Memory Foam Mattress & How It's Different From Latex Mattress

Memory Foam And Latex Mattress

Among the various mattress foams, people are often confused about which type of mattress to buy between Memory Foam and Latex. Because these two provide similar benefits such as customised comfort, body contouring, and so on. However, while these two have many similarities, they also have many differences. So, we have provided all the relevant information here to help you better understand the similarities and differences between memory foam and latex mattresses.

What is Memory Foam?

It is a type of foam made from combined polyurethane and other chemicals. It is best known for remembering and adapting to the body contour of the person sleeping on it. Memory foam offers personalised comfort and support while preventing motion transmission.

Memory foam was originally designed for aircraft, but it is now available for use in a variety of industries. Memory foam was gradually introduced into bedding, shoe insoles, chairs, and other applications. In recent years, the main use of this foam has been as mattress layers.

Springfit Memory Foam

Types of Memory Foam

Since its first use memory foam has gone through various development and changes to improve its quality and benefits. There are 3 basic types of memory foam available:

1. Traditional Memory Foam

It is the original and first-generation memory foam. It is a soft, high-density foam that contours your body and provides a comfortable night's sleep. However, because traditional memory foam is made of closed cells, it can absorb and retain body heat, creating an uncomfortable and warm sleeping environment. Furthermore, this type of memory foam lacks ventilation and airflow, making it unsuitable for many people.

2. Open Cell/ Air Cool Memory Foam 

This second-generation memory foam has an open-cell construction that was designed to address airflow, heat dispersion, and temperature issues. As a result, it does not absorb heat and provides the necessary airflow to keep the mattress cool. To increase its benefits, Springfit has introduced Aero Sleep Technology to improve the open-cell memory foam for greater comfort and breathability.

3. Gel Memory Foam

This is third-generation memory foam that includes Gel particles to reduce trapped body heat, accelerate spring return time, and soften and increase the density of the mattress. The same technology is used in athletic equipment and shoe inserts. The gel-infused foam absorbs body heat and keeps the memory foam cool. Many Springfit Mattresses include a visco-elastic layer with millions of thermo-active gel capsules that can reduce the temperature up to 4 degrees.

What is Latex Mattress?

Latex is a natural and organic material that is created from the white sap derived from the rubber tree. After that, the sap or serum is mixed with other natural products and some chemicals and baked to form a foam. These chemicals are used to give structure and durability to the foam.  Latex is more environmentally friendly and sustainable than other foams because it is made from renewable and natural resources rather than potentially hazardous chemicals. Natural Latex Mattresses are extremely comfortable and help to keep your spine aligned throughout the night.

Springfit Latex Foam

Types of Latex

Latex is a natural foam made from natural ingredients and latex can differ depending on the manufacturing process. There are various kinds of latex available:

1. Natural Latex

It is the most basic type of latex, with no additional materials added. Natural latex mattresses are highly valued due to their long-term durability, superior cooling, and excellent pressure relief. Natural latex is also classified into two types based on how it is produced.

Dunlop Latex

It is a manufacturing process that is used to make latex. The procedure is simple and has been in use since the beginning. Dunlop mattress construction entails injecting liquid sap gathered, whipped and poured into a mould layer by layer and allowing it to set. Dunlop is the denser of the two natural latex types and is known for its supportive and long-lasting properties. It is ideal for people who prefer a firm mattress, but it is also available in softer densities. Being denser, it is mostly used as the core layer of a mattress.

Talalay Latex

It is a rather advanced and modern method of producing natural latex. It is made by partially pouring the rubber sap into the mould, then vacuuming and freezing to evenly distribute the mixture into the mould, and finally vacuum suctioning it. Talalay has a softer, bouncy feel that is known to relieve pressure points, and it is less dense than Dunlop latex.

2. Blended Latex

As the name suggests, blended latex is made with natural latex and synthetic ingredients mixed. It is slightly more durable than natural latex, contains fewer chemicals than synthetic latex, and is available in a variety of firmness levels. And it is less expensive than natural latex.

3. Synthetic Latex

The lowest quality latex is synthetic latex. It is made entirely of man-made ingredients and chemicals, as opposed to natural latex. It appears to be the same as natural latex, but the quality is vastly different. It is less expensive than natural latex due to its quality. It is suitable for those who require the comfort of latex but at a lower cost. Due to its low quality and lack of benefits, we do not use this latex type in any of our mattresses at Springfit.

Difference Between Memory Foam & Latex Mattress

Memory foam and latex are used to provide more customised comfort and support. Both are popular among buyers and offer a variety of advantages. Memory foam and latex are very similar in nature and benefits, but some differences set both of these apart from each other.

The Customized Contouring, Comfort & Support

Comfort And Support

Memory foam performs marginally better in terms of body contour and comfort. It conforms to your body shape, adjusts based on weight, and provides personalised comfort. It is softer and more comfortable while still providing the necessary support.

Latex, on the other hand, provides body contouring support in a manner similar to memory foam. However, latex may appear less soft because it is denser than memory foam. Because of its bouncy nature, it provides a lot of pushback and is firmer than memory foam. So, if you want a firm mattress with personalised comfort, a  Latex Mattress  is a good choice.

Motion Isolation

Memory foam has slow responsiveness so when you put pressure on it, it gradually slowly sinks in and conforms to your body and moulds itself against the contour of your body. Its quality to do so helps to prevent motion from transferring. So when you toss and turn or get on or off the bed the movement doesn’t transfer to another side of the bed.  So if your partner moves around on the bed while you sleep, you won't feel any movement on the other side of the bed.

Motion Isolation

Latex is bouncier and springy thus when under pressure it sinks in and bounces back once that pressure is removed. It does, however, provide some motion isolation, though not as much as memory foam. The thickness of the latex can also affect the bounciness and motion transfer.

Hypoallergenic Quality

Because memory foam is made of closed cells, it has little to no space and gap. This prevents the accumulation of germs, pests, and dust, as well as the growth of allergens. Springfit has also included CertiGuard, an advanced allergen prevention technology for Memory Foam Mattress.

Latex, on the other hand, has small pores/holes that allow airflow and ventilation while also allowing germs and dust to stick inside the foam. Latex, on the other hand, is made of natural ingredients and is naturally hypoallergenic.

Temperature Regulation & Breathability

Due to the lack of space for airflow, memory foam absorbs heat, which makes the mattress warmer. Also, memory foam in nature is less breathable which can bother people who have any kind of breathing issues. However, the latest memory foams are more breathable than traditional ones. Springfit has added cool gel technology and Aero sleep technology to improve breathability and ventilation and control mattress temperature. So you can buy a memory foam mattress without worrying about it getting extra warm.

Mattress Temperature Regulation And Breathability

Latex, on the other hand, is naturally breathable because of its open-cell architecture with small air chambers that allow air to move through and increase mattress ventilation and temperature control. As a result, you have sufficient ventilation and do not feel suffocated while sleeping, and you sleep without sweating or becoming overheated. It is an excellent solution for people who suffer from allergies and respiratory ailments such as Asthma due to its improved breathability.

Mattress Responsiveness

To determine whether a mattress is responsive, place your hand on it, press it, and then remove your hand. When pushed, the mattress sinks and conforms to your hand, but when you remove your hand, the mattress bounces back without leaving an impression of your hand. The time it takes for a mattress or foam to return to its original shape is referred to as responsiveness.

Memory foam is less responsive than latex in terms of responsiveness, taking slightly longer to return to its original shape. This makes it difficult to move around on the bed and may cause you to sink into it.

However, latex is more responsive and bouncy than memory foam, making it easier to move around while sleeping on top of the mattress. Sleeping on latex allows you to move freely and not sink into the mattress, making it an excellent choice for those who move around while sleeping.

Conclusion

Now that you understand the basics of memory foam and latex, as well as the differences between them, you can determine which mattress is best for you. Memory foam is an excellent choice for people looking for pressure relief and snug comfort. But if you are looking for natural foam with firmness and more support and more bounce then a latex mattress will make a good choice for you.

If you're still undecided, you can get personalised mattress recommendations from our Sleep Experts.