Memory foam may be familiar from commercials for mattresses like the Tempur-Pedic that show people sinking into it, demonstrating its adaptive feel and capacity to absorb and dissipate body heat efficiently.
Side sleepers who experience shoulder and hip ache will find these mattresses an excellent solution; models with enough softness to conform to pressure points while maintaining spinal alignment will make these models an excellent option.
Pressure Relief
As a side sleeper, pressure points in your hips and shoulders can be painful. Memory foam mattresses and pillow tops conform to your body and absorb weight evenly, relieving tension at these sensitive spots for a restful night’s rest. Plus, their softness reduces motion transfer that could disturb co-sleepers or partners who share beds.
Viscoelastic mattresses feature elastic material that responds quickly when subjected to pressure, expanding and contracting as necessary until pressure has been released – this feature makes these types of mattresses so effective in relieving pressure, which was one of the primary drivers behind their popularity in hospitals, where it helped alleviate bedsores in patients.
Choose a firmness level that’s comfortable for you when choosing memory foam as the firmness level is equally essential to restful slumber. Side sleepers and lighter individuals typically favor soft or medium-soft memory foam for its pressure relief capabilities; stomach sleepers, back sleepers, and heavier individuals often opt for medium to firm memory foam in order to support their spines in proper alignment.
Additionally, it’s essential that your mattress offers edge support. This feature prevents caving in near the edges or sinking into them causing you to roll out of bed more often or form lumpy or flat spots over time.
Some of the top mattresses for side sleepers feature gel-infused memory foam for optimal cooling during your restful slumber. This technology absorbs and releases heat as needed, so that your sleeping temperature stays more constant throughout the night.
Search for a memory foam mattress certified as CertiPUR-US to avoid breathing in any harmful formaldehyde and chemicals during sleep, which could eventually cause health issues over time. Furthermore, opt for at least 10 inches thick mattress to provide optimal support to both spine and body correctly.
Contouring
Memory foam mattresses provide ideal contouring for all sleeping positions, with side sleepers benefitting especially from relief from pressure on hips, shoulders and spine. Furthermore, this material responds very responsively to body weight – sinking in slightly when someone sits or lies down to provide a more welcoming experience.
Memory foam’s unique ability to cradle human bodies was what first made its debut popular among hospital doctors, who used it to prevent bedsores among hospital patients who often slept on side or reclined positions. Furthermore, its conforming properties allow it to reduce or even alleviate discomfort caused by tight muscles or stiff joints.
Memory foam differs from innerspring mattresses in that it uses natural materials instead of metal coils to provide support, unlike innerspring mattresses which rely on metal coils for support. Being composed of large molecules of carbon that have been bound together – unlike organic materials like cotton, wool or natural latex which contain multiple fibers bound together in small bundles – memory foam offers completely natural support without metal coils to rely on for support.
Polyurethane foam mattresses and toppers are made with polyurethane resin combined with other chemicals to form memory foam, an extremely durable type of material with low heat retention and excellent resilience. When shopping for mattresses or toppers made of memory foam it’s important to consider its durability and heat-retaining capabilities, along with thickness (densities). Higher densities offer more support and longer mattress lifespan – though these may sleep warmer; hot sleepers should opt for medium density memory foam mattress/topper models instead.
Note when shopping for a memory foam mattress that it will off-gas for several days when first unboxed; this is due to chemicals used to produce memory foam breaking down and releasing volatile organic compounds into the air as they do so, producing an unpleasant odor which should dissipate eventually.
To expedite this process, it’s a good idea to regularly vacuum and dust your mattress to remove any trapped dirt or debris. Furthermore, rotating it can extend its lifespan.
Alignment
Side sleeping promotes proper spinal alignment and has been proven to aid weight loss, reduce snoring and acid reflux episodes, as well as prevent heartburn. Many individuals suffering from back pain also prefer side-sleeping as it relieves pressure from hips and shoulders joints. To support your spine in this position effectively, select a memory foam mattress with medium or medium-firm firmness; enough firmness should exist here so as to raise hips and shoulders above surface without exaggerated spinal bending.
Memory foam makes an excellent choice for side sleepers due to its ability to conform to body curves. This feature makes it simple to find an equilibrium between sinkage into the mattress and support needed for spine alignment, and memory foam provides excellent alignment when combined with a pillow that keeps knees close together and stops hips from pivoting.
Memory foam’s main advantage for co-sleepers and couples when selecting their mattress is its ability to absorb movement and minimize transfer between parts of the bed, an essential feature when selecting a mattress.
Memory foam mattresses often include a layer of gel that helps dissipate heat and keep the mattress cool, and may also include cooling materials like copper, aromatherapy scents or natural latex to provide even greater temperature regulation.
Natural mattress materials tend to come at a higher cost, but for many it’s worth it. Natural materials provide durable support without emitting toxic chemicals into the air – particularly important if you suffer from allergies or asthma. If natural mattresses don’t suit you, hybrid options exist that combine long-lasting support from innerspring coils with cloudlike comfort from memory foam like the Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress.
The original Nectar memory foam mattress is an excellent option for average to heavyweight side sleepers as it conforms to both shoulders and hips while maintaining spinal alignment. The mattress boasts a cooling Tencel cover for added comfort, two inches of gel memory foam for plushness on top, and high-density memory foam at its core to provide additional support.
Temperature Control
Memory foam mattresses have long been associated with trapping heat and leading to night sweats for some side sleepers, yet modern mattress technology has come a long way towards helping mitigate body heat retention. Most memory foams now incorporate technologies which help limit this trapping effect – plant-based memory foam mattresses will stay much cooler than their VOC-laden counterparts; additionally some include cooling microbeads, graphite copper or phase change fabric that help manage temperature control.
Memory foam mattresses are most often made from viscoelastic polyurethane foam, a material composed of large molecules with smaller subunits bonded together in an elastic material, perfect for furniture, insulation, spray foam insulation, liquid paints and car parts. Thanks to its viscoelastic properties, viscoelastic memory foam responds quickly and absorbs energy efficiently – particularly beneficial for side sleepers who experience pressure accumulation on dense parts like their hips and shoulders.
Another advantage of memory foam mattresses is their quiet nature. This feature makes the mattresses perfect for sleepers who wish to avoid disturbing anyone sleeping nearby, including partners and anyone else sharing the bed. Side sleepers who tend to groan while they rest can especially benefit from having one that reduces groaning and snoring from other mattresses.
Memory foam mattress or topper materials are designed to be responsive, limit motion transfer, be durable and simple to care for – with an average lifespan of about 10 years depending on its upkeep and frequency of flipping/twisting.
Memory foam may initially emit an offensive scent known as off-gassing, caused by volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs are released when opening and airing out a new memory foam mattress for the first time; eventually this odor should subside as your mattress adapts to its new environment; alternatively you could try natural air fresheners or sprinkle some baking soda onto the mattress surface to help minimize its scent in the meantime.
