Thursday, October 22, 2009

Foam Memory Mattress...Things You Should Know About Them

Everyone needs a bed. In the past, we were used to using mattresses with a spring in between the foam but now there is a new kind of mattress and the things you should know about the foam memory mattress makes it unique.

First of all, the foam memory mattress also referred to as “visco elastic or slow releasing foam” has been around for more than a decade. Originally designed for astronauts, it has been successful in medical science for helping people with muscle pains and difficulty in sleeping.

As a result, it is also being used in hospitals to help prevent bed sores on people confined to the bed for long periods of time. The mattress's innovative elastic properties automatically senses your body’s weight and temperature then responds to your exact shape and position. When you get out, the bed goes back to its original form.

The difference between this new mattress compared to the old conventional one is that this one moulds to your body and not the other way around. So, you will never feel pressure that causes a reduction in blood supply or any inevitable discomfort.

This is very true for back sufferers who complain about this ever time they turn into bed. This forces them to alter their sleeping position or at worse, wake up in the middle of the night.

Memory foam mattresses are available in different sizes and density. This is calculated in kilograms per cubic meter. The higher the density, the smaller the air bubbles in the foam structure. Some people say that this is more of an disadvantage than an advantage because it can cause heat build up within the mattress.

The memory foam mattress is temperature sensitive as it reacts to the heat given off by the body. If the density in the foam is too high, the air holes in the foam become tiny and reduces the ability of the foam to breathe. This is what causes overheating at night which is why the ideal density of the foam that people should buy is between 40 and 65 kilograms.

This can also be prevented of course by buying a cool max cover as this helps with the ventilation because it is specially engineered to disperse heat and moisture helping you stay cool so you feel refreshed and rested when you wake up in the morning.

Another thing to consider when buying a memory foam mattress is its depth. When you are looking for one, make sure that this is 7cm to 10 cm so you get maximum support and pressure and relief.  

There are seven points in the body that the foam memory mattress addresses. The head, shoulders, pelvic area, calves, heels, hips and back.

By having a memory foam mattress at home, you can prevent tension headaches, fibrosis, muscle pain, circulatory problems, soreness or chaffed skin, swollen and painful hip joints caused by interface pressure as well as back pain.

Now that you know these basic things about the foam memory mattress, the only thing you have to do now is go out there and buy one. They are sold in stores as well as online. The important thing is that you get to sleep peacefully at night so are ready to face a brand new day.

The Foam Memory Mattress Story

A foam memory mattress is a relatively new technology in the sleep industry where relaxation and better quality of sleep is achieved. Different materials and designs have been created, but the foam memory  variety seems to be the better choice for people who are looking for more comfort and better body support when they sleep.

A foam memory mattress is also made up of polyurethane similar to other ordinary foam mattresses. But some chemicals have also been added to provide the foam memory with a denser quality. Not only that, the chemicals also help in giving the memory foam its excellent body molding properties.

The memory foam mattress is a product of research done by NASA scientists who, in the 1970's, were looking for a means to help lessen the pressure caused by gravitational forces when spacecrafts were being launched into space. The research led them to develop the memory foam mattress. Although it eventually didn't find its way into use in the NASA space program, it nevertheless found some use in the sleep industry.

The memory foam mattress found itself in the market sometime during the 1990's where it was received with anticipation and excitement. They acquired a huge market in the sleep industry where novel ways to provide comfort is constantly being welcomed. And the memory foam mattress did not disappoint.

What made the foam memory mattress such a hit when it came out is that it provided a more comfortable experience for people who prefer lying down for long periods of time. The extra level of comfort is due to the fact that the memory foam has the ability to mold itself into the shape of the person that lies into it.

The denser property of the memory mattress allows it to support the body more effectively. Its ability to mold into a person's body contours allows it to relieve pressure on certain body areas that may become uncomfortable after a long period of lying down. This is especially true to people who are required to stay in bed for long periods of time such as stroke patients. Ordinary foam or mattresses can cause bed sores to form if a patient stays in bed for long periods of time.

Not only that, a memory foam mattress is also sensitive to temperature. Cool temperatures make the memory foam become firmer while warm temperatures make it softer. This allows the foam memory mattress to respond to body heat where the foam can then mold itself into the body contours when a person lies on it. This is especially a welcome trait especially for people who look for comfort. And this might also help provide support for people who are injured.

Injuries on certain parts of the body tend to be warmer. And with a memory foam mattress, an injured part of the body may be given some added comfort, thanks to the memory foam's temperature sensitive properties. Not only that, a memory foam mattress also absorbs body heat and retains it for a longer time.

This helps provide some warmth to people who lie on it, especially in cold weather.

Foam Memory Mattress...What Is It?

What is a foam memory mattress? It is a whole bed made from memory foam that has the ability to sense your body’s weight and temperature so it is able to conform to your shape, minimize pressure points, aid alignment and reduce tossing and turning.

This was first developed by NASA or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the 1970’s. But the first generation foam memory mattress was too brittle and had the tendency to break after just one to two years of use.

Ten years later, a Swedish company that worked closely with NASA in making the first memory foam mattress got it right. This was made using a spongy, gel like plastic whose composite open cells could deform under pressure and reshape back to its original form.

Just to prove how effective it is, one brand called Tempur-Pedic sells these to hospitals. Patients who have used the foam memory mattress claim that this has reduced remarkably the pressure on joints whenever they lie down. It also gives good support for the back.

Memory foam mattresses were first introduced in the market in the early 1990’s. The problem then was that they were very expensive. But this soon changed as other companies were able to produce similar products.

But the story of the foam memory mattress doesn’t end there. If it is good for the back, then it could also have benefits in other places on the body which is why the foam is also used on other products such as mattress toppers, pillows, office furniture, automobile seat padding, infant cribs, car seats, wheelchair cushions, hip pads, sweat pads, computer cases, movie theater seating, pistol gloves, ear plugs and tennis rackets.

The price of memory foam mattress is from $300 to $600. This depends on the density that you wish to buy. The thicker they are, the more expensive  it is.

These mattresses are sold in stores, and you can also find them online. They come in different sizes so you can surely find one for every bedroom in the house and if you find these expensive, perhaps you should consider getting a topper.

A topper is much smaller than the foam mattress given that you simply put it over an existing mattress. Its thickness is 1 to 4 inches thick. If you plan to put this over a spring mattress, make sure that the mattress is not more than 5 years old.

Memory foam mattresses are not affected by the temperature. If this happened, it will not be able to do its job which is to adjust to the shape of the person.

You might be thinking that all companies that make foam memory mattresses use the same materials. This is not the case because some use liquid foam while others use a vacuum injection, which means they do not rely on gravity to provide consistent density and eliminate variation. So when you are looking for a foam memory mattress, ask the sales person what material is used.

A lot of people say that the memory foam mattress is out of this world given that this was first designed for use by astronauts. Given that it is used on almost every type of furniture these days, you can now say that it has taken the world by storm.