Memory Foam Mattresses - Why You Should Sleep on One

If you have not heard of memory foam mattresses before, here is a brief summary of what they are, what they do, and importantly why you should sleep on one.

What is memory foam?

Memory foam, or visco elastic memory foam, is a Hi-Tec material that was developed as part of the NASA space project. It has unique qualities that see it combine a molding or contouring capability that results in an identical imprint of any body or object placed on it, with an ability to consistently return to its original shape.

Put simply, this material shapes and contours itself to any weight that is placed upon it, but then returns to its original smooth profile once the weight is removed.

Why use memory foam in a mattress?

Conventional mattresses use springs or coils to accommodate the weight and shape of the human body, but they do have some drawbacks.

Firstly, mattresses that use springs come in grades that range from soft to hard, with soft mattresses being easily compressible and hard ones offering much more resistance.

The problem remains that these mattresses cannot react to an individual body shape, or adapt to changing positions during sleep. They are in effect passive and offer resistance rather than support.

The second problem with conventional spring based mattresses is that, in a double bed, the movement of one sleeper directly affects that of the other. Spring mattresses deflect and warp not only around the sleeper, but beyond them and into the sleeping zone of the second sleeper. This can cause the night time movement of one person to disrupt the sleep of a second person in the same bed.

What is the benefit of a memory foam mattress?

Unlike spring based mattress constructions, memory foam mattresses react to the unique shape and weight of anyone who sleeps on them. This means that the mattress compresses below, and shapes around, the person resting on it.

By doing this the mattress actively responds to the physical characteristics of each and every person who lies on it and, in so doing, it provides a perfectly balanced level of body support.

For this reason, memory foam mattress products are able to avoid uncomfortable pressure areas around the body's main joints like the pelvic and hip zone. They also re-balance the level of support provided every time that a sleeper moves or changes position.

Additionally, movements by one sleeper do not cause deflections or "waves" in the mattress that disrupt a second sleeper, so two people can sleep and move with total independence of one another.

In short, memory foam mattresses react actively to any sleeper and any movements that they make, but without impacting on the position, cushioning, support or sleep of a second sleeper in the same bed.

Is a memory foam mattress the right choice for you?

To find out more about the unique sleeping and orthopedic support characteristics of these mattresses and, importantly, "if they would suit your sleeping style", see the information at http://www.orthopedicmattress.net/foam.html and http://orthopedicproducts.blogspot.com/2008/11/memory-foam-mattresses.html

These pages will tell you more about memory foam mattress technology and give you some pointers on the features that you need to need to think about if you are considering replacing your existing mattress.

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