Memory Foam vs. Serene Foam: What’s the Difference?

If it’s cushioned comfort and contoured support you’re after in a new mattress, foams are where it’s at. From gel foam to memory foam to latex foam to serene foam, it seems the market is just about saturated with different kinds of foam, each with its own advantages and drawbacks.

So how are you supposed to choose between them all? Fear not. We’re here to help. Today, we’ll go over two popular polyurethane foams on the market—one a classic and the other a new innovation—and talk about the advantages and drawbacks of each.

Memory Foam

Originally developed by NASA to support and cushion astronauts during a rocket takeoff, memory foam has now become one of the most popular bedding materials in the US—and for good reason! With its unparalleled pressure relief, motion isolation, and contouring ability, it’s one of the best choices for sleepers who experience pain and pressure point discomfort.

The main complaints about memory foam have to do with its heat retention and lack of responsiveness. Some people feel memory foam sleeps too hot (though this is more of a problem in older memory foam), and some sleepers also don’t like that memory foam doesn’t bounce back as quickly as some other materials.

Memory Foam Feel

Memory foam conforms to your body’s contours to create a cradling or hugging effect. If you need pressure point relief, there’s nothing better than a good memory foam bed. Memory foam responds to both your body heat and the pressure of your body weight, compressing more under the heavier parts of your body and rising to meet the lighter parts, achieving almost perfect conformity to your shape.

Memory Foam Temperature

Older, more traditional memory foams were infamous for their propensity to retain heat, but today’s memory foams are a lot cooler because of open-cell technology. All the ingredients for memory foam remain the same, but the structure of an open-cell mattress is designed with internal air pockets—or open cells—to allow for airflow, keeping your memory foam mattress cooler than it would have been in the past.

Even with an open-cell design, standard memory foam may not be the best option for you if you’re a really hot sleeper. You might consider latex or serene foam, or even a hybrid mattress with memory foam to achieve optimum coolness.

Gel memory foam is another common variation on the traditional formula, used to establish a cooling memory foam mattress for hot sleepers.

Memory Foam Cost

Depending on the additional sleep technologies included in the mattress, a quality memory foam mattress can range from reasonably budget-friendly to very expensive. Expect to pay anywhere from $400 to $3000 for a queen bed.

Amerisleep has built its reputation on offering memory foam mattresses to suit all sleeping styles. They do so by offering beds with soft feels, firm feels, and firmness options in between these two extremes. The AS3 model is their medium option, designed to suit a wide range of sleepers.

Three foam layers make up the AS3 mattress, all of which are encased in a soft, breathable fabric.

The first layer is cushioning, adaptable Bio-Pur® foam. What separates Bio-Pur® from traditional memory foam is its eco-friendly production. Some of the traditional chemicals used to make memory foam are replaced with plant-derived oils. Not only is Bio-Pur® better when it comes to sustainability, but the foam is also more breathable and responsive than traditional memory foam.

The second layer is Affinity foam with HIVE® technology, which consists of a series of hexagonal cutouts in the foam. These cutouts are placed to flex under the body and increase pressure relief and responsive support. The shoulders and hips feel more cushioning, while the head, back, and feet areas feel buoyant and supportive.

The last layer is Bio-Core® foam. This layer is dedicated to providing consistent support and preventing soft spots and sagging from developing. Bio-Core® foam is the secret behind Amerisleep’s industry-leading mattress warranty.

Every Amerisleep mattress comes with a 100-night sleep trial and a 20-year warranty.

A well-made mattress promotes maximum recovery as you rest, allowing you to wake up and tackle your day with plenty of energy. Zoma designed their original memory foam mattress to do just that, relying on cooling materials and special sleep technology to help sleepers fall asleep faster and experience deeper, more restorative rest. They market the mattress toward athletes, but absolutely anyone can benefit from sleeping on a Zoma Mattress.

The Zoma Mattress contains three layers of foam for a simple-yet-effective structure. All of these layers are wrapped in an AirCloth cover, allowing absorbed body heat to escape before it causes discomfort.

The first layer of memory foam has gel infusions to promote a cool-to-the-touch feel. These infusions wick heat away from the body, ensuring a sleeper won’t wake up suddenly in a sweat. The gel memory foam also contains triangular cutouts in the head and foot of the mattress for extra conforming cushion, boosting pressure relief.

The second layer is a responsive transition foam known as Reactiv™ foam. The material is named for how quickly it adapts to movements. The buoyancy of Reactiv™ foam makes it easier to move across the surface, preventing sleepers from sinking uncomfortably far into the bed and feeling trapped.

The third and final layer is Support+ foam, a material engineered to provide an enduring mattress structure even after years of use. Support+ foam keeps soft spots and unwanted sagging from developing.

The Zoma Mattress comes with a 100-night sleep trial and a 20-year warranty.

Serene Foam

One of the newest sleep technologies around, serene foam uses billions of microscopic air capsules to increase airflow and reduce one of the biggest drawbacks of memory foam: heat retention. Since serene foam is not temperature sensitive, it sleeps cooler than memory foam.

While the temperature regulation of serene foam is great when it comes to cooling mattresses, the material does have a few issues. One problem with serene foam is it has been on the market for such a short time it doesn’t come in many firmness levels. If you want a level besides medium or firm, you’ll probably have to go with memory foam.

Serene foam also is too new to have stood the test of time. Since it was only invented in the last few years, we’ll need to wait a few more years to see how well this type of foam stands up to wear and tear.

Serene Foam Feel

Like memory foam, serene foam is excellent for pressure relief and motion isolation, but the billions of air pockets distributed throughout mean it doesn’t conform as readily to your body’s curves the way memory foam does.

You might think this is a good or bad thing, depending on how hot you sleep. If you tend to sleep hot, you may enjoy the extra airflow. But if you get cold while you sleep, you’ll probably love the warmth of being enveloped in memory foam.

Serene Foam Temperature

The tiny air pockets allow for airflow throughout the foam, meaning serene foam sleeps cooler than memory foam because it’s able to dissipate heat faster.

Serene Foam Cost

Serene foam costs less than memory foam because it’s so new not many manufacturers make products using it. This limits the price range to between $200 and $600 for a queen size mattress, though as more manufacturers begin to make products using this foam, we’re sure to see that range widen.

SEE ALSO: The Best Place to Buy a Mattress & In-Store Myths

FAQs

Which mattress is more durable?

Since serene foam was introduced just a few years ago, we don’t really know much about how it handles aging or wear and tear. However, memory foam is one of the most durable mattress types available, resisting sagging and maintaining its firmness for up to a decade.

Can I get a serene foam mattress topper?

Sure. There are quite a few serene foam mattress toppers out there, and they can be a great alternative if you want to try serene foam but don’t want to buy a whole new mattress. They can also be a good option if you like your existing memory foam mattress and just want to cool it off a little bit.

Which foam is worse about off-gassing?

Off-gassing happens when mattresses (and other furniture) release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), or gasses that result from chemicals used in the manufacturing process. All foams experience some off-gassing when they’re new, and both serene and memory foams are no exception.

The best thing you can do to reduce off-gassing isn’t focusing on the type of foam you’re buying, but the certifications backing up its purity. Any mattress with a CertiPUR-US® label is unlikely to put out high levels of harmful chemicals into the air around it.

What is a hybrid mattress?

Hybrids are a mattress configuration that combines a pocketed coil support system with a foam comfort layer of at least 2 inches in thickness. Most hybrid mattresses have a lot more foam than that, and many come with not only a plush foam layer on top but also a firmer foam transition layer in the middle and sometimes a base layer of durable polyurethane foam to help isolate motion. Hybrids can be made with any kind of foam, including serene and memory foams.

Does my sleep position dictate what kind of foam I need?

Your sleep position dictates what kind of firmness you need more than what kind of material you need, since all mattress materials come in a range of firmness options. Side sleepers are likely to need a soft to medium mattress to help cradle their shoulder and hip joints. Back sleepers may need a medium-firm mattress for sufficient lumbar support. And stomach sleepers usually need a firm mattress to keep the pelvis lifted and the back from arching.

Bottom Line

Memory foam and serene foam are both great options if you’re looking for a mattress that can cradle you like a cloud. If you want your cloud to be a little cooler, spring for the serene foam option. And if you want your cloud to hug you like a bear, memory foam may be for you. Either way, both of these foams can be wonderful solutions for your sleep needs.