What Is a Memory Foam Mattress?

History

• Memory foam was invented in the 1970s by NASA. NASA needed something to make astronauts more comfortable because they were subjected to significant force during takeoff. After memory foam was developed, a European company began working with the material to create consumer products, and the memory foam mattress began finding its way into North American households in the early 1990s.

Function

• Memory foam is a special plastic foam that conforms to a shape when compressed. When a person sleeps on a memory foam mattress, the foam retains his shape until he moves, and then it conforms to his shape again. This is significant because if the foam always retained one shape, it would press against the person at different points when he laid back down, which could lead to discomfort.

Materials

• Memory foam is a safe, nontoxic plastic called polyurethane, which is also used in insulation. Other ingredients are added to the polyurethane to increase its thickness and elastic properties. The chemicals in memory foam mattresses can sometimes have a strong plastic smell, but frequently washing sheets when using a new memory foam mattress can make the smell go away.

Memory Foam Vs. Spring

• The most common type of mattress is the spring mattress. Both mattresses provide equal support, but as a spring mattress ages, its springs can become loose or bent. The springs can also poke through the mattress and cause injury or provide uneven support. Because a memory foam mattress has no springs, it tends to last longer than a spring mattress and actually contours to the entire body, something a spring mattress cannot do.