Memory foam is man-developed foam with visco-elastic characteristics. Pocket spring mattresses are made of numerous fabric pockets in which reside metal springs. The springs can be directly connected with each other through the centre or the pockets may be joined together. The spring count that refers to the number of springs in the mattress is a very important number. The more springs there are, the better the mattress is. Also, the filling is important and there are pocket spring mattresses that use memory foam as filling. In addition, side stitching gives a plus of quality to the pocket spring mattress.

• Owner Satisfaction. Both memory foam mattresses and pocket spring mattresses deliver a feeling of lying in the mattress and not on the mattress because they are able, each in their own way, to follow the contour of the body. Depending on the thickness of the memory foam mattress and also on the density, the mattress can be more or less firm and customers have various preferences. A pocket spring mattress can be soft, firm or very firm depending on the spring gauge. Again, it depends on the preferences of the purchaser.
• Longevity. Both mattresses are said to last about the same period of time. It clearly depends on how they are handled.
• Pain relief. Again, because of the way they were created, both mattresses have a way of preventing the creation of pressure points. Consumers report that pressure points in the hip, head, neck and shoulder areas are eliminated in both cases. Both mattresses can provide a comfortable and painless sleep.
• Motion Isolation. Neither of the mattresses allows movement to be transferred to the other side of the bed; partners can move independently in the bed without affecting the person next to him or her.

Other criteria can be used to compare the two products. Firmness is one of them, but both mattresses can be produced with different levels of firmness and in the end, the customer makes the choice of how firm or how soft they want their mattress to be. Also, price is a criterion to consider. In this respect, pocket spring mattresses can be more expensive than memory foam.

In addition to these criteria, a memory foam mattress and a latex mattress can also be compared in terms of weight, availability, affordability, and warranties. Latex tends to be a bit heavier than memory foam, while the two are relatively similar as far as heat retention. At the same time, memory foam mattresses are a lot more available than latex products. Moreover, memory foam is less expensive than latex.

Domestic Uses of Memory Foam
As far as its domestic uses are concerned, memory foam is used to produce an assortment of items. The most well-known product made of memory foam is, of course, the memory foam mattress. Memory foam mattresses are famous for improving the quality of sleep. A similar product, but a lot thinner is the memory foam mattress topper, which is used to reduce hardness in conventional mattresses or to protect quality mattresses.

Memory foam is used additionally to make pillows. Similar products are head and neck rests for travellers that can be used in the car, plane, or train. There are also pregnancy pillows that are manufactured from memory foam to ensure a peaceful and restful sleep for women in one of the more uncomfortable periods in their lives. Memory foam mattresses are also available for children. You can even buy memory foam mattresses for pets in various shapes and forms.

Memory foam slippers that are the height of footwear and ensure great support and comfort represent a less common domestic use of memory foam. Memory foam armchairs as well as memory foam office chairs are available on the market in an assortment of sizes, shapes, and designs.

Medical Uses of Memory Foam
The main medical use of memory foam is in hospital beds as memory foam mattresses. In hospitals, memory foam is used as an orthopedic seating pad to help people recover from severe injuries faster. Memory foam mattress pads are also used to comfort certain body parts. A special application of memory foam properties is in the case of foam-in-place seating systems. These are custom-designed seating solutions that are extremely beneficial for people who suffer from severe impairment. Memory foam can also be shaped in the form of neck rests or head rests, knee and foot cushions, twist pillows, wrist stabilizers with memory foam palm padding, wedge pillows to elevate supine patients, uplift seat assists, and more.

Other Uses of Memory Foam
Considered to be foam with incredible visco-elastic properties, memory foam has different applications. Outside the domestic and medical uses, memory foam is also a good material to cushion race car seats, bike helmets, therapeutic saddle pads for horse riding, as well as body armor and helmets for armed forces members. The use of memory foam in such cases stems out of its capacity to absorb shocks.

Who Buys Memory Foam Mattresses?
People who suffer from some type of chronic pain often buy memory foam mattresses. The kind of person who would consider buying a memory foam mattress is concerned with their health and in tune with their bodily needs. They prefer to be preventive rather than reactive. This attitude can be found among young people, but it can also be found among more mature people, as well as among the elderly.

Certain individuals may not be convinced of the benefits of memory foam and prefer to buy a memory foam mattress topper – a cheaper way to give it a try. In the same group are those who cannot afford a good memory foam mattress and choose just a topper or a cheap memory foam mattress. Then there are those who just wish to soften a hard conventional mattress or add some value to their traditional foam mattress.

Do Pets Like Memory Foam?
Another trend in the memory foam market is buying memory foam products for pets. It seems that pets who like to spend some type lying down or sleeping love memory foam mattresses. Of course, these items are a lot smaller and especially designed to meet the sleeping and rest requirements of dogs and cats. Cats are particularly in love with this concept but dogs are no strangers to enjoying the comfort of memory foam either.

Memory Foam Mattresses for Children
Children are exposed to increasing pressure from school and other set of courses and activities they must perform almost every day. A good sleep replenishes their energy and allows them to continue effectively the next day. That is the reason why so many parents choose memory foam products for their children. Sometimes, they even get to enjoy memory foam pillows as many companies offer free pillows and delivery when you buy a memory foam mattress.

Where Is Memory Foam Used?
Based on the benefits and features of memory foam, the products that are made from this type of revolutionary foam are used in a wide variety of establishments apart from residential homes. Memory foam is used in hospitals as mattresses and pillows. It is also utilized in many office chairs for comfort and pain relief of sedentary people who spend 12 hours a day at the office. It is also used in pregnancy pillows, motor driving and travel aids, air planes, in injury recovery clinics, and more.

A memory foam mattress topper is also a great and affordable solution to protect your memory foam mattress. It is easier to clean and handle than any mattress. In addition, memory foam toppers seem to be an accessible way to enjoy the benefits of memory foam without paying for an actual memory foam mattress. In this respect, the density and thickness of the memory foam toppers are very important.

In order for a topper to soften a hard mattress, it is of great importance to take into account the weight of the person or persons who will be sleeping in the bed. As a memory foam mattress topper is not as thick as a typical mattress, weight plays an instrumental role. In this respect, there are 2” thick toppers recommended for children, 3” toppers recommended for slender people, and 4” topper recommended for larger individuals. Of course, the thicker the topper, the more beneficial it will be as far as pressure relief.

A memory foam mattress topper is said to offer luxury sleep on a budget. As far as benefits, the softness and density are also important. Memory foam toppers can provide a wonderful pain relief and make sure you sleep uninterrupted and profoundly. But that can only happen if the right density and softness is used. A memory foam mattress topper can have a minimum density of 3 lbs and a maximum of 6 lbs. Generally, they are offered in 3 lbs., 4 lbs., and 6 lbs. densities. Softness is essential for memory foam toppers and it is generally situated around 4 and 5 on a scale from 7 to 1.

If you are wondering if toppers are necessary, then your answer is yes. Whether you have a brand new memory foam mattress or a hard conventional mattress, a memory foam mattress topper is necessary to protect your precious mattress and respectively to soften your hard mattress. With respect to the benefits of memory foam toppers, they are similar to any memory foam sleeping accessory such as pillows and mattresses.

Over the past several years, there has been a lot of talk about memory foam mattresses. Memory foam was initially created by NASA to provide cushion for the astronauts during take off and re-entry.

Memory foam is made of polyurethane foam that has been treated with particular chemicals. This creates a visco-elastic foam, meaning that it is fluid-like in its ability to bounce back, and rubbery in its ability to return to its original shape. The majority of memory foam mattresses are a combination of differing densities. The layer on the top is the one you want the ratings for, as this is where you will be immediately laying; the rest is for support.

Memory foam conforms to the shape of an item placed on it. When the item is removed, the memory foam springs back to its original shape. Memory foam is rated by weight, or density of pounds per square foot; Indentation Load Deflection (ILD); Resilience and Tensile.

The ILD rating tells you how hard or soft the memory foam is. This number is calculated as the number of pounds needed to reach 25% compression on a 4-inch thick piece of foam that is 50-square inches. For example, a rating of 10 ILD indicates that it took 10 pounds to compress the foam 25%. The higher the number is, the harder the mattress is. You may see this number indicated as Indentation Force Deflection (IFD) as well.

Resilience is a measure of the springiness of the memory foam as determined by dropping a steel ball from 36 inches onto the sample. When you see this expressed as HR for high resilience. It indicates that the foam had a high rebound. The higher the resiliency, the foam will be more durable. Conversely, the higher the resilience, the foam will have less of dampening effect. In other words, it will be a bit more resistant to conforming to your shape.

The tensile rating shows how far the foam can be stretched as measured in pounds per square inch and elongation in a percentage of stretch before if tears.

The majority of memory foam mattresses bought today are in the 8-12 ILD rating range. This offers a good combination of soft and firm for most people.
These mattresses will conform to your body, providing support for your neck and back, resulting in a better night’s sleep.

When you begin to search for alternatives, you’ll find several are available. The most advertised are the beds that offer adjustable firmness. At the touch of a button, your side of the bed can be soft, while your partner can adjust theirs to be more firm. You both can finally get a good night’s sleep – however these types of beds tend to be very expensive.

You should look into memory foam mattresses. These mattresses conform to the shape of your body, so that you feel rested and rejuvenated. The firmness of the bed doesn’t matter very much because the memory foam will conform to each of your different shapes.

Memory foam beds can be expensive as well. So what can a couple do? There is an in-between. A memory-foam bed topper can solve the problem. The memory foam topper sits on top of the regular mattress and generally provides the same shape molding comfort as a regular memory foam mattress.

A memory-foam bed topper can be expensive depending on the brand you purchase and how thick the topper is. Thickness runs from 2 inches to 5 inches. Although expensive by some standards, they certainly don’t cost as much as a full size memory foam mattress, or one of the beds with adjustable firmness.

When you get your memory foam topper home, you may be put off by the chemical odor that it emits. This is normal and will eventually disappear when it has aired out enough.

Now both of you can sleep in the same bed and be comfortable. With the memory foam conforming to your different body shapes and relieving pressure points, you can both look forward to a good night’s sleep.

New Odour Explained
When you a buy memory foam mattress you must put up with a certain chemical smell. The moment you unseal the mattress, a very bad odor comes out and it doesn’t seem to go away. It is an odor that reminds you of chemicals and it makes you wonder about its origins, but also about its possible effects. The reality is that people forget what memory foam is made of. Memory foam is polyurethane enriched with various chemicals. Polyurethane is nothing but organic substances glued together by urethane links.

What makes memory foam special is the production process. However, it is still made of basically the same raw material as electrical potting compounds or carpet underlay, or skateboard wheels. The smell comes from the additional chemicals used in the manufacturing process that are released in the form of gas. The process happens simply because after production memory foam mattresses are sealed and the gases aren’t released and dispersed in the air. Off gassing, as the process is known, will last a while after you have unsealed the mattress. In time, it will go away.

When Does The “Odour” Go Away?
Not all people have the same sensitivity to smell. Some people feel the new odor as very powerful and they need a few days before they can actually sleep on their new memory foam mattress. Other people are not as sensitive and they have no problem sleeping on their mattress right after they’ve unpacked it.

The persistence and “strength” of the smell depends on the manufacturer. There is premium memory foam that does not have the new odor because the producer has already taken care of the smell and allowed off gassing while the mattress was in their factory. That means that such a mattress will cost more.

Another issue related to the new odor is whether or not the off gassing can harm your health. That again depends on the producer and on the chemicals used in the production process. This is one of the factors that distinguish one memory foam mattress manufacturer from another.

Density And Memory Foam Mattresses

As a rule, the density of memory foam mattress is higher than the density of normal foam mattresses. It is one of the reasons why people pay more for memory foam products than for common foam products. The density of the memory foam mattress is what gives the mattress that unique blend of firmness and comfort. A memory foam product can provide the right support and yet be able to provide a comfortable feeling as well. Thus, the memory foam mattress combines the comfort of soft mattresses with the solidity of a firm mattress.

Memory Foam Densities

Commonly, foam density is about 5 pounds per cubic feet. A high quality memory foam mattress is considered a mattress which has at least this density and even greater. Generally, memory foam products are created with a density between 1 and 5 pounds per cubic foot. The density range is quite wide and that happens because, depending on the destination of the mattress, more or less denser mattresses will be used. Also, thickness and firmness are in close connection with density when you have to determine what the most suitable memory foam mattress is for you. Very high densities such as 5.3 pounds per cubic foot are rarely used and make up the exceptions. Most toppers and comfort layers have a density between 3 and 4.5 pounds per cubic foot.

Memory foam mattresses are assessed in different manners. For example, a high density mattress offers a great ratio between compression rates and lifespan. The lower density memory foam mattresses will resist less since compression will be higher. You should not forget thickness. A 2 inch thick memory foam mattress can hardly be considered beneficial while 6 inch thick memory foam mattress will be too soft.

Therefore, a memory foam mattress is the result of all of its features including density, height, and compression. Depending on your needs, you should choose the combination that feels perfect for you.

The Orthopedic and Health Benefits of Memory Foam
In the early 1990s the visco-elastic memory foam revolutionized the healthcare and bedding market. Ever since then, the memory foam mattress has been conquering markets worldwide, starting with Europe and continuing to North America. Its unique open cell structure reacts in a particular way to body heat and weight, contouring to the shape of the body. Here are the advantages of the best memory foam mattress, both health benefits and orthopedic ones.

• Perfect Support by Eliminating Pressure Points

Memory foam reduces by 80% the need to toss and turn. Most people are unable to enjoy a good sleep simply because they have to toss and turn all the time to get comfortable. This happens because pressure points are created and the body is disturbed and needs to change position.

• Pain Relief Caused by Various Conditions

There are certain disorders or conditions that affect the body and are worsened by the creation of pressure points. Such conditions include neck and back health problems, arthritic or rheumatic conditions, skeletal diseases or disorders, and other similar illnesses. The memory foam mattress alleviates the pain caused by such conditions.

Conditions that are Improved by Memory Foam Mattress
There are certain parts of the body that are particularly affected during sleep by the position it is in. The pain or discomfort caused by improper sleeping positions triggers restless sleep and sleep disturbances lead to stress, agitation and irritability during the day. Sleep is even more affected if the body is going through certain pains caused by various health conditions:

• Neck and shoulders benefit from correct alignment when using a memory foam mattress. Thus, tension pain and general pain is reduced along with numbness, ankylosing spondylitis (swelling of the spine) pain. A memory foam mattress also reduces pain caused by curvature of the spine and scoliosis in the upper back.

• It can also prevent and even alleviate headaches, jaw aches, tinnitus, migraines, and teeth grinding. Nerve root pains, pelvic and lumbar pains, sciatica, sacroiliac, joint and pubic pain can all be reduced by sleeping on a memory foam mattress.

• Hip pain, especially after surgery, are alleviated through the use of the best memory foam mattress. Ankles and feet, knee pains, as well as hands and elbow pain are greatly diminished when sleeping on a memory foam mattress.