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Memory Foam Mattress: Unrivaled Sleep

By: Fabian Toulouse Do you have trouble falling asleep at night? Do you toss and turn forever, feeling as if you get more exercise while you are in bed than you do during the day? Do you wake up in the morning feeling as if you have been hit by a truck, complete with a sore back and aching knees? For many people, getting a restful night's sleep is as illusive as the Holy Grail.

The right mattress can eliminate a world of problems, from sleepless nights to aching joints. Unfortunately, most traditional spring mattresses do not provide the contouring needed for a restorative night's rest; they do not offer uniform support. Spring mattresses, therefore, put an awful lot of pressure on hips and shoulder joints, causing trouble. In hospital and nursing home patients, in fact, that consistent of pressure can cause sores and, in some cases, lead to gangrene.

A memory foam mattress, however, uses space age material to evenly distribute body weight, keeping pressure from building up in one spot. The dense polyurethane foam was actually first produced by NASA. It was never put to work in the space program, but it found its first application in the medical profession, helping to combat of the aforementioned bed sores. At first, memory foam was unaffordable for the general public, but now these mattresses, pillows, and mattress "toppers" are becoming more and more accessible.

The foam works by reacting to body heat to mould itself to the sleeper's shape. It takes a few minutes for the denser mattresses to conform to your position, but the effect is well worth it. Replacing your existing mattress can make a big difference, but it is quite possible that your old one will do just fine with the addition of a mattress topper. As long as your old mattress is solid and the springs are sound, a topper is a good solution. If your old bed is full of depressions and gaps, however, a topper will be of no help.

If you have forgotten what a full night's sleep feels like, if you are through with waking up in pain or feeling like you have not slept a bit, a memory foam mattress may be just what the doctor ordered.