Memory foam mattresses are highly recommended for back pain sufferers because they conform closely to your body, maintaining proper spinal alignment while relieving pressure points to ensure restful nights’ rest.
Memory foam was first developed for NASA airplane seats in the 1960s, responding to heat and weight to form to body contours while relieving common pressure points like hips and shoulders.
Pressure-Relieving Capabilities
Memory foam’s unique ability to conform closely and evenly distribute weight makes it an effective pressure relief material, relieving any painful pressure points such as those found in hips, shoulders and knees that cause backache and also reduces stress on spine and joints by encouraging healthy spinal alignment.
Foam is also widely known for its cooling properties, enabling a cooler night’s rest. By holding onto body heat but exhaling it again when you lay down, foam helps you release stored energy and feel more at ease while sleeping.
Standard memory foam, the original and still most widely-used type, is produced by feeding gas into a polymer matrix that has been formed into the structure of a mattress. Due to its open-cell structure, standard memory foam allows airflow and ventilation and therefore sleeps cooler than many other mattresses on the market.
As memory foam cools down, it transforms into a softer and more responsive material, conforming to your curves while supporting your body as you lie down. Your sleeping position and weight may dictate whether a soft to medium memory foam option or firmer options is most comfortable for you; side sleepers and lightweight individuals tend to favor soft memory foam while stomach and back sleepers typically favor firmer options.
Memory foam mattresses can be ideal for couples sharing a bed because of their ability to isolate movement more effectively than other materials. Because memory foam reacts slowly to changes in pressure changes, you won’t be disturbed by your partner moving or shifting around while sleeping.
Memory foam’s soothing properties make it a popular choice among medical professionals in hospitals to aid healing. The foam’s even weight distribution helps prevent bedsores that often occur among long-term hospital patients, while alleviating knee and leg pain from conditions such as arthritis.
Ergonomic Contouring
Memory foam responds to heat and pressure to conform to your body, evenly dispersing weight while minimizing friction, before returning back to its original form when pressure is removed – providing an extremely comfortable sleeping surface for any individual’s unique contours.
Memory foam mattresses and pillows currently on the market provide exceptional comfort and support by adapting to the contours of your head, neck, shoulders and spine, alleviating back pain while encouraging healthy sleeping posture and helping reduce neck and shoulder related musculoskeletal problems like snoring, headaches or poor spinal alignment. These products also promote a good night’s rest for those suffering from muscle injuries or arthritis in these areas.
Memory foam mattresses are composed of polyurethane foam, an energy absorbing and soft material. However, to give memory foam its signature look and feel it goes through several additional processes during production. Chemicals like polyols (derived from petroleum or plant oils) and isocyanates are mixed into the material during manufacture to add durability as well as increase comfort properties of your mattress.
Memory foam technology enables it to conform precisely to the unique contours of your body, alleviating pressure points while increasing blood circulation to joints and muscles in your legs and arms – potentially decreasing pins-and-needles sensations, numbness or blood clots in these areas.
Foam cushions with flexibility provide improved posture, helping reduce lower back, hip, knee, and other parts of body pain. Furthermore, it reduces tossing and turning – two significant causes of back discomfort.
Many people report that memory foam mattresses have helped them reduce or eliminate back pain, yet not all products on the market are created equal – it’s essential to do your research in order to select one suitable to your individual needs.
If you’re searching for a mattress to reduce back pain, American-made memory foam products such as the Lounge Doctor Memory Foam Contour Pillow could be ideal. It conforms perfectly to the natural curves of your neck and head while relieving tension and providing optimal support for neck, back, shoulders, as well as aligning the spine. Plus, cooling gel memory foam regulates temperature to prevent overheating!
Durability
Memory foam mattresses are made of resilient material that resists wear and tear, often lasting between seven years to eight. Their longevity, however, largely depends on how well they’re maintained; one way to extend its lifespan is with a protective mattress cover which will stop spills staining its memory foam surface while also safeguarding against fungal growth.
Memory Foam Was Created By NASA
Have you seen those old Tempur-Pedic commercials where people sink into memory foam and leave an imprint of their hand behind? That was the inspiration for memory foam! First developed by NASA researchers as impact absorption for airplane seats in the mid 1960s, memory foam proved highly effective at relieving pressure points by evenly dispersing body weight; additionally it provided considerable cushioning to correct poor sleeping posture and relieve pain points.
Memory foam has quickly become an indispensable material, from helmets and shoes to mattresses and prosthetics for spinal cord injury patients. Its popularity lies in its adaptability to each user, helping realign spine, neck, hips and reduce chronic back and neck pain with long-term use of memory foam mattresses.
Different varieties of memory foam come with differing densities and firmness levels, where higher densities translate to firmer and more supportive material. Density levels can be measured using compression tests that measure how much force is necessary to compress foam by 25%; IFD ratings provide this measurement, ranging from super soft (IFD 10) to semi-rigid (IFD 12).
Other elements that influence memory foam quality include cooling agents and temperature regulation. Gel infusions or phase-changing materials help memory foam maintain its shape longer while releasing and absorbing heat to keep you comfortable. As memory foam is naturally hypoallergenic and dust mite-resistant, making it an excellent choice for those suffering from allergies or respiratory conditions; its dense structure prevents too much accumulation of irritants, making it less likely to result in nighttime runny noses.
Off-Gassing
Foam mattresses contain chemicals to increase their elasticity and viscosity. These volatile organic compounds (VOCs), also known as off-gassing, dissipate over time through a process known as off-gassing – this explains why new foam mattresses emit a chemical smell upon unpacking from compressed packaging.
Off-gassing is usually harmless and only noticeable for a few days depending on your sensitivity; those with respiratory ailments may be particularly sensitive to off-gassing fumes and should wait longer before sleeping on their memory foam mattress.
Memory foam mattresses are typically constructed using petroleum-based polyurethane foam, and most brands release chemicals during production that include VOCs. This is most evident with bed-in-a-box mattresses where vacuum sealing traps the chemicals for extended periods before you open up the box to access your mattress.
Memory foam mattresses have the reputation for emitting extremely pungent off-gassing odors during this process, likely as a result of its chemical ingredients, most originating from oil and natural gas sources. Some of these substances have even been classified as carcinogens; long-term exposure can cause headaches, nausea, eye or throat irritation and asthma symptoms.
Memory foam manufacturers create it by mixing polyols and diisocyanates – chemical components found in food, plastics and many other everyday products – with blowing agents that impart its distinct form and properties. Many blowing agents have been linked to depleting the ozone layer; consequently most memory foam manufacturers now prefer less harmful alternatives when creating memory foam products.
Most major mattress brands claim their mattresses are nontoxic, however odors caused by off-gassing may still be an issue for some individuals. If this is a concern of yours, look for mattresses certified as CertiPUR US as these ensure no phthalates, heavy metals such as mercury and lead, formaldehyde, PBDEs, TCEP and TDCPP flame retardants exist as well as meet acceptable VOC emission levels for indoor air quality.
