Are you deciding between whether to buy a natural latex or a memory foam mattress?  They both excel at comfort, and each has their own set of pros and cons. However, latex comes out as the better option of the two. Find out why here.

What are these mattresses made of?

A natural latex mattress layer is made from the liquid collected from a rubber tree. Rubber trees are native to South America but are now grown all over the world. This liquid collected from the rubber tree is what becomes the latex we use in our mattresses. Because it’s natural and durable, natural latex is widely considered to be one of the best materials to use in a mattress. To acquire the natural latex, the rubber tree is cut and the liquid collected in a container; the excess water is then removed from the liquid. This thickens it and renders it suitable for use.

A coir layer is sometimes added to the latex layers to provide more support in a mattress. Coir, or coco fibre, is taken from coconuts - or rather, the hairy part of the coconut. A huge benefit of coir is that it is extremely durable and elastic. As well as this, it does not retain moisture and is great for temperature management.

In short, a latex or latex-coir mattress is made from natural and biodegradable materials, they are fantastic at temperature management and moisture regulation and are extremely supportive, as if you are lying on millions of small springs.

Memory foam mattresses are crafted from a material called Polyurethane and this is a synthetic material often used for this purpose. Polyurethane will often have other elements added to it to ensure durability of performance. Memory foam is known for being very comfortable and to aid overall support of the body.

So, which is better? Latex/Latex-Coir or Memory Foam?

The most important thing about a new mattress is, of course, how it feels when you lay down on it. So, let’s explore this.

Your immediate feeling from lying on a latex or latex-coir mattress is that you will sink into it a little but feel like you are being supported by lots of small invisible springs. You’ll also notice how the mattress supports various areas of your body how they need to be supported.

Because of the excellent support of high quality natural latex or latex-coir mattresses in general, many people find that things like back pain can improve. Latex or latex-coir mattresses do not sag, which is a huge cause of back pain.

A memory foam mattress will feel comfortable from when you first lie down on it. Because it is designed to “remember” the impression your body makes in it, you will feel yourself sink into it nicely.

The main difference (in feel) is that turning over is a little harder if you have laid in a position for a while. This is because your body then has to make a new impression in the mattress.

You’ll also notice that memory foam feels very warm; this is because the polyurethane used in the construction of the foam is sensitive to temperature.

Advantages of a natural latex/latex-coir mattress

• Very comfortable. You will feel yourself sinking into the mattress a little but also feeling incredibly supported.

• Excellent support for optimum spine alignment. The latex/latex-coir mattress will support your body evenly, with no sagging.

• Latex/latex-coir is completely natural and we don’t use any chemicals when creating your mattress.

• Latex/latex-coir is naturally hypoallergenic and resistant to mould and dust mites.

• Latex has an open cell structure, which means that air is circulated through it efficiently. This helps your mattress breathe and keeps you cool. The mattress will also have pin holes in it, to make it even more breathable. Coir is also very breathable and does not retain moisture.

• Latex/latex-coir mattresses are incredibly durable and they last longer than other mattresses. Best of all, it does not sag, meaning that your back is protected for longer.

• No motion transfer – although memory foam is even better at this.

Disadvantages of a natural latex/latex-coir mattress

• Cost. Because the components are all natural, latex/latex-coir mattresses can be more expensive than memory foam mattresses.

Advantages of a memory foam mattress

• It’s extremely comfortable. Memory foam mattresses are known all over the world for how wonderful they feel.

• It’s easy to have a good night of sleep without being disturbed by your partner. For example, movement on one side of the bed is not easily transferred to the other side. This means that if one of you isn’t sleeping well, the other one does not get as disturbed.

Disadvantages of a memory foam mattress

• Feels hot when sleeping - this property is due to the heat sensitivity of memory foam. Many people find a memory foam mattress unpleasantly warm to sleep on.

• Can feel very hot. Memory foam mattresses do not regulate their temperature as well as latex/latex-coir mattresses.

• They can give off chemicals and smells known as “off-gassing” when new. As well as being unpleasant, the chemicals may be breathed in, which may be a concern to you.

• It takes more energy to change position. A memory foam mattress holds its structure so it’s harder to roll over. This can interrupt your sleep if you change position a lot.

• They’re not very breathable. Air does not circulate well in a memory foam mattress, which could mean you feel hot.

• Memory foam does not last as long as latex or latex-coir and it will eventually stop bouncing back when you change position.

• Cost: memory foam mattresses can be expensive.

Natural latex/latex-coir mattress versus memory foam: The verdict

You’ll experience great comfort with both a latex or latex-coir and a memory foam mattress. However, you’ll have the very best experience with a latex or latex-coir mattress.

Natural latex and coir are chemical-free and resistant to dust mites and mould. As well as this, they are a lot more durable than memory foam mattresses.

There are some distinct disadvantages to a memory foam mattress; some of these being that they can get very hot, smell of chemicals and not be as conducive to a good night of sleep as a latex or latex-coir mattress.

So, for an amazingly well-supported night of sleep, choose a latex or latex-coir mattress today.