We spent the better part of early 2026 asking South Africans about their sleep. Not what they thought they were supposed to say, but what they actually experience: what keeps them awake, what they wish was different, what they have tried and given up on. The findings were illuminating in ways we did not entirely expect.
Back Pain Is More Widespread Than Anyone Talks About
Lower back pain on waking was the single most commonly reported sleep complaint, more common than difficulty falling asleep, more common than waking during the night, more common than fatigue. Most respondents had not connected this to their mattress. They had connected it to their age, their posture, their job, everything except the surface they spent eight hours on every night.
Couples Are Settling for Compromises That Are Not Working
More than half of couple respondents reported that at least one person was not sleeping as well as they wanted to. What was striking was how many had accepted this as permanent, as if the firmness of a shared mattress were a fixed constraint of cohabitation rather than a solvable problem. Most had not considered that the mattress could be different on each side.
Trust Is the Primary Purchase Barrier
The most significant barrier to purchasing a mattress online, cited more often than price was uncertainty about whether it would work. This is why the trial period is not a sales tactic. It is the answer to the most honest question people have about online mattress buying.
What People Actually Want
- Confidence that the mattress will support them correctly.
- A solution to the firmness problem in couple beds.
- Back pain relief or prevention.
- Honest, clear information without pressure.
- A trial period that is genuinely risk-free.
See how Sloom addresses each of these or start your trial at sloom.co.za
Free delivery across South Africa. Easy returns. No pressure.