Inside a mattress: spring unit, layers and firmness zones

The mattress is the only piece of furniture that is loaded eight hours a day without a break. The name of the model does not say anything about it; everything that matters is in the specs.

First floor: block or lack thereof

Independent spring block - each spring in a separate fabric cover, compressed by itself. The mattress repeats the shape of the body point by point: the shoulder and pelvis sink, the lower back remains supported, and the neighbor in the bed does not roll into your hole.

A springless mattress is a solid block of layers. Its main property is that it does not transmit movement at all: if one gets up at night, the other will not feel it. There is no better type, there is one that suits your weight and whether you sleep together.

Layers: what makes them stiffer

• —High-density polyurethane foam - even medium support, the basis of most models
• —Coconut coir is a hard layer, does not sag and does not spring, keeps the surface flat
• —Latex — softens and springs, works in tandem with harder layers
• —Shape memory — fits the body and does not support it; gives a feeling of "hugging"

Hardness zones

In spring models, the block is divided into zones with different stiffness — softer under the shoulders, harder under the pelvis. The more zones, the more accurate it works.

For one sleeper of average build, the difference between five and seven zones is almost imperceptible. It becomes noticeable when two people of different weights sleep on the mattress.

Height and cover

The height of the mattress is a separate line in the characteristics and is not synonymous with quality: 6 cm is a topper, 18–22 cm is a full mattress. The topper is placed on top of the existing sleeping place to adjust the stiffness, and not instead of the mattress.

Removable cover is washable; the mattress pad absorbs moisture and dirt and extends the life of everything under it. It is necessary to wash the cover many times less often if there is a mattress topper.

How to read the line "Hardness"

This is a summary of all layers together, and not a characteristic of one of them. A thin layer of coconut over the spring block only removes excessive softness — the mattress remains average; whole coconut is really hard.

Weight guideline: up to 60 kg, soft and medium models are usually more comfortable, 60-90 kg - medium, over 90 kg - hard with a reinforced block. Side sleepers need a mattress that allows the shoulder to sink.