How To Choose The Best Memory Foam Mattress

Your guide to buying a memory foam mattress

Memory foam mattresses offer a comfortable and supportive sleep, using technology that dates back over 50 years. Their chemical composition allows them to conform to the shape of your body, ensuring that your sleep is well supported at all times.

Buying a memory foam mattress is all about personal preference. There’s no better way to find the best sleep than by visiting a Chiropedic store near you. You’ll be able to test out our entire range of memory foam mattresses, and our friendly team will be happy to assist with any queries you may have.

Types of memory foam

Developed by NASA in the 60s, memory foam, or viscoelastic foam, was initially developed to improve the safety of cushioning in aircraft. Since then, “slow spring back foam” has had many uses in a variety of industries:

  • In medicine, memory foam has been used in mattresses to prevent bed sores and gangrene.
  • Sports equipment companies have used memory foam as padding in helmets in the past.
  • Wearable tech, like headphones, smart watches, and powered backpacks, also feature memory foam.

When it comes to sleep, memory foam takes pressure off the joints and helps to properly align the spine. There are several types of memory foam mattresses, each with their own benefits for sublime sleeping:

  • Traditional memory foam mattresses are heavy and supportive, offering a comfortable sleep while maintaining posture.
  • Gel infused memory foam mattresses wick moisture and heat away from the body, improving comfort in summer.

To learn more about the different types before you buy a memory foam mattresses, get in touch with Chiropedic’s customer care team.

Density and Firmness

The density of your memory foam mattress refers to how compact the material is. The density of a memory foam mattress is determined by its weight, spread over its area. Density is recorded in kilograms per cubic metre:

  • Low density memory foam: 30kg/m3 and lower
  • Medium density memory foam: 30kg/m3 – 50kg/m3
  • High density memory foam: 50kg/m3 and higher

It’s important to remember that greater density does not equal higher quality. The quality of a memory foam mattress should be defined by support, comfort, durability, and a host of other factors.

Density also doesn’t equal firmness. There are several comfort layers in your mattress that contribute to how firm it is. At Chiropedic, we classify mattresses based on varying degrees of firmness, including:

We all have different needs when it comes to sleep, so buying a memory foam mattress is all about trial and error. To begin your search for the perfect memory foam mattress, visit a Chiropedic store near you.

Special additions and other considerations

As well as density and firmness, there’s plenty of other options to think about when choosing a memory foam mattress. Each of the following categories will have an impact on the quality of sleep

Gel infusion

Due to its chemical composition, traditional memory foam mattresses are heat activated, meaning they use your body heat to mould and conform to your shape.

If you’re a hot sleeper, chances are that you’ll want some contingencies for comfortable rest when the weather heats up in spring and summer. Gel infused memory foam mattresses, like the Eclipse Gel, are more breathable than their traditional cousins, allowing heat to dissipate through the material and out the sides of the mattress.

Partner disturbance

Partner disturbance is one of the most common issues that couples face when going to sleep. When one party gets up to use the bathroom in the night, the motion transfer can often wake the other party. This is especially common when pets and children share the bed.

Due to their high density, memory foam mattresses offer less disturbance than other types of spring mattresses. The comfort layer of mattresses like the Eclipse Visco have been designed to absorb the motion of other parties, giving you a completely uninterrupted sleep.

Sleeper protection

Bedding material can be a source of discomfort for people with allergies. Thankfully, memory foam mattresses are resistant to allergens. They are made from thousands of sealed, impermeable cells, meaning that dust and mites cannot make a home in them easily.

The bedroom is where we are most vulnerable, so fire protection is a must. All memory foam mattresses include some sort of flame retardant. Some are natural, like wool and rayon, while others, like Kevlar, are manufactured.

Present chemicals

Traditionally, memory foam mattresses were made with harsh chemicals like formaldehyde, which lead to concerns over the safety of memory foam as a long term sleeping option. These original mattresses also possess volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – compounds that easily become gases.

However, once modern memory foam is set and cured, it is rendered inert, meaning that it is chemically inactive. Memory foam mattresses will not give off any harmful chemicals, whether by contact or through inhalation.

All of the mattresses offered by Chiropedic are CertiPUR-US® certified, which means they carry no harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, heavy metals, or dangerous flame retardants (PBDEs, TDCPPs or TCEPs).

Finding the right memory foam mattress

Once you’ve investigated all the options, it’s time to buy a memory foam mattress that suits your budget and personal preferences. Keep in mind that memory foam needs to learn about how you sleep. It usually takes around 2 weeks for a memory foam mattress to properly conform to your body.

With a bit of inside knowledge, buying a memory foam mattress is easy. Visit your local Chiropedic store and take the first step towards better sleep.