Besides touting those hilariously cheesy infomercials of a woman joyfully jumping up and down on the bed without spilling that iconic glass of red wine poised on the edge, memory foam mattresses have a lot to offer the average sleeper.
Your mother and all her friends have probably been telling you for years that you should get one — but why? What’s so great about memory foam mattresses? And why should you consider this mattress type over another?
From health benefits to creating an ideal sleeping environment, here are some of the reasons why a memory foam mattress could be the right type for you.
1. NASA Made It (So You Know It’s Good)
Originally developed in the mid-1960s, memory foam’s initial application was in NASA airplane seats. The renowned space organization created memory foam using a viscoelastic material, which is both soft and energy absorbent.
The intention was to implement the foam as protection against impact, but it turned out to be highly comfortable and has since been used in a wide range of practical applications (like mattresses).
2. It Hugs You Better Than
Memory foam is a temperature- and pressure-sensitive material, meaning it adjusts itself according to your body’s temperature and weight. So if your memory foam mattress feels like it’s hugging your body’s every nook and cranny — well, it is.
As the memory foam heats up from your body temperature, it softens and molds to your body for optimal comfort.
3. Memory Foam Can Provide Back Pain Relief
This temperature-responsive feature of memory foam is also advantageous for relieving back pain. Its ability to contour to your body means it can fill in space around “problem areas” (like the lower back) that don’t always get the support they need.
Plus, areas of pain tend to have a higher temperature than the rest of the body, so the memory foam molds itself to these warm spots to relieve any discomfort. Memory foam also encourages equal weight distribution, which provides additional pressure point relief that, say, a traditional innerspring mattress can’t offer.
4. Motion Transfer? Not With Memory Foam
Does your partner toss and turn all night? Do you often wonder what sorts of wild, rough-and-tumble dreams they must have regularly?
Well with memory foam mattresses, these questions would probably never enter your brain again.
Many couples opt for a memory foam mattress because of its excellent ability to absorb motion — not transfer it (hence those infomercials with the unspillable wine). Sleeping with a partner isn’t always easy, especially if one of you is a light sleeper or tends to get up a lot in the middle of the night. But with memory foam, it makes it hard to disturb the other person in bed.
5. Your Allergies Could Improve
Allergies can be miserable, and the last thing you want is for your bed to make them worse.
Luckily, memory foam is hypo-allergenic because it is made from inorganic fibers that are resistant to dust mites, pet dander and other common allergens. Because of this, it’s also a good mattress type for anyone who is allergic to wool, feather or other fibers.
6. Memory Foam Encourages Proper Spinal Alignment
Many of us suffer from poor posture during our waking hours, but we don’t think about how we may also have poor posture during sleep. Poor sleep posture can lead to exacerbated back pain, soreness and other health issues.
But because memory foam mattresses fill in the gaps and spaces along the body, it allows your spine to maintain its neutral curve, naturally encouraging proper spinal alignment and sleep posture.
7. It Can Aid in Physical Recovery
If you are an athlete or live an active lifestyle, physical recovery is of the utmost importance — and much of it happens during sleep.
The contouring characteristics of memory foam mattresses can aid immensely in recovery by providing adequate support to muscles and joints. You may find yourself less sore the morning after an intense workout because it helps create an ideal sleeping environment for more restful sleep and, in turn, better recovery.
8. It Supports a Variety of Sleeping Positions
There are side sleepers, stomach sleepers and back sleepers — but not all mattresses work well with all three. However, memory foam mattresses can provide comfort for all types of sleeping positions since it fills in gaps along the body regardless of how you sleep.
For example: For side sleepers, it will add support at the waist while also relieving pressure at the shoulders and hips. For stomach sleepers (whose spine tends to flatten during sleep), it will help maintain the natural curvature of your spine and reduce strain on the back.
9. It’s a Durable Type of Mattress
Memory foam mattresses have a longer lifespan than other types of mattresses and tend to sag less as they age. In fact, some memory foam mattresses can last upwards of 10 years! Of course, it depends on the quality, density and other factors, but you can rest assured your memory foam mattress will be with you for many years.
10. It’s Ideal for Adjustable Bed Frames
Lastly, memory foam mattresses are an excellent fit for adjustable bed bases, such as the Bear Adjustable Base.
We probably sound like a broken record at this point, but memory foam really is incredibly moldable, and it will bend easily to the frame’s various positions. And combining this type of base that creates an individualized sleeping position with the supportive powers of a memory foam mattress… well, let’s just say you’ll be more well-rested than everyone you know.
No Mattress Is Perfect, So Find What Works for You
Memory foam mattresses have an insane amount of health benefits, but it still has its downfalls. For example, the warming, temperature-sensitive aspect of the foam can sometimes make your bed too hot (unless, of course, it’s infused with cooling copper — like the Bear Pro Mattress).
Choosing the right type of mattress for your body and sleeping style isn’t always easy, especially when you’re faced with the decision to buy a foam mattress or a hybrid mattress — two types with more benefits than you can count.
But when it comes to a memory foam mattress, its adaptability and supportiveness can make it a great mattress type for almost anyone.
Shop the Bear Original Mattress now. >
