Memory Foam Mattress Vs. Spring Mattress

Spring Based or Memory Foam – An important choice to make

As humans, we tend to take all the good things for granted. A simple example would be – how much time did you take to consider and finalize your mattress? Not much, right? Simply walk into the retailer’s outlet, take the one most recommended by the salesperson or the one that “felt” right – and done! Did you ever stop to consider how many parameters are there that can define how comfortable your sleep will be when you use a particular mattress?

There is a vast body of research put in by the mattress manufacturers to make sure that you get the much-deserved rest at the end of the day. How much firmness should be there, what is the material that is used and why, what is the durability or longevity of the mattress? All these questions are being consistently answered to give you the best choice and comfort.

The two most prominent types of mattresses that are available in the market and satisfy most of the criteria are spring-based mattresses and memory foam mattresses. The spring-based mattress is the comparatively older one of the two and is highly likely to be the one you are using currently. But, what is memory foam? And, what is a memory foam mattress?

Surprised? We have you covered with all the relevant information, to make this important decision. Here, we discuss in detail what is foam mattress and which one should you choose. But, before we get on with the details, here is a basic and important point to remember. When it comes to mattresses, every individual can have a different choice. What feels comfortable to you may not be comfortable to your partner or other family members and vice versa. Thus, when you are looking for a mattress, it becomes important to understand what matters and to what degree. This will help you make a choice, ideal for your unique requirements.

Basics about the Types of Mattresses

When faced with the decision of making a choice about a mattress, there are a number of factors that need to be considered, for example – the size, thickness, material, durability and the features of the mattresses you are evaluating. There is tons of material available on the internet for you to research. That, however, is not the point of discussion for us here. 

Instead, we take a look at what is a memory foam mattress? And how it is different or better from a spring-based one. To get that kind of detail, let us first understand how are the two options being considered different from each other.

To start with, the spring-based mattresses – the ones we are more familiar with – are made up of a large number of springs or coils that are embedded inside the foam or padding. The spring or the coils are helpful in supporting the body weight and avoid sagging. The bounce supports body weight and helps maintain the correct posture, even while sleeping. Higher the density of the springs, the better support it offers, making it more comfortable.

The memory foam mattresses, on the other hand, are made up of; you guessed it, memory foam! But, what is memory foam? That is a good question indeed! These are mattresses designed with multiple layers of thick material, giving it the firmness and thickness as per your requirement. This helps by moulding around the body parts of the individual and retaining the shape longer than the spring-based mattresses. Also, since these are made up of foam, they can make the spring-based mattresses feel much harder in comparison.

An obvious question in your mind at this point may be, is memory foam mattress good? We leave that for you to decide. All we would like to tell you about is the unique capability of these mattresses to detect which areas of your body need more support and provide that support. This simply means that for two people of different heights, built and healthy, the response of the memory foam mattress will be personalized!

What makes Memory Foam Mattresses stand out?

We have seen how spring-based and memory foam mattresses are constitutionally different. This is sufficient to get an idea of the comparative advantages and disadvantages of each. In this section let us take a look at the features of these mattresses and try to address your primary concern - are memory foam mattresses good?

To start with, as we briefly discussed in the previous section, the memory foam mattresses feel much softer and plush as compared to spring-based ones and yet give the same comfort. Elaborating this a little further will help you to understand how this is advantageous. Some of our body parts like the shoulders or the hips tend to be naturally heavier than the others. 

The proprietary Responsive Memory Foam mattress from Flo Mattress, responds to these specific weights making it feel as if you are weightless or floating in the water. Now consider the relaxed feeling you get while floating weightlessly and you will know why these are better.

An added advantage of these mattresses is the fact that they wear out much slower than the spring-based ones, making it much more durable as well as economic. 

These are the pros of memory foam mattresses  vs. spring mattresses

• Unlike a spring mattress, memory foam mattresses can be vacuum-sealed to be delivered in a compact box.
• The memory foam mattress is a choice of all as it is custom designed according to one’s need, unlike the spring mattress that is designed universally and does rely on the body comfort while sleeping.
• Memory foam provides support to back which helps in relieving pain and aches, unlike the spring mattress that gives the uneven body support and increases the pain in the body. 

Finding the best Memory Foam Mattress

But, all this does not mean any memory foam mattress will do the trick for you. Surprising, isn’t it? Now you may be wondering which foam mattress is best. The easiest way to identify is to check the quality of material being used to make the mattress. As a thumb rule, the better the quality of the material being used to make the mattress, the more comfortable it will.

Other, slightly more involved means of identifying the better option is to look for 

• The density of the mattress and 
• The ILD (Indent – Load Deflection). 

The density of the foam depends on the material being used to make the mattress. The denser the material, the denser the foam, and hence the better comfort it will give. Some of the most common materials being used to make memory foam that impact its density are latex, gel and some other materials. A good memory foam mattress will be at least 4 to 5 inches thick and have a minimum of 5 pounds per cubic foot.

The ILD is a slightly more scientific term. It is a well-known fact that the human back is naturally arched. While sleeping on a wrong surface this alignment may be disturbed, leading to backaches, cramps, and other issues. The Indent – Load Deflection is a means to measure the impact your mattress will have on this natural posture. For best results and the most comfortable sleep, your mattress should ideally have an ILD measure of nearly 10 to 14 pounds. 

Making the Right Choice

As can be seen, choosing the right mattress can completely change your sleeping experience and give you a much better and peaceful rest. We hope the information presented here helps you in understanding the differences between spring-based mattresses and memory foam ones. With this understanding, you can make the right choice and feel rejuvenated every morning as you wake up.