Better combination of thickness and hardness of mattress topper for supine sleeping posture: A physiological measurements evaluation

Abstract

Placing a topper on a sleeping system is common practice to enhance sleeping comfort. The aim of this study was to determine the thickness and hardness effect of a mattress topper by measuring the four physiological measurements from 40 healthy males. The results showed that the use of a thin mattress topper (30 mm) significantly induced lower body pressure and temperature, higher muscle activities in the biceps femoris, and a straighter spinal alignment in the T12–L4 vertebrae. The use of a hard mattress topper significantly induced a higher body pressure, a lower body temperature in the lower extremities, a higher EMG (%MVC) in the trapezius, but a lower EMG (%MVC) in the biceps femoris, and a straighter spinal alignment at T1–T4, T4–T6, and T6–T8. Overall, a soft topper of 30-mm thickness was suggested as the best combination. The findings can provide very useful information for topper design and selection.