If you’re new to memory foam mattresses and you’ve been having a look through some of the reviews I have for you on my website, I can forgive you for not quite understanding what different types there are and what benefits they offer. Since I’m all about making sure you find the right mattress for you (and at the right price), I thought it would be a good idea to add some short and to the point information about the types of memory foam you will come across. So, let’s start with the best known. This type first started to take hold of the market in the mid 1990’s and for good reason. Unlike a spring mattress, traditional memory foam has been designed so your body is cradled while you sleep. What this does is helps to increase blood circulation and reduces the amount of stress you get on various joints across the body while you sleep. Another benefit worth knowing if you’re changing from a spring mattress is those that are made from memory foam are anti-microbial.
This reduces the number of dust mites and other bugs that can make allergies flare-up. In fact, it makes for a much healthier sleeping environment all round. Motion transfer is something else to think about. If you sleep next to someone who is constantly tossing and turning (or indeed, if you are that person), traditional memory foam will stop this from happening. Lastly, a traditional memory foam mattress will last much longer than a spring type because of the materials used and the way it’s constructed. One of the biggest complaints about memory foam mattresses is the amount of heat they can produce. This is because lots of models have been designed so they react to your body temperature. When this happens, the material softens which is why you get such great support from them. In fact, you could say it’s a little like sleeping on air. Manufacturers have listened to their customers, and you can now buy air cool memory foam. If you opt for a mattress that includes this technology, it will respond to your body temperature much quicker and will channel the warmth out.
This eliminates the issue with additional heat and makes for a cooler night’s sleep. Some models also use what’s called open cell technology which helps to distribute heat more evenly. The 12″ LUCID® by Linenspa I have reviewed here is a perfect example of this type of technology. Just like traditional memory foam, gel technology will help stop motion transfer when people sleep in the same bed and will cradle the pressure points over your body. Gel foam is also anti-microbial so you can keep those allergies at bay. However, it is different in that unlike traditional foam, this technology is often infused with the same sort of gel that’s used in sports equipment or shoe inserts. This makes it one of the best memory foams on the market in terms of support. In fact, it’s ideal for those of you who suffer medium to severe aches and pains due to poor posture when you sleep. It’s also more durable than traditional foam which means manufacturers can offer better warranties.
Do bear in mind however, that due to the support gel foam offers, it will feel firmer than traditional memory foam. If you’re interested in seeing an example of this, take a look at my review on the Ultimate Dreams 13″ Gel Memory Foam Mattress.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. Where did memory foam come from and what gives memory foam its unique comfort properties?