Note (October 2026): This article previously said Celliant heals injuries and pain, that silver covers help microbes live, and that VPF purifies room air; those claims were wrong and have been corrected below.
Mattress technology covers the materials and features inside a modern mattress: coil systems (Bonnell and pocketed coils), memory foam developed under a NASA contract in 1966, gel foam, latex, adjustable air chambers and treated covers such as Celliant and silver. The right choice depends on support, heat, motion and budget, not on how advanced a feature sounds.
Key Takeaways
- The core (coils, memory foam, latex, air or water) decides how a mattress feels; cover technologies such as Celliant and silver are add-ons.
- Celliant is not FDA approved; in 2017 the FDA said it may claim to temporarily promote local blood flow in healthy people, not to heal injuries.
- Memory foam retains body heat; gel memory foam (introduced in 2006) was designed to reduce trapped heat.
- US mattresses must pass federal flammability standards 16 CFR 1632 (cigarette) and 16 CFR 1633 (open flame).
- Most high-end mattresses last 7 to 10 years; the Better Sleep Council suggests considering replacement every five to seven years.
Mattress plays a major role in getting good sleep. Not all of us know how to get a mattress that suits our needs. There are many products to choose from, and your sleeping position and comfort preferences shape the kind of mattress you need.
If you sleep hot, the materials matter, because memory foam is known to retain body heat. The older a mattress gets, the more trouble it tends to cause.
Image Source: Pexels
A good mattress relieves pressure on joints and muscles. As a mattress ages, it loses its ability to support the body evenly: it can sag, and spring models can start to creak.
You might not notice it, but sleep quality can drop too. Your hips may hurt, you may wake in the middle of the night, or you may get up with back or neck stiffness.
These are signs that a mattress is no longer in good shape and that, after years of use, it’s time for a replacement. Most high-end mattresses last between 7 and 10 years, and the Better Sleep Council recommends considering a replacement every five to seven years.
If you are still unsure which type of mattress you need, the review site www.sleepjunkie.org is one place to compare options. The site, whose old .org address now redirects to sleepjunkie.com, lists mattresses, publishes brand reviews and says its reviews are grounded in sleep science. As with any review site, check its picks against independent signals such as foam certification, trial length and warranty terms.
Standard mattresses were made of coil and foam but with the latest technologies manufacturers are reinventing products so that a mattress is multi utility object.
Early innerspring mattresses used Bonnell coils, which were adapted from 19th-century carriage seat springs and padded with upholstery layers. In 1899 James Marshall introduced the first individually wrapped pocketed spring coil, now known as the Marshall coil. Foam came later: memory foam was developed in 1966 under a contract with NASA’s Ames Research Center, and gel-infused memory foam was introduced in 2006. Today coils, memory foam, gel foam and latex are often combined in one mattress.
Today some mattresses add adjustable air chambers and sensors; Sleep Number, for example, sells air beds whose firmness can be set separately on each side using air pressure. Two cover technologies that mattress makers often advertise are:
- Celliant infused fabric, made by Hologenix, which the maker says converts body heat into infrared energy that is returned to the skin. In 2017 the US FDA determined that Celliant products are medical devices and general wellness products that may claim to temporarily promote increased local blood flow at the site of application in healthy individuals. Celliant is not FDA approved, and it does not treat, cure or heal any injury, pain or disease.
- Silver-infused covers are sold for their antimicrobial properties. Silver ions damage key enzyme systems in the cell membranes of microbes, which is why silver is added to some fabrics and wound dressings. Evidence of a health benefit from silver dressings is mixed, so treat a silver cover as a hygiene feature, not a health treatment.
Beyond these two cover technologies, the core of the mattress decides how it feels and how long it lasts. The main types are:
- Innerspring mattress is mostly seen in showrooms where metal springs are covered with fabric or foam. Some buyers find that this kind of mattress passes more movement across the bed than foam does.
- Latex foam in mattresses is generally a blend of natural latex from the Hevea brasiliensis rubber tree and synthetic latex, and all-natural latex mattresses without polyurethane-based chemicals are also sold. Claims that latex is the second-largest category are not backed by a published market figure. Natural latex is often chosen for environmental reasons.
- Memory foam is one of the most widely sold types, though claims about its popularity and lifespan vary by brand and are not independently confirmed. It consists mainly of polyurethane with added chemicals that raise its viscosity and density, and it is usually layered over a firmer polyurethane base foam.
- Gel mattress, as the name suggests, encloses gel in the layers. Gel memory foam fuses gel particles with visco foam to reduce trapped body heat, speed up spring-back and make the mattress feel softer.
- Airbeds are used in mattresses where the air chamber is covered with upholstery products or padding. They look like conventional bed and are structured in such a way that each side can be controlled separately if both spouses have different needs.
- Waterbeds come in two types: hardside models, where a rigid wooden frame holds the water bladder in place, and softside models, where a foam-and-fabric perimeter holds the bladder so the bed looks like a conventional mattress. Charles Prior Hall created the modern waterbed in 1968. Waterbeds peaked at 22% of domestic mattress sales in 1987 and were under 5% of new bed purchases by 2013.
How foam is made matters too. Variable Pressure Foaming (VPF), a proprietary process of foam maker FXI, pours polyurethane foam in an enclosed chamber without hazardous air pollutant auxiliary blowing agents, and FXI says virtually all emissions are collected into carbon beds. VPF is a factory emissions control; it does not filter or purify the air in your bedroom.
Some of the material like organic cotton, natural latex and wool are kinder to environment. These materials can be produced with fewer synthetic chemicals, but look for a recognized certification rather than relying on marketing words. Don’t get stuck on smart technologies that are only fascinating; buy a mattress that solves a real problem for you.
Mattress Types Compared
The table below summarizes the main mattress constructions described above, with the trade-off each one is known for.
| Type | What is inside | Known strength | Known drawback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Innerspring | Steel coils (Bonnell or pocketed Marshall coils) under upholstery layers | Bouncy, familiar feel; pocketed coils are individually wrapped | Older coil beds can creak and pass motion across the bed |
| Memory foam | Viscoelastic polyurethane foam over a firmer base foam | Molds to the body under warmth and pressure | Retains body heat; can feel warm in hot weather |
| Gel memory foam | Gel particles fused with visco foam | Designed to reduce trapped heat and feel softer | Still a foam bed; cooling varies by product |
| Latex | Natural Hevea brasiliensis latex, synthetic latex or a blend | All-natural versions avoid polyurethane-based chemicals | Check whether a “latex” bed is natural, synthetic or blended |
| Airbed | One or more air chambers instead of springs | Firmness adjustable, in some models separately on each side | Pumps and chambers add parts to maintain |
| Waterbed | A water bladder in a hardside wooden frame or softside foam perimeter | Distinctive floating support | A niche product since sales fell below 5% of new beds by 2013 |
How Do You Choose a Mattress With the Right Technology?
Choosing a mattress starts with the problem you want to solve, then matching a construction to it.
- Name the problem. If you sleep hot, plain memory foam is the type known to retain body heat, so compare gel foam, latex or coils.
- Pick the core first. Decide between coils, foam, latex, hybrid or air before comparing cover features such as Celliant or silver.
- Check the foam certification. Look for CertiPUR-US on polyurethane foam (see below).
- Read the claims carefully. A cover that “promotes blood flow” or is “antimicrobial” is not a medical treatment. Our guide on avoiding misleading mattress marketing tactics covers common sales tricks.
- Compare trial, warranty and return terms in writing before you buy, and allow time to adjust to a new bed.
For more on coil systems, see how pocket spring mattress technology works. If your current bed is still sound but too firm or too warm, choosing the right mattress topper or pad can be a cheaper fix.
What Certifications and Safety Standards Apply to Mattresses?
CertiPUR-US is a certification program for polyurethane foam. According to CertiPUR-US, certified foams are screened for chemicals classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic, are tested for lead, mercury and other heavy metals, are analyzed by independent accredited laboratories, and meet the US Consumer Product Safety Commission toy standard for lead.
Federal flammability rules also apply in the United States. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 16 CFR Part 1632 limits char length to 2 inches (5.1 cm) when a mattress is exposed to a lit cigarette, and 16 CFR Part 1633 requires a mattress set to keep peak heat release at or below 200 kW during a 30-minute open-flame test and total heat release at or below 15 MJ in the first 10 minutes.
When Should You Replace a Mattress?
A mattress is due for replacement when it sags, creaks or leaves you waking with aches. Most high-end mattresses have a lifespan of 7 to 10 years, and the Better Sleep Council recommends considering a replacement every five to seven years. Latex beds are a common question here; see how long a latex mattress lasts. A new mattress works best alongside good habits, covered in our tips for improving your sleep quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Celliant FDA approved?
No. Celliant is not FDA approved. In 2017 the FDA determined that Celliant products are medical devices and general wellness products that may claim to temporarily promote increased local blood flow at the site of application in healthy individuals. Celliant does not treat or cure any injury or disease.
Do silver-infused mattress covers kill germs?
Silver ions can damage enzyme systems in the cell membranes of microbes, which is why silver is used as an antimicrobial in some fabrics and dressings. Evidence that silver dressings bring a health benefit is mixed, so a silver cover is best seen as a hygiene feature.
Does memory foam sleep hot?
Memory foam can sleep hot because it retains body heat. Gel memory foam, introduced in 2006, fuses gel particles into the foam to reduce trapped heat.
Who invented memory foam?
Memory foam was developed in 1966 under a contract with NASA’s Ames Research Center to improve aircraft cushion safety. It was first called “slow spring back foam” or “temper foam.”
What is the difference between hardside and softside waterbeds?
A hardside waterbed holds the water bladder inside a rigid wooden frame. A softside waterbed uses a foam-and-fabric perimeter around the bladder so it looks like a conventional mattress.
How long does a mattress last?
Most high-end mattresses last 7 to 10 years. The Better Sleep Council recommends considering a replacement every five to seven years, sooner if the bed sags or causes aches.
