Don’t you just love to curl up on your side and drift away to the Land of Nod? You’re not alone!
Memory foam is known for a lot of great features:
It’s incredibly cradling, pain-relieving, long-lasting, and absorbs motion pretty well. Memory foam has quickly become the most popular material for making mattresses since it was invented in 1966 for NASA purposes (1).
And today, there are so many memory foam mattresses, so it might be a bit overwhelming to choose the perfect one.
Don’t worry, though!
We’ve already done the job for you and selected the three best memory foam mattresses in Canada, so you can pick something for your demand. We also added a detailed guide on how to navigate in the memory foam realm, so you’ll know about the things to look for.
Best Overall — Editor’s Choice
Best for Cooling
Best for Mixed Sleepers
Best for Adjustable Firmness
Best for Couples
Let’s kick off our list with the Puffy mattress, considering that it deserves this place due to its efficiency. Well-known on the American market, this mattress will be the perfect choice for you if you shift through different sleeping positions at night. The medium feel and unparalleled support of the Puffy result in ultimate pressure relief and maintaining the natural spine alignment regardless of your sleeping style.
The three-layer design with a firmer core layer makes the Puffy pretty sturdy and able to distribute your weight around the mattress surface. Along with that, upper layers gently contour your body and relieve the pressure points, such as shoulders, hips, and lower back, so you can sleep soundly.
Also, the Puffy doesn’t accumulate your body heat like most memory foam beds. It’s made of gel-infused and adaptive materials that maintain a relaxing microclimate according to temperature. When it’s hot outside, they withdraw heat, when it’s cold outside, they might retain a bit of it to keep you cozy. Awesome, right?
So, if you sum up all the above-mentioned features and wrap them into a washable cover — you’ll get the Puffy! A supportive, temperature-neutral, and pressure-relieving mattress for any type of sleeper, made to last for years.
Pros | Cons |
Medium feel is designed to suit the average sleeper of any type | Might take some time to expand after unpacking |
Doesn’t rely on your temperature to feel responsive and comfortable | Might off-gas a bit |
Easy to care for thanks to a stain-resistant and washable cover | |
Pretty good edge support as for an all-foam bed | |
Made to withstand years of active use |
This mattress comes next on our list because we believe in GhostBed mattresses being great at cooling and adaptability. GhostBed classic mattress is one of the best mattresses you can find considering coziness. This mattress has a firmness level of between 7-8, which proves to be medium-firm.
Moving on to the latex layer, GhostBed places lots of promises on its quality for being non-allergenic. This makes the mattress super resistant to absorbing moisture, dust, bacteria, and allergens, which is perfect for people who have been disappointed in other mattresses promising them this. It naturally doesn’t have dust mites in it either. You don’t have to be worried about molds either, and flipping this mattress is unnecessary as well, because the latex layer will always be on the top. Considering the fact that this mattress is one-sided, this acts as a perk.
The memory foam layer is infused with cooling gel, helps the latex layer cool the body down on hot summer nights. Whenever you feel like a refreshment, just simply take the cover out and wash it. Finally, no worries about the off-gassing, because it will take a much shorter time compared to other mattresses, which is around a few hours or at most one night.
Pros | Cons |
Washable and removable cover that makes you feel refreshed every time | Some side sleepers might find it a bit hard for their preferences |
Medium-firm firmness level, which is great for many types of sleepers | |
The high-density base layer gives it supportive especially on the edges | |
The off-gassing takes a relatively short time |
The next item on this list is one that truly works great for mixed sleepers. The Douglas mattress, along with being good-looking, can easily turn your bed into a cozy cradle and relieve aches and pains regardless of your sleeping style.
The upper layer of the Douglas features gel-infused EcoLight foam, which results in breeze-like sleep. The EcoLight foam responds to your natural spinal alignment, so if the back pain or stiffness is a concern for you, you can definitely count on this mattress to address it.
One more great thing about the Douglas is its awesome motion absorption. Even if you have a restless bedmate, now you can be sure about sound and restorative shut-eye for both of you.
To sum it up, the Douglas is a pretty solid Canadian-made mattress for an average user: it’s supportive, doesn’t sleep hot and doesn’t limit position shifting (although it absorbs the shock pretty sufficiently).
Pros | Cons |
Suits the majority of users | Subpar edge support |
Doesn’t sleep hot | May not work for overweight sleepers |
Great for couples due to its motion absorption | |
Costs less than similar models because it’s made of local materials | |
Is manufactured through eco-friendly processes |
The Novosbed should definitely be on our list due to its fantastic support and even more features. This mattress is completely made from memory foam. Therefore, the one thing it is good at is creating a sense of contour and relieving all the tension from pressure points, such as the shoulders, the hips, and the head. It also distributed weight very well, which can account for its edge support as well.
If some users are not happy with its firmness level, there is no need to be worried, because the Novosbed brings you a Comfort+ kit that enables you to add up to the firmness or remove a layer to reduce the firmness. Many users might not be satisfied with their memory foam firmness, which is why Novosbed has come to the rescue here.
Compared to mattresses like GhostBed, the Novosbed has a simple structure of only 3 layers of memory foam. The gel-infused memory foam layer and the open-cell memory foam layer will act nearly as cool as the breathable latex layer. The way that an open-cell foam is created helps it become inflated and more rubber-like. That is why this mattress already did not feel too firm to us. The Novosbed is great for sleepers that want a little bit more adjustability from their mattress.
Pros | Cons |
Open-cell and cooling gel-infused memory foam layers | Transfers motion easier than expected |
Keeps itself hygienic by offering a washable cover | |
One of the few memory foam mattresses that allow you to adjust their firmness level by adding or removing layers | |
Mixed sleepers and different types of sleepers can find it comfortable as well |
And the final candidate selected for this list of the best memory foam mattresses in Canada is the Polysleep. The reason we placed it here is that the Polysleep has extensional edge support — a rare thing among all-foam beds. This makes the mattress a perfect fit for couples or those who enjoy sleeping closer to the bed’s edge.
Another awesome thing about the Polysleep is that it doesn't sleep hot. The upper layer has pincore perforations that direct airflow between the layers and mesh inserts on the cover help dissipate the excess heat and keep your slumber cool and dry.
Finally, the Polysleep is couple-friendly because of its incredibly low motion transfer. It literally sucks all the impulses in and you can make sure that your sleep will be disturbance-free even if your partner tosses and turns a lot.
Overall, the Polysleep has everything a good memory foam mattress should have: it’s cozy, cradling, offers cool sleep and ensures a calm slumber for both you and your partner.
Every product on the market is made with a particular customer in mind, and the memory foam mattress is no exception.
And since memory foam is famous for its shock-absorbing and pressure-relieving properties, it can be more effective for certain users, such as:
Memory foam mattresses come in various shapes, sizes, and structures, so it may get a bit tricky to choose a good and long-lasting one.
So, here are things that you can look for to make a measured decision.
Density is measured in pounds per cubic foot (PCF) and generally increases towards the base layer. The denser the foam is, the heavier and more resilient it will be. Dense foams can withstand large weights and active use but they are also more expensive. Look for the numbers such as 3 PCF and higher for comfort layers, and 4 PCF for the base.
Memory foam can have a closed-cell and open-cell structure.
Closed-cell means that every tiny pore is sealed shut and isn’t connected with others. This results in a more pronounced viscosity and lesser rebound, meaning that the foam will need time to return to its initial shape. Closed-cell foams have a more prominent pressure-relieving effect and conform closely to your body but they also trap more heat because it gets locked in tiny pores.
Open-cell memory foam has a sponge-like feel and all the pores are interconnected. This allows the body heat to escape, so expect a cooler sleep and adds some rebound, which means that the foam is more springy. Plus, this type of foam is more responsive and doesn’t feel like quicksand, which may be an advantage for some.
Most memory foams rely on your body heat to soften up, which means that they all will sleep hot to some extent. To cope with this issue, mattress manufacturers use infusions that make the memory foam softer and more adaptive to temperature changes. Cooling gel beads are the most common additive but you can also find mattresses with copper, graphite, and charcoal infusions. Also, some mattress brands tend to mask the initial foam odour by adding green tea or lavender extract.
Note that infusions reduce the foam longevity a bit and may have their own odour, so expect some off-gassing for the first couple of nights if your mattress has infused memory foam.
One of the most important things to consider when purchasing a memory foam mattress is your sleep position. Memory foam mattresses are available in various firmness levels, and it is important to find the one that best suits your individual needs.
For example, if you are a side sleeper, you will likely want a softer mattress that will contour your body. If you are a stomach sleeper, on the other hand, you will likely want a firmer mattress. The same applies to back sleepers as well. A firmer mattress provides the support that these sleepers need to avoid back pain.
Just like any other type of mattress, a memory foam mattress needs a solid foundation. This is typically in the form of a box spring or a platform bed. Without a solid foundation, your mattress will not be able to provide the support that you need.
Additionally, a memory foam mattress needs to be placed on a flat surface to work properly. If your foundation is not flat, then the mattress will not contour to your body correctly, and you will not get the full benefit of the mattress.
Another important factor to consider when purchasing a memory foam mattress is how easy it is to clean. Memory foam mattresses are known for trapping dust and allergens, so it is important to find one that is easy to clean.
Many memory foam mattresses come with a removable cover that can be machine washed. This is a great feature to look for if you are concerned about keeping your mattress clean.
Memory foam may be off-gassing or give off an odour after removing it from the packaging. This is normal, and the smell will dissipate. If you find the smell intolerable, it can be removed by airing out the mattress for a few days.
Absolutely! Memory foam mattresses are designed to offer consistent support throughout their surface, so you can place them directly on the floor without any worries of sinking in or feeling uneven under your weight.
The short answer is No. However, the 24-hour wait ensures the product is exposed to the open air for long periods before being slept on. This aids its expansion and removes any possible off-gassing from the memory foam. Feel free to hop on your new bed right away if you can't wait.
We hope that after reading our guide you’ll know more about memory foam mattresses. Remember that choosing a mattress is a matter of preference, so be sure to align it with your sleeping style — stomach, back, or side — and with the feel you want to get from your bed, whether it’s a more viscous traditional memory foam or open-cell memory foam with a more pronounced rebound. Plus, make sure that the mattress won’t sleep hot and choose open-cell or gel-infused layers that trap less heat.
Even though all the mattresses mentioned on this list are great per se, the Puffy mattress is our absolute favorite. The reason why we love Puffy is its power of withdrawing heat from the body. It is also great at weight distribution, support, and adapting to the body shape to prevent back pain. It is worth mentioning how durable this mattress is regarding the fact that it escapes stain absorption and can be washed. Finally, many types of sleepers can find this mattress comfortable, especially lightweight and medium weight sleepers who prefer a medium-firm feel.
Does Puffy sound like the mattress you would like to have? What kind of mattresses do you like and what did you particularly like on this list? Let us know in the comment section what you think.
Yurii Brown is the Founder and Sleep Content Writer at SleepingNorth. Within his first year running the website, he has published over 50 articles that educate readers on sleep and help them find the most suitable sleep products. He pays more attention to analyzing each mattress construction, the different materials used within it, the feel each material contributes, and the best sleeping position they would work for. Having properly examined each product, he provides in-depth reviews that cut to the chase and provide readers with the value they need for more restorative sleep hygiene.