Pros and Cons of Memory Foam Mattresses
Pam JohnsonA good night’s sleep is vital for our health and wellbeing (1), we all know it. However for many of us, restful slumber is elusive, leaving us to spend the day ahead feeling less than brilliant. One way to vastly improve your chances of great sleep? A comfortable mattress chosen to suit your body’s needs (2).
For a long time we were pretty limited in our mattress options. The choice was a sprung mattress or a mattress with springs. And for many of us, those springs weren’t really working out. Then came mattress foam, a new technology that revolutionised the way we sleep. But as with anything new and different, taking the plunge can be a big commitment. Here we weigh up those memory foam benefits with their potential disadvantages, helping you to decide whether a memory foam mattress is right for you.
All About Memory Foam Mattresses
Created by the NASA space agency way back when, memory foam was originally used to make the body jarring shock of blasting off into space that bit more bearable for intrepid astronauts. It’s a given then, that this stuff’s ready to absorb some shocks but what is memory foam? And why has it ended up in our beds, of all places?
In addition to all-foam mattresses, memory foam topped mattresses are a popular choice for those who want to try out this wonder material without fully committing to it. Hybrid mattresses, meanwhile, often combine the familiar support of springs with the cutting edge comfort of foam.
The Benefits of Memory Foam Mattresses
What then are the pros to choosing memory foam for your new bed? Here are our top five foam benefits:
1. Motion isolation
One of the most commonly cited benefits of memory foam mattresses is the way that they help reduce the disturbance caused by a fidgeting partner. Thanks to its density and responsiveness, foam helps prevent movements from travelling across a bed to disturb your sleep partner. So if you’re a light sleeper or share a bed with a real wriggler, a larger memory foam mattress is well worth considering. At Bensons, we offer a range of both king size memory foam mattresses and super king size memory foam mattresses too.
2. Contouring comfort
If you’re one of the millions of people in the UK affected by back pain (3), a memory foam mattress could help. As a relatively new innovation, studies are limited, however many people find that the contouring action of foam helps relieve some discomfort by promoting better spinal alignment and lumbar support.
3. Pressure relief
And speaking of pain, soft and comfortable, foam also provides reliable pressure relief. This means that those areas of the body most prone to pressure– hips, neck, shoulders – are well supported all night, meaning you might experience less discomfort on waking.
4. Quieter than springs
If squeaky springs keep you up at night, look to memory foam which is free from metal parts for a quieter night, no matter how much you move around.
5. Hypoallergenic
Densely structured memory foam is less likely to accumulate dust and other allergens, making it a comfortable choice for those with allergies.
Disadvantages of Memory Foam Mattresses
New mattresses aren’t always a bed of roses. When it comes to memory foam mattresses there are a couple of things to think about. Read on to learn more about the disadvantages of memory foam mattresses.
Heat retention (not all bad news)
Memory foam uses your body heat to soften and adapt. However, the density of the material can cause this heat to really stick around. Hot sleepers may therefore find memory foam unpleasantly warm. The good news? New technology can ensure that you can enjoy all the benefits of memory foam without the heat.
May feel a little heavier
You may be under the impression that memory foam mattresses are a lightweight option. After all, they can be rolled up and shoved in a box! However, foam can actually be heavier than other mattress types, a consideration you should bear in mind as memory mattresses need to be rotated periodically.
The Best Memory Foam Mattress For You
With all this in mind how do you pick the best memory foam mattress for you? These are just a few of our favourites:
Best all-rounder
For reliable comfort, you can’t go wrong with the eve range. Helping you to stay cool while supporting your body where it needs it most, the eve Pure Memory Luxe mattress is made using thick Kontur foam with temperature regulating graphene particles. Built to last, eve mattresses are ultra-resilient, maintaining their supportive structure for longer.
Best hybrid
Love the idea of foam but reluctant to wave goodbye to springs? The Slumberland ClimaAirstream Memory mattress range combines premium pocket springs for unbeatable support with a highly responsive memory foam layer providing luxurious pressure relief. This hybrid combination of pocket springs and memory foam is ideal for every sleep position preference too.
Best for hot sleepers
iGel™ Advance Graphene Technology provides intelligent temperature regulation to you sleep not too hot, not too cold, just right. iGel™ Advance intelligent temperature regulation is proven to absorb, store and release heat to help you remain at the ideal sleep temperature – within the 35° to 37° Celsius comfort zone throughout the night, for a truly restorative night's sleep. In partnership with the BCA (British Chiropractic Association) - the largest and longest established association for chiropractors in the United Kingdom.
Best for bad backs
Made using original TEMPUR foam, the TEMPUR Sensation Supreme mattress is the brand’s firmest bed yet. Clever engineering gives this mattress the bounce of a traditional bed without springs while contouring perfectly to support your back throughout the night.
Best for kids
A tech-packed hybrid mattress designed to suit children’s changing bodies, the Jay-Be Dual Support Memory e-Pocket mattress is made with a hypoallergenic e-fibre layer, a healthy and eco-friendly alternative to memory foam.
Memory Foam Mattresses at Bensons for Beds
Ready to invest in a memory foam mattress? Or any mattress for that matter? From simple single mattresses for the spare room to a king size memory foam mattress with all bells and whistles, at Bensons for Beds, we have you covered.
Helping you to choose your bed, your way®, here at Bensons for Beds we combine expert knowledge with the latest sleeppro technology to make getting that all important great night’s sleep easier than ever before.
For more information or to place an order visit your nearest showroom or call us on 0808 144 6160.
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