Top Memory Foam Mattress Reviews

What To Look For When Buying A Memory Foam Mattress

Sleeping is one of the most important activities of the everyday life. To some, it may seem to be wastage of time, but the truth is that people cannot really survive without sleep. You may feel that you are doing nothing and wasting valuable time that you could have spent doing other important activities, but in reality, during sleep, the body does the most important activity that sustains it – the body rejuvenates and unwinds itself so that it is fit to toil through another strenuous day.

So, it is vital that you sleep well and systematically. Dozing off during the bus journey or napping at work won’t really help you achieve what a good night’s sleep can do for the body and the mind. Thus, all doctors and physicians suggest following a timely, optimal and quality sleeping pattern for a healthy mind and body. But that’s something that is not easily possible in the present times.

If you are suffering from back, knee or neck pains, it is obvious that you will toss and turn several times during the night, resulting in a disturbed sleep. Not only that, if you happen to be a warm sleeper, your bed may become too hot during the night, thereby making the sleeping conditions poor. Thus, you will not be able to sleep well. The hardness of the mattress may also give rise to a number of problems like stiff neck, joint pains, etc. To deal with the problem, the memory foam mattresses made way into the market.

Memory Foam Mattress – What is it?

If you are totally unaware of what a memory foam mattress is, then it would be prudent that you first understand what it really is before you consider buying it. Memory foam was initially developed by a research team at NASA, to be used for making aircraft cushions more secure. Though the invention didn’t serve the cause quite well, it later made its way into the medical industry when its advantages were realized.

Though the product initially developed was soft and supportive, it wasn’t quite durable, which encouraged Tempur-Pedic to develop its own variety of memory foam that would be more durable but would offer similar advantages as the original version. This version was initially used in the medical industry until the time reports of people having a better sleep on these mattresses started surfacing. The idea hit like a novel one and very soon, the memory foam was made available to the public in the form of mattresses that supported healing and cure.

Types Of Memory Foam Mattresses

With the gradual increase in the popularity of the memory foam mattresses and people being full of praise for the mattresses, further development was made to offer more benefits to the consumers. As such, the manufacturers developed three different types of memory foam, each with its set of benefits and advantageous features.

Traditional

This type of memory foam has been in use since the 1990’s and is the best choice if you are sick and tired of the spring mattresses. The traditional memory foam is best known for the all-around support that it offers to the body during the sleep. the mattress adjusts to all your body creases and depressions, whether you sleep on your side, back or tummy, ensuring maximum support at all times.

Moreover, the memory foam has anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties that resist bugs and dust mites that cause problems to people who are prone to allergies. This type of memory foam is also useful in reducing the motion transfer effect that occurs when your sleeping partner tosses in bed.

Gel Memory Foam

This type of foam has many advantages similar to the traditional type like they have anti-microbial properties that eliminate the problem of allergies. Moreover, it also has motion reduction properties so ensure a peaceful sleep even if your partner has the tendency to twist and turn repeatedly during the night.

But what actually makes gel memory foam superior to the traditional type is the inclusion of the gel in the mattress. The gel being used is similar to that used as sports inserts, thus offering maximum support to those who are in need of it. So, if you are suffering from problems of the musculoskeletal system, then the gel memory foam would be the best choice for you.

Air Cool Memory Foam

If you sleep hot, then one of the main reasons for an uncomfortable sleep could be the temperature of your mattress. After sleeping on a mattress for some time, the mattress becomes hot as the heat from your body in absorbed by the mattress, thus making the sleeping conditions too warm for a comfortable sleep. This is exactly what Air Cool Memory Foam deals with. With the use of this technology, the mattresses become more efficient in channelizing the heat that it absorbs during sleep, thus keeping the mattress cool and comfy to sleep on.

Benefits Of A Memory Foam Mattresses

There are several reasons to prefer memory foam mattresses over other forms like spring mattress, latex mattress, etc. these mattresses come with a number of benefits that are much sought after, especially in the modern times. The major benefits are as follows:

Pain relief: It is a common fact that a major portion of the population suffers from aches and pain during the night, especially in their hips, neck, back, heels, calf muscles, etc. which lead to painful nights and restless sleep. But, memory foam is known to offer the exact amount of support that you need to ease the pain. It is neither too hard nor too soft, making it the ideal choice for people with rheumatic and osteo pains.

Stress relief: Not only does memory foam ease the pain, but it also acts as a stress reliever. Memory foam mattresses act perfectly to relieve the nerve points of the extra stress that develop if you sleep on a hard mattress. Not only that, as these mattresses are totally body-enveloping, no additionally pressure points are created, irrespective of how you sleep.

Temperature control: With the ability to channel out the body heat, these mattresses assist in temperature control so that you can sleep cool. This is of utmost importance for hot sleepers.

Hypo-allergic: They are treated in such a way during the manufacturing process that they become dust, fungus and bacteria resistant. This is highly beneficial in ensuring that you keep away from problems like allergies, sneezes, infections, etc.

Motion transfer: Often, people fail to sleep peacefully as their partners frequently twist and turn. Memory foam eliminates this problem as it is resistant to motion transfer, thus allowing a quiet sleep, even if your partner is restless through the night.

Cons

Like any other product, memory foam has its own share of limitations like so:

Low support: In many a case, the mattress is either too soft or too firm, thus causing a problem to the sleeper. Many people are unable to find the perfect balance of firmness and softness and thus, fail to achieve the benefits that these mattresses offer.

Smell: As most mattresses are chemically treated, a faint smell lingers on when the mattress is totally new. This smell, though disappears after a few hours, may cause a problem to people who are super-sensitive.

Moreover, doctors suggest that if you have a small child at home, this type of mattress may not be suitable for you as they find it difficult to move on such mattresses.

Things To Consider When Buying A Memory Foam Mattress

If you are planning to buy a memory foam mattress to serve your needs, then it is important that you consider the following things first:

Mattress density: Since memory foam mattress are meant to offer the best support and comfort, the mattress density matters a lot. The higher the density, the better will be the support and comfort that you get during sleep. Additionally, the top layer (memory foam) should ideally be 2-3 inches, and the base layer should be around 6-12 inches (optimally 8-10 inches). This combination will ensure that the mattress is medium firm which is the best choice for most people.

Sensitivity to temperature: For the best comfort, it is necessary for the mattress to be sensitive to temperature, i.e. it becomes firm when the temperature is cooler and becomes soft as the temperature rises considerably. Make sure that you check this out quite well.

Durability: Buying a mattress is a long term investment, and you should always choose one that has a warranty of at least 10 years, best if it is 30 years. This way you will get a product that is worth every penny.

Certified: It is best to choose products that are certified by credible authorities like CentiPUR. If you a buy a certified mattress, you can be sure that the mattress conforms to the quality and health standards.

Reviews: The last thing to consider is what other people are saying about the mattress.  Let our reviews of memory foam mattresses help in your decision to see if these types of mattresses are right for you.