Switched from a memory foam mattress to latex, and experiencing superior sleep quality - discover the reasons.
Life used to think my dream bed would be a cozy memory foam mattress that I'd sink into every night, drifting off peacefully. Boy, was I wrong. With most of this year's top mattresses featuring memory foam, it's tough to find an alternative. But I took the plunge and swapped my foam for a less conventional material: latex.
My pals raised an eyebrow or two when I mentioned a latex mattress, but little did they know it's a common material in many high-quality organic mattresses. After giving it a whirl myself, I can't imagine snoozing on anything else. For me, it's the ideal mattress material—supportive, pressure relieving, and natural. Here's why I traded memory foam for latex and the difference it's made for my snoozing.
Latex vs Memory Foam: The Showdown
Memory foam is a popular mattress choice due to its adaptability. Made from polyfoam, a chemical-based material, memory foam is slow-moving and impressionable, conforming to your body. The classic memory foam feel is a cozy, sinking sensation, but top memory foam mattresses offer various firmness options, from super soft to incredibly firm, like the Plank firm mattress.
Latex foam, on the other hand, is a natural material made from the same liquid latex used to make rubber. In mattresses, it's buoyant, bouncy, and usually has a medium-firm to firm feel. It doesn't contour to your body like memory foam, and you won't sink into it. Instead, it's far more responsive, making it a solid option for restless sleepers who switch positions during the night.
Snoozing Better on a Latex Mattress
Ever since I traded my memory foam mattress for a latex one, I've slept like a baby. Here's why:
It's Cool
Foam mattresses have a reputation for trapping heat. Their dense construction prevents air from flowing through the bed, causing a warm, sweaty sleeping surface. Though my foam mattress didn't feel like it was actively heating me up, the way I sank into it made me feel warmer and less comfortable at night.
My latex bed is the opposite. With a wool pillow top and a latex core, the mattress is breathable and moisture-wicking. I've never once woken up drenched in sweat or feeling overheated, and I think that's partly because I don't sink into it, so heat can't get trapped around me. The result? A night free of restless tossing and turning.
It's Clean
I never understood the 'clean sleep' argument for organic mattresses using natural materials. How could a mattress feel clean? But when I laid on the latex bed, it all made sense. Instead of having my face smushed against a chemical material that always had a slight stench, I could rest comfortably knowing that everything inside was naturally sourced. It was downright refreshing.
I was taken aback when I unboxed the mattress since I was used to the strong chemical odor associated with memory foam. Instead, I was greeted by a scent-free surface—a pleasant surprise.
It's Responsive
I used to believe that a super-soft, marshmallow mattress was what I needed as a side sleeper, allowing my shoulders, hips, and knees to sink in and relieve pressure. After all, the best mattresses for side sleepers are supposed to cradle your pressure points. But after a few weeks of sleeping on a memory foam bed, I became irritated with the cozy sensation.
As a restless sleeper who likes to switch positions at night, fighting my way out of the memory foam was enough to disturb my sleep. Now, the latex mattress I'm sleeping on is firm yet responsive. Every time I move, it immediately reverts to its original shape, accommodating my next sleeping position. I never feel bogged down or trapped, only comfortably perched atop the mattress.
To counteract the natural firmness of latex, my mattress has a pillow-top layer for extra pressure-point relief, giving me the best of both worlds.
The Bed I'm Sleeping On
You're probably curious about the miracle-bed I'm snoozing on. Well, it's the Birch Luxe Natural mattress, with a layer of coils, a few layers of latex, and GOTS-certified wool and cotton. Out of all the mattresses I've tested, it's my favorite so far.
You can read my Birch Luxe Natural hands-on review to learn more about my experience, and I'll be publishing my full review soon—stay tuned!
- Upon my switch from a memory foam mattress to a latex one, I discovered that my new bed is both cooling and cleaner, thanks to its breathable and moisture-wicking properties, as well as its smell-free surface with natural sourcing.
- Utilizing a less conventional material in my mattress, I have found that my latex bed offers superior comfort and support, making me sleep like a baby due to its responsive nature, buoyant feel, and ability to relieve pressure points while accommodating my restless sleep tendencies.
