Density
Memory Foam Buyers Guide for mattresses and toppers
Thinking about buying a new memory foam mattress and find yourself puzzled by all the special terminology? Don't know the in's & out's of memory foam mattresses and beds? Curious about the, comfort, firmness and all the other jargon? Wondering how your needs can be matched by the benefits of memory foam? If your answer is "yes" to any of these questions, then this memory foam buyers guide is for you!
Contents
- What is memory foam material?
- Where did memory foam come from?
- Why memory Foam?
- What is the difference between spring or memory foam mattresses?
- Memory Foam Facts
- Why we need sleep?
- Why should I upgrade my mattress to a memory foam mattress?
- UK Bed Sizes
- Memory foam mattresses can help to stop snoring
- The firmness guide
- Memory foam ranges by Zleeps
- Benefits of ordering from Zleeps
- Q & A on memory foam
What is memory foam?
Memory foam is made from polyurethane with additional material that increase its viscosity level, thereby increasing its density. It is sometimes referred to as visco-elastic polyurethane foam. But the key term is memory foam.
Shopping for a spring mattress used to involve traipsing around different bed showrooms, talking to sales people and lying on bed after bed after bed. The key to finding the ideal spring based mattress is to find the mattress which fits your body. It could be the first mattress you lie on… or it could be the 97th on your third day of mattress hunting.
You simply need to search out which density is suitable for your weight and softness preference. Higher density memory foam is suitable for people who are heavier or prefer a firmer mattress. A lower density memory foam is suitable for lighter people or those who prefer a softer mattress. There is more knowledge on memory foam density later in the brochure.
Where did visco elastic foam come from?
Memory foam was originally developed by NASA to decrease the very high pressure caused by the extreme G-force occurring during the take-off of the space shuttle. NASA abandoned the material after failing to find a practical application for it but Scandinavian scientists saw its potential and busied themselves perfecting it for use in beds.
It was subsequently used in the medical field. The expense of memory foam at this time meant that it could only be offered to patients who were bed bound or had mobility problems. With firmer mattresses these patients often found that the pressure over some of their joints cause the blood flow to decrease and can cause pressure sores. Memory foam mattresses significantly helped in decreasing these problems.
This is the reason why memory foam mattresses are becoming so popular today and why they are quickly over taking the old kinds of mattresses as the bed of choice for the general public. The manufacturing of the memory foam material has become easier and cheaper over the years and so costs have come down to a point where everyone can afford the comfort it can offer.
Companies like Zleeps have reduced costs by minimising overheads. We sell direct to you through our website and we deliver your memory foam product direct to your door. On top of this we offer a range on products to suit all budgets.
Why Memory Foam?
Value
Memory foam mattresses were initially too expensive for general use in the home, but in recent years it has become cheaper to produce and is now widely available.
Comfort
It’s most common domestic uses are memory foam mattresses, pillows, and memory foam mattress topper. These help you stop tossing and turning resulting in a better night’s sleep which allows the body to wake rejuvenated and refreshed. Another plus about a memory foam mattress is the fact you do not turn the mattress over like you would with a spring based mattress.
Durability
Remember although a memory foam mattress moulds to your shape it will always go back to its original shape even if you were sleeping on the mattress 24 hours a day, 7 days of the week, 52 weeks of the year.
What is the difference between spring based mattresses and a Zleeps mattress?
From 1900 to 1975 mattress technology didn’t change that much. Then during the 70s NASA developed memory foam. In the 80s waterbeds came and went with speedboats and Rick Astley. During the 90s memory foam technology was being perfected in Sweden but was very expensive. By 2009 memory foam has become available for the mass market and is becoming the industry standard for a great night’s sleep.
In short, memory foam is the future for mattresses; no springs, no pressure points, no turning and no dips will appear with age. If you want pure luxury and comfort to sleep on choose a memory foam mattress.
Visco Elastic facts
Memory foam mattresses have been nothing short of revolutionary to the bed industry. For years we all slept on the same basic design, springs. These can offer a comfortable night’s sleep, especially if you are willing spend between £1000 and £2000. Memory foam mattresses are different and can offer even greater comfort than these premium sprung mattresses. So how does a memory foam mattress work?
Movement
Memory foam mattresses have been shown to help alleviate tossing and turning to ensure a calm night’s sleep.
Heat
Memory foam mattresses draw heat away from the body and help regulate your temperature during the night. On cold nights this heat keeps your body warm. If you regularly find yourself feeling hot during the night and are worried that a memory foam mattress may make this worse, think about looking into a mattress with a layer of latex foam over the memory foam. This will ensure you keep cool.
Comfort
Memory foam material naturally moulds to the shape of your body, supporting you in all the right places while offering comfort to your pressure points. It can offer both comfort and support because of the properties of the memory foam material. The heat of your body softens the memory foam and this heat is greater in areas of pressure. This allows the memory foam to be soft as well as supportive. Because of this it has been shown to help alleviate aching bones and arthritis.
Allergies and mites
Memory foam mattresses and pillows are naturally resistant to common dust mites. If you suffer from allergies then this could be down to what’s living in your pillow. If your pillow is 2 years old then up to 10% of its weight can be dead dust mites and their droppings!
Longevity
Memory foam mattresses to last up to twice as long as traditional pocket spring mattresses. Zleeps offer a 10 year guarantee on all their memory foam mattresses and other products so you can sleep easy at night.
Why do we need sleep?
Without good quality sleep the brain’s ability to function effectively is diminished. Irritability and grogginess as well as poor memory function can all be massively increased just by lacking one night’s sleep.
Without good quality sleep concentration and attention span is decreased. This is not good if lives depend on you if you are a doctor or a bus driver.
How does sleep help us?
Scientists have been studying sleep for years and it still remains a mysterious area. So how does sleep help us? Well some believe sleep allows the body to recuperate and refresh. Sleep also maintains our cognitive abilities such as being able to function in term of speech, memory and other cognitive behaviours. Sleep has also been found to help the brain develop.
How can a memory foam mattress help?
All of the above indicate why it is so important to invest in a quality memory foam mattress and comfortable memory foam pillows. We spend a lot of money on things that help the quality of our waking hours such as television, stereos and computers. But spending money on quality bedding that will aid sleep isn’t always a priority. And it should be.
What can happen when your tired?
A number of major ecological disasters and other catastrophes have been blamed on tiredness. These include:
- Chernobyl
- Three Mile Island
- Exxon Valdez
The Challenger shuttle explosion
We don’t expect you to be responsible for an accident on this scale but if you hold a position of responsibility then you need to get a good night’s sleep. Lorry drivers for example need to be alert at all times. Regardless of your job, we can all benefit from a good night’s sleep that comes with a Zleeps memory foam mattress.
Why should I upgrade my mattress to a visco elastic mattress?
If you are due to get a new mattress then now is the ideal time to investigate the benefits of memory foam. You should think about getting a new mattress if:
- Your mattress is over 10 years old
- Your mattress is lumpy or sagging
- Your mattress is causing you to toss and turn
- You wake with aches and pains
- You wake feeling tired
If you can answer ‘yes’ to one or more those questions then it is time to think about getting a new mattress and what better time to investigate memory foam!
If you don’t feel you need an entirely new mattress then you can still experience the wonders of memory foam with a memory foam topper. These are great if you have a good, sturdy mattress but feel that you could do with a better night’s sleep. The topper will sit on top of your current mattress and give you a layer of memory foam comfort. You do need to make sure that the mattress onto which you are going to fit the topper is sturdy and supportive. If it is worn out, soft or old it will not provide the support that a memory foam topper needs.
Memory foam mattresses are the future of mattresses. People are beginning to see the benefits of memory foam and sales are increasing across the UK each week!
Remember the reason you have a bed and a mattress is to ensure you get a good night’s sleep. Memory foam mattresses ensure that your body is totally supported with the pressure reliving material allowing you reduce aches and pains by up to 80%. This helps minimize tossing and turning so your body can get the quality sleep it needs to feel rejuvenated. The mattress market is quickly moving to a point where the majority will be manufactured with memory foam material in the near future.
How to pick your perfect bed
When you are looking for your perfect nights sleep there are few things that you need to think about:
- The size of the bed
- The firmness of the memory foam material
- Your budget
- How you are going to get the bed into your bedroom
The following pages will give you advice on all these aspects. If you’re new to memory foam you might want to take a close look at the firmness guide. This will explain how firmness can differ between products and what could be the ideal firmness for you.
Take a look at our range of memory foam mattresses to fit these mattress and beds. Or our custom memory foam ranges. Or even our complete bed sets. Zleeps can help with everything.
