While NASA is generally credited with inventing what we now consider memory foam, the industry that has gotten the most benefit from the product is the medical community. With body heat-activated contouring, memory foam is popular in medical settings as bedding, cushioning, and padding due to its ability to minimize pressure and distribute weight evenly. People recovering from surgeries or those confined to bed are more apt to develop circulation issues or pressure sores, where the weight of the body significantly reduces or completely cuts off circulation to an area for an extended period of time. For years, periodically adjusting patients to manipulate their weight distribution and circulation was one of the few ways of coping with the issue. The introduction of memory foam as a medical relief product represented a significant improvement in dealing with these pressure problems.
Cervical pillows are another use for memory foam in comfort applications currently, helping individuals who suffer from neck pain or injuries. The visco-elastic foam conforms to the head and neck for pressure-free comfort, while assisting in neck and spine alignment. Even for individuals without comfort or health issues, better body alignment can offer a much more refreshing night’s sleep.
Memory foam mattresses offer the same pressure relief characteristics at home as their medical counterparts. Pressure sores don’t become an overnight issue, but when there are pressure issues, we can toss and turn and wake up as the body moves to relieve that pressure. This can easily interrupt a sound sleep and wake us in the middle of the night. Simply put, better circulation means you will sleep better, and memory foam mattresses are one way to go about maintaining circulation. In addition to the physiological benefit, memory foam is an incredibly soft material, which many people find to be the most comfortable possible sleep surface. Made in toppers as well, they can be placed on structurally sound mattresses, essentially creating a new bed at the fraction of the price of replacing your existing mattress.
Sometimes, things work out well, but not necessarily in the way they were originally intended to. Memory foam is a shining example of a product that does wonderful things, but not quite in the ways it was originally envisioned.