There are certainly a lot of myths surrounding mattresses and sleep. There are also a number of valid concerns which you may have. It is our hope to try and address some of these myths and concerns here. If a particular question you have is not answered here, please contact us! We will be glad to help.

In our effort to constantly improve the information available on the subject of sleep and how it relates to mattresses, please check back here often, as we're always working to update and add even more information to these pages.

Concern: What is natural memory foam?
Myth: The more coils, the better.
Concern: I’m allergic to latex.
Concern: I’m allergic to wool.
Myth: Firm is better.
Concern: Comfort Guarantees really vary between stores.
Concern: I wish to have my bed at a certain height.

Natural memory foam is actually a slow-response latex foam aggressively marketed as "natural." This slow responding latex foam features additional chemicals added to the latex process to inhibit a slower, "memory foam" type of comfort. This material does contain some natural content; however it still contains styrene and butadiene. These two chemicals are both volatile organic compounds (VOC's) and as such we feel it is inappropriate to market this foam as "natural memory foam."

The only natural foam available today is 100% natural rubber tree latex. And even then, most latex contains styrene and butadiene. There are only a handful of latex makers in the entire world with the ability to create latex foam without the use of these volatile organic compounds. Three excellent examples are Green Sleep, who employs 100% natural rubber across their entire line, Natura, who currently offers 100% natural rubber in their Organic Series and our house-brand, tmasc.ca. All of the latex used in our tmasc.ca branded mattresses is 100% natural.

When in doubt, always ask for the Eco Institut certification. Eco Institut is a well respected German company which has the ability to test samples of foam for VOC's, including styrene and butadiene. If either of these compounds are contained in the foam sample, even in trace amounts, the foam sample will simply fail the test and will not receive certification. Green Sleep and Latex Green (the company who Natura sources their natural rubber from) each have obtained full Eco Institut certification.

Although coil count is a consideration one might have when choosing a new mattress, it should not be used as the tie-breaker between two different models. There are a number of different factors that contribute to the comfort, support and durability offered by a particular innerspring.

Innerspring (coil) design, gauge (thickness) of wire, number of turns, metal composition, tempering, and so on, all contribute to the potential of a particular innerspring.

Also keep in mind that as the coil count increases, the diameter of each individual coil will decrease. You still have to fit all of those springs in the same amount of space!

Although latex allergies are cause for concern, the type of latex foam used in mattresses and pillows is incredibly safe. Latex is a touch allergy, which means you have to come in direct contact with it to have a reaction. All of the natural latex products we offer are covered, ensuring no direct contact.

The Mattress & Sleep Company offers a unique buy-back programme on all natural latex products we sell. In the highly unlikely event of a documented medical reaction, The Mattress & Sleep Company will issue a full refund on the purchase price of any natural latex products proven to cause an allergic reaction.

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Lanolin (wool), has long had the reputation of causing allergic reactions. Although wool allergies do exist, a legitimate wool allergy is exceedingly rare. The vast majority of people actually fall under the "wool sensitivity" category. This is due to how most mass produced wool products are treated with harsh chemicals and cleaning agents. Pure, virgin wool is an exceptionally safe choice for almost anyone. Even those who cannot wear a wool clothing article are almost always perfectly fine on a mattress with properly harvested wool. An even safer choice would be certified organic wool.

If you are still unsure about the possibilities of allergic reactions to wool, please consider mulberry silk as an alternative. Mulberry silk shares many of the same health benefits of wool.

A common belief states that firm (or hard) are required for proper support. The truth is that how the mattress conforms to the shape of your body, is far more important. A properly supporting mattress will allow for you to sink into the top comfort layers, cradled by conformance.

When a mattress is too firm, pressure points become an issue. A general tell-tale sign of poor blood circulation due to pressure points would be numb or tingling hands or feet. Another sign that your mattress is too firm is waking up with sore extremities that may have been squished between your body and a firm, unforgiving mattress.

Proper spinal alignment is extremely important. One simple exercise to get in the habit of when shopping for a new mattress is to have someone view your alignment when lying on a potential mattress (perform this test in the positions you normally sleep in). In general terms, if you are sinking into the mattress as level as possible, without forming a “V” or “^” shape, it is fairly safe to say that you are receiving proper spinal support.

Trust your body when it comes to comfort preference. If your body feels more relaxed on a softer mattress, this is perfectly fine! If you are still most comfortable on a firm or hard mattress, consider selecting an innerspring or foam which is designed to alleviate as much pressure as possible.

Trial periods on new sleep sets are getting quite long. If you’re waking up stiff and sore on your new mattress, do you really need 90 or more days of torture? We think not.

We truly believe that 2-3 weeks on a new mattress is sufficient time to decide whether or not your new sleep set is the one of your dreams. Make sure that you read the fine print on comfort guarantees before you buy. Many trial periods have very limiting options such as no refunds, or they might only allow you to switch into a more expensive product.

Learn more about our Sleep Sound Guarantee®.

You'll notice that on nearly every mattress product page, we've provided height measurements. Typically we're able to accommodate almost any height requirement you may have. Often times bed frames and foundations (boxsprings) are available in different heights, so changing either of these items is usually the simplest.