I'm a bedding expert, and I know uni mattresses are always terrible – this is the sleep hack I wish all students knew

Freshers week is all about a fresh start – new life, new city and, very often, a new-found appreciation of how much you miss your bed at home.

Let’s be honest, rarely has someone opened the door to their new uni bedroom and said “wow, that mattress looks incredibly comfortable”.

Mattresses in student halls are generally chosen for function and affordability, and even if you’re in a private rental, I’d be willing to bet your landlord has not secured you a high-end mattress to doze away on.

As a bedding expert, I'm here to tell you that this is why you need some of the best mattress toppers on your radar. They're the secret student hack you need to get to know.

I remember when I had my first night in my bed during my second year at uni. I’d already weathered a smaller-than-single mattress on a wooden plank in first-year halls (this isn’t to scare anyone – I went to uni a few millennia ago and hear uni halls have drastically improved since). But this mattress in my second-year rental was a hard no.

I couldn’t just feel the mattress springs; I could see them. I definitely wish that when I went to uni, mattress toppers had been 'a thing' like they are now.

Why mattress toppers are a secret student hack

What is a mattress topper, you may be wondering? It's a thick, cushioned layer that you put on top of your mattress, and had I had one all those years ago, it would have helped to mask those uncomfortable springs.

A topper is usually made from foam or quilted padding, and sometimes even contains its own springs. As well as smoothing out some of the lumps and bumps in your sleep surface, they're designed to add comfort to your sleep setup.

Firmer mattress toppers, like the IKEA NISSEHOLM mattress topper, will help to tweak a mattress surface that feels too soft, but most are designed to soften up a sleep surface. If you’re waking up with aches and pains, chances are your mattress is too hard – a mattress topper will add some welcome extra cushioning.

The best cooling mattress toppers can even help you regulate your temperature better, if you pick the right one (look for natural fibres, like the wool-filled Woolroom Deluxe Wool Mattress Topper, if your budget allows). This means it could stop you from overheating if you’re prone to getting hot and sticky at night.

Mostly, a mattress topper is a budget-friendly way to upgrade the comfort of your existing mattress and save you the expense of buying a whole new one.

And as a bonus, a mattress topper will also stop you from wondering about the cleanliness of the mattress you’re sleeping on every night. (If you haven't already invested in one of the best mattress protectors, then trust me, you should).

My recommendations

As a sleep-product reviewer, I’ve road-tested a lot of mattress toppers. Below, I’ve rounded up three mattress toppers that I think are perfect for students – comfortable *and* budget-friendly.

Getting a good night’s sleep is essential at uni. After all, good sleep is important for transferring new information into long-term memory.

And sure, there are lots of reasons you might not be sleeping at uni… and they may not all be related to a bad mattress! But don’t let one of those reasons be a rubbish mattress keeping you up all night.

I’m not saying a mattress topper will convert a third into a first, but... every little helps, right?