Along with the success of mattresses and mattress pads made of memory foam came the advent of the memory foam pillow. Made of the same gel-like polyurethane compound that both cushions and supports the contours of your body, memory foam pillows are a great way to rest your neck and head. Say goodbye to neck aches, both at home and on the road.With a memory foam pillow, you can say goodbye to a lot of the neck aches and cranial pressure points associated with regular cotton pillows. Memory foam pillows come in a variety of shapes and thicknesses.
A memory foam contour pillow, often called a Swedish neck pillow, is filled with thousands of microscopic “cells” that can deform under pressure. When you rest your neck, shoulders, or head on it, the air in the deformed cells moves to neighboring cells, creating contours that obey your shape. Many manufacturers of memory foam mattresses and mattress pads offer memory foam pillows as well. They range in price from $20 to $120; ask your local or online dealer for their prices.
Just as with all memory foam products, memory foam pillows vary in density. They can come as low as 2.5 pounds per cubic foot, or as high as 5.3 pounds per cubic foot. Since your head weighs less than your body, you’ll probably want a mid-range density material: somewhere between 3.5 and 4.5-weight.
When you’re on the road, in a train, or flying, try taking a memory foam travel pillow with you. These can either be rectangular like a regular pillow, or U-shaped, to wrap behind your neck. The U-shaped version will keep your head from falling and causing cricks in the neck, while providing plenty of healthy support for the small bones of your face. If you don’t have the strength or space available to pack your memory foam mattress pad into a duffel bag and tote it around, you can still take the comfort and support of memory foam to go, with a very portable memory foam pillow.
A Look at Foam MattressesThere are so many different prices, sizes, styles, and firmness to choose from. They come in drastically different materials, as well. Mattresses can be filled with air, water, fabric, feathers, springs or foam. One of the most popular -- especially for people suffering body pain -- is the foam mattress.
Foam mattresses are popular because of their body-contouring nature. The foam literally reshapes to mold to the user’s body. This is designed to strategically place pressure where needed, while relieving the strain on other points. It is believed that this relieves pressure from the neck, spine, and lower back, eliminating much of the soreness and pain associated with regular mattresses.
The foam mattress is not entirely without drawbacks, though. Some people complain about the body-contouring nature that it’s famous for. If, for some reason, you are not happy with the newly molded shape, you cannot change it. Some reports also say that the foam loses resiliency quickly. Others complain that the foam gets extremely hot, causing sweating and clamminess. Despite these complaints, many people do prefer foam mattresses.
If, after doing research, you decide to buy a foam mattress, they are available from most bedding stores. Some of the more popular foam mattresses are the Sealy Reflexion, the Tempur-Pedic, and the Isoform.
A-Bed offers a memory foam bed by Dormia. The Versailles by Dormia is offered for $447, including shipping.
Foam Order offers foam mattress pads. These fit on top of your existing mattress to create a body-contouring surface. They start at $248 for a Queen sized 3-inch pad. Foam Order also offers a selection of foam mattresses.A Guide to Memory Foam Companies
Memory foam, the visco-elastic material that temporarily keeps whatever form you press into it, is mostly associated with memory foam mattresses. The most famous memory foam mattress brand is Tempur-Pedic, the very company that helped NASA to develop the material. It is one of the more premium brands, but there are at least two other quality brands worth noting.
Sensus
Sensus memory foam generally has a density of 5 pounds per cubic foot. This makes for a high-density mattress or mattress pad. It will last you at least 10 years, softening a little over time. It has an ILD (Indentation Load Deflection) of 14, which means it is a soft sort of foam. Sensus carries memory foam mattresses almost as good as Tempur-Pedic, at lower prices.
Serta
Serta is a large bedding company, formed in 1931. They decided to start offering memory foam mattresses and mattress pads in the 1990s, and their product quality is high, but their customer service is not very knowledgeable. If you buy a Serta memory foam mattress, go to a dealer or small retailer of their products, rather than the manufacturer.
Tempur-Pedic
Tempur-Pedic is the industry leader in memory foam. They offer three mattresses, each a different thickness, with different levels of firmness. The Classic is the firmest at 8”. It has a base layer of 4.3”. Air is allowed to flow through this base layer and the top two layers, with the top layer being the softest. The Deluxe is thicker at 10”, with a two-level base layer that is doubly aerated for more airflow, thus allowing for a softer and cooler sleep. The Celebrity is over 13” thick – the softest memory foam mattress Temper-Pedic has to offer. Most other companies offer these variations in memory foam mattresses, but Tempur-Pedic was the first.
A Guide to Memory Foam MattressesThe problem with many mattresses is that they just don’t fit your body. They are either rigid and resist the curves of your shape or they are overly soft and “give way” beneath you. The memory foam mattress was created in answer to this problem.
Memory foam is a material that is designed to be “viscoelastic.” This means that it will conform to your body, but it also has the ability to return to its original shape if forced. This material molds to the body, offering support and relieving pressure where needed.
If you are shopping for a memory-foam mattress at a discount and you don’t mind shopping online, check out Overstock. Overstock sells the overstock merchandise from other companies, often at deep discounts. At the time of this writing, Overstock sells a large variety of memory foam mattresses, memory foam pillows, and memory foam topper.
Wonderful Buys manufactures a line of Visco-Elastic memory foam bedding products, including pillows, mattresses, and mattress toppers.
Sealy offers the Reflexion Latex Foam Collection, which consists of mattresses ranging from $1299-$3499 for Queen-sized. This memory foam mattress is made of natural, body-contouring foam and is available in firm, pillow top, and plush. According to the website, latex is anti-microbial, dust-mite resistant, and mildew proof, so the mattress has health advantages.
Tempur-Pedic offers an extremely popular line of memory foam mattresses and bedding. Tempur-Pedic says that their product is light and breathable and will not cause sweating and clamminess.
The Isotonic Memory Foam mattress is another popular choice. It is available at many online stores, such as the Ultimate Back Store, Healthy Foundations, Comfort House, and Everyday Comfort.
Memory foam mattresses can be bought at most major mattress stores. They can also be purchased at department stores, such as Target and WalMart. Memory foam mattresses are available in many price ranges, so make sure you comparison shop before you buy. Hopefully, you will soon be resting easy.