Memory foam is a foam that compresses slowly under your body, takes its shape and returns to its form when you get up. For many people this means better weight distribution and less pressure on the points that rest most. It is not for everyone, though, and some find it warm.
If you are reading about memory foam because you feel pressure on your shoulders or hips, the idea is simple: find the level that supports you without making you sink. Below you can see how.
What memory foam is
It is polyurethane with two main characteristics. The first is viscosity: the material moves slowly when you press it. The second is elasticity: it stretches and takes other shapes, but returns to its natural form.
The feel also depends on how soft or firm it is. A firmer memory foam lets you sink less, a softer one more.
There are many types of memory foam and the feel differs from one to another. Mattresses also use Memory Gel, along with foams, latex and springs.
What it can offer you
- It spreads the body weight more evenly and takes pressure away from the points that rest on the mattress.
- For many people this eases the joints and the back.
- The «hug» feels calm, without the mattress being felt abruptly when you change position.
The biggest benefit is the feel: the mattress does not push back, it follows. That is why people with sensitive pressure points often choose it. For a couple, the foam may absorb some of the other person’s movement, but that depends on the whole mattress and not only on the foam.
If you have pain that persists, the mattress is not always the answer. Talk to a doctor.
What to watch for
Memory foam tends to hold body heat. If you get warm easily, pay attention to the other materials of the mattress, such as the cover, and try it before you buy. If two of you sleep in the bed, try it together before you decide. If night sweats are strong or frequent, talk to a doctor.
It also reacts more slowly than latex. If you change position often during the night, you may feel that it is slow to follow you.
According to the way you sleep
On your side
On your side the weight falls on the shoulder and the hip. A mattress that receives them gently, such as memory foam, may reduce the pressure at these points.
On your back
On your back, a flexible mattress can follow the natural curve of the spine. This helps many people feel less stiffness in the morning.
On your stomach
Stomach sleepers need steadier support, because if the hips sink, the lower back curves inward. Here choose a firmer memory foam, not a very soft one.
If you change position a lot
You need a mattress that follows your movements quickly. Memory foam does not have the response of latex, but quite a few people find it comfortable in this case too.
How to choose
Start with firmness. On every mattress page it is shown on a 1–10 scale: up to 3.5 is soft, 4 medium-soft, 4.5–5 medium, 5.5–6 medium-firm and 6.5 and above firm. Then lie down for a few minutes, in the position you sleep in, and notice where you feel support and where you feel pressure.
Memory foam often comes as a layer above springs. If it is above Bonnell, the base is orthopedic and steady, and the mattress does not need a bed frame with dense slats. If it is above pocket, it is anatomical and needs a bed frame with dense slats. Give it a little time as well: the body needs a few weeks to get used to a new mattress, and at first a new mattress may smell, so air the room.
A mattress with layers on its top side only is turned head to foot every six months. Also leave a gap of 1–2 cm around the mattress in the bed.
If you do not know what suits you, Sleep Match asks how you sleep and what you like and suggests mattresses.
In short
Memory foam spreads pressure and hugs the body, but it can feel warm and respond slowly. Browse the mattresses and try them in person in one of the more than 200 stores where ORION mattresses are available.
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