Which Is The Best Mattress - Memory Foam Or Spring? Unlike what we see in most mattress retail stores, choosing a mattress should not be done by just plonking yourself on it. A couple of jumps and few minutes of lying on it too cannot tell you if this should be your ideal mattress to aide in sleep. Unfortunately, with an increase in illness today, people often forget to look at all contributing factors including lack of sleep. Instead, the focus entirely is driven to diet and exercise only. Sleep deprivation has a strong link to fatal diseases like cancer, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, and even depression. Most doctors recommend a person to get 8 hours of sleep for the body to restore itself while maintaining cognitive ability. Therefore, it’s important to consider the major contributor to a good night's sleep very seriously. We are talking about none other than your sleep companion- your mattress. While spring beds have traditionally been around for long and still seem to be the most popular choice, it may not be suitable for all sleepers. Memory foam mattresses have been gaining popularity in the last two decades for its excellent contouring ability eliminating potential aches and pains from lying down for long hours. Which then is the best mattress that suits you? Read on to know more. Spring vs. Foam mattresses 1. Definition A spring mattress consists of steel coil springs wrapped in fabric. The gauge of the coil determines the firmness and support levels of the mattress. The top layer of these mattresses has a comfort layer with the springs backing it for support. Memory Foam mattresses come with a viscoelastic filling. Its main feature is that it contours to the sleeper’s body shape within minutes and returns to its original shape after use. Memory foam mattresses have different layers in them with options to customize on firmness levels, size, dimensions etc. Its tight cell structure gives optimal support. 2. Support & Pressure points Spring mattresses tend to push back your body when lying on them with the same force as your body weight. This makes proper support unachievable as there will be uneven pressure areas pushing against the mattress. Memory foam mattresses offer excellent lumbar support allowing for supreme spine alignment during sleep hours. 3. Motion transfer: Unfortunately, spring mattresses are a huge culprit of motion transfers owing to the uneven weight distribution. This results in disturbed sleep with co-sleeping. Memory foams advocate no motion transfer.