the foam softens with body heat and fits closely around the sleeper, leaving less room for air to move.
Teenagers often sleep hot, so for a teenager who kicks the duvet off every night, a pocket sprung single lets more air through. A cool room helps whatever the mattress: The Sleep Charity suggests around 16 to 18°C. A spare room that's kept cold shows the other side of this: memory foam feels firmer until it warms up, so tell guests it will soften as they settle.
Memory foam or pocket sprung for a single bed?
For a single bed, choose memory foam if the sleeper lies on their side or the mattress has to be light and rolled, and choose pocket springs if they sleep warm, are a heavier teenager or like a springier feel.
- Memory foam single: moulds to shoulders and hips, quiet, usually rolled, but slower to move on.
- Pocket sprung single: springier and easier to turn over on, with more airflow, but heavier, and many arrive flat.
A single usually has one sleeper, so memory foam's best-known strength, passing on very little movement to a partner, counts for less here. Our memory foam mattresses page explains the material in more detail, or compare all our single mattresses.
Will a memory foam single arrive rolled?
Memory foam singles usually arrive rolled: compressed, vacuum packed and boxed, so the box is easy to carry up narrow stairs to a child's bedroom or a loft room. Each mattress page says whether it arrives rolled or flat.
Unbox it soon after delivery and lay it on the bed. It's ready for a child to sleep on after a few hours and reaches full shape within 24 to 72 hours, while any faint new smell fades as the room airs. Most of our mattresses can be delivered the next working day, and our delivery page explains how it works.
We're a family-run shop, and we'd rather check a bed's maximum depth with you than see a mattress sit too high, so send us the make and model if you're unsure.
Single memory foam mattresses: your questions answered
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What depth memory foam single fits a top bunk?
A memory foam single for a top bunk must not rise above the maximum mattress line shown on the bed, which on many bunks allows 15 to 16 cm. The mark on your own bed is the figure that counts. A topper adds to the depth, so leave it off, and keep children under 6 on the bottom bunk.
Is a memory foam single too warm for a teenager?
A memory foam single can feel too warm for a teenager who already sleeps hot, because the foam softens with body heat and hugs the body closely. Breathable bedding and a bedroom of around 16 to 18°C, as The Sleep Charity suggests, both help. If heat is the main complaint, a pocket sprung single lets more air move through.
How long does a memory foam single mattress take to expand?
A rolled memory foam single mattress can usually be slept on a few hours after unboxing and reaches its full shape within 24 to 72 hours. Unbox it soon after delivery rather than leaving it in the box. A faint new smell is normal and fades with airing, so open a window in the bedroom for the first day.
Is a kids memory foam single different from an adult one?
A kids memory foam single is the same 90 x 190 cm size as an adult single, so it fits the same beds. Kids versions are often slimmer and lighter, with medium to medium-firm support and a removable, washable cover. An adult sleeping on a single every night usually wants a deeper mattress of about 18 to 25 cm.
Can an adult sleep on a single memory foam mattress?
An adult can sleep well on a single memory foam mattress if they sleep alone and fit its length. A mattress should be 10 to 15 cm longer than the person on it, so a 190 cm single is long enough for someone up to about 175 to 180 cm tall. Taller adults are better on a 90 x 200 cm European single.
Will a UK memory foam single fit a European single bed?
A UK memory foam single won't fill a European single bed properly. The UK single is 90 x 190 cm and the European single is 90 x 200 cm, so it leaves a 10 cm gap at one end. On a bunk or high sleeper, a gap like that is somewhere a child's arm or leg can get stuck, so buy the size the frame was made for.
Do memory foam single mattresses need turning?
A memory foam single should be rotated head to toe every few weeks for the first three months, then every three months, so it wears evenly. Don't flip it unless the maker says it's two-sided, because the memory foam layer usually sits on the top side only.
Should I use a waterproof protector on a memory foam single?
A waterproof protector is worth having on a child's memory foam single, because the foam itself can't go in the washing machine and spills that soak in are hard to shift. Modern waterproof layers are quieter and more breathable than old plastic sheeting, and a thin protector adds almost no height on a top bunk.
Not sure which mattress?
Tell us about your bed and how you sleep, and we'll suggest a few that fit.