We whisk it into lattes with special bamboo contraptions, we bake it into scrumptious desserts and we even mix it into delectable ice creams - but the concept of sleeping on a mattress made of the stuff is something we had yet to come across – until now.
We are, of course, talking about green tea, which is also known to some simply as matcha. The main difference between the two is the form in which it is presented. Green tea is usually in the form of dried tea leaves, whereas matcha more often than not comes in a powder. Additionally, matcha is made by grinding up an entire tea leaf, while green tea leaves are steeped in hot water first.
Green tea was first discovered in 2737 BC by Chinese Emperor Shennong. The legend goes that the emperor had accidentally consumed water which had a dead tea leaf boiled inside. Rather than recoiling in disgust, Emperor Shennong found the flavour to be delightfully refreshing and thus ushered in the birth of a brand-new beverage.
Harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant, the tea leaves produced by this organism can be either black, green or white depending on how early on within the drying process the leaves are collected. Green tea leaves are collected relatively early on in the drying process, which is why they retain that characteristic bright green colour.
Originally only consumed by the upper echelons of society, green tea was harvested for commercial and medicinal use in China by the late 14th century. The wellness-boosting substance then made its way to the West in the 19th century and has been on a steady climb to the very top shelf in the world of food and beverages ever since.
Zinus, however, is the first contemporary brand that we’ve come across that harnesses the power of the wellness-boosting and anti-bacterial tea in order to promote better sleep - not through ingestion, but simply through close contact. Crafted from a blend of green tea and memory foam, the ultra-plush mattress is also filled to the brim with active charcoal microparticles, which alongside the green tea infusion, work to block moisture and odour to keep your mattress fresher for longer.
The brand was founded in South Korea in 1979 by Youn Jae Lee and creating mattresses with natural infusions is Zinus’ forté, employing mixtures of organic and naturally antibacterial substances in lieu of the harmful chemicals and plastic usually found within modern foam mattresses. With over 2.4 million reviews from across the globe, I was keen to try my luck with the four-star-rated product.
Thus, I put the health-boosting claims of Zinus and their infamous green tea mattress to the ultimate test. Keep scrolling to find out my final sleep score.
Buy now: Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress, from £289, Amazon
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Key specifications
Composition: Green tea, activie charcoal, biofoam
Layers: Three
Service Promise: 10-year guarantee, 100 Night Trial, Free Delivery
Firmness: 3.3
Depth: 6”, 8”, 10”, 12”
Rolled-up delivery: Yes
UK Double Size: 135 x 190 x 20cm
Weight: 27.6kg
Functionality
Remarkably light in comparison to other rolled-up mattresses that I’ve tried, the Zinus Green Tea mattress is wonderfully easy to transport. I was able to move and place the mattress onto my bed without any help, and I am a measly 5’4”. Plus, it’s covered in a delightful knitted jacquard fabric with a floral pattern, which I thought was a wonderful touch.
I was looking forward to the idea that the mattress might have an enjoyable fresh, new, green tea-infused scent to it, but to my dismay, I realised it was imbued with the very same lasting chemical smell as most other foam-based mattresses on the market – which left me incredibly concerned about how long I’d have to wait before it faded.
Nevertheless, this mattress didn’t require a long waiting period during which it has to ‘puff up’ before use. Aside from the smell, the Zinus mattress is essentially ready to go straight out of the box. That strange, chemical smell may have disrupted my first few nights of sleep, but it faded far quicker than expected.
Comfort
Incredibly cloud-like and capable of offering sink-worthy comfort, the Zinus’ ultra-plush finish definitely isn’t for everyone. Despite the fact that this lack of firmness is marketed as a positive for those who suffer from back and neck pain due to the mattress’ ability to gently cradle the body, I’d argue the complete opposite. I rather found that the extra soft finish exacerbated my neck pain, as opposed to lulling it into full recovery. Nevertheless, this wasn’t something that couldn’t be fixed by the addition of a few extra pillows.
The mattress, however, also has many fantastic qualities. Foam-based mattresses in general are a brilliant modern invention due to the lack of bouncy, noisy and uncomfortable springs. Not hearing creaks and cracks coming from the underside of your bed in the night is a refreshing change, and one that has immediately improved my night’s sleep. What’s more, though the mattress didn’t work to absorb or alleviate my chronic neck pain, it certainly absorbed the feeling of my partner tossing and turning throughout the night.
Verdict
I’m going to give this mattress a sleep score of 7.5. Though the memory foam works a treat and the overall finish of the mattress is delightfully plush, I think the composition would benefit from a few extra layers. Taking the Zinus from a three-layer mattress to – let’s say – a five-layer one would increase its level of comfort exponentially.
Ultimately, the green tea infusion certainly works to keep the mattress smelling and feeling fresh. However, when it comes to any additional health benefits afforded by infusing the mattress with the substance - I think sticking to drinking the stuff is the way to go.
Buy now: Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress, from £289, Amazon
