Memory foam may seem like a brand new product to most people, but in fact it has been obtainable commercially for over forty years. From the early days until fairly recently it was mainly obtainable in the form of mattresses, pillows, cushions and the type of padding that you get on doctors’ couches and wheel chairs. It was very expensive, so it was not thought to be commercially viable for the mass market.
That has all altered over recent years as production costs tumbled. Nowadays, almost anyone can afford a mattress, mattress topper or cushion made out of memory foam.
Memory foam mattresses and mattress toppers help many people to rest comfortably and sleep well because memory foam moulds itself to the contours of the body, thus supporting the body on a greater surface area than a regular mattress or cushion would.
A real memory foam mattress is designed to provide maximum comfort in the way described above and is the right thickness for that purpose, but a mattress topper is like a conversion kit, so can it honestly convert a standard mattress into a memory foam mattress? This is a tricky question, because the answer, as it so frequently is, is that it depends.
A real memory foam mattress is designed to give maximum comfort in the manner described above and is the correct thickness for that job, but a mattress topper is like a conversion kit, so can it really convert a normal mattress into a memory foam mattress? This is a difficult question, because the answer, as it so often is, is that it depends.
It depends on two things: the type of mattress that you are setting the topper on and the quality of that topper.
Secondly, the topper has to be thick enough so that you can sink into it without hitting the bottom so to speak. If it is not thick enough, it would be like trying to float in a bath tub. If you have to, you could lay a sheet of plywood on your mattress first to stiffen it up.
Most memory foam mattress toppers on the market are two inches thick and this is certainly the minimum you require for it to be effective. Less than that is probably a waste of money, unless it is planned for a baby. By the same token, three or four inches are a lot better, especially if the user is on the heavy side.
Most memory foam mattress toppers on the market are two inches thick and this is certainly the minimum you need for it to be effectual. Less than that is really a waste of money, unless it is planned for a baby. By the same token, three or four inches are a lot better, particularly if the user is on the heavy side.
The foam also has differing density. The low density foams, 2.5-3.5 lb foam, reacts more to body warmth and so is usually better for lightweight people, whereas the high density foam, 5 lbs and above react to heat and pressure (or weight) so are more effective for heavier people.
One last thing, if you use an existing mattress topper manufactured from something else, you will not be able to place it on top of your memory foam mattress topper.
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