How to find the best mattress topper for a healthy sleep. Comprehensive buying advice with top recommendations from experts.
As you make your bed, you sleep.
A viscoelastic mattress topper is a great way to improve your sleep for very little money.
Today I would like to explain how useful these requirements are, what differences there are and what you should pay attention to when buying.
In detail, it concerns the following topics:
Perhaps you are also playing with the idea of equipping your bed with a viscoelastic mattress topper. I hope this post will help you find the right product for you.
Quick overview: Top 3 of my visco-elastic mattress toppers recommendations (various sizes can be selected):
Index
What are mattress toppers good for?
Mattress pads – or toppers, as they are sometimes called – can be used for different areas of application:
- To protect the mattress
- For a softer sleeping surface
- For a warmer sleeping surface
- For more comfort and better support while sleeping
Depending on what you want to use your mattress pad for, you should look out for suitable materials.
There are materials that protect your mattress in the best possible way and others that offer a soft and comfortable base for your sleep.
Buy a mattress topper based on the size of your bed. The overlay is simply placed on top of the mattress, many of which are already provided with rubbers that you can use to fix the overlay to the mattress.
What materials are mattress toppers made of?
In this chapter I briefly discuss the main types & their differences.
Mattress pads made of visco-elastic foam
In recent years, viscoelastic foam has become one of the most popular materials for mattresses, mattress toppers and orthopedic neck pillows .
The mixture of perfect adaptation to the body and a good support function make the material ideal as a sleeping pad.
- The visco-elastic foam reacts to heat and thus adapts perfectly to the human body.
- Nevertheless, it retains its strength and ensures support and a healthy position of the spine (you avoid pain after waking up ).
Shoulders and hips sink deeper into the material, while the head and waist are perfectly supported.
Studies have shown that viscoelastic foam improves blood circulation and thus also helps relieve tension and pain.
Mattress toppers made from other materials
In addition to visco-elastic foam, there are also other materials for manufacturing mattress toppers.
The most commonly used fillers are included
- down
- feathers
- Simple foam
- Gel foam
Each material has its own properties that influence its function. In an upcoming post I will specifically focus on the differences between the different mattress toppers.
Experience has shown that visco foam is usually the best choice for a modern mattress topper because of its great properties:
For whom are viscoelastic mattress toppers recommended?
Do you sleep restlessly and wake up in the morning with back pain? Or do you always have the feeling that your mattress is too hard or too cold?
Then a mattress pad made of visco-elastic foam may be just the thing for you.
A visco-elastic mattress pad is warm, soft and adapts perfectly to your body.
This ensures a healthier sleep and prevents health problems. In addition, an overlay is significantly cheaper than a new mattress.
Anyone who already has a viscoelastic mattress and loves its advantages can use a viscoelastic mattress topper when the foam layer of the existing mattress slowly loses its functionality.
With one edition you can regain your usual sleeping comfort at a low price without having to buy a completely new mattress.
- Or you can use a mattress pad made of visco-elastic foam to protect your good and expensive mattress.
- The toppers are easy to turn and, thanks to the washable cover, offer a very hygienic sleeping surface.
A great way to take precautions against lack of sleep and health problems with little money .
The advantages of viscoelastic mattress toppers summarized
There are several advantages that a viscoelastic mattress topper offers. The most popular ones are
- improved comfort
- warmer (cozier) bed
- softer lying surface
Pay attention to these factors when choosing the right mattress topper.
How is a visco-elastic mattress topper constructed
A traditional mattress pad made of visco-elastic foam is between four and ten centimeters thick, depending on the quality.
There is a layer of the special foam in a washable fabric cover. This provides a soft, warm and supportive surface for your body at the same time.
If you place the overlay on an existing mattress, it simulates the effect of an expensive viscoelastic mattress. Studies have shown that this can be very effective as long as the mattress and mattress topper match.
The interplay between mattress and visco-elastic mattress topper
When buying a viscoelastic mattress topper, you should always first make sure that it fits your existing mattress.
- If you have a very old and uncomfortable spring mattress, you cannot turn it into a top mattress even with the most expensive mattress topper.
- If your mattress is of very good quality and possibly even contains viscoelastic foam itself, an additional viscoelastic mattress overlay can serve to protect the mattress.
There are also a few other things that are important:
Note the age of the mattress
If you want to improve the quality of a mattress that is not yet too old, a viscoelastic mattress topper is the perfect means.
However, if you have an old and saggy mattress, you should replace it first before thinking of buying a mattress topper.
Depending on the offers available, it may also be advisable to transform a mid-range mattress into a high-quality combination with a visco-elastic mattress topper.
Sometimes the option is cheaper than buying a new mattress with visco-elastic foam.
Similar to the right pillow , such a topper brings a lot of quality of life for relatively little money.
Pay attention to the air circulation
It is also important to ensure that a visco-elastic mattress topper does not block the air circulation in the mattress.
If a mattress is not well ventilated, it can be damaged and mold can develop.
Before you buy a mattress topper, make sure that your mattress is air-permeable, that the mattress cover is breathable and that the size of the padding corresponds to the size of the mattress.
Note : Cold foam mattresses are usually not compatible with viscoelastic mattress toppers.
Top 3 purchase recommendations for viscoelastic mattress toppers
As you can see, there are some key features to look out for when buying a viscoelastic mattress topper.
In addition to the thickness of the pad and the quality of the foam used (volume weight), the price is of course an important selection criterion.
I have put together a few recommended viscoelastic mattress toppers from different price groups for you to give you an overview.
You have to decide which one of these best suits your requirements. As I said, there is no such thing as THE best cover for all mattresses. With the recommendations, however, you have a great way to shorten the search for a suitable topper significantly:
Good and cheap: MSS visco-elastic mattress topper
This is a very cheap, but also rather simple mattress pad made of breathable visco foam due to its very small thickness.
Benefits:
- very affordable entry-level model
- Can be used without a cover directly under the fitted sheet
- Ökotex certificate
- Cut to measure
Disadvantage:
- Cover is not pure cotton
- Rather thin at 4
Here you will find additional information on the MSS * viscoelastic mattress topper and the option to order it online.
Comfortable middle class model: Dailydream Topper
For a little more money, this mattress topper from Dailydream offers really comfortable sleeping pleasure. If you’ve never used a viscoelastic mattress topper, the difference is sure to surprise you.
Benefits:
- 5 cm dick
- Knobs on the underside provide support
- Great price / performance
- different sizes can be selected
Top class comfort: SW Bedding Topper
The SW Bedding Topper is an absolute top model among the viscoelastic mattress toppers which you can even test for 30 days free of charge. If you don’t like it, you will get your money back.
Benefits:
- 9 cm dick
- Suitable for the care sector
- Ökotex certificate
- different sizes can be ordered
- removable, washable cover
- Available in two different degrees of hardness
- Suitable for allergy sufferers
Here you can order the SW Bedding Topper mattress cover * online and find out additional information.
Conclusion: mattress pads made of viscoelastic foam can improve your sleep over the long term
Regardless of whether you want to upgrade your existing mattress or protect a quality mattress, a visco-elastic mattress topper is always a good choice.
With prices starting at 50 euros and a wide range of different products, it is easy to find a model that exactly meets your requirements.
Find out in advance what properties your mattress has in order to buy a mattress topper that complements it perfectly.
And according to your budget, you can then buy a soft and warm sleeping mat with as much viscoelastic foam as you want. Your body will definitely thank you.
What you should also consider when buying
In this chapter I would like to clarify a few important questions that keep many buyers confused:
Mattress protectors are not mattress pads
In contrast to a mattress pad that you place directly on the mattress, mattress protectors are used between the mattress and the slatted frame.
Mattress pads in the double bed
If you sleep in a double bed which consists of two individual mattresses, you can practically cover the crack between the two mattresses with a matching wide mattress pad made of visco-elastic foam. The result is the feeling of sleeping on one large, soft surface.
Care of a viscoelastic mattress topper
Make sure to turn your mattress overlay according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This way you avoid pits from forming. Also, wash the cover regularly.
Where you can find cheap mattress toppers made of viscoelastic foam
In addition to specialist retailers, there are more and more offers for viscoelastic mattress toppers in large department stores and even in supermarket chains.
If you have an Ikea bed, you should also look directly for an Ikea mattress topper. This ensures that the sizes match.
Some users also write on the Internet about mattress toppers from Aldi or about Lidl mattress toppers, which you can buy from supermarket chains at very reasonable prices. However, these are not taken into account in the mattress topper tests published to date.
Nevertheless, before buying, check whether there are currently any cheap offers outside of the specialist trade.
Tips for your sleep
You are also welcome to browse the other sections and find out which measures you can take to improve your sleep:
- The bedroom category provides helpful tips on how to best furnish your bedroom .
- In the next section you will find more information on common sleep problems and sleep disorders .
- We explain current studies (understandable for everyone) in the category of sleep research .
- General tips & strategies for a healthy night’s sleep can be found here: Sleep better .
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I created Sleep Knowledge to share my interests and experiences on healthy sleeping with others. On this page I am therefore dealing with interesting questions about the optimal night’s sleep & everything else that goes with it.