I heard that tempur pedic mattresses are highly rated, but also heard that hybrid mattresses give off some heat, though maybe less heat then memory foam mattresses. Is there some material I can lay on a hybrid to prevent it from causing me any unusual warmth when I’m sleeping?
Hi JBR2022,
While Tempur-Pedic is a popular mattress brand, their lack of transparency on material used in the components and density of layers in their mattresses doesn’t allow for a clear idea of how much memory foam, gel foam or HD foam is inside, or in what proportion. While this mattress may be comfortable for you depending on your stats (Height, BMI, sleeping position(s) and any health conditions), I would caution on relying too heavily on reviews, as these are just the opinions of others. Your mattress is a personal choice for you, and is specific to your PPP (Posture & alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences).
Any mattress with more than an inch or 2 of memory foam or polyfoam can be liable to prematurely wear and affect the sleepers’ comfort, and even cause alignment issues and undue pressure on the spine and joints. You can see the durability of specific components and materials in the mattress durability guidelines here, And different types of mattresses here. You can also see what other consumers have said about Tempur-Pedic mattresses on the forumhere
Hybrid mattresses can retain heat from the sleeper’s body temperature, or from the climate (depending on the materials in the comfort transition layers). By themselves innersprings are one of the most temperature neutral materials for a mattress. But a comfort layer with memory foam can be problematic for most when it comes to temperature regulation. Memory foam does a very good job at minimizing motions transfer, but it will generally be sleeping hot and be the least breathable and most insulating of the foam comfort materials, so temperature can be an issue and if you like memory foam you’d want to make sure that you don’t choose something with too much memory foam on top that you sink in too deeply as the more you sink into it the more will sleep hot. Any breathable layer, like soft latex or wool or another permeable material in the top layers will allow the components to breathe and help to a certain extent dissipate heat. The upper layers of a mattress are the most significant part of temperature and moisture regulation as it relates to the sleeper, the airflow and ventilation will occur from all sides of the mattress including the deeper support components. A hybrid latex mattress that is using a pocket coil core which is one of the most breathable types of cores… followed by latex which is also the most breathable and “temperature neutral” of all the different types of foam materials. Latex allows for more air flow than any other foams and when changing positions on the mattress the air will be moved in and out like within an accordion.
When you decided what type of materials you like, in your search for a new mattress make sure to look at the Mattress Shopping Tutorial and find the mattress specifications you need to know to get a better idea of what to look for and avoid in a hybrid mattress… I would avoid any mattress that does not disclose the density and amount of foam in their product.
Basilio
JBR 2022:
As for ideas of things to place atop a mattress to assist with temperature neutrality, here are a few thoughts:
- You could place a topper on the bed that would promote airflow, such as is offered by Airweave. These are expensive and will take away from the memory foam feel.
- You could add some cooling technology, such as a cooling mattress pad like Chilipad or Eight Sleep Pod Pro. These are also quite expensive and will modify the surface tension of the mattress. There’s also a cooling product for pillows called Moona.
- There are some mattress pads which have a bit more loft and some will incorporate phase change materials. These can promote a bit more airflow, but they will also change the feel of the mattress.
- There are products which will help circulate air under your sheets, such as BedJet or Bed Fan (bFan). These won’t change the surface tension of the mattress, but some people may not like the sensation of having air circulating under their sheets.
This list is by no means complete of products that may meet your criteria, but these were just a few that quickly came to mind.
And if you are interested in detailed specifications of the Tempurpedic models, Jordan’s Furniture is one of the few retailers that tends to list densities of Tempurpedic products.