SHOP ALL MEMORY FOAM MATTRESS TOPPERS >> Comforpedic Loft from Beautyrest 3-inch Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper with Water Resistant Cover Comforpedic Loft from Beautyrest 4-inch Sculpted Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper with Polysilk Cover Comforpedic Loft from Beautyrest 3-inch Sculpted Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper Slumber Perfect 4-inch Gel Memory Foam Topper with Egyptian Cotton Cover Serta Rejuvenator Dual-layer 4-inch Memory Foam Mattress Topper Memory foam, also called "temper foam," was first developed by NASA in the mid-1960s to ensure passenger comfort and protection in airplane seats. Memory foam mattress toppers mold to the body, and then slowly spring back to their original shape. This makes them ideal for those with back or joint pain. However, not all memory foam mattress toppers are the same. Here's how to choose one that will best suit your needs. Choosing Your Mattress Topper: Choose a memory foam mattress topper size that will fit your bed.
Memory foam mattress toppers are sold in twin, full, queen, king, and California king sizes. Because these sturdy toppers sit flush against your mattress, purchasing one sized too small or too large may make your bed look and feel uneven. Select the density of your memory foam. Density refers to the weight of one cubic foot of memory foam; this is proportionate to the level of "memory" your topper will have. Higher density memory foam mattress toppers conform better to body weight, provide stronger support, respond to body temperature more efficiently, and are more durable than the less dense models. Most people find that a memory foam mattress topper with a density of 3 pounds suits their needs perfectly, although those with body and joint pain may want a density of 4 pounds or more.Memory foam mattress toppers are generally sold in thickens of 1, 2, 3, and 4 inches. Memory foam with a 2-inch thickness or less will make your existing mattress feel more comfortable. This is a good thickness if you're just looking to extend the life of your mattress.
A topper with a thickness greater than 2 inches will change the texture and feel of your bed, and is good if you sleep on your side. Select a cover for your memory foam mattress topper. Memory foam is naturally hypoallergenic, resisting dust mites and other allergens. However, a cotton cover with a high thread count will protect your mattress topper from dirt, dust, and stains. What Do You Want to Do Next? Serta Deluxe 2-inch Memory Foam Mattress Topper Slumber Solutions Highloft Supreme 4-inch Memory Foam Mattress Topper Serta Ultimate 4-inch Visco Memory Foam Mattress Topper Slumber Solutions Highloft Supreme 3-inch Memory Foam Mattress Topper Comforpedic Loft from Beautyrest 4-inch Sculpted Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper with Polysilk CoverA topper adds either softness or support to an existing mattress. Mattress toppers vary greatly in materials and quality and even in thickness. The thickness best for you depends on a number of factors, ultimately boiling down to the type of topper and the results you desire, such as more support on a soft bed, or added softness for a firm bed.
The range of thicknesses also varies based on the material making up the topper; memory foam toppers may be up to 8-inches thick, while other types of toppers are far thinner. Memory Foam Memory foam mattress toppers range from a 1-inch thickness up to 8 inches, which means a huge difference between the thinnest and thickest in comfort and support. Memory foam reacts to body heat, conforming to the body's shape as the foam warms. A 2- or 3-inch memory foam topper ultimately offers more support than an 8-inch topper, using the actual mattress as a supportive base. With an extremely thick memory foam topper, the body sinks in so much that the firmness of the mattress beneath isn't felt nearly as much as with thinner toppers. Latex Foam Latex offers an alternative to memory foam with not quite as wide a range of thicknesses available. Latex toppers typically run from 1 to 3 inches thick. Latex does not conform to your body's shape once it's warm the way memory foam does; therefore, the comfort considerations vary.
If your body compresses the foam down an inch on a 2-inch latex topper, the compression level will be the same on a 3-inch latex topper made by the same manufacturer, so there's no need for the extra inch of foam. Feather and Down-Alternative Toppers Mattress toppers filled with feathers or even a down alternative are generally designed to make a hard bed more comfortable. The thickness varies based on the positioning of the filler within; there is no set thickness. A bargain feather or down-alternative topper may be quite thin -- less than an inch -- while a quality topper typically has far more filler inside, resulting in 3 or 4 inches of thickness. Shaking out this type of topper is required to keep it fluffy and thick. Thickness Considerations No matter which type of topper seems best to you, the added thickness is something to consider, as it changes the way sheets fit the bed. Your existing fitted sheets may pop off the mattress or never stay put in the first place if the topper is more than a couple of inches thick.
Extra-deep sheets sets may be required; many bedding stores carry these, since some modern mattresses already have a sewn-in topper that makes the mattresses far deeper than standard. If you get hot at night or enjoy shifting your position as you sleep, a thin or medium memory foam topper may be more comfortable than a thick memory foam topper; this type of foam gets warm, and the deeper it is, the more you sink into it. References The Foam Factory: Foam Mattress Topper Thickness: What's Right for You?What It Is, Why It Works, And The 5 Key Things To Look For When Buying A Memory Foam Bed Or Topper. While memory foam was developed for NASA in the 1970's, it didn't hit the consumer market until the early 1990's - first as memory foam mattress topper pads, and later used in memory foam mattresses. Since then, memory foam mattresses have become the fastest growing segment in the mattress industry. With every year, you see more and more companies selling memory foam mattresses and topper pads, and it is very difficult, even for those of us in the industry, to keep up with all the new memory foam products being introduced.
What is a consumer to do? 1. Brief History Of Memory Foam And Why Not All Memory Foam Created Equal - Some Just More Comfortable And Sleeps Cooler Than Others 2. How To Choose Between Different Memory Foams 3. What To Look For In A Memory Foam Mattress Or Topper, And When You Might Need To Get A New Mattress In this guide, I'm going to do my best to give you the straight story on what memory foam is, how it works, and what to look for in memory foam (density and quality, memory foam toppers versus memory foam mattresses, etc.). Armed with the information, I hope you are able to find just the right memory foam mattress, topper pad, or other product that fits your needs. Where the mattress industry so often sells on hype about latest greatest technology, I wanted to concentrate on actual, verifiable information when putting together this guide. So before we go into the details about memory foam, I thought it was important to first look at the bottom line -- how does memory foam compare to standard innerspring mattresses for comfort.
And what is great about the internet is that these days you can cut through the hype to see the actual data on this -- real reviews, by real folks, trying out the mattresses in their own homes. And while it was hard to get this kind of objective information back in '94 when I was first starting out selling memory foam after it helped me with my back pain, in 2014 all this information is now at your fingertips, literally. While comfort is subjective, what is no longer subjective is that certain types of mattress are just more comfortable than others. And you don't have to take my word for it, or any other mattress retailer. The numbers don't lie. Based on over 22,000 real people's mattress experiences, the meta site Sleep Like the Dead found that in analyzing this information that memory foam mattresses received the highest level of customer satisfaction of any mattress type at 81%. In contrast, only 64% of innerspring owners said they were satisfied. That is a huge difference, and shows the simple reason why memory foam has gained such popularity -- it delivers comfort in a way that far surpasses the standard innerspring mattress.