Tag Archives: memory foam mattresses

The Development Of Memory Foam

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It is a popular myth that memory foam was developed but discarded in the 1960′s as part of the space race development program. It was initially developed by NASA at the Ames Research Center, which is perhaps where the space connection comes from, but it was not developed for use in spacecraft.  Actually memory foam was developed initially to improve the safety of aircraft cushions.  It is possible that a use was considered for the memory foam in astronaut seats to protect them during the lift off phase of space flight during which their bodies were exposed to significant g-forces.  However, the truth of the story is not really that clear and the product never actually made it into a one of the space rockets.

Nevertheless the unique properties of memory foam did not go unnoticed and soon one of the significant contributors to the project, Charles A Yost, set up a company to work closely with NASA with the intention of commercially developing the product.  The effort was only partially successful as the manufacturing process was difficult, expensive and quite unreliable.  As a result the product, which Yost called “temper foam” due to the fact that properties of the foam exhibited were a reaction to local changes in temperature.  The foam did find its way into some items of sports equipment and some medical settings but generally speaking did not achieve much market penetration.

In the early part of the 1980′s NASA allowed access to the manufacturing of memory foam to the wider commercial community.  However, due to the manufacturing problems noted before the interest in the product was comparatively low.  One of the first companies to really take up the product and develop it into a saleable product was a Swedish company called Fagerdala World Foams.  Fagerdala initially released a mattress under the brand Tempur-Pedic and subsequently widened the range considerably.  Tempur-Pedic is now one of the best know brand names of memory foam in the market place.

Take up of memory foam was initially in specialist areas, particularly healthcare settings.  It was found that if a topper of memory foam was laid over a bed it allowed patients who were generally immobile to lie much more comfortably without the same risk of suffering pressure sores or needing to move as much.

Grandually the manufacturing process has become more reliable, and with this reliability so the price has come down from the early days when it was very expensive.  It continues to have widespread use in medical environments but has really been most successful in the domestic environment, with significant product developments into memory foam mattresses, memory foam mattress toppers, memory foam pillows and even memory foam slippers.  The public interest in memory foam is now considerable and  it is likely that its manufacturers will continue to find innovative uses for the foam in a greater and greater number of products.

Charles A Yost

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Memory Foam vs Latex Foam

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There is a lot of talk about memory foam – the discussions are in all the media from magazines to television.  Memory foam is now an integral part of many bedding products, but how does it compare with other types of bedding material?  Let’s have a look at the difference between memory foam and latex foam, specifically in mattresses.

Memory Foam

Memory foam mattresses are perhaps the more pliable of the two, as memory foam is temperature reactive, which means it becomes softer as you use it, as the temperature of your body warming up affects the foam, it becomes quite viscous in form, hence why it is often called visco-elastic foam. Just as it warms from your body temperature and softens, so memory foam becomes firmer when cold.

Quality is determined by density. And density is proportionate to the cost. The denser the memory foam,  the more it will cost and the longer it will last. If you buy cheap memory foam, your mattress will be full of air, and will break down in three to five years, perhaps sooner. If the memory foam mattress is too thin it will leave you lying on the high resilience foam base material, which will be uncomfortable.  The density affects the support too.  Too thick again, and it will be too soft. The ideal depth for a memory foam mattress should be between 3.5 inches to 6 inches thick.

Memory foam spreads your weight evenly over the surface your body is touching. This is what gives memory foam its comfortable label. It will reduce tossing around to get comfortable at night. On any other mattress pressure points build up around the shoulders and hips and circulation is cut off to these points. This sends a signal to the brain telling you to turn over. This turning is eliminated with memory foam mattresses.

Latex Foam

Latex is produced from the sap of the rubber tree and is a natural product harvested like a syrup, then processed.  These products produced from latex are varied and range from pillows and mattresses to tyres. Latex mattresses are quite firm, and have more ‘give’ than memory foam mattresses. Latex  is viewed as a healthier product because it is natural, biodegradeable, anti-microbial, and hypo-allergenic, and repels mold, fungus and dust mites.  It is an excellent choice for sufferers of allergies from dust and other microbes. Under normal circumstances, latex will last indefinitely. Check the label when buying a latex foam mattress as you get two types of latex; natural and processed.

The best way to see if your mattress if giving the correct support is to lie flat on the bed, then try sliding your hand under the small of your back. You must lie flat doing this. If you can get your hand in easily between the mattress and your back, then you need to replace your mattress.

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