What is a memory foam mattress? A memory foam mattress is a mattress made with a certain amount of “memory foam” or special foam that responds, or contours, according to the amount of pressure in a certain area. While most mattresses sink in according to weight, memory foam is special because it supplies adequate support for adequate pressure or weight of limbs, maintaining its firmness in areas where pressure is lighter. This means that when laying on a memory foam mattress, your hips and shoulders, where weight is increased will receive a greater response and cushion from memory foam, than your knees. This evens the pressure all throughout your body, providing relief for the back, neck, hips and shoulders.
A variety of companies sell memory foam mattresses and mattress toppers. Some companies claim to have green or organic memory foam; however, for memory foam to work it cannot be natural. Memory foam was originally invented by NASA scientists to help reduce g-force felt from going incredibly high speeds. It is made from a synthetic polyurethane material with chemicals added to increase density. This is the only way to create memory foam. The final product is said to be nontoxic.
When looking for a quality mattress, here are some questions to ask:
Weight. A good weight will be 4 to 5 pound density. The higher the weight, the more viscoelastic (responsive to movement and pressure) the memory foam will be.
ILD: This is a rating corresponding to how many pounds of pressure are required to indent the foam twenty-five percent. The higher the ILD, the firmer the foam. Choose an ILD rating that fits the approximate weight of the persons that will be sleeping on it.
Resilience: This refers to the springiness of the foam. You always want a foam with high resilience, to ensure durability and comfort.
Memory foam mattresses can be very expensive. Cheaper varieties are often composed of foam that is not the original memory foam and simply imitates it. For those who already have a reasonably nice mattress, a memory foam mattress topper may be a great option. They are much less expensive and can be bought to fit any mattress. A mattress topper should be evaluated for softness, density and thickness. A less thick mattress topper can be a great choice as long as it is not too soft, and dense enough to supply pressure relief and avoid sagging or squishing down too much.
Memory foam is very popular and heavily sought after. As a result, the consumer has many choices. It is a good idea to be suspicious of cheap “memory foam” or “green memory foam” since the process of making memory foam is usually the same and varies only in the amount of chemicals used. Green memory foam is nonexistent, and amounts to nothing but a marketing ploy. Being a well-informed consumer can help you make a good decision.
