Foam or spring mattress?

Foam or spring mattress?

Pocket spring mattress or foam mattress: are you having trouble making up your mind? We'll tell you all about their advantages and disadvantages, and how to make the right choice.

Pocket spring mattress or foam mattress: are you having trouble making up your mind? We'll tell you all about their advantages and disadvantages, and how to make the right choice.

What is a Memory Foam Mattress?

The term "memory foam mattress" is quite generic. This type of mattress may be made from a specific foam or a combination of foams. Yes, different types of foam exist! The main ones are:

Polyurethane foam

Memory foam

For those wondering how to disinfect a mattress or remove old stains, there are specific methods to ensure cleanliness without damaging the foam.

The quality of a memory foam mattress depends on its composition and two other criteria:

Density of the Mattress

Thickness of the Mattress

The denser the foam, the firmer the support! This means a tonic support that maintains the natural alignment of the spine and a pleasant enveloping effect. It is recommended to choose a density of 65 to 75 kg/m³ for children and individuals under 70 kg, and over 75 kg/m³ for those above that weight.

A thicker mattress provides superior comfort, especially for heavier or taller individuals. Mattresses less than 14 cm thick are generally not recommended as they do not offer sufficient support for the spine—at least for adults. Even for young children, a model of at least 12 cm is preferred.

Comment choisir son matelas à mémoire de forme ?

How is polyurethane foam used?

What mattress is suitable for a child? Polyurethane foam, without a doubt! Polyurethane foam is suitable for occasional use by older children. On the other hand, it is less suitable for everyday use by an adult or a couple, as it eventually collapses. As a general rule, therefore, it is used to create the basic structure of a foam mattress, in combination with memory foam.

What is memory foam?

Developed in the 1960s, this technology was originally designed to limit the pressure points experienced by NASA astronauts in their seats during the take-off phase of a rocket. Originally designed to send people into space, it is now used to propel you straight into Morpheus land! For those with specific concerns, such as how to remove blood stains from a mattress, how to clean a pee-stained mattress, how to clean stains from a mattress or how to clean a yellowed mattress, memory foam requires special attention to ensure that its unique properties are not altered.Memory foam, or viscoelastic memory foam, has the particularity of reacting to the heat of your body to fit your shape perfectly. It also has a low reactivity: in other words, it retains its shape for a few moments before returning to its original shape. When it comes to examining memory foam mattresses and their advantages and disadvantages, here's a detail that counts: viscoelastic foam isn't great if you tend to move around a lot when you sleep! When asked which mattress for back pain? - certainly one of the most frequently asked questions - specialists frequently recommend high-density memory foam. High-density memory foam helps to relax muscles and improve blood circulation, while providing excellent support for the spine. It's also an excellent mattress for pregnant women, and is highly effective in promoting muscle recovery, as it relieves pressure and pain! Bear in mind, however, that when the right mattress is accompanied by a memory foam pillow, comfort is far superior!

The latex mattress: a foam mattress?

The latex mattress is sometimes - wrongly - presented as a foam mattress. Generally, it's the texture that leads to confusion, since its texture and resilience are similar to those of a foam mattress. However, it is in fact a specific technology. A distinction is made between natural latex, which comes from the sap of the rubber tree, and synthetic latex, which is the result of a petrochemical process. Natural latex is particularly popular because it is naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic. Its comfort is comparable to that of viscoelastic memory foam. It is also more resistant to moisture. Foam or latex mattresses: the question may arise in a damp bedroom or for people who perspire a lot when they sleep.

The advantages and disadvantages of foam mattresses

When a mattress combines polyurethane foam and memory foam, it undeniably offers many advantages, both in terms of practicality and comfort:

The foam mattress has an excellent ability to adapt to all morphologies and is suitable for a wide range of people, and is recommended for children, teenagers and adults alike;

It is suitable for all sleeping positions;

It moulds perfectly to your shape;

It relieves pressure points;

It is especially recommended for people who suffer from back pain;

It allows the use of slatted bases. The visco-elastic memory foam mattress has what you might call ‘the defects of its qualities’:

Enveloping and not very resilient, memory foam is not suitable for people who move around a lot while sleeping;

Reacting to heat, visco-elastic memory foam can become too soft in very hot weather.

It’s worth noting that memory foam is less breathable compared to technologies like latex or springs, making it potentially less comfortable in summer unless paired with a Coolsoft-type fabric.

Spring mattresses: firm comfort

The spring mattress is a semi-firm or firm mattress, it gives you tonic support. What's more, it's the model that offers the best sleeping independence. Because when two people share the same bed, the size of the mattress isn't enough to guarantee perfect comfort: you need to be able to move around without the movement affecting the person sleeping next to you!

What is an innerspring mattress?

The innerspring mattress gets its name from its core (the heart of the mattress), which is made up of... springs, of course! However, there are several different types of spring, not all of which are of the same quality: the spring mattress is an old-fashioned model that performs much less well than new-generation models, because it is made up of a single steel wire that forms different springs. This means that the springs are not independent, and the mattress does not provide a good level of sleeping independence.

If you're wondering which mattress is right for people who are overweight, tall or move around a lot while they sleep, this is an excellent choice! Each one reacts precisely to the pressure exerted by your body, with no rebound effect. This type of mattress guarantees optimum support, helping to align the body. It also offers optimum sleeping independence: a real asset when it comes to sleeping well together!

The benefits of spring mattresses

To benefit from all the advantages of a spring mattress, you should opt for spring mattresses made up of several layers, including one of memory foam.

This type of mattress has a number of advantages:

It has a firmer feel;

It's perfect for couples because of its excellent sleeping independence;

It has greater elasticity: it's ideal for people with a heavy build;

It's good for sleepers who move around a lot during the night;

It regulates temperature very well, so it's perfect for summer;

It's highly stable and remarkably long-lasting.

Do you need to fit a single or double bed?

As we've seen, the spring mattress offers much better performance when it comes to sleeping together without getting in each other's way, even when one person moves around a lot during the night.

What's your favourite sleeping position?

People who like to sleep on their backs or stomachs are well advised to opt for the tonicity of a spring mattress.

Do you suffer from back and neck problems?

Pour trancher entre matelas mousse ou ressorts pour le mal de dos , il est recommandé de prendre conseil auprès de votre kinésithérapeute ou de votre ostéopathe. En effet, suivant la cause de vos douleurs, un soutien plus ou moins ferme est recommandé.

Mattress foam
Spring Mattress
Slatted bed base
Yes
No
Relaxation bed / Lift-up slatted base
Yes
No
Spring base
No
Yes
Slatted bed base
Relaxation bed / Lift-up slatted base
Spring base
Mattress foam
Yes
Yes
No
Slatted bed base
Relaxation bed / Lift-up slatted base
Spring base
Spring Mattress
No
No
Yes

What are the differences between a foam or spring mattress?

Foam mattresses offer enveloping comfort and softness. Recommended for relieving pressure points, it adapts perfectly to the shape of your body. Suitable for all body shapes and sleeping positions, it is compatible with a slatted base. For maximum comfort when it's hot, it's important to choose a ticking such as Bio Air and/or Coolsoft. Foam mattresses don't offer optimum comfort for people who move around a lot while they sleep, while spring mattresses offer firmer support and great elasticity: they are particularly suitable for people who are tall, overweight or who move around a lot while they sleep. With superior ventilation, it ensures good thermoregulation and this mattress has a very long lifespan. It's also fairly heavy to handle, so you'll need to opt for a sprung base.

Foam mattresses: who are they best suited for?

Foam mattresses are particularly suitable for people who:

  • Who like to sleep in several different positions;
  • Who suffer from back pain, neck pain or lower back pain;
  • Who like to sleep in warmth and feel cocooned in their bed.

It's also an excellent choice for:

  • Young children and their first big bed;
  • Teenagers who are still growing;
  • Sports enthusiasts;
  • Pregnant women.

Spring mattresses: who are they for?

Spring mattresses are recommended for:

  • heavier people;
  • sleepers who like to lie on their stomach or back and who fall asleep in these positions;
  • people who want excellent support for their neck and lumbar region;
  • people who tend to perspire a lot during the night or who are looking for more freshness, especially during the summer and when it's very hot;
  • sleepers who like to relax before falling asleep;
  • people who tend to wake up frequently.
  • Sleepers with sensitive sleep patterns.

Foam or springs: what about comfort zones?

Whichever mattress you end up choosing, look for a model with different comfort zones.

This is because the body's weight is not distributed evenly, and some parts are heavier than others (e.g. the hips or head) these are known as pressure points.

A foam or spring mattress can have 3 to 7 comfort zones: zones that are more or less toned, depending on which part of the body is resting on them.

If your hips or head were to sink too far into the mattress while you were sleeping, the spine would be twisted, which would quickly lead to lower back pain!

Don't forget your pillow

Always bear in mind that even if you have the best mattress, it's absolutely essential to have a good pillow too - one that perfectly matches your morphology and your preferred sleeping position.

A memory foam pillow is a sure-fire way of preserving the natural alignment of your head and spine!

For made-to-measure comfort, consider an adjustable pillow: a model with a zip that allows you to access the filling to add or remove it.

With this type of pillow and your new mattress, you can be sure of a dream night's sleep!