09 Mar 2008 03:49:55 | Frank Vanderlugt
I'm a recent convert to Tempurpedic/Memory Foam Products .
I do web promotion for a variety of websites featuring
everything from sports memorabilia to breast implants, but I
rarely have any personal views on the product. However
Tempurpedic is different. I have actually tried out a memory
foam mattress and pillow set, and can honestly express my
enthusiasm for this product. It feels so much better than a
conventional mattress!
There are so many advantages to memory foam over a conventional
mattress! It's hypoallergenic, molds to fit anyone's body, and
provides some insulation on cold nights so you need fewer heavy,
dusty blankets and comforters. And it's so comfortable, it's
like sleeping on a cloud. All the pressure points that cause
discomfort, and subsequent tossing and turning, are eliminated.
The importance of a good night's sleep can't be overstated.
No-one functions well on lack of sleep. The majority of people
in the western world are sleep-deprived, and sleep deprivation
is a significant cause of accidents. Remember the Exxon Valdez?
That accident took place in the early hours of the morning, and
industrial accidents peak on the midnight shift. Students who
are sleep-deprived learn poorly. Chronic sleep deprivation
affects the appetite centers of the brain, causing overeating
and subsequent obesity. Any bed system conducive to a deeper,
more restful sleep gets my vote for health product of the year!
Tempurpedic is the brand name of the pioneer of memory foam, a
company in Sweden. It's a great product, but expensive, and
there are dozens of cheaper competing brands, some made in
America, some in China or other countries. HOWEVER, be warned:
not all memory foam products are alike, as with any merchandise,
you tend to get what you pay for, both in quality and longevity.
Memory foam is visco-elastic, and it responds to temperature
changes much as bubble gum does. Good quality memory foam has a
wide range of temperature responsiveness, but some of the
cheaper brands can become as hard as wood if you let the bedroom
go below 60-65 degrees. Eventually, as you change position the
foam warms up and responds to your body shape, but this can take
a few minutes, during which time you will be uncomfortable and
may wake up. And cheaper brands may become too soft on hot
summer nights, offering no support. Better brands of memory
foam, such as Sensus and Temperpedic, specifically state their
consistent performance through a wide temerature range.
Another issue is the longevity of the memory foam before it
finall breaks down and loses its springiness. Better memory
foams offer longer guarantees, 20 years, whereas the cheaper
brands offer 10 years.
So, in summary, you don't have to buy top-of-the line products,
but don't buy the cheapest either. You'll spend many nights
regretting your decision. A few hundred dollars extra isn't
really a lot when spread out over decades of memory foam
mattress use.
As well as differences in quality, there are also differences in
memory foam mattress construction. Mattresses can have either 3
or 4 inches of memory foam over a denser supportive core, and
more is not always better, because if the top layer of memory
foam is too thick, you'll sink in quite far before hitting the
supporting layer underneath. Side sleepers and medium sized
people should purchase mattresses with 3 inch memory foam, very
large people or stomach and back sleepers should buy the 4 inch.
The base of the bed can vary as well. Some models feature loose
sheets of foam of different firmness levels that can be arranged
to the sleeper's personal taste, others are laminated together.
Also, man-made (petrochemical foam products) are about 1/3 the
cost of natural latex. People who are sensitive to out-gassing
of man-made products should consider a natural product.
visit our website at http://www.tempurpedic-now.info for more
articles and sites to purchase these products
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