The right mattress

About every ten years, the time comes: the old mattress has had its day and a new one is needed. That's all well and good, but which one? The most common models are innerspring, cold foam, visco foam, gel foam and latex mattresses. Each of them has special properties that are reflected both in the lying comfort and in the price. But not every mattress is suitable for every person. Which type of mattress suits you depends on several factors.

Before you start your search, you should think about your personal sleeping habits. These will determine which requirements the new mattress has to meet. In particular, your preferred sleeping position should be taken into account when deciding which mattress to buy. Do you lie on your back a lot?
Do you sleep mostly on your side? Or do you sleep best on your stomach? The right mattress must either offer sufficient support or be flexible and adaptable. While stomach and back sleepers need a mattress that prevents sagging in the middle of the body, side sleepers need a mattress that allows their hips and shoulders to sink into the mattress. Even seemingly banal things like the bedroom temperature and tendency to sweat play a role in the choice of mattress.

Structure: Cold foam mattresses consist of a highly elastic foam that has good adaptability. The so-called HR value (High Resilience) indicates how much foam is processed in the mattress. The higher the value, the more elastic and durable it is. The volume weight (RG) says something about the resilience of the mattress. If the value is low, the mattress will only slowly return to its original shape after being stressed. Mattresses with a high volume weight (more than 40 - 50 kg/m3) have good dimensional stability.

Advantages: The cold foam mattress has a low dead weight (makes it easier to change bedding) and offers good point support. This is particularly advantageous for stomach sleepers but also for back and alternating sleepers. Because of their open cell structure, the mattresses are very breathable and still have good thermal insulation (ideal for people who shiver quickly). In addition, the cold foam mattress is suitable for adjustable slatted frames.

Disadvantages: Heat and moisture change the support and sink-in behaviour of cold foam cores. Only when the lying surface has been warmed up by the body does it unfold its full adaptability.

Structure: A visco foam mattress usually consists of a cold foam or polyether foam core with a visco foam layer, a special foam that quickly and precisely adapts to the contours of the body. Sometimes visco foam is also called memory foam.
This is because the foam retains its original shape for a few seconds when pressure is released and then slowly recedes. The higher the visco foam layer, the better the memory effect.

Advantages: Due to the high adaptability of the foam, the mattress is very advantageous for side sleepers. An almost pressure-free, weightless lying feeling is achieved, from which people with orthopaedic problems or muscle tension also benefit.
Moreover, visco mattresses do not provide a breeding ground for dust mites, which should please allergy sufferers. Use with an adjustable slatted frame is possible.

Disadvantages: Visco foam is thermoelastic, so the firmness of the mattress depends on the temperature. The pressure-relieving effect is only fully effective when the mattress has been warmed up by the body. A short lying test in the shop is therefore not meaningful! Because of the thermoelasticity, restless sleepers or people whose bedroom temperature is below 18 °C should better choose a different type of mattress.
Due to the rather poor ventilation properties, visco mattresses are also not suitable for people who sweat a lot at night. A very high foam layer can make it difficult to turn over at night.

Structure: Gel foam mattresses are filled with a viscous, foamed gel. For a point-elastic support effect, the approximately 2 to 8 cm high gel layer is combined with a substructure of (cold) foam. The higher the gel foam padding, the softer the mattress feels.

Advantages: Especially back sleepers, side sleepers and alternating sleepers benefit from the soft and adaptable gel foam. Due to the very good body adaptation, a pressure-relieving, ergonomic lying feeling is created. This is ideal for people who have to lie down a lot for health reasons, suffer from joint problems or often wake up with tension and back pain.
Gel mattresses are temperature-neutral, which means they do not lose their adaptability even in cooler bedroom temperatures. In addition, the gel mattress is resistant to dust mites and has no problem with a strongly inclined slatted frame.

Disadvantages: For stomach sleepers, the gel foam mattress is rather unsuitable due to the lack of support.

Structure: Latex is created by foaming synthetic or natural rubber. The more rubber used in the mattress, the heavier and firmer the mattress becomes. The holes and channels in the latex core make it flexible and give it good point elasticity, no matter how you twist and turn. Nevertheless, it remains dimensionally stable.

Advantages: Latex mattresses are ideal for side sleepers as they are particularly soft and adaptable. The pelvis and shoulders can sink in well, which prevents tension. Ventilation channels ensure good moisture transport and an optimal sleeping climate.

Disadvantages: Latex mattresses have a high weight of their own, which makes it difficult to change bed linen and turn the mattress regularly. The mattress is not suitable for overweight people and latex allergy sufferers.

The price range for mattresses is wide. An average single mattress costs between €200 and €600. With very cheap models, you may have to compromise on quality and the mattress may have a shorter lifespan. In addition, inexpensive mattresses often do not adapt well to the body, which can lead to back pain. Nevertheless, good sleep does not have to be expensive. Sometimes mattresses in the high price segment even perform worse in tests than medium-priced mattresses. The decisive factor when buying a mattress should be its suitability for your own body. After all, a mattress will accompany you through the night for many years.

With a few simple basic rules, you can increase the lifespan of your mattress. On the one hand, it is recommended to air the mattress daily. To do this, turn down your duvet in the morning after sleeping and put up your pillow. In addition, you should turn the mattress every time you change the bed linen (at the latest after every second change). This guarantees even wear and tear and the mattress will not become worn out so quickly. For reasons of hygiene, you should regularly vacuum the mattress and occasionally remove and wash the cover. A mattress protector can also be useful.

Hygienic requirements for senior citizens may make it necessary to purchase a special moisture protection topper. However, many people also use mattress protectors and molleton toppers to protect the mattress from wear and tear, mite infestation and the formation of mould stains. The toppers or fitted sheets are usually boil-proof and are attached to the mattress using elastic bands or elastic corner straps.
If you are asthmatic or have a house dust allergy, you can equip your mattress with a special mite cover. So-called "encasing covers" prevent mite excretions in the mattress from causing allergic reactions.

There is probably no "one" mattress that is suitable for all people. But if you try out all the models in the bed shop, you won't feel anything at all in the end. Therefore, it's best to think about your sleeping habits, preferred lying position, body weight and bedroom temperature in advance and limit yourself to only the suitable mattress types when trying them out. This way, you are sure to find the right model for you and nothing will stand in the way of a restful night's sleep!