Memory Foam Mattress Guide

If you've shopped for a new bed mattress recently you're probably aware that among the more popular options is the memory foam mattress. In fact, depending on the statistics you look at, memory foam may be the fastest-growing bedding product currently on the market. It seems more and more people are finding out about all the wonderful benefits of this material and prefer it as a mattress over coil springs, natural latex, and polyurethane foam.

What people find most enjoyable about memory foam is the fact that it provides such even comfort and support all across the mattress surface. Unlike coil spring mattresses, which easily develop pressure points that get worse over time, memory foam provides even support with no pressure points. And while it does break down over time, the breakdown is so gradual that users barely notice it until it becomes visually apparent.

If you're in the market for a new mattress, and memory foam is on your list of possibilities, there is something you should know before you head out shopping. The following paragraphs will provide you with a good guide to choosing the best memory foam mattress for you.

Memory Foam's Medical History

Memory foam was originally developed by NASA scientists during the early stages of its capsule program. Back in the 1960s there were no suitable foam products that could be used in a space capsule because they were either too rigid and endangered the lives of the astronauts, or they were not rigid enough to withstand the incredible forces experienced during liftoff. NASA's search for a new foam led the scientists to modify polyurethane foam by adding extra chemicals. This modified foam became the memory foam of today.

Unfortunately, NASA's memory foam did not hold up well after many years of continual use. So when they released the formula to the general public in the 1980s there weren't many manufacturers interested in utilizing it for furniture or bedding. That all changed in the early 1990s when Swedish manufacturer Tempur World decided to give it a go. They further modified the NASA formula and created a foam that was ideal for bed mattresses. Originally these bed mattresses were used for medical purposes, primarily in relieving bedsores experienced by individuals who were bed ridden for long periods of time.

Main Features of Memory Foam

The fact that the earliest memory foam mattresses were developed for medical reasons gives us insight into some of its best properties. To relieve the bedsores, Temper World modified NASA's original formula to provide more density while at the same time being just as soft. The combination of these two properties allows memory foam to conform to the user's body in response to temperature. In other words, as you lie on a memory foam mattress your body heat increases the temperature of the foam, thus causing it to soften and conform to your exact shape. Yet because the heat does not travel through the entire depth of the mattress the underlying material remains firm.

These body hugging properties make memory foam extremely comfortable to sleep on. The only downside is that the material retains heat to the extent that you could be uncomfortable on extremely warm nights. But other than that, if you prefer a mattress that provides even firmness and support, while at the same time being incredibly soft and body conforming, memory foam is the choice for you.

What to Look For

When you're shopping for memory foam you need to be aware of a couple of things. The first thing is the thickness of the foam. For the average adult weighing 200 pounds or less, a 2.5 to 3-inch thickness should be sufficient. You don't want to go much less than that because that won't leave enough material underneath you to provide the best support. A thinner mattress will also tend to break down quicker because there's less material to deal with.

For individuals who are heavier, a thickness of 3 to 5 inches may be appropriate. Yet even if you weigh in the lower range you can still purchase a thicker mattress if you prefer. Keep in mind that you also don't need to worry about the combined weight of two individuals. Because there is very little energy transfer in memory foam, you're only concerned about how much weight a single occupant will place on one half of the mattress.

Construction Materials

The next thing you need to look for is the list of materials used in constructing the mattress. Sometimes overseas manufacturers will make the core of the mattress out of polyurethane latex and then surround it with memory foam. They produce a less expensive mattress this way, but the softness of the memory foam suffers as a result. The uneven density of the two foams can also cause some discomfort for people who are sensitive to that sort of thing.

Finally, you should also be careful to make sure a label attached to a memory foam mattress specifically identifies it as either "memory foam" or "T foam". Lack of such a designation could mean that the product is not legitimate memory foam at all. It may be the case of a manufacturer using other materials while trying to pass off the mattress as memory foam.

Care and Maintenance of Your Memory Foam Mattress

Under normal conditions your memory foam mattress needs very little care and maintenance. If you want to protect it against stains and possible allergens, a mattress topper is recommended. However, make sure your mattress topper is not so thick as to prevent your body heat from reaching the mattress. If the mattress underneath cannot heat up, it will not soften and conform to your body.

Your memory foam mattress will begin to break down over time - there's nothing you can do about that. With that said when you begin to notice that mattress breakdown is affecting your comfort level and sleep, just flip the mattress over and start anew on the other side. With a 5-inch mattress you effectively are getting double the life out of a single product just by flipping it over. Unfortunately, this trick doesn't work so well on thinner mattresses.

Forget Your Box Spring

One of the last things you need to know about memory foam mattresses is that they require a flat and firm surface underneath in order to work properly. That means you should not use a memory foam mattress on top of an old box spring. If you're replacing a coil spring mattress and box spring with a memory foam product, remove the old mattress and box spring entirely. If they were supported by slats, remove the slats as well and replace them with a thick sheet of plywood. If that doesn't give you the firmness you need, you can always buy a specifically designed pedestal from the same company that provided the mattress.