To start off, memory foam is a man-made material, while latex is a natural product – although just to add to the confusion a little, there is also processed latex which is more often used in cheaper latex mattresses and, in my opinion, is best avoided.

Memory foam mattresses are sensitive to body heat, and have a much softer feel to them than latex mattresses. They tend to be far more malleable than their latex counterparts, and become softer as you lie on them and they ‘adapt’ to your body position as they begin to warm up. You will notice this more when you first lie on your mattress, it will feel firm initially, but will start to ‘work’ properly when it starts to react to your body temperature.

Memory Foam Mattresses

If you think that a memory foam mattress might be right for you, there are a few things you need to consider. Firstly is the quality or density of the mattress you are looking at, as with most things in life, you get what you pay for and it’s no different with memory foam. The denser the foam, the higher the quality of the mattress, and as it is much more expensive to manufacture the denser foams, these tend to be much more expensive. You can buy cheaper memory foam, and it might sound like a good deal at the time, but you won’t get the same level of support and I’m hearing stories of people who’ve had to replace the cheaper mattresses after as little as 3 years of use.

Next, and most importantly, you need to consider comfort – the main factor that makes a memory foam mattress comfortable, is the level of support it gives you. You can easily check whether a mattress is offering you enough support by lying flat on your back and trying to slide a flat hand beneath the small of your back. If you can do this easily, this is probably not the mattress for you.

Thickness of the memory foam is the final element to base your decision on. Ideally the memory foam should be between 4 and 6 inches thick if it is too thin, parts of your body may end up in contact with the supporting base of high resiliency foam material which is not meant to be slept on – if this happens, you will probably find yourself in discomfort. Anything thicker than 6 inches may be too soft, which again can lead to discomfort.

Latex Mattresses

Many people prefer latex over memory foam because it is a natural product and has hypo-allergenic and anti-microbial properties. When you add to this the fact that a latex mattress is virtually indestructible and it doesn’t share the problems of dust mites and fungus that a standard mattress might suffer from, you can perhaps see why they are thought of as the healthier option.

Comfort levels are excellent with this type of mattress, they are firm to the touch, but allow the feeling of motion more than a memory foam mattress. The best description I have heard describing the qualities of this type of mattress, is that they are like a “mattress cover filled with jello” – and in my opinion that is the perfect description of how it feels to sleep on a latex mattress.

You can find hundreds of articles written about each type of mattress, and I would encourage you to read some of them if you are still undecided, but when it comes to the latex Vs memory foam mattress comparison, my choice would be the latex mattress. I would choose one of them not because I think they are any more comfortable, but overall the natural qualities of the latex wins through for me.

Happy shopping……..

Other reviews:

1. What is a Single Memory Foam Mattress?
2. Natural Mattress Topper – Which One is Right For You?
3. Mattress Reviews – Not a Replacement for Trying The Real Thing!