All About Latex Foam Mattresses

It might be that the mention of latex makes you think of rather restricting and, let's be honest, kinky clothing! But this is the very same material we are talking about and it is the elasticity of the material which is why it is fast becoming one of the most popular materials for mattress manufacture. Latex foam allows you to sink into the mattress ever so slightly, which makes for a delightfully more comfortable sleeping surface and also helps to keep your spine aligned and relieve pressure points.

Talalay Latex When you see latex mentioned in relation to mattresses it can be made in a couple of different ways, the most popular being the Talalay process. You might find this quite boring but stay with me, I think it's interesting! This process is the same as the traditional process of vulcanisation but it involves an extra stage.

In traditional vulcanisation the pure latex, the sap from the rubber tree, is mixed with water and air bubbles and then heated for an extended period of time, which ends up producing the solid latex foam. In the Talalay process a flash freezing phase is added before the heating which freezes the small air bubbles into place. The difference this makes is that the resulting latex is softer and more comfortable, which makes it an even better material for making beds from.

Still awake at the back? Most latex mattresses will have a core or base that is made from higher density foam and this is what provides the necessary support. There can be more than one of these layers, usually of different grades of foam, then on the very top a layer of latex which will vary in depth depending on the mattress.

The depth of this top latex layer will generally vary from 20mm to 100mm and while you would be forgiven for thinking the thicker the layer the more comfortable this is actually a slightly misguided assumption. It is true to a certain extent, but if the layer is too deep and your general preference is for a firmer mattress then you might find the mattress too soft. The optimum depth of latex in my experience is between 40mm and 80mm, although if you do enjoy a softer mattress for deeper and vice versa if you like a very firm mattress.

Latex benefits The benefits of latex are many and varied and it is useful to understand the difference between latex and memory foam because they would seem to have similar benefits. Latex is almost always completely natural, although it can be made synthetically. Synthetic latex will generally be cheaper, but natural latex is more durable so you will be able to enjoy the benefits of the mattress for much longer if you choose to spend slightly more and go for natural latex.

Whether natural or synthetic, the latex will be completely hypo-allergenic and dust mite resistant due to its composition, which is great news if you are a parent considering latex for your child's mattress or you suffer from asthma or allergies. The manufacture of latex doesn't damage the trees either as they don't need to be cut down to extract the sap, so an all-natural latex is the greenest mattress possible. Memory Foam vs Latex Foam The difference between memory foam and latex is the main selling point, however.

Where memory foam reacts to your body heat to allow you to sink into the mattress, latex has a natural open cell structure which is what allows you to sink into it. Because memory foam uses your body heat to do this it can sometimes retain too much and you can get too warm during the night. While memory foam mattresses have to have a cooling effect cover to counter this, latex mattresses don't need them, although these covers are great anyway so it's worth choosing a latex mattress that incorporates one.

Natural latex is also denser than memory foam yet more elastic so you get better support as well as great comfort. Latex is therefore a much better choice than memory foam for a lot of people and if you incorporate it into a mattress with a sprung base you are really getting the best of both worlds. A pocket sprung and latex mattress would be personal preference.

A foam base is never going to provide as much support as a pocket sprung mattress, but a pocket sprung mattress is never going to be as comfortable as a latex mattress. but if you put them together, hey presto, best support and most comfort possible! Recap Hopefully this will leave you a bit more confident that you know what you are looking for when choosing a latex mattress but here are the key points again just to recap.

Natural is more durable than synthetic, although synthetic is cheaper. Don't just go for the deepest layer of latex possible, think about how firm you like your mattress to be. They are great for children and adults alike due to their hypo-allergenic properties.

They don't retain as much heat as memory foam and offer a more comfortable sleeping surface. A cooling cover isn't absolutely necessary but it's worth going for a mattress that has one. A pocket sprung and latex mattress is (in my opinion) the best combination.