If you’re looking for a sturdy, durable mattress that’s comfortable, breathable, and naturally hypoallergenic, a latex mattress could be for you. These mattresses are made from the sap of the rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis, so they’re free of toxic, synthetic chemicals and environmentally sustainable. The natural springiness of the latex makes latex mattresses supportive and comfortable, and these mattresses last much longer than conventional mattresses.
But natural latex mattresses are among the most expensive out there, because the rubber tree sap they’re made from is more expensive and more difficult to get than the materials used for synthetic foam mattresses. Latex mattresses are also very heavy — a queen-sized one can weigh as much as 130 pounds, because of the density of the natural latex foam. Here’s what you need to know about natural latex mattresses.
Natural Latex Is Comfortable and Hypoallergenic
Latex mattresses are said to combine the firm, pressure-relieving support of a memory foam mattress with the softness and springiness of a traditional inner-spring mattress, so what you wind up with is a mattress that supports your natural spinal alignment by allowing your hips and shoulders to sink into the mattress while cradling your spine. Latex mattresses are therefore great for sleepers who need relief from back and joint pain. The springiness of the mattress helps it still feel soft and comfortable for those who need support, but still like a softer bed. You’ll feel that springy, soft sinking feeling when you first lie down, but you’ll soon feel that you’re firmly supported by the natural latex foam.
Like memory foam mattresses, natural latex mattresses isolate motion, so if you’re a rough sleeper, you won’t keep your partner awake. Natural latex is also breathable, thanks to its natural open-cell structure, so a latex mattress won’t sleep as hot as an equivalent memory foam mattress. To increase breathability, most manufacturers will add pin holes throughout the foam during the molding process.
Natural latex is also dust mite and mold resistant, so if you or someone in your household has allergies, the natural hypoallergenic properties of a latex mattress are not to be ignored. Dust mites produce the human allergens Der P1 and Der P5 in their feces, so anything you can do to keep dust mites out of your bed will go a long way towards mitigating dust mite allergy symptoms. It’s still recommended that you use a mattress protector with your latex mattress, but the natural antifungal and hypoallergenic properties of the mattress will make it even less likely to accumulate allergens than a conventional cotton or polyurethane foam mattress.
It’s All-Natural and Environmentally Sustainable
Are you sensitive to chemical smells, or just worried that synthetic materials in your home might be releasing harmful chemicals into the air when they emit those chemical smells? You’re not wrong — many of the synthetic materials used in conventional mattresses can emit volatile organic compounds (VoCs) in your home. These have been linked to a range of health complaints. But because natural latex rubber doesn’t contain any synthetic materials, you don’t have to worry about VoCs off-gassing into your home. Your new mattress might smell faintly of rubber, but that’s normal, since it is, after all, made of rubber. 
Of course, natural latex mattresses are made sustainably, from the sap of the rubber tree. Collecting the sap doesn’t kill the tree — in fact, latex production encourages the growth of trees, albeit in rubber plantations. Because rubber farmers have to carefully shepherd the health of their trees, there’s really no more sustainable mattress material available today.
Latex Mattresses Last Longer than Other Types
One of the biggest drawbacks of a natural latex mattress is the high price tag, but most latex mattress sleepers feel that’s compensated for, at least somewhat, by the durability of the mattress. Latex mattresses last much longer than conventional mattresses, so you’ll have more time to get your money’s worth from the comfortable sleep they provide.
Who Shouldn’t Get a Latex Mattress?
Aside from the high price tag for natural latex, these mattresses tend to be heavy, so if you’re planning to move a lot, you might not want to lug a 100+ lb mattress around. Latex mattresses are also prone to indentation, so if that bothers you, you might want to reconsider — although indentation is common on all mattress types, so you may not be able to escape it.
And, of course, if you’re allergic to latex, you should at least talk to your doctor before buying a mattress made of the stuff. Most mild latex allergies aren’t triggered by latex mattresses, because the latex is inside the mattress, covered by layers of fabric, and the manufacturing process removes most of the proteins in the rubber that trigger these allergies. However, if your doctor thinks a serious reaction is possible, you should choose a different type of mattress.
Natural latex is one of the best mattress materials available today. It’s both springy and firm, all-natural, hypoallergenic, and sustainable — and it can keep you slumbering peacefully for years longer than a conventional mattress.
