This is a collaborative post by Jen.
Memory foam mattresses are equally praised and criticized, but they started a revolution in the mattress industry when they first became available on the market. This synthetic material comes with features no other has, and provides sleepers everywhere with comfort during slumber.
I think you’ll all agree that there’s a huge difference between the regular spring mattress (even modern ones) and a memory foam mattress. Besides the fact that there’s very little motion transfer with the latter, there’s also the unique way memory foam follows your body shape.
But there are more perks than just super comfort and your entire body stands to benefit from this. You don’t believe me? Let’s take a look and see why memory foam beats almost all other designs on the market.
Spinal Alignment
This aspect is very important because it influences the quality of sleep. In order to wake up relaxed and charged with creative energy, you need to sleep on a mattress that allows your spine to be aligned with the neck and head. If the spine is crooked (your hips dip too low or your neck is hanging on the side) the discs in the spine won’t be able to release the tension accumulated during the day.
The result is usually seen in lower back pain, restless sleep, and a general state of fatigue.
A True Body Fit
The not-so-hidden secret of success is the way the memory foam molds to your body as a response to pressure and heat. High-quality foam will allow your body to create an imprint in the mattress and this will change with every move you make. So, if your hips are wide and you like sleeping on the side, the mattress will sink in a bit more in the hip area, while keeping a slightly elevated level for the spine and shoulders. If you move from one side to the other, the foam will change its shape, accommodating your new position.
This feature allows your body weight to be equally distributed through the surface of the mat, creating the perfect sleeping place for you. Otherwise, if your weight is focused only directly under your body, the mattress may get saggy really quick and you’ll feel like sleeping in a hammock.
Allergy-Friendly
While we can’t consider memory foam a hypoallergenic material, the dense structure of the foam doesn’t allow for allergens like pollen or dust mites to settle easily. This reduces the amount gathered in time, which means less allergy-related problems for you.
But allergens are not the only problem when it comes to older mattresses. Bed bugs are among the most disgusting and annoying pesky creatures and they tend to live in mattresses with a hollow structure like spring beds. Now, because memory foam is dense, it doesn’t allow bed bugs to live inside, which is why this type of mattress is number one on my list.
It Adapts to your Temperature
I recently learned from Try Mattress that memory foam is also temperature sensitive. This means the foam will adapt to your body temperature, getting softer as you lie on it. The cool thing is that, because of its dense structure, the temperature is released slowly so you don’t run the risk of sleeping on a cold surface (like it happens with air mattresses).
This aspect is extremely important if you have back or joint pain that reacts to heat. By maintaining the heat level at a constant setting, your aching parts will get less upsetting during the night and you’ll be able to enjoy some quality sleep.
Overall, memory foam is a fantastic material for a mattress and, even though it’s not the perfect one, it comes with a lot of features that are difficult to ignore.
