Can You Cut Down A Memory Foam Mattress Topper?
What Is Memory Foam?
Created in the mid-1960s for NASA airplane seats, memory foam is made from a compound called viscoelastic. It is both extremely energy absorbent and soft.
Memory foam molds to the body in action to heat and pressure, uniformly distributing body weight. It then returns to its original shape when you eliminate the pressure.
In addition to securing versus effect, these properties make memory foam extremely comfy. After its “virgin flight” for NASA, memory foam made a venture into other applications. It was used as cushioning in helmets and shoes. Medicine found a use for it in prosthetics and items to prevent pressure ulcers such as seating pads for individuals who are significantly handicapped.
Memory foam actually took off. It’s now well known for its use in pillows, mattress pads, and mattresses, which can be found in various densities and depths.
What Are the Benefits of Memory Foam?
Could the unique properties of memory foam improve your sleep? Sleep specialist Donna L. Arand, PhD, states that unbiased studies supporting the claimed benefits of memory foam– or the effects of any particular kind of sleeping surface area– are lacking.
This holds true for a range of reasons, she says. This kind of sleep research study can be pricey, if conducted individually. Or it is “chased after” by a shadow of bias, if supported by market.
Likewise, some sleep technology, such as memory foam, is reasonably new, so it hasn’t been well studied. However perhaps among the harder stumbling blocks to checking the health advantages of mattresses such as memory foam is the subjective nature of sleep. It is merely difficult to determine.
What Are the Disadvantages of Memory Foam?
Gromer says that memory foam products might keep body heat, which might make them less comfy in warm weather condition. However, Arand has not heard this grievance from her patients. “In our culture, the majority of people can change their thermostats or blankets for the proper season,” Arand says.
When new, memory foam can produce an odd chemical odor– a phenomenon called offgassing. To minimize this problem, the Sleep Products Security Council, a sleep products trade group, recommends airing out the mattress or pad for a minimum of 24 hours prior to putting sheets on it. “If you follow instructions, the odor dissipates rapidly,” Arand states, “But I have actually never ever heard of anybody having reactions to it.”
Are Memory Foam Products Safe for Young Children?
” I would strongly recommend avoiding this and comparable very soft materials for use in infants’ beds,” Gromer states. “That’s because soft bedding traps [co2] and increases the threat of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) deaths.” Pagination
Open Cell
To combat the heat of the standard range, open cell foam was developed to help people stay cool. The interior structure has pockets that enable airflow. On the plus side, sleepers won’t get so hot, however the holes mean that the surface of the bed is less thick. It’s typically a lesser quality material that won’t last as long.
Pain Relief
Memory foam is understood for aiding with pain. It’s a leading choice amongst individuals with arthritis and individuals who have fibromyalgia due to the fact that it best imitates the sensation of sleeping on a fluffy cloud. The contouring also assists to keep the body in a natural alignment, which we’ll get to in a moment.
If you’re the kind of individual who has a hard time to get comfy on a traditional bed mattress, or you have a difficult time finding a perfect firmness level, then you’ll probably value this material.
Pressure Point Relief
Pressure point relief has become something of a buzzword recently, but for excellent reason. And this is where viscoelastic beds shine.
Think of it this way: what happens when you rest on your side on a piece of concrete? You’ll most likely feel the ground digging into your hips, your arm will drop off to sleep within minutes, however you’ll be lying there, wide-awake, questioning why you’re resting out in the street.
Due to the fact that viscoelastic shapes to your curves, it takes the pressure off your denser and much heavier body parts like the hips and shoulders. This discovery was what provided this material its start in health centers. Not only did it help patients sleep more easily, however it likewise worked to prevent things like bedsores.
Back Assistance & Back Positioning
When you rest, your spine should maintain a comparable position as when you’re standing. When individuals sleep on the incorrect surface area, their spinal column tends to jut out or collapse in at unnatural angles. If you wake up aching or stiff in the morning, it could be your bed mattress’s fault. With memory foam, the contouring impacts enable the spinal column to keep its natural shape.
The best way to test your bed to see if it permits proper alignment is to lie down in your corner and have somebody take a picture of you from behind. If you ‘d choose to work alone, then set a timer on your mobile phone’s cam and take an image that way.
Take a look at the angle of your spinal column. It must be a nearly perfectly horizontal line. If your hips and shoulders are raised up or sinking down, then you know it’s time for a various bed.
People looking into this kind of mattress should make certain they get one that has the appropriate density. If it’s too firm or soft, you’ll miss out on the advantage of correct back positioning. As a basic guideline, the greater the foam density, the firmer the bed mattress. All bed mattress business and web sites will define what the density specs are. Try to find something that’s at least 3.5, if not closer to 5.0.