Memory Foam Mattress Versus Spring Mattress

Should you buy a Memory foam Mattress or Spring Mattress? A mattress is a very individualised item. Further, it is a huge investment. Let’s have a look at the mattress options available from the Mattress Warehouse.

Memory Foam, invented by NASA.

One of the many useful inventions of the famous American space agency, NASA, is memory foam. From a mattress perspective, it consists of layers of foam to create a firm memory foam mattress. The mattress pillow absorbs, or hugs, the anatomical contours of the human body. Initially, NASA referred to memory foam as “slow spring back foam” because it has an open-cell solid structure that essentially matches pressure applied against it, yet slowly regains its original shape once the load is removed. The fundamental design purpose of memory foam was to improve the safety and comfort of spacecraft cushions.

Technically, this revolutionary space-engineered foam mainly consists of polyurethane foam, with added chemicals increasing its viscosity and density, which refers to the thickness of the foam, as well as how compact it is. The natural, highly desirable response of the high-density memory foam to body heat is to soften, and then moulding itself to the anatomical curves of a sleeping person in minutes, which is highly desirable.

A twenty-year warranty, one of the advantages of Memory Foam Mattresses.

Memory foam mattresses are engineered to evenly distribute body weight, allowing for significantly improved balance and support.  It reduces friction and pressure on anatomically protruding points of the body. The main benefits of this adjustment to the shape of the human body are that the mattress allows the spine to remain virtually straight when sleeping on the side.  This reduces strain on the spine resulting in less muscle tension, reducing sleep-related backache. It also reduces pressure on the shoulders while sleeping.

Memory foam mattresses have the same chemical composition, but the density and thickness of the layers differ between brands. Typically, a high-density mattress offers a longer lifespan because it has better compression ratings. The result is that the mattress does not lose its support during heavy, regular use. It is less likely to sag frequently utilised places, such as the edges where a person sits when getting up out the bed every morning. Due to the superior design, manufacturers are confident enough to offer up to a 20-year warranty on these mattresses.  This is about double that if traditional spring mattresses.

Further Information about Memory Foam Mattresses

A key benefit of the memory foam mattress is that it only needs to be rotated once every six months.

A memory foam mattresses distribute the body weight evenly.  In other words, there is less pressure on different points of the body. Memory foam can reduce stress by up to 80% compared to spring mattresses.

There is a significantly reduced motion transfer in a memory foam mattress.

What this implies is a reduced considerably bounce when someone sits on the bed or when a sleeping person changes position. The benefit is that a spouse will be less likely to be disturbed by the movements of a restless partner, or if the spouse gets up to go to the loo in the middle of the night.

Memory foam mattresses are hypoallergenic.

Dust mites typically live in the surface areas of the mattress because it’s a solid block of foam. It is, therefore, easier to extricate mites from the mattress by vacuum-cleaning.

A good quality memory foam mattress spreads the body weight evenly and adjusts to the anatomical shape.

This implies that a person will be less likely to toss and turn all night trying to find a comfortable position. The sleeper will also be less likely to wake up when their partner turns over. People are guaranteed a better night’s sleep on a memory foam mattress vs an old spring mattress.

The Cons of Memory Foam Mattresses and solutions to problems.

Some, older design, memory foam mattresses tended to retain heat and sleepers could wake up hot and sweaty. Gel memory foam was invented, which mostly addressed this problem. Gel Visco or gel memory foam consists of particles fused with Visco foam to reduce trapped body heat, speed up spring back time and help the mattress to feel softer.

A significant disadvantage of a memory foam mattresses is that it may cause respiratory irritation. Especially if a person is allergic to certain chemical compounds. The mattresses are also more flammable than spring mattresses. The issue of flammability has been addressed by the invention of the ‘fire sock.’  A ‘fire sock’ is a flame retardant fabric. The fabric is wrapped around the mattress and acts to smother a burning flame, whatever the cause of the fire may be.

The Spring Mattress is affordable

The older amongst us remember growing up with these mattresses. We had great fun jumping on our beds as kids, despite the strict instructions of our parents not to do so.  Many of us remember the fun we had! Not to mention the trampoline-like sound of those creaky coils!  These coils are made of a primary pocket-coil system wrapped in fabric. Spring mattresses are cheaper to produce than modern beds. Consequently, this is one of the reasons which is why they are still on the market today.  Spring Mattresses are also significantly less expensive than the current memory foam counterpart.

Have you ever wondered about the cause of that uncomfortable mattress spring poking into your side? This uncomfortable poke is an indication that your spring-coil mattress has probably reached its sell-by date.

A spring mattress does not adjust to body heat.

By design, a spring mattress does not adjust to body heat. Further, the pillow does not adjust to the anatomical contours of a sleeping person.  For these reasons, bed manufacturers add a layer of memory foam on top of the mattress.  The top layer of memory foam will allow for extra comfort.  Without this added memory foam, a spring mattress is incapable of reducing friction. Friction will mainly be on anatomical pressure points, such as the shoulders and hips. The spring mattress pushes back against the body with the same force the body weight applies to the mattress. The long-term impact of the opposing forces results in reduced blood circulation, restless sleep, and stiff joints.

Spring Mattresses are durable and affordable.

However, spring mattresses are quite durable and can last up to 10 years, if taken proper care of. However, experts reckon that a spring mattress loses nearly 20% of its firmness and support in the first year of usages. After two years the mattress will start to sag.

There is no dispute amongst the informed that spring mattresses are somewhat dated. Modern advances resulting from sleep technology research and development, have dramatically impacted on the choice of mattresses available today. Traditional spring mattresses are a more affordable option, but no longer a long-term investment as opposed to modern mattresses manufactured with space-age engineered memory foam.

Conclusion

As is invariably the case with new technology, it started as an expensive commercial option. Initially, memory foam mattresses were the mattress of choice of the more affluent. Over time, due to economies of scale resulting from widespread adoption, it became the de-facto standard for the modern mattress.

For more information about Memory Foam and Spring mattresses, contact the Mattress Warehouse Sales Team!