What is a Mattress Topper?

In the SleepBetter video Paranormal Pillow, we see Old Pillow commiserating with his friend Topper, a smooth-talking mattress topper. There’s a lot of confusion, however, about what a mattress topper IS, and how it’s different than a mattress pad.

A mattress topper is removable bedding that sits on top of your mattress. Its goal is to supplement the comfort of your mattress or address your mattress’ limitations. A good topper can add support to a mattress that is too soft. It can also add luxurious softness while not taking away from the support of the mattress.

The term “mattress pad” can extend to a topper, but also refers to a thinner type of padding that attaches to your mattress like a fitted sheet. A mattress pad can be used for comfort, but is sometimes also used as a mattress protector.

Years ago, most mattress toppers were “egg crate” foam or thin feather beds. Today, the most popular type of toppers are made of memory foam, which adjusts to your preferred sleep position, helps relieve pressure, and alleviates tossing and turning in bed.

The benefits of memory foam toppers over foam rubber or goose down are numerous. Memory foam is more durable and significantly more comfortable than foam rubber. Memory foam also provides more support than goose down, and doesn’t create allergy issues.

Take SleepBetter.org’s Zzzz Score test to see what type of bedding you need, and then be sure to check out our Recommended Products page!