By Marie Amanda
The debate between soft versus firm mattresses has continued for decades, with benefits and drawbacks to both options continually presented here in East Africa.
While some people prefer the stable support of harder, less forgiving mattresses, others choose softer and more lenient beds to spend their nights on. With the selection of mattresses increasing constantly, use this breakdown of mattress styles, functions and options to select which design and material is right for you.
Comfort vs Support
One difficulty in the pursuit of the perfect mattress is the division between comfort and support. For years, hard mattresses have been recommended as essential for proper back support, and the only option for maintaining healthy spine alignment during sleep for people who are of the age bracket 15 – 45.
Younger and older people were to sleep on soft mattresses owing to the delicateness of their bones.
Contrastingly, more and more mattresses are marketed purely for comfort, claiming to mimic the softness of sleeping on a cloud. While sleeping comfortably is an obvious aspiration for most people shopping for a new bed, an aching back lacking adequate support clearly presents an obstacle to a good night’s sleep as well.
With all of the different types of mattresses available, finding the one that is right for you can be confusing. So let us take the guesswork out of your decision by explaining what makes them different and what each type of mattress has to offer. The most common types of mattresses available are traditional innerspring mattresses, latex foam mattresses and visco-elastic memory foam mattresses. Here is a brief guide on the features and benefits of each type.
Innerspring Mattresses
Innerspring mattresses are the most common type of mattresses. They consist of a spring zone and a comfort layer. The innerspring is the source of support and provides proper spinal alignment while you sleep.
Beneath the ticking of the mattress are the comfort layers that cushion your body at the sleep surface. The combination of various foams and fibers provide varying levels of softness and comfort. Pillow Top mattresses include additional comfort layers on top of the mattress for additional supportive comfort at the surface.
Latex Foam Mattresses
Latex foam mattresses are quickly gaining popularity with today’s consumers. These mattresses feature a latex foam core as the support system, rather than the traditional innerspring.
Latex foam is extremely resilient and breathable which helps to reduce the heat buildup typically associated with all-foam mattresses. Its unique construction allows it to instantly respond to the body to provide a high level of comfort while helping to promote proper spinal alignment. These qualities allow latex foam to act as a support system in lieu of a traditional innerspring.
Memory Foam Mattresses
Memory foam mattresses feature a visco-elastic memory foam core as the support system, rather than the traditional innerspring. Like latex foam, memory foam’s ability to deliver both comfort and spinal support allow the foam to act as a support system in lieu of a traditional innerspring.
Memory foam responds to your body temperature by softening under warmth, allowing the foam to contour to your body when you lie down. However, this also creates a disadvantage because memory foam can sleep hotter than other foams.
Memory foam can help to promote a more restful sleep because it provides significant pressure relief to help reduce tossing and turning that can cause an individual to toss and turn, wake up and shift positions during sleep. Plus, motion transfer is drastically reduced as it absorbs movement without affecting the other parts of the mattress.
Memory foam is typically denser than other foam mattresses. This makes it very supportive, but also heavier. It can be considered a good compromise between the comfort of a soft mattress and the support of a firm one for those who prefer a foam core mattress.
Orthopedic mattresses
These have hit the market with a bang owing to the fact that they do not only offer comfort and a good night’s sleep, they also help align the body structure appropriately, thereby providing valuable health support.
The likes of Dr.Matress and Vitafoam are big on these products. Other firms such as Bobmill and 5-Ways have also cut a niche for themselves in the mattress market, and have offered the necessary ingredient for a competitive market meant to satisfy the needs of the consumer who is constantly seeking for better products.
The choice therefore is down to the buyer, to decide if it is the hard mattress or the soft one. Someone has to make a good decision here. The market has all these mattresses. Just trudge in and pick one.
