What Is a Latex Mattress Topper?

If your mattress doesn’t feel totally comfortable for one reason or another, a latex mattress topper can save the day (and the night). Latex mattress toppers can help improve the comfort of your mattress so you don’t have to go out and buy a new one.

Here’s what you need to know before buying a latex mattress topper.

What is a latex mattress topper?

A latex mattress topper is a layer of latex, usually 1-3 inches thick, that covers the entire surface of your bed. The purpose of a latex mattress topper is to make you more comfortable than you would be sleeping on a mattress alone.

Like all types of mattress toppers, latex ones can be used to extend the life of an old mattress or to make your mattress softer or firmer. This can be useful if you’ve suffered an injury and temporarily need a softer surface to sleep on, or simply if the firmness level of your mattress no longer suits you.

Latex is one of the most popular materials in mattress toppers—and for good reason. It’s a natural material that’s healthy and durable. It has the pressure-relieving properties of memory foam but is more breathable and is, therefore, more suitable for people who tend to sleep hot. (Learn how a latex mattress can result in a more comfortable bed.)

Different types of latex mattress toppers

You’ll see two different types of natural latex mattress toppers on the market: those made from Dunlop and Talalay latex. These terms refer to two different types of turning liquid latex (the sap that comes from rubber trees) into foam.

Both methods produce excellent sleeping surfaces. Whatever type you choose, make sure you look for a mattress topper made from natural latex as synthetic latex and latex blend will not have the same beneficial properties as natural latex.

Benefits of latex mattress toppers

Sleeping on a latex mattress topper will give you numerous benefits. Here are the biggest ones:

It can prolong the life of an old mattress. If your mattress has gone soft or uneven, adding a latex mattress topper will let you sleep more comfortably and delay buying a new mattress a little longer.
Latex is fantastic for people with neck and back pain as it promotes proper spinal alignment and provides excellent head and neck support for different sleeping positions.
It can help regulate body temperature. Because of its open-cell structure, latex is extremely breathable and typically sleeps cooler than memory foam.
A latex mattress topper will last you a long time. Latex is a natural, healthy, and extremely durable material.
It can help reduce motion transfer. If you are sensitive to your partner’s tossing and turning at night, a latex mattress topper can help remedy that problem.
It can help ease the “break-in period” of a new mattress. It can take a few months to fully break in a new mattress, and a latex mattress topper can help make your new bed more comfortable in the interim.

Disadvantages of latex mattress toppers

The only real potential disadvantage of latex mattress toppers is that they can be pretty expensive, due to the cost of harvesting and processing the material. Still, natural latex is an extremely durable material, meaning you’ll ultimately save money in the long run.