Can a Hybrid Mattress Improve Your Sleep? Hybrid mattress review – what’s hot right now A new species of rave-worthy mattresses is emerging and it’s transforming how we sleep. This innovative solution (a combination of diverse materials that work surprisingly well together) answers the call to an age old problem – how to get a better night’s sleep. No longer must we choose between coil (inner spring), latex, memory foam or even gel – we can have it all in one sweet sleep system. We think hybrid mattresses are the hottest – and smartest – trend on the market. What’s more, they offer a cutting edge, customizable approach to overcome the limitations of traditional bedding materials. What the heck’s a hybrid mattress? A hybrid is defined as something with different components put together to produce similar but improved results. A hybrid car, for example is powered by both an electric motor and an internal combustion engine, which relies more on renewable resources, reduces gas consumption and emits less pollution.
Good for your wallet and good for the planet. Hybrid mattresses typically have a base coil system (pocketed or inner spring coil) with varying combinations of memory foam, latex and/or gel on top to create resilient comfort layers. These layers work together to provide significantly improved pressure point relief, which reduces tossing and turning. The spring base gives the hybrid its bounciness and contouring support as well as the traditional profile (also known as silhouette) we’ve come to expect in a mattress – tailored edges, for example. While all of these materials on their own can deliver a great night’s sleep, combining them improves their effectiveness and actually extends the life of the mattress. Some mattress experts feel that hybrid mattresses reduce the chance of body impressions because the construction materials support each other in ways we’ve never seen before. Is a hybrid mattress right for you? A hybrid mattress is for you if you meet the following criteria:
You’ve slept on a coil, latex and or memory foam mattress and felt there was something missing. You sleep hot and, while memory foam feels good on your joints, it creates a sauna under the covers. You sleep cold and, while you like enjoy the buoyancy of springs, you just can’t stay warm at night. You like to be on the cutting edge of technology. Restonic’s hybrid mattress – ComfortCare Restonic’s ComfortCare Signature mattress embraces hybrid technology and we were the first mattress manufacturer to be recognized by Women’s Choice Awards – and still continue to be awarded this honor year after year. When surveyed, a whopping 96% of ComfortCare customers were so happy with their purchase that they’d recommend our hybrid mattress to friends and family. As well, we’re multiple year winners of the Consumer’s Choice Best Buy awards – we stopped counting after 8 awards. Our flagship mattress, the ComfortCare Signature, features the following:
Outlast® – Outlast regulates the temperature within the bed (microclimate) and keeps it in the optimum range for a restful sleep Delivers edge to edge temperature-neutral comfort Offsets temperature fluctuations throughout the night Reduces tossing and turning and allows for longer REM sleep TempaGel™ by Restonic® – Restonic’s gel infused memory foam Reduces tossing and turning Moderates temperature variances throughout the night Buffers sensitive pressure points, which improves circulation Individually wrapped coils – Individually wrapped, zoned, tempered coils Furnishes stress-free spinal alignment Reduces motion transfer between sleep partners Equalizes pressure distribution across the entire body Marvelous Middle™– Thicker gauge coils in the center third of the mattress Delivers resilient, reliable support where it’s needed most Protects against sagging for a longer-life mattress Improves circulation with equalized pressure distribution
Breathable Border – The Superedge Plus™ Foam Encasement Border and AirFlow™ Edge team up to deliver ventilated edge to edge support Regulates temperature throughout the night Increases the sleepable surface of the mattress Encourages air circulation, regulating the bed’s micro-climate throughout the night – which keeps bedding fresh Buying a new mattress may be the most confusing and frustrating task on the planet and, unlike buying a new car, there’s no shock and awe tour afterward. What’s more, it’s hard to compare one brand to another, one model to another. Our mattress buying guide articles can help you be a better mattress tester: Why temperature control is important Understanding memory foam mattresses After you’ve bought your new mattress, write a mattress review to help other mattress shoppers make a smart purchase. Eager for more sleep info you can really use? Join our communities on and let's continue the conversation.
We'd love to hear what you have to say! This blog does not provide medical advice. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be relied on to make decisions about yourNever ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of something youIf you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor or dial 911. Get better sleep, today Find Your MattressCould your couch increase your chances of getting cancer? Studies show that every day we are exposed to chemicals that were intended to protect us from household fires but are hazardous to our health.1 2 Toxic flame retardants are used in upholstered furniture such as couches, chairs, and mattresses, including infant crib mattresses, and in drapery and carpets. They are even in our televisions and plastic-cased electronics.
Flame retardants have also been found in the foam inside baby products such as baby carriers, high chairs, strollers, and nursing pillows.3 Some flame retardants are made of chemicals called volatile or semi-volatile organic compounds (VOCs or SVOCs), which simply means that they can become airborne or collect on the dust particles we breathe. Who invited cancer-causing chemicals into our homes? At one time, it made sense to require flame retardants that would prevent or slow the spread of fire. But we now know those same chemicals can cause cancer. They also can affect children’s growth and brain development. Dr. Linda Birnbaum, the director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Services, explains that new research used 3-D imaging to demonstrate how synthetic flame retardants “interfere with the body’s natural hormones.”4 When chemicals affect adult hormone levels, they can be very harmful, with the potential to reduce fertility or harm a developing fetus.
Other research shows how this can affect children’s learning. University of Cincinnati’s Dr. Aimin Chen and colleagues studied pregnant women and their children to determine the effect of prenatal exposure on learning and behavior. The researchers measured the amount of common flame retardants in 301 pregnant women at 16 weeks of pregnancy and tested their children during their first 5 years of life. Pregnant women with higher levels of flame retardants had children who tended to have more learning problems at ages 2, 3, 4, and 5 years, and the children also were more likely to be hyperactive.5 Another important way that young children are exposed to flame retardant chemicals is through their crib mattresses. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in crib mattresses come from the foam stuffing, usually made of polyurethane or polyester. Studies from the last ten years suggest that exposure to these chemicals increases the risk of asthma and lung infections in young children.6 7 A study from 2014 revealed that infants may be at greater risk from the chemicals in crib mattresses than adults for several reasons: their small size means there is less distance between a baby’s body and the mattress
, and babies generate more body heat while sleeping which causes more chemicals to be released into the air that they breathe. Also, babies sleep more hours a day than adults do, lengthening the time they are exposed to the mattress chemicals.8 These findings have important implications for children’s health and are why previous flame retardants, such as brominated “Tris,” were banned from use in children’s pajamas in the late 1970s and chemicals called PentaBDE and OctaBDE were phased out of commercial products, beginning in 2004.9 10 Despite these laws, we are still exposed to these and even more harmful chemicals. Because banned chemicals are replaced by new chemicals that we don’t yet know much about. As shown in recent studies, these new chemicals can also be dangerous, and in some cases may be more dangerous. Researchers found higher-than-expected levels of one such chemical, organophosphate esters, in the outdoor air in 5 sites around the U.S. This new chemical was found in amounts 100 to 1,000 times higher than older PBDE’s.11
Even after flame retardants are phased out, we keep getting exposed when we use old furniture passed on to family members, or sold at garage sales. Because there is no standard process to safely dispose of furniture containing flame retardants, these chemicals remain in our environment via discarded furniture, dust, and air.12 Flame retardant chemicals can even be measured in tree bark. Research shows the highest levels are found in densely populated areas, such as Toronto, Canada, but high levels are still found even in remote regions of Indonesia and Nepal.13 Researchers at Duke University led a national study to identify flame retardant chemicals in the polyurethane foam used in couches. TDCPP was the most commonly detected flame retardant, often used to replace PentaBDE and OctaBDE in couches manufactured after their 2004 phase out. TDCPP can cause cancer and is very similar to the Tris that was banned decades ago. Of the 102 couches tested, researchers detected toxic flame retardants in 85% of them.14
In a second study conducted by the Silent Spring Institute, dust samples were collected from 16 homes in California. House dust is the primary way Americans are exposed to toxic flame retardants, by inhaling and ingesting them.1 Researchers found Tris in 75% of the homes despite its ban from children’s pajamas more than 30 years ago and its listing in California as a chemical known to cause cancer. California has a higher furniture flammability standard than other states, known as Technical Bulletin 117 (TB117). Because of its large size, it is often easier for companies to follow California’s standards for all their products, not just those sold in California. Manufacturers also make their products comply with TB117 to protect themselves against law suits.15 But, as a result, they are risking consumers’ health by exposing Americans to higher levels of flame retardants in their homes than they would otherwise be.16 In general, California’s stricter standards (on organic foods and on air quality, for instance) have paved the way for protections across the country, but in the case of flame retardants, their standards have been harmful.
We all depend on government regulators to keep us as safe as possible by monitoring commercial materials used in our homes, cars, airplanes, foods, and medicines. Unfortunately, current standards for flame retardant furniture are not based on solid research.17 Fortunately, California has responded to criticisms of their standards by adopting new guidelines in November 2013 based on the latest research. The new guidelines require upholstery and fabric covers to be smolder proof, a new test that simulates fires from a lit cigarette. The changes are meant to more accurately reflect the situations that usually lead to fires in homes, and make it possible for manufacturers to use lower amounts of less toxic chemicals. As a consequence, manufacturers will use different, and presumably safer, flame retardants for products sold in California and across the country. The changes went into effect in January 2015.18 19 Firefighters are actively trying to get toxic flame retardants banned from furniture, saying that they make home fires much more dangerous to family members and fire fighters when they breathe the toxic fumes during the fire.
The retardants also increase firefighters’ chances of developing cancer, since they are exposed to the chemicals more than anyone else. However, the American Home Furniture Alliance, made up of furniture manufacturers, is fighting the ban. Since many of us can’t buy all new furniture to help reduce exposure to these toxic chemicals, we need to try to keep our homes as dust free as possible. Remember, as these flame retardants are released or shed from upholstered furniture and other household products, they accumulate in house dust. Vacuum regularly, use a wet-mop, and wash your hands frequently. Have young children who spend a lot of time on the floor wash their hands regularly, too. Consider repairing or replacing old furniture, especially pieces which have rips or holes in them, which can expose more of the foam stuffing. If you are thinking of buying a new mattress or furniture, the Green Science Policy Institute provides a reference guide for furniture made without added flame retardants.20 There are now also many “green” furniture companies, including crib mattress manufacturers that use all natural and non-toxic materials like wool and organic cotton that are not only better for you and your family