Memory foam or Pocket sprung mattress?
Choosing the right type of mattress is critical in determining whether you get a comfortable night’s sleep. A mattress and its firmness will directly influence your support and sleeping environment.
Selecting the correct mattress is very personal, as everyone has their own specific needs and preferences. It’s imperative that you get the right advice, whether that’s from our experienced sleep experts in-store or online via Livechat or the telephone.
A memory foam mattress is made from temperature-sensitive, high density visco-elastic foam that moulds to the contours of your body and weight to offer very good pressure relieving comfort and support. They’re ideal for someone who suffers from a bad back or poor circulation. Also for people who play a lot of sport.
Memory foam mattresses have very good cushioning properties, absorbing movement with very little motion transfer if you have a restless partner.
Unlike pocket sprung mattresses, they’re not bouncy and tend to engulf you, making them difficult to get out of and move around on for some people. This is something that can be alleviated by using an electric adjustable base or by selecting a hybrid mattress which has a pocket sprung central core.
Memory foam mattresses can also be selected in different tensions to offer your ideal firmness.
A well-publicised disadvantage of a memory foam mattress has been that they’re warm to sleep on, making them potentially uncomfortable if you’re a warm sleeper, live in a hot climate or during the warmer summer months. This can also be an advantage if the opposite scenarios are true!
Nowadays the heat retention can be reduced by introducing cooling materials, such as gel, in the upper comfort layers. Also, by utilising an innovative cooling surface material such as Tencel or a fabric with inherent cooling fibres in it, you’ll cool your sleeping environment. Selecting a duvet with a slightly lower tog-rating will also help the cause.
Because of their dense, non-absorbent nature, memory foam mattresses will not absorb dust or dustmites, making them hypo-allergenic and suitable for people who suffer from allergies.
The vast majority of memory foam mattresses are non-turnable, making them ideal for elderly and single people. Only requiring a head-to-toe rotation occasionally.
A pocket spring mattress consists of individually wrapped coil springs that work independently of each other. This enables them to contour to your body more effectively, giving a greater degree of tailored support and pressure relief, maintaining spinal alignment and posture.
They also prevent roll together if you sleep with a partner. In general, the higher the spring count the greater the level of individual support.
Compared to a memory foam mattress, pocket sprung mattresses are more bouncy, making them less absorbent to movement transfer but easier to move around on if you’re restless and fidget when lying down. But you will be more likely to be disturbed if your partner has the same tendencies.
Pocket sprung mattresses are a more traditional type of mattress and benefit from the structure of an inner sprung support system combined with different comfort layers made from various materials which offer different levels of comfort and temperature regulating properties.
Many of these layers are made from natural fibres, such as wool and cotton, giving them obvious appeal. They also tend to be hypo-allergenic, making them attractive to people suffering from allergies.
Because of their comfort layers and natural loft, the fillings do have a tendency to settle if the mattress isn’t rotated on a regular basis. Also turning the mattress if that’s an option.
Many pocket sprung mattresses are tufted, this will help prevent the movement of materials in the comfort layers but will create a slightly undulating sleep surface. This can be alleviated with the use of a topper or quilted mattress protector.
Pocket sprung mattresses come in all tensions from soft to firm making them an ideal sleep solution for most people. You can even configure a split-tension mattress if you and your partner have greatly different comfort and support needs.
As previously mentioned, if you can’t decide between a memory foam or pocket sprung mattress, why not opt for a hybrid mattress combining the benefits of a pocket sprung support system with a memory foam comfort layer. Brands such as Silentnight, Rest Assured and Sealy provide this type of mattress, as well as our very own Cousins Bespoke collection. You could also combine a memory foam topper with a pocket sprung mattress to create the same effect.
It’s also important to complement your new mattress with the correct choice of pillow, which will very much depend on how you sleep and your personal support needs. Side sleepers will benefit from a higher pillow, whereas those people who sleep on their back or front are better suited to slimmer pillows.
Don’t forget that the type of base or bed frame that you position your mattress on will also influence its comfort levels. Platform top divan bases and wood slatted bed frames will give the mattress a firmer feel. Whereas sprung edge divan bases and sprung slatted bed frames will give the mattress a softer and slightly bouncier feel.
The best way of selecting the best mattress is to visit one of our stores where we have over 60 beds on display. You ideally need to try out our mattresses and be advised by one of our sleep experts. Your own individual comfort and support is very personal and will determine the quality of your night’s sleep.
The best way of selecting the best mattress is to visit one of our stores where we have over 60 beds on display. You ideally need to try out our mattresses and be advised by one of our sleep experts. Your own individual comfort and support is very personal and will determine the quality of your night’s sleep.
