Getting a good night’s sleep can make your whole life a little better, especially as you get older and aches and pains begin to become more common. Many people are discovering the benefits of sleeping on a king size memory foam mattress and are sleeping better than they have in years.
What makes these mattresses so much better than a conventional mattress? The main reason lies in the way that the memory foam material conforms to your body, while still providing much needed support. The history of the development of the memory foam mattress is rather interesting.
The History
The visco elastic polyurethane foam was developed over the last 30 years from a material that NASA developed for the astronaut’s seat to absorb pressure during lift-off. NASA never really used the foam, but in later years hospitals began to use it to relieve pressure points for recovering patients. At this point it was too expensive to be successful in the general mattress market.
During the 1980’s, scientists at companies in Sweden and Denmark perfected the memory foam material for use in mattresses. These two companies eventually merged with an American business to form Tempur-Pedic, the best known maker of the memory foam mattress.
The Technology
Visco elastic memory foam is made up of millions of cells with an open construction. When weight is applied, the air in the cells shifts to adjoining cells, allowing your weight to be evenly distributed. The higher the density of the foam, the more cells it has and the better support and cushioning it will provide. Higher density foams will last longer and will also be more expensive since more raw material is used in producing the foam.
High quality memory foam also responds to body temperature to further improve weight distribution and comfort. The foam is firmer when cool and gets softer as temperature rises.
The Benefits
- Relieves pressure points
- Increases blood circulation
- Provides support and comfort to promote restful sleep
- Inhibits motion transfer from one side of the bed to the other
- resistant to dust mites and is naturally antimicrobial
- Helps the body stay in proper alignment
You will find a wide range of quality and prices when shopping for a king size memory foam mattress. Tempur-Pedic develped the technology and is known to have a high quality memory foam mattress, but they are also the most expensive. You can save some money by opting for a queen memory foam mattress and there are other reputable companies selling good quality mattresses. Compare the thickness and the density of the products and take advantage of the trial period that the mattress companies offer. It may take a while to get used to, but many people claim they would never sleep on anything else but a memory foam mattress again.