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If you have trouble sleeping, you may need to buy a new mattress for your bed. A mattress that is several years old may have flat padding, or it could have indentations where your hips or bottom settles at night. When you’re looking for a replacement, look at the differences of a hybrid mattress vs. memory foam to find your best option.
What is a Hybrid Mattress?
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A mattress that is a hybrid combines two types of mattresses, memory foam, and innerspring mattress. The innersprings are usually in the center of the bed, while the memory foam pads its entire area. The padding is generally 1.5-inches deep or more, and it’s more of a traditional mattress than modern memory foam.
Some of the pluses of a hybrid are that it has some bounce to it, which can make it easier to get out of bed in the morning. It can also make sexy times in the bedroom more fun. The material on hybrid mattresses is more breathable than their foam competitors.
Since it allows the air to circulate better, the temperature is better regulated, which can help many people get a good night’s sleep. Hybrid mattresses are not all the same because there can be varying combinations of foam padding amongst the different brands.
For instance, some hybrids may have multiple layers of gel foam and polyfoam padding to make the mattress more comfortable for those sleeping on it. Other brands may use different combinations of foam or only one type of memory foam to make the beds firmer or softer for buyers preferring a certain firmness.
Since most people spend about 33 percent of their lives sleeping, it’s vital that you get the right mattress, so you are comfortable and can sleep well.
What is a Memory Foam Mattress?
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By now, many people are familiar with memory foam because they may have a pillow that’s memory foam or they’ve slept on an egg crate mattress pad, which is memory foam.
Although memory foam starts stiff, as the sleeper’s body heat warms it, it softens. Depending on the type of foam in the mattress, it may soften slightly to stay firm or until it’s a softer mattress.
Foam mattresses come in three types:
- Traditional foam which is petroleum-based
- Plant-based memory foam
- Gel memory foam
Plant-based memory foam contains coconut, soy, and other plant materials in the making of the foam. These mattresses are more environmentally friendly because they use sustainable materials. Gel foam is usually a mix of traditional and gel foams.
Memory foam mattresses are sometimes less expensive than traditional mattresses but can cost into the thousands of dollars too. However, they don’t breathe as well because the air doesn’t circulate through them. They retain the body heat that softens them, which may be too warm for many people.
Also, the foam contours to the body, almost hugging it, which can make it challenging to move around in a bed with a memory foam mattress.
Differences Between Hybrid and Memory Foam Mattresses
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If you’re used to a mattress with a little bounce, then you may prefer the hybrid mattress vs. memory foam. While the memory foam padding on the hybrid mattress can contour to your body, the innersprings allows it to bounce slightly. The bounce makes it easier to move around on it and get out of bed in the morning.
Although some people like a bouncy bed, others do not, especially if they have a partner that moves around while they’re sleeping and wakes them up.
A memory foam bed doesn’t bounce, and it is harder to move around in, which allows people to sleep without being disturbed. However, for people who do move around, it can feel too confining, so they may not care for it.
Back Support Choices
For people that have spine problems, especially involving the alignment of the spine, it’s usually better for their backs to sleep on a memory foam mattress. The weight of the body distributes evenly on memory foam and since it contours to the body, no gaps exist, which helps keep the entire spine in alignment.
Hybrid mattresses can also provide good back support, helping to reduce pain, due to the memory foam padding. Also, since these beds are flatter than traditional innerspring beds, it is a good choice for side sleepers.
The innersprings give the mattress flexibility, which is essential for people who move around at night due to being uncomfortable in one position for too long.
With the padding on hybrid mattresses, sleepers will not be able to feel the coils poking them in the back as they did with some traditional innerspring models. The padding covers the springs, so they cannot be felt by those sleeping on them.
Mattress Costs
The cost of the mattresses can vary widely too. A high-quality memory foam mattress can be costly, though due to competition, the prices have come down on them. Also, if you shop around, you can find cheap memory foam models, but they may not hold up as well as the higher quality models.
Hybrid mattresses are a less expensive option than high-quality memory foam and traditional innerspring mattresses. The more conventional mattresses can cost in the high hundreds to thousands of dollars so that you will save money with a hybrid model.
In many cases, it may be more comfortable than a traditional mattress as well.
Hybrid Mattress vs Memory Foam: Tips for Buying
When you’re shopping for new mattresses, try these six tips.
Test the Mattresses
When buying a mattress, especially if you’ve never had one that’s memory foam, compare the density of the mattresses, not only by pressing down on it with a hand, but laying down on it as well. At first, they will feel firmer than they are, so lay on it until your body heat softens it. Then try moving around on it and test its comfort level.
Buy a Good Foundation
Consider the foundation on which the mattress will go. For either type, the foundation could be a metal or wood frame or a platform bed.
Although it is your preference that matters, be aware that the warranty on some memory foam models could void if it goes on the wrong type of foundation. Ask the salesperson if a specific type of foundation is necessary when shopping for mattresses.
Research Where Mattresses are Manufactured
When shopping for either hybrid mattress or memory foam , find out the location of their manufacturers. If it is Europe, the United States or Canada, then the mattresses should be safe. However, think twice about mattresses from China or other Southeast Asian countries.
In an effort to make more profit, the materials in the mattresses could be cheap, which could mean they are toxic as well. Some chemicals like formaldehyde, heavy metals like lead or mercury, or flame retardants may be in them.
Check the Brands for Testing Certifications
Check the information on the mattresses to see if they have a CertiPUR-US certification. If the mattresses have this seal, then you can trust that those mattresses:
- Do not contain phthalates
- Do not have formaldehyde in them
- No heavy metals like lead, mercury, and others will be in them
- They won’t contain PBDE flame retardants
- They will have a low level of volatile organic compounds, which are easy to detect because they smell like chemicals
If you don’t see the seal, then pass by the mattresses because you don’t want to sleep on toxic chemicals, do you?
Read Reviews
Although some reviews are written by people being paid to do so, others are genuine, and they can provide good advice. Many websites will inform readers if the reviewer bought the product because it may have “verified buyer” in the review by their name.
People are only too happy to write reviews for products that disappointed them to prevent others from wasting their money.
However, if the customer loves the product, they will often write reviews praising the product and recommending it to those that may look at it or another brand. So, read reviews, verify they’re by real buyers, and use them to gain insight on the mattresses’ good and bad aspects.
Try Before You Buy
Some mattress companies allow consumers to try out their mattresses before they purchase them. Seek out those brands because being able to try out the mattress and send it back if you don’t like it can help save a lot of money.
Many companies offer short trial periods of 30 to 90 days, while others are much more generous and allow you to keep the mattress for up to 200 days.
These tips, along with the other information can help you decide between a hybrid mattress vs. memory foam, and what qualities to shop for when you’re ready to replace the old mattress for a new one.
It is a big decision, which can be an expensive one as well, so research the brands and then go to a store to test out the ones you like to find the right mattress for your needs.