What can a Mattress Topper do for Me?

December 28, 2022

Sleep specialists recommend the average adult get at least 7 hours of sleep each night. While the amount of sleep you get is important, it is equally important that those 7 hours are made up of high-quality sleep to ensure the mind and body are well-rested. When you purchase a mattress, you do so with comfort in mind.

While new, a mattress may allow for the best sleep you have ever gotten. But, an existing, older mattress can make it difficult to get quality sleep because it may be too lumpy, sag, or lack support.

Fortunately, many bedding accessories can be used to get better sleep — including a mattress pad, mattress protector, or mattress topper. By adding accessories to an old mattress, your mattress will last longer, and it can be more cost-effective for those on a budget.

What is a Mattress Topper?

A mattress topper is a bedding accessory designed to be placed on top of your mattress to add support, relieve pressure, and provide cushioning support for your body better than your mattress can. Mattress toppers are generally 2 to 4 inches of latex foam, memory foam, wool, feather, and other comfort materials.

The purpose of a mattress topper is to make your existing mattress more comfortable, helping you to get a good night’s sleep, without breaking your budget. Memory foam mattress toppers add an extra layer of cushion and support, while a cooling mattress topper can keep your bed cooler throughout the night, and help regulate your body temperature.

What is a Mattress Pad?

Mattress pads are thin, 1-2 inch protective coverings designed to protect your mattress from spills, accidents, and common household allergens. A mattress pad may contain latex, feather, or a fiber layer, and is often used on top of young children’s mattresses to protect them from accidents.

Mattress Pad vs Mattress Topper

A mattress pad is only 1-2 inches thick, and does not typically provide much additional comfort, nor will it likely change the feel of your existing mattress. The primary goal of a mattress pad is to protect a mattress against spills, stains, accidents, and household allergens like dust mites, dirt, and more. A mattress topper, while it will protect your mattress similar to a pad, changes the feel of a bed by adding 2-4 inches of comfort material.

A mattress protector and mattress pad may sound the same, but a mattress topper protects against a sagging mattress, adds comfort, and protects the mattress. If you are looking to change the way your bed feels, get a mattress topper.

Mattress Topper Benefits

Not all mattress toppers are the same. Mattress toppers provide many benefits, and help sleepers achieve comfortable sleep, protect a bed from excess wear and tear, and much more! Mattress topper benefits include:

Longer Mattress Lifespan

Unlike mattress pads, a mattress topper is designed to share the pressure of your bed. In doing so, your mattress is better protected from wear and tear, and can last much longer than originally expected. A new bed purchase can be expensive, by spending a little extra money to add a mattress topper you could save yourself thousands later on, allowing more time to enjoy your mattress.

Adds an Extra Layer of Comfort

The best mattress provides the perfect blend of support and comfort, ensures a neutral alignment of the spine is kept for pressure relief, and aids in regulating the body’s temperature throughout the night. If your mattress fails to maintain these key elements, adding a mattress topper will help to bring a firm mattress or thinner mattress to life again.

Depending on the type of mattress topper, sleepers may see a decrease in aches and pains, and get a more comfortable sleep, especially if they are sleeping on a too firm mattress for their liking. Maybe you wanted a memory foam mattress, but could not afford the higher price tag. A memory foam mattress topper can provide the same motion-isolating support at a more affordable price.

Helps to Keep the Mattress Clean

The average person spends ⅓ of their life either sleeping in bed, or lounging around attempting to do so. By spending so much time in bed, it is not uncommon for spills or accidents to occur as well as exposure to household allergens like dirt, dust mites, and other irritants.

Similar to a mattress pad, and especially a mattress protector, a mattress topper can prevent household allergens from infiltrating the mattress to maintain a clean, safe sleep space. Many mattress toppers are made with machine-washable material, or an easy-to-remove cover. Just as with a mattress, you should regularly clean and maintain a mattress topper to ensure it lasts for years to come.

Changes the Feel of a Mattress Without the Need to Buy New

Are you sleeping on a firm mattress, and cannot seem to get comfortable? A bed that once seemed to be the perfect fit may have stiffened over time, or begun sagging. A mattress topper can help change the way a mattress feels, making it feel like a high-quality mattress, without the need to spend a ton of money on a new bed. Mattress toppers come in a vast variety of materials, thickness levels, and firmness levels, and offer many different comfort features to help ensure you get a good night’s sleep. They can make a firm mattress softer.

Provides a Temperature Regulator for Your Mattress and Body

The body experiences a natural decrease in core temperature throughout the night, often coinciding with a person’s sleep cycle. Most people sleep more comfortably as their internal body temperature begins to decrease, but some mattress materials can make it difficult to regulate temperatures.

Memory foam is notorious for being a material that traps body heat, rather than being an aerated foam that keeps sleepers cool. If you tend to sleep hot, or have a mattress that holds heat, a cooling mattress topper can make climbing into bed more enjoyable after a long day. Hot sleepers should look for breathable foam material with a porous structure that allows air to flow freely, rather than being trapped.

Saves Shoppers Money

A mattress is a large purchase that not everyone can afford when they truly need to. The average mattress lasts 5-7 years; however, a mattress topper made with high-quality material can allow your mattress to last far beyond the minimum recommendations. A mattress or mattress topper that is well cared for and kept clean can save you thousands in the long run. Are you worried about children having an accident, spills, or allergens taking shelter in your mattress? Most mattress toppers can help to protect your investment against these things!

Types of Mattress Toppers

No two mattress toppers are made exactly alike. They range in materials used, harvesting, processing, and construction methods, as well as the comfort features offered. A high-quality mattress topper adds more comfort and support, but a mattress topper made of a different material or construction could be more cost-effective, and fit your sleep needs better.

Regardless of the type of mattress topper you choose, the right mattress topper makes sleep better with its unique qualities. Do you need a mattress, but cannot afford it? The following guide will help you in deciphering the best mattress toppers for you:

Foam Mattress Toppers

Memory Foam Toppers

Memory foam toppers are made with a viscoelastic polyurethane foam material that is designed to offer sleepers the same structured support as a memory foam mattress, without the need to pay the mattress prices. When well cared for, high-quality memory foam mattress toppers will last up to 5 years, providing unmatched spinal support, pressure relief, and other amenities. A memory foam mattress topper may have gel-infused memory foam for cooler sleep, varying firmness levels, and much more.

Memory Foam Topper Pros

• Spinal and body support
• Body weight is evenly distributed to reduce sagging
• Motion isolation
• No squeaking

Memory Foam Topper Cons

• It can be difficult to change sleep positions
• The traditional foam may trap body heat
• Additional cooling features can be costly

Latex Foam Toppers

Latex toppers are made from the sap harvested from rubber trees found primarily in South America. The sap is whipped into a frothy material, and poured carefully into a mold to form a dense or light foam mattress that offers a bouncy, thick layer of comfort added on top of your mattress.

Latex Foam Topper Pros

• Firm enough for good support, yet offers thick cushioning
• Breathable material
• Extra support
• Lasts for years
• Great to soften up a firm bed
• Can help to extend the life of an old mattress, or sagging mattress

Latex Foam Topper Cons

• Can be too cold during the winter months
• More expensive than other mattress topper types

Wool Mattress Toppers

Wool is among the most luxurious bedding materials on the market, providing natural flame resistance, natural bug resistance, and natural mildew resistance to keep you sleeping healthier. Wool naturally wicks moisture from the body to help you regulate your body temperature, and stay dry throughout the night.

Wool Mattress Topper Pros

• Antimicrobial and hypoallergenic
• Bug, mildew, and flame resistant
• Plush

Wool Mattress Topper Cons

• Very few varieties
• Minimal support
• Expensive

Feather Mattress Toppers

Feather toppers are filled with down or feathers from the underbelly and chest of ducks and geese. These feathers provide a luxurious mattress feel, make a mattress softer, and help to relieve pressure on the shoulders, spine, and hips.

Feather Mattress Topper Pros

• Plush
• Excellent airflow
• Affordable for most budgets

Feather Mattress Topper Cons

• Feathers may poke through the surrounding material
• Damages/crinkles easily
• Can trigger an allergic reaction for those allergic to these live birds

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I Buy a Mattress Topper?

Are you unsure of which mattress accessories will best fit your needs? The risk of purchasing a new mattress without a free-trial period can be difficult, as a mattress is an expensive purchase but mattress toppers can enhance your sleep experience without breaking the bank.

I Have Pressure in My Hips, Shoulders, and Back; Will a Mattress Topper Help?

The right mattress topper used on top of your mattress can help alleviate pressure points. A mattress topper made of memory foam, cooling gel, and latex foam are a great option when looking for a pressure-relieving mattress topper. For those who only need minimal support, a feather topper is a great option for a cushioned feel with pressure-relieving support.

Which is Better, a Mattress Pad or a Mattress Topper?

Choosing between a mattress pad and a mattress topper depends on the amount of support you are needing. A pad is best for those who are looking to protect their current mattress without changing the feel of the mattress, while a mattress topper will change the feel of your mattress with extra cushioning to make sleeping better.

I Want to Protect My Mattress From Spills; What do I Need?

A mattress pad or mattress protector is the best option for sleepers looking to protect a mattress from things like household allergens, spills, or dirt. Even with a protective barrier between you and your mattress, you should regularly clean and maintain your mattress, and clean the mattress protector to ensure your bedding accessories last.

Sleep Better Now with Eco Terra

At Eco Terra, we truly care about each person’s quality and quantity of sleep. We have spent countless hours researching the most sustainable farming and harvesting methods, the most effective construction techniques, and so much more to bring you nature’s secret to deep, comfortable sleep. The average person spends ⅓ of their life sleeping, or attempting to do so. That said, why waste so much time lying in an uncomfortable bed?

At Eco Terra, our bedding products are eco-friendly, polyurethane-free, handcrafted in the United States, and are offered with free shipping.

Hybrid Latex Mattress

Our hybrid latex mattress is made from pure, certified organic latex, with a fabric-encased coil core for the perfect blend of support and comfort. For added comfort, the hybrid latex mattress is surrounded by a soft, organic cotton cover, infused with organic wool that acts as a natural flame-retardant. The hybrid latex mattress is backed by our 90-night risk-free trial, free shipping, and a full refund within the trial period to ensure you love the product, and it is the right fit for you.

Natural Latex Mattress Topper

Our natural latex mattress topper is made of the purest organic latex from our Sri Lanka rubber plantation, and shipped directly to our California warehouse to cut out the cost of the middleman. Our best mattress topper is free from synthetics, made without fillers or chemicals, and offered in all sizes, including California King. It is available in three firmness levels, Soft, Medium, and Medium-Firm, as well as 2” or 3” thick. For those who wish to sleep better now, without paying the full amount upfront, take advantage of our Shop Pay installment option available.

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