Mattress types explained

There are a number of mattress technologies on the market today. Here is a brief overview of the options available to consumers.

 

 Traditional spring mattresses (Open Coil)

Spring mattresses come in a number of different formats but the principle has remained broadly the same since the early 1900s: a series of coils are housed within the fabric of the mattress.
By varying the thickness of the wire, the density of coils, and the height of each spring, manufacturers can create different mattress tensions to suit the weight and physiology of an individual.
However, open coil mattresses are considered to be inferior to newer mattress technologies in terms of weight distribution and pressure relief. The centre of a spring mattress is typically much softer than the edges and, as the integrity
of the coils is compromised over time, the surface can become lumpy and uneven. This uneven upward pressure from the springs may aggravate existing aches and pains.

Pro's - Generally at the cheaper end of the market.

Con's - Partner movement felt more, padding not as deep as others on market

Example - Tyne mattress

 

Pocket spring mattresses were developed to provide sleepers with greater support and pressure relief than traditional spring mattresses. The coils of pocket springs are clustered into small groups and wrapped within a pocket of
fabric, providing more even support than traditional spring mattresses.
Arranging each cluster of springs in this way helps the mattress to adjust to the contours of the body and reduces roll-together, which leads to partners disturbing each other at night.

Pocket spring mattresses can also come in a broad range of tensions from hard to soft. They also come with varying spring counts, a 1000 spring unit is the general starting point increasing in count the higher up the price scale you go. More springs will give you more support.

Pro's - Less partner movement felt. Fillings are usually all natural like wool, cotton or cashmere. This provides a  cooler sleeping surface.

Con's - High spring count units can be quite heavy and require 2 people to turn & rotate.

Example - Millbrook Luxury Quilted 2000

Latex mattresses

Latex is a material made by harvesting the sap of a rubber tree. Latex is known as a durable mattress technology with significant elasticity.

Pro's - Adapt to the shape of a sleeper quickly to support an even distribution of weight. A cooler alternative to memory foam

Con's - 'Spongy' feel is not to everyone's taste

Memory foam mattresses

Memory foam mattresses have grown in popularity over the last couple of decades due to their ability to respond to the shape and pressure exerted by an individual. It was a big step forward in mattress technologies.
The most widely known Memory Foam technology is visco elastic foam, which is a material originally used in space travel and has been more recently manufactured in a range of densities and tensions for the general public sleep on.

Pro's - Less partner movement felt. Good support for posture alignment & pressure relief. Great for those with allergies.

Con's - Memory foam requires body heat to mould to the shape of the body and deliver comfort at night. This means:
1. Finding comfort can take time depending on the
temperature of the mattress
2. Mattresses may deliver different levels of support and
pressure relief depending on the season and room
temperature.
3. Sleepers may overheat as heat cannot escape easily.

Example - Active Primo

Gel foam mattresses
Gel mattresses offer similar benefits to memory foam in terms of pressure relief and support. Typically, these mattress technologies incorporate small beads of gel alongside the other ingredients of the foam mix. While gel foam mattresses may feel similar to memory foam mattresses they are considered to dissipate heat more effectively.

Pocket spring mattresses can be combined with other technologies such as Medical Grade Foam, memory foam, or latex to create “Hybrid” mattresses to counteract the negative pressure caused by the springs ‘fighting back'.

Example - Mlily Bamboo Plus Serene

Medical Grade Foam & TrueGel Mattresses

The newer technologies on the market.

Medical Grade™ Foam is a technology derived from the high specification foam used in healthcare. Arguably the first mattress technology designed specifically for the human body, Medical Grade™ Foam is considered to be the next
evolution of memory/visco-elastic foam. This technology responds immediately to the shape and weight of each sleeper without the need for heat, making it more responsive and less hot, whilst eliminating partner “roll-together” through the night.
TrueGel mattresses replace springs with a layer of gel pockets, these claim to increase the airflow by up to 400%, giving you a cooler sleep.

Pro's - Less partner movement felt. Good for pressure relief and posture alignment. Temperature neutral, so you won't be too hot or cold.

Con's - Due to being new technology they can be at the higher end of the price bracket. Some mattresses are quite heavy, although they generally don't need turning over, just rotating.

Example - Sonlevo True Gel Signature Mattress