Why Mattress Type Matters: What to Look for in Your Next Mattress
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Bedroom
We all know what a massive difference a good night’s sleep can make. And having a good mattress is a crucial component of helping you get those big Z’s. But what actually makes a good mattress?
With all the mattress brands and options out there (not to mention all the different jargon), things can get more than a little confusing!
Maybe you’ve had a bad mattress experience you don’t want to repeat. Or perhaps you slept on a fantastic mattress somewhere, and wish you knew exactly why it felt so heavenly. You may be wondering whether there are any universal laws and guidelines to finding the ideal mattress, or if it mostly comes down to trial and error, or maybe even luck?
Buying your next mattress is a critical decision, and can feel a little daunting, but it doesn’t have to be a guessing game. In this guide, we’ll talk through the essential things you need to know about mattress types, what mattress features really matter, as well as individual factors you’ll need to consider in finding your ideal mattress.
Read on and let’s get you that amazing sleep you crave!
It’s hard to overstate the importance of choosing a good mattress. The difference between sleeping on a poor-quality mattress and a good quality one that meets your sleep needs is (quite literally) night and day.
Here are a few of the immediate and longer-term reasons why putting in the time and effort to pick the right mattress is absolutely worth it:
Sleeping on a good support system is not only key to preventing unnecessary aches and pains that would result from a lack of proper support—it can also help proactively in relieving and reducing existing aches and pains.
After all, sleep is our body’s daily opportunity for essential R&R! A comfortable and supportive mattress helps ensure our body can properly relax and focus on all the restorative work it needs to be doing during sleep.
If you struggle with back pain, joint pain, or other acute or chronic Musculo-skeletal issues, there are naturally underlying factors that need to be addressed, but studies have shown that sleeping on a good mattress can improve pain, stiffness and sleep quality by up to 60 percent.
Optimizes your sleeping time
With our busier than ever lifestyles, sleep is often a precious commodity. While there are so many things that can rob us of the sleep hours we need, ensuring we have the best possible mattress can help us make the most of the sleep hours we do manage to carve out by giving us the best chance of falling asleep quickly, and staying asleep through the night with minimal disruptions to our sleeping comfort.
Improves your overall health and quality of life
Science is very clear on the fact that quality sleep is central to our health and wellbeing—on par with good nutrition and regular exercise. While individual sleep needs vary to some degree, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine says that 7 or more hours of sleep per night is a necessity for all healthy adults, and specifies that reaping the proper benefits of sleep is dependent on good sleep quality.
While there are certainly other factors involved, mattress quality plays directly into sleep quality.
Saves you time and money in the long run
From a practical perspective, it makes logistical and financial sense to invest in a sensible, good quality mattress that will serve your needs for a good 10 years or more.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of making a hasty decision or going for a bargain without ensuring the mattress is really right for you, but this is likely to cost you in extra time, money and effort spent having to replace your mattress again in a few years.
As far as possible, this is a purchase where you want to choose wisely the first time round to save time, money and frustration in the long run.
The benefits of a good mattress speak loud and clear. But now we need to get into the nitty gritty of what actually makes for a ‘good’ mattress.
There are hundreds if not thousands of different mattress features, designs, materials, sleep technologies, and other ‘bells and whistles’ making a lot of noise in the world of bedding. But the truth is, there’s only a handful of key features you need to understand to be able to find your way around when shopping for your next mattress.
The support layer is really the defining feature of any mattress (literally, it’s what defines the mattress type). The support layer can be made up of either springs (Innerspring mattresses), foam (Memory Foam, Latex or Pure Foam mattresses), or a combination of the two (Hybrid Mattresses).
The quality of the materials and their specific configuration will inform the quality of support provided by a mattress, and its overall ‘feel’, since each material offers its own unique characteristics.
The best support layers are robust and durable, and provide the underlying support necessary to keep your body (and specifically your spine) properly aligned in a healthy sleeping posture. The support that’s most appropriate for you will depend on your preferred sleeping position, and to some degree on your size and weight.
Here are some additional, non-essential mattress features you might want to look at, depending on your personal needs and budget:
Now that we have a better understanding of some mattress fundamentals and features, it’s time for the crucial question—how to figure out what mattress type is going to be your ideal match.
To sum up, here are the essential things you should be prioritising as you consider what mattress to buy:
With these in mind, let’s take a more detailed look at the characteristics and various benefits of the major mattress types—specifically, pure foam, memory foam, latex, innerspring and hybrid mattresses. We’ve also got some recommendations to help you find an affordable, high-quality mattress that meets your personal needs.
Pure Foam Mattresses
Pure foam mattresses are made up of multiple layers of foam which can include memory foam and latex. However, with pure foam we’re usually talking about mattresses where both the support layer and comfort layer consist of what’s commonly called ‘reflex foam’ or ‘high resilience foam’ – a type of polyurethane compound which is firmer than memory and latex foam.
Reflex foam has tiny holes which allow the foam to respond well to pressure, compressing and conforming to the contours of your body, and springing back instantly when the pressure is removed.
The benefits:
The Ergorest Curve is ideal for side sleepers, with medium firmness and more nuanced support for the natural curves of your body. High quality pure foam ensures zero motion transfer, while the hypoallergenic quilted bamboo fabric cover ensures you stay cool and sweat-free through the night.
Memory Foam Mattresses
Memory foam is a special compound originally designed for use in aircraft to offer a superior cushioning effect. Memory foam responds to body heat to mould to the exact shape of your body, but will return to its original form when the heat and pressure are removed.
In mattresses this makes for a perfectly customised sleeping surface that moulds to accommodate pressure points while offering consistent support throughout the mattress. They’re especially ideal for side and back sleepers, but due to their softer, ‘cradling’ feel, may not be ideal for stomach sleepers who generally require a firmer sleeping surface.
Traditional memory foam has a reputation for trapping heat and sleeping warmer than other mattress types. However, mattress manufacturers have improved on the technology in many ways to improve temperature regulation.
Visco Pedic’s new generation memory foam, for example, is designed with open-celled polymers to ensure better breathability and less heat retention for a cooler, more comfortable sleep.
The benefits:
Latex Mattresses
Latex mattresses can be made from either natural or man-made latex. Either way, latex offers a firmer, more resilient or ‘bouncier’ feel than other types of foam, which tends to suit back sleepers and stomach sleepers especially well. Side-sleepers who are on the lighter side may find latex a little too firm for their liking, but it will naturally come down to personal preference.
The benefits:
Innerspring Mattresses
Innerspring mattresses have a support layer consisting of a system of steel coils, usually with a thin layer of foam or pillowtop comfort layer. The springs provide a firmer, bouncier level of support which is fairly uniform across the mattress surface. This is generally better suited to back and stomach sleepers than side sleepers.
The coil count and coil gauge are important indicators of mattress quality. Coil gauge typically ranges from 12-15 with lower numbers corresponding to higher firmness and better durability. When it comes to coil count, higher is better – look for upwards of 400 coils in a quality queen size mattress.
The main downside of innerspring mattresses is their generally poor durability—the coils tend to lose uniformity over time, becoming uneven, uncomfortable, and potentially noisy. There is also no motion isolation, so you’ll feel your partner’s every move in the night.
The benefits:
Hybrid Mattresses
Hybrid mattresses are one of the newer mattress types and have quickly become very popular thanks to their ‘best of both’ combination of foam and springs.
Some hybrids combine a coil spring system with a substantial foam comfort layer which may consist of memory foam or latex, providing more balanced and nuanced support than traditional innerspring mattresses.
However, the most popular hybrid mattresses feature pocket springs which work independently of each other to provide custom support and pressure relief. The pocket spring system can be enhanced with a comfort layer of pure foam, memory foam, latex, or layered combinations. Back and stomach sleepers may want to look at a hybrid featuring a latex comfort layer, while side sleepers may prefer the more forgiving feel of memory foam or pure foam.
The benefits:
Entry-level mattress: Ergorest Flex (Pocket Springs + Memory Foam)
The Ergorest Flex gives you the flexible support of individual pocket springs combined with the pressure-relief of memory foam at great value for money. The mattress has a medium firmness rating best suited to side and back sleepers, and promises to keep you cool and comfy with its hypoallergenic, anti-bacterial quilted bamboo cover. It comes with a 10-year warranty.
Best all-rounder: Visco Pedic Cloud Comfort (Pocket Springs + Memory Foam)
The Cloud Comfort offers the ideal balance of support and comfort with the combination of pocket springs for better spine alignment, and an indulgent layer of high-density, pressure-relieving memory foam for that feeling of cloudlike comfort. With a medium-firm rating (7), this mattress suits all sleeping positions and ensures complete motion isolation for couples who want to sleep undisturbed. It supports up to 110kg either side, and comes with a 15 year warranty.
Best for back support: Visco Pedic Core Plus (Custom Pocket Springs + Memory Foam & High Resilience Foam)
The Core Plus features a specialised pocket spring system with a ‘magic middle’ where firmer gauge coils offer superior support in the lower and middle back region, making this an ideal mattress for back sleepers and anyone struggling with back pain. The pillowtop comfort layer combines pressure-relieving memory and high resilient foam to offer a supportive and inviting sleep surface with a medium-firm feel (7.5) that will also suit heavier-built side-sleepers. Supports up to 130kg per side.
Best combination for ultimate comfort: Visco Pedic Premium Comfort (Pocket Springs + Memory Foam & Latex Eurotop)
Combining pocket springs and a luxurious Eurotop of memory foam and latex layers, the Premium Comfort mattress offers an ideal combination of pressure relief, resilience and breathability for all-round comfort that’s built to last. This extra-depth mattress is rated medium-firm (7.5) and supports weights of up to 130kg per person, making it a versatile all-rounder in the premium mattress category.
Best luxury mattress with custom support: Visco Pedic Hybrid Plus (Custom Pocket Springs + High Resilience Foam)
The Hybrid Plus Mattress features a premium extra-depth comfort layer of SABS quality approved pure foam, supported by an individual pocket spring system with a ‘magic middle’ of firm gauge coils for superior back support. Offering a welcoming and soothing sleep surface with a medium firmness rating, this mattress is ideal for back and side sleepers up to 100kg.
We’ve got good news for you… Your best years, and best nights are still ahead of you! It all starts with choosing a mattress that’s going to hit your sweet spot for support and comfort. With the right mattress, you’ll have the key ingredient to transform your sleep—and in turn, your quality of life.
We hope this guide has answered those pressing questions about what really matters in a mattress and how to choose the best mattress type for your needs and personal sleep preferences. If you’re ready to take the next step, check out our range of affordable, premium quality mattresses online or visit your nearest Cielo showroom today.
Find more tips & advice for creating your ideal sleep experience: The Bedroom Match-Up Demystified:
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