Is A Memory Foam Or Hybrid Mattress Better?
What Is Memory Foam?
First designed in the mid-1960s for NASA airplane seats, memory foam is made from a compound called viscoelastic. It is both highly energy absorbent and soft.
Memory foam molds to the body in reaction to heat and pressure, uniformly dispersing body weight. It then goes back to its initial shape as soon as you get rid of the pressure.
In addition to protecting against impact, these homes make memory foam really comfortable. After its “virgin flight” for NASA, memory foam made a venture into other applications. For example, it was used as cushioning in helmets and shoes. Medicine found a use for it in prosthetics and products to prevent pressure ulcers such as seating pads for people who are significantly disabled.
Then, memory foam really removed. It’s now popular for its use in pillows, mattress pads, and bed mattress, which are available in different densities and depths.
What Are the Advantages of Memory Foam?
Could the unique homes of memory foam enhance your sleep? Sleep professional Donna L. Arand, PhD, states that objective studies supporting the declared advantages of memory foam– or the effects of any particular type of sleeping surface– are doing not have.
This holds true for a range of reasons, she says. This kind of sleep study can be costly, if conducted independently. Or it is “chased” by a shadow of bias, if supported by market.
Some sleep technology, such as memory foam, is relatively new, so it hasn’t been well studied. But maybe one of the more difficult stumbling blocks to testing the health advantages of mattresses such as memory foam is the subjective nature of sleep. It is merely difficult to measure.
What Are the Disadvantages of Memory Foam?
Gromer says that memory foam items might retain body heat, which could make them less comfy in warm weather condition. Nevertheless, Arand has actually not heard this problem from her clients. “In our culture, many people can adjust 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 reduce this problem, the Sleep Products Safety Council, a sleep items trade group, recommends airing out the mattress or pad for at least 24 hr before putting sheets on it. “If you follow directions, the odor dissipates rapidly,” Arand states, “But I have actually never become aware of anyone having reactions to it.”
Are Memory Foam Products Safe for Young Children?
” I would strongly advise preventing this and comparable very soft materials for use in infants’ beds,” Gromer says. “That’s because soft bed linen traps [carbon dioxide] and increases the danger of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) deaths.” Pagination
Open Cell
To fight the heat of the standard range, open cell foam was invented to help people stay cool. The interior structure has pockets that enable air flow. On the plus side, sleepers will not get so hot, but the holes mean that the surface area of the bed is less dense. It’s typically a lesser quality material that won’t last as long.
Discomfort Relief
Memory foam is known for helping with pain. It’s a leading choice among people with arthritis and individuals who have fibromyalgia because it best mimics the feeling 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 struggles to get comfortable on a standard mattress, or you have a tough time discovering a perfect firmness level, then you’ll most likely value this material.
Pressure Point Relief
Pressure point relief has ended up being something of a buzzword recently, but for great reason. And this is where viscoelastic beds shine.
Think about it in this manner: what takes place when you rest on your side on a slab of concrete? You’ll probably feel the ground digging into your hips, your arm will drop off to sleep within minutes, but you’ll be lying there, wide-awake, wondering why you’re resting out in the street.
Because viscoelastic contours to your curves, it takes the pressure off your denser and heavier body parts like the hips and shoulders. This discovery was what gave this material its start in hospitals. Not only did it help clients sleep more conveniently, but it likewise worked to prevent things like bedsores.
Back Assistance & Spinal Alignment
When you lie down, your spine ought to maintain a comparable position as when you’re standing. When individuals sleep on the wrong surface area, their spinal column tends to jut out or collapse in at abnormal angles. If you get up aching or stiff in the morning, it could be your mattress’s fault. However, with memory foam, the contouring impacts permit the spinal column to keep its natural shape.
The very best way to evaluate your bed to see if it allows for correct alignment is to lie down in your corner and have somebody take an image of you from behind. If you ‘d choose to work alone, then set a timer on your smart device’s electronic camera and take a photo that way.
Take a look at the angle of your spine. It should be an almost completely horizontal line. If your hips and shoulders are raised up or sinking down, then you know it’s time for a various bed.
Individuals looking into this type of bed mattress must make certain they get one that has the correct density. If it’s too firm or soft, you’ll lose out on the advantage of correct spine positioning. As a general rule, the greater the foam density, the firmer the bed mattress. All bed mattress business and web sites will define what the density specifications are. Try to find something that’s at least 3.5, if not closer to 5.0.