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Submitted by: Steven Gates
Eighty percent of Americans complain of lower back pain at some point in their lives. There are many causes for these chronic and episodic conditions. The most imminently treatable one occurs during sleep. A person can aggravate back pain simply by sleeping in the wrong position, which is often the result of substandard support. In this article we will discuss a more comfortable alternative to the standard box spring mattress.
What is a spring mattress and where did it come from? According to our research, spring mattresses have been around since the American Civil War. Before that time, people slept on something called a paillasse, which was a thin mattress stuffed with straw or sawdust. Then someone had the bright idea of adding springs into the mix.
Why springs? Because springs push back against the body and provide support. There s only one problem, our bodies don t lie on a mattress with equal force. The human body is heavier in certain place and lighter in other ones. So, if springs are all pushing back with the same force, they will support different part of the body in different ways.
This is known as pressure point relief. That is, the body has a few natural pressure points that require more support than other points when we sleep. As you might imagine, the lower back is one of these pressure points, since it is where most of us carry most of our weight. It is also home to an intricate network of nerves, discs, and bones, which makes it especially sensitive.
Studies have shown that proper support with a standard spring mattress is all but impossible. The fact that your body does not push evenly means that natural pressure points are poorly supported by these mattress. This often leads to jactitation (tossing and turning), poor circulation, and a lousy night s sleep. Insomnia, aches, pains, and aggravation of existing injuries are common symptoms of poor mattress support. And that s only if the mattress is brand-new.
Because springs are made of flexible metal they will wear out over time. Not surprisingly, the springs that support the most weight each night are the first to go. A spring mattress is said to lose 16 percent of its support in the first year alone. This is not good news for people with chronic back injuries.
What is Memory Foam?
Memory foam has been around since 1966. It was developed by NASA as a support system that would help to improve the safety of aircraft cushions. Though it was never actually used on a space mission, it was offered to the public in the early 1990s. But memory foam, also known as visco-elastic polyurethane foam, was not quite ready for public consumption.
Initially, the product was used in hospitals for patients who had to remain immobile in bed for protracted periods of time. When patients had to lie on standard spring mattresses for weeks or months at a time, they often developed painful sores, even gangrene, due to poor circulation. But that didn t happen with memory foam mattresses. Shortly thereafter, the product caught on with the general public.
The idea behind memory foam is as basic as could be. The foam moulds to a person s body and provides support where people need it most. As a result, these mattresses distribute body weight evenly, far better than a spring mattress ever could. Studies have shown that people who sleep on memory foam mattresses do less tossing and turning and therefore sleep better. Best of all, these mattresses are far more durable than box springs. They will support a person s body weight for decades without fail.
Complaints?
No product is perfect. The most common complaint of memory foam mattress owners is that the material is temperature sensitive. In short, the colder the room, the longer it will take the foam to adjust to your body weight. If you happened to leave the window open in the dead of winter, a memory foam mattress would be as hard as a rock. That s the bad news. The good news is that during the summer months these mattresses are as soft as butter. They will mould to your body in a matter of seconds and provide all the support you need. The only type of memory foam that is not sensitive to temperature is called Essential natural memory foam.
We need also mention that these mattresses are quite expensive. Due to the quality of the materials and the research required to create a superior sleeping experience, a memory foam mattress is often twice the price of a standard box spring mattress. However, it is important to remember that memory foam last much longer and does not require maintenance or lose much support over time. There is no turning or flipping or soft spots or sagging. Top memory foam mattresses will provide decades of comfort and support.
If you ve been experiencing back pain after sleeping or any of the other problems mentioned above, maybe it s time you purchased a memory foam mattress so you can get the sleep you so richly deserve!
About the Author: Steven Gates is a freelance writer who writes about home furniture and mattress styles such as memory foam.Read more on
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