You're in need of a new mattress, but the question is, which type should you opt for? Should it be a spring mattress, a foam mattress or a latex mattress?
At JYSK, we have a wide range of different mattress types, all of which can give you a good night’s sleep. But we are all different, both in how we sleep and how we are built. And we all have an opinion on whether a good mattress should be soft, firm, or somewhere in between.
Having the right mattress is important for your quality of sleep, which in turn affects your overall health and well-being. That's why it's important to pick the mattress that works best for you and your needs. Below, we offer a mattress guide with an overview of the different types of mattresses.
Overview of mattress types
To help you make the right mattress choice, we’ll take a look at:
- Spring mattresses
- Foam mattresses
- Latex mattresses
- What are the different types of foam?
What is a spring mattress?
A spring mattress is a mattress that can be set on a bed frame or a continental bed. A major advantage of some spring mattresses is that usually they can be flipped over. Regularly flipping the mattress will help maintain its elasticity and prolong its lifespan.
What characterises a spring mattress?
Spring mattresses consist of one or more layers of springs topped by a layer of padding.
This combination adapts to the contours of the body, ensuring optimal comfort. The air between the springs also allows for better air circulation and helps release excess body heat. That is why sleeping on a spring mattress can feel less warm than sleeping on a foam mattress.
Springs make up the core of spring mattresses. At JYSK, we have two types of springs: Pocket springs and bonell springs:
- Pocket springs: Mattresses with pocket springs are known for their multiple support points. This allows a pocket spring mattress to adapt to the body's different support needs. Different comfort zones are created by varying the thickness of the wires that make up the springs. The mattress feels firmer where the wires are thick, and softer where the wires are thinner. This is because the thinner wires are more easily compressed than the thicker ones. The interplay between the comfort zones creates outstanding support. Every individual spring is enclosed in a small cloth pocket that reduces wear and thus extends the life of the mattress. A mattress with pocket springs forms itself into the contours of the body, resulting in a relatively lively sleeping surface. This type of mattress will usually cost more than a mattress with bonell springs.
- Bonell springs: Bonell springs cover a larger area that gets pressed down together, so you do not get quite the same nuanced support as you do with the multiple comfort zones of a pocket spring mattress. Bonell springs are hourglass-shaped springs made of thick metal wire. A mattress with bonell springs gives you a firm surface with great stability, as well as a long life at an affordable price.
Did you know?
The more springs, the better. Quality mattresses have around 300 springs per square meter, often more.
What is a foam mattress?
A foam mattress is a mattress with many uses. You can use it in your bed frame, in the kids' bunk bed, the caravan, or in your holiday home. A foam mattress is therefore good both for daily use and as a guest bed.
What characterises a foam mattress?
A foam mattress consists of several layers of different types of foam. Choosing a mattress with a polyether foam or high resilience foam core and a layer of memory foam provides good comfort, while the memory foam allows the mattress to shape itself to your body.
Many foam mattresses can be flipped over and several models even have different firmness on either side. This gives you the flexibility to easily adjust the mattress to fit your sleep needs.
Read more about whether you should choose a foam mattress or a spring mattress
What is a latex mattress?
Latex is a natural material made from the sap of rubber trees. But latex can also be synthetically produced. At JYSK, we have latex mattresses that are made of 100% natural latex as well as models that consist of a combination of both natural and synthetic latex.
Whether natural or synthetic, latex provides high breathability. If you are the type who gets warm during the night, you’ll find that a latex mattress feels cooler on your body than other types of mattresses.
What characterises a latex mattress?
Latex is breathable and provides good support for your body. Unlike a memory foam mattress, a latex mattress does not adapt to your body or surround you to the same extent. A latex mattress feels like it pushes back a little on your body, making the mattress feel a little firmer.
Read more about whether you should choose a latex mattress or a spring mattress.
What are the different types of foam?
In order to choose the best foam mattress or latex mattress for your particular needs, it's important to understand the properties of the different types of foam.
- Latex is used in some of the most advanced mattresses. It is a supportive and flexible material that can be either natural or synthetic. Both types of latex are highly breathable, so it's a good option if you tend to feel warm while you sleep.
- Memory foam is a flexible material that forms itself to your body and sleep position. It provides good support and relief for your back, neck and joints.
- High-resilience foam is heavier and more elastic than polyether foam. A cold foam mattress offers a high load-bearing capacity that supports the body as well as a long service life.
- Polyether foam, also called standard foam or PUR foam, is used in many models. It wicks moisture away from your body if you tend to sweat at night.
Also read our ultimate guide to choice of mattress
