How does a memory foam mattress work, pros and cons?

Works? Here are the Pros and Cons of Memory Foam. - By Sweet Night Mattresses & Luusama

Two decades ago, memory foam didn’t even exist. And nowadays, these mattresses command an impressive 46.87% market share.

What is memory foam?!

 

Memory Foam History:

Memory foam was developed in 1966 under a contract by NASA’s AMES Research Center to improve the safety of aircraft cushions. In 1992, a new company called Tempur-Pedic decided to sell this material commercially in the United States.Their 1991 product, the “Tempur-Pedic” Swedish Mattress” eventually led to the mattress and cushion company. It was expensive and hardly used in commercial purpose.

Memory Foam Materials:

Memory foam is polyurethane combined with some chemicals that allow it to contour to your body. It’s also called viscoelastic, which combines two concepts: viscosity and elasticity.

1. Viscosity – the material moves slowly and reluctantly when pressure is applied. Honey is an example of something that is viscous.
2. Elastic – the ability to stretch and change shape while still returning to its original form.

When you combine these two properties, you get something that contours to the shape of your body, hugs your curves and makes you feel like you’re sleeping on a fluffy cloud. Then, when you get up, it returns to its normal state after you no longer put weight on it.

 

They only sold 70 mattress toppers their entire first year in business, but it’s a good thing the company kept at it because they revolutionized the way we sleep.

Memory Foam Pros:

 Pain Relief:

Memory foam is known for helping with pain. The main reason memory foam mattresses have become so popular is because of their comfort and pain relieving factor. It conforms to your body and reduces pressure on your spine, which means you get the best rest possible. It’s a top choice among people with arthritis and people who have fibromyalgia because it best simulates the feeling of sleeping on a fluffy cloud.

Pressure Point Relief:

Memory Foam’s viscoelastic contours to your curves, so it takes the pressure off your denser and heavier body parts like the hips and shoulders. This discovery was first to give this material to start in hospitals to help some patients with pain sleep more comfortably.

Back Support & Spinal Alignment:

It is the best that your spine should maintain a similar position during sleeping as they way you’re standing. When people sleep on the wrong surface, their spine tends to jut out or collapse in at unnatural angles. With memory foams, the contouring effects allow the spine to maintain its natural shape.

The end-users or sleepers should make sure they get one that has the proper density for their bodies. If it’s too firm or soft, you’ll miss out on the benefit of proper spinal alignment. As a general rule, the higher the foam density, the firmer the mattress. Look for something that’s at least 3.5, if not closer to 5.0.

Suitable For All Sleeping Positions:

Memory foam’s contouring and cradling properties make it an ideal surface for all sleeping positions. mattresses for side sleepers get support in their hips and shoulders; mattress for back sleepers get lumbar support; and, especially, mattress for stomach sleepers are less likely to have their low back bow into the bed.

Motion Isolation:

Memory foam’s viscoelastic material can absorb pressure and movement. Instead of bouncing like innerspring or latex beds, memory foam mattresses make every movement on bed isolated and unknown. It means when your partner’s tossing and turning around, it won’t wake you up.

Durable:

Depending on manufacturers & brands, a high-quality memory foam mattress can last up to ten years. Because the foam can bounce back to its original shape, these mattresses tend to have a longer useful lifespan. It is recommended that you should look for mattresses that have a higher density, as these tend to last longer and won’t sag over time.

Memory Foam Cons：

Heats:

The memory foam mattresses have been known to be hotter than normal mattresses because the dense foam retains heat. They can make sleepers to get too hot when sleeping. However, sleepers can adjust the room temperature with a thermostat or air conditioner. The recent new innovations have been made to diminish the heat. With new cooler open cell and gel technologies, people are experiencing less and less of this.

Weight:

Memory foam mattresses can be quite heavy. However, because you don't need to turn them this should not pose a huge problem. Although dense foam tends to be of higher quality, it does make for a heavier mattress.

 

Not Waterproof:

The memory foam materials are not waterproof. When sweating or, spilling a beverage, they are not easily cleaned. Therefore, it is highly recommended that protecting your memory foam mattress with a waterproof mattress cover.

Odor:

Some sleepers complain of an odor from the memory foam mattresses. This problem occurs when they haven't been aired properly. Especially, after long-time usage of few years with stains and sweats retained in memory foam materials, the smells may happen badly. Higher quality brands also tend to produce less of these odors. We’ve found that a helpful way to determine if your mattress of choice will have an odor is to read the reviews online before you buy.

Expensive:

The price of memory foam mattresses may put many consumers off. Top quality mattresses, especially those brands like "Tempur-Pedic", can cost thousands of dollars. On the other hand, the price of the mattress is usually directly related to its quality. A memory foam mattress may be more expensive than a regular mattress but it is better for your body and it lasts a lot longer. The good news is that the memory foam mattresses are getting affordable, as more manufacturers have joined this business.

 

In conclusion, the memory foam mattresses have some of the highest customer satisfaction rates, due to their ideal combination of comfort and support. When choosing the right memory foam mattresses, it is recommended that before making a purchase, please study their reviews online for their products to see which memory foam mattress brands can fit your needs the most.