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What Is A Memory Foam Mattress

What Is A Memory Foam Mattress

Written by: Daniel Connell · Updated on: January 19, 2024

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Key Takeaways

NASA invented memory foam in the mid-1960s to counteract the extreme pressure astronauts faced when entering and exiting the atmosphere.

Polyurethane is a common plastic polymer that makes memory foam. A memory foam mattress itself is made by adding chemicals to polyurethane, altering its viscosity and elasticity.

Even furniture, insulation, and car parts can be made from it.

The right firmness level for you will depend on your weight and comfort preferences. As you sleep, your body heat softens the memory foam mattress. Foam mattresses also have breathing problems compared to spring and latex alternatives.

Most people prefer innerspring hybrids (like the Saatva Classic). As a luxurious hotel-style mattress, this mattress is extremely comfortable, well-constructed, and reasonably priced (for a luxury mattress). Identify your mattress preference as soon as possible! Otherwise, you'll have an incompatible mattress to your unique body shape and preferences.

Pros Of Memory Foam Mattress

Memory foam mattresses have 8 core benefits:

• They're designed to contour your body, relieving pressure off common pressure points.
• Tends to become more flexible and softer as it gets warmer.
• Helps maintain good spinal alignment and provides lumbar support, which can reduce back pain in the morning.
• Some memory foam mattresses feature copper for cooling, which helps to disperse heat and to wick moisture.
• Open-cell memory foam mattresses have the same ingredients as traditional memory foam, but allow for ventilation and air flow throughout the mattress.
• More eco-friendly foams are another up-and-coming innovation in memory foam.
• Gel or air can be incorporated into memory foam mattresses. Gel-based microbeads create pockets similar to open-cell mattresses, actively absorbing and releasing body heat.
• Memory foam mattresses are quiet, which is important for couples who don't want to wake each other.

Cons Of Memory Foam Mattress

Many people find memory foam mattresses uncomfortable, despite their many benefits.

Consider these 7 cons before buying:

1. Build Quality: Low-quality memory foam mattresses may contain additives that reduce mattress longevity, cause irritation, or even release fumes that may pose health risks (we recommend Certipur-US certified mattresses).
2. Temperature: They tend to retain heat, which can make it difficult to sleep, especially if you are already a hot sleeper.
3. Price: The price of high-quality memory foam mattresses tends to be higher.
4. Heavy: When they come in boxes, they are heavy and difficult to move.
5. Moisture and liquid can damage them. Memory foam mattresses are particularly hard to clean.
6. Off-gassing: Memory foam mattresses tend to smell chemical at first. Within 24 hours, this smell usually (but not always) disappears.
7. "Stuck" Feeling: Some people who sleep on memory foam mattresses feel stuck to their mattress, and this feeling worsens as the mattress ages.

A rotated mattress, much like rotated tires, typically wears more evenly and reduces indentions or support issues.

Memory Foam Vs. Hybrid Mattress

Memory foam can also be used in hybrid mattresses.

As a transitional and/or comfort layer, memory foam can be combined with latex. As there is less memory foam close to your body, hybrid memory foam offers the best of both worlds.

In addition, latex relieves pressure better than memory foam.

There are three main components to memory foam mattresses: a comfort layer, a transition layer, and a core. Through the other foam layers, the core provides stability and support.

Body contours to memory foam's sinking sensation. It is also highly pressure-adaptive.

Memory Foam Vs. Innerspring Mattress

An innerspring mattress differs from a memory foam mattress.

Generally, if you like one, you'll hate the other. It responds faster to your body, transfers motion more easily, and relieves pressure better. Memory foam gets hotter, is more expensive, and some people don't like it.

Innersprings may not respond as quickly to your body as memory foam, so motion transfer and pressure relief may be less effective.

Innerspring mattresses breathe much better than foam mattresses because of their versatility and ability to accommodate a variety of preferences.

Do You Need A Boxspring With A Memory Foam Mattress?

No. You don't need a box spring.

But you need good support.

A memory foam mattress will work fine as long as the surface is flat, sturdy, and thick.

How Long Do Memory Foam Mattresses Last?

Density and quality of foam are important. A higher layer means better weight distribution, and each layer will last longer.

• Low Density: Low-density memory foam mattresses (under 3 lbs) typically last 1-3 years.
• Medium Density: A moderate density foam (between 3 and 4.5 pounds) should last between 3 and 7 years.
• High Density: Memory foam mattresses with high-density foams (over 4.5 lbs) generally last 9-12 years.

Quality and care determine how long memory foam mattresses last. We recommend replacing your memory foam mattress every seven years to maintain good hygiene.

Is A Memory Foam Mattress Firm Or Soft?

You should buy memory foam if:

• You want great pressure relief.
• You know that you enjoy a 'memory' foam feel.
• You need low motion transfer.
• You can afford a high-quality memory foam mattress.
• You don't sleep hot.

Who Should Buy A Memory Foam Mattress?

You should buy memory foam if:

• You want great pressure relief.
• You know that you enjoy a 'memory' foam feel.
• You need low motion transfer.
• You can afford a high-quality memory foam mattress.
• You don't sleep hot.

Who Should Avoid A Memory Foam Mattress?

You should avoid memory foam if:

• You don't need optimal pressure relief (i.e. no serious pain points or soreness)
• You enjoy a different feel (i.e. innerspring bounce or latex buoyancy).
• Motion transfer is irrelevant to you
• You can't afford a high-quality memory foam or latex mattress because your budget is tight
• You sleep hot and need better, more natural airflow

About X

X is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of NapLab.com. He has been featured in Fast Company, Reader's Digest, Business Insider, Realtor.com, Huffington Post, Washington Post, AskMen, and She Knows. X has personally tested over 268+ mattresses and hundreds of pillows, sheets, beds, and other sleep products.

See Our #1 Researched Mattress in 2024

Rated best for comfort and hotel-feel

Get 450$ OFF Mattresses

References

What Is A Memory Foam Mattress

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NASA invented memory foam in the mid-1960s to counteract the extreme pressure astronauts faced when entering and exiting the atmosphere.

Polyurethane is a common plastic polymer that makes memory foam. A memory foam mattress itself is made by adding chemicals to polyurethane, altering its viscosity and elasticity.

Even furniture, insulation, and car parts can be made from it.

The right firmness level for you will depend on your weight and comfort preferences. As you sleep, your body heat softens the memory foam mattress. Foam mattresses also have breathing problems compared to spring and latex alternatives.

Most people prefer innerspring hybrids (like the Saatva Classic). As a luxurious hotel-style mattress, this mattress is extremely comfortable, well-constructed, and reasonably priced (for a luxury mattress). Identify your mattress preference as soon as possible! Otherwise, you'll have an incompatible mattress to your unique body shape and preferences.

Pros Of Memory Foam Mattress

Memory foam mattresses have 8 core benefits:

• They're designed to contour your body, relieving pressure off common pressure points.
• Tends to become more flexible and softer as it gets warmer.
• Helps maintain good spinal alignment and provides lumbar support, which can reduce back pain in the morning.
• Some memory foam mattresses feature copper for cooling, which helps to disperse heat and to wick moisture.
• Open-cell memory foam mattresses have the same ingredients as traditional memory foam, but allow for ventilation and air flow throughout the mattress.
• More eco-friendly foams are another up-and-coming innovation in memory foam.
• Gel or air can be incorporated into memory foam mattresses. Gel-based microbeads create pockets similar to open-cell mattresses, actively absorbing and releasing body heat.
• Memory foam mattresses are quiet, which is important for couples who don't want to wake each other.

Cons Of Memory Foam Mattress

Many people find memory foam mattresses uncomfortable, despite their many benefits.

Consider these 7 cons before buying:

1. Build Quality: Low-quality memory foam mattresses may contain additives that reduce mattress longevity, cause irritation, or even release fumes that may pose health risks (we recommend Certipur-US certified mattresses).
2. Temperature: They tend to retain heat, which can make it difficult to sleep, especially if you are already a hot sleeper.
3. Price: The price of high-quality memory foam mattresses tends to be higher.
4. Heavy: When they come in boxes, they are heavy and difficult to move.
5. Moisture and liquid can damage them. Memory foam mattresses are particularly hard to clean.
6. Off-gassing: Memory foam mattresses tend to smell chemical at first. Within 24 hours, this smell usually (but not always) disappears.
7. "Stuck" Feeling: Some people who sleep on memory foam mattresses feel stuck to their mattress, and this feeling worsens as the mattress ages.

Memory Foam Vs. Hybrid Mattress

Memory foam can also be used in hybrid mattresses.

As a transitional and/or comfort layer, memory foam can be combined with latex. As there is less memory foam close to your body, hybrid memory foam offers the best of both worlds.

In addition, latex relieves pressure better than memory foam.

There are three main components to memory foam mattresses: a comfort layer, a transition layer, and a core. Through the other foam layers, the core provides stability and support.

Body contours to memory foam's sinking sensation. It is also highly pressure-adaptive.

Memory Foam Vs. Innerspring Mattress

An innerspring mattress differs from a memory foam mattress.

Generally, if you like one, you'll hate the other. It responds faster to your body, transfers motion more easily, and relieves pressure better. Memory foam gets hotter, is more expensive, and some people don't like it.

Innersprings may not respond as quickly to your body as memory foam, so motion transfer and pressure relief may be less effective.

Innerspring mattresses breathe much better than foam mattresses because of their versatility and ability to accommodate a variety of preferences.

Do You Need A Boxspring With A Memory Foam Mattress?

No. You don't need a box spring.

But you need good support.

A memory foam mattress will work fine as long as the surface is flat, sturdy, and thick.

How Long Do Memory Foam Mattresses Last?

Density and quality of foam are important. A higher layer means better weight distribution, and each layer will last longer.

• Low Density: Low-density memory foam mattresses (under 3 lbs) typically last 1-3 years.
• Medium Density: A moderate density foam (between 3 and 4.5 pounds) should last between 3 and 7 years.
• High Density: Memory foam mattresses with high-density foams (over 4.5 lbs) generally last 9-12 years.

Quality and care determine how long memory foam mattresses last. We recommend replacing your memory foam mattress every seven years to maintain good hygiene.

Is A Memory Foam Mattress Firm Or Soft?

Firmness level of memory foam mattresses is completely determined by density and number of layers.

Who Should Buy A Memory Foam Mattress?

You should buy memory foam if:

• You want great pressure relief.
• You know that you enjoy a 'memory' foam feel.
• You need low motion transfer.
• You can afford a high-quality memory foam mattress.
• You don't sleep hot.

Who Should Avoid A Memory Foam Mattress?

You should avoid memory foam if:

• You don't need optimal pressure relief (i.e. no serious pain points or soreness)
• You enjoy a different feel (i.e. innerspring bounce or latex buoyancy).
• Motion transfer is irrelevant to you
• You can't afford a high-quality memory foam or latex mattress because your budget is tight
• You sleep hot and need better, more natural airflow