subject: Why are memory foam mattresses so comfortable? [print this page] Why are memory foam mattresses so comfortable?
Memory foam shapes to the body under the application of warmth and pressure. This property is perfect for mattresses because the material will form the perfect curves required to support your body evenly. The effect is the same as lying in the sand (although memory foam mattresses are far more supportive). On the beach, the weight of any object placed on the sand will make a depression with the exact profile of the contact surface of that object. If you lie on the beach, the sand deforms around you until you're lying in a you-shaped hole. It is, as we all know, very relaxing and very comfortable.
The reason for that is the even distribution of pressure on your body. Lying on a flat, hard surface, a disproportionate amount of pressure is taken up by the back of your head, shoulders, and hips. Other areas like the arch of the neck are completely unsupported. This unequal pressure distribution is what makes hard, uncontoured chairs so uncomfortable. We all know what that's like- a small area of discomfort where the weight is being supported. Even park benches are often made with a curved back that evens out the pressure on the spine.
Mattresses are not hard, although they vary enormously in firmness. But soft isn't necessarily good- in an everyday soft mattress the hips and shoulders will sink in but that deformation can push the neck and limbs into positions that aren't ideal, and much of the body is still unsupported.
Memory foam mattresses don't just sink down underneath the weightier sections of the body. They shape to your unique profile over a short length of time. The sensation of even body support is so marked that some people compare it to floating. Properly distributed spinal support can also be of great benefit to those experiencing neck or back problems.
