Memory foam mattresses provide the classic slow-moving memory foam feel that hugs and contours to your body, offering pressure relief in sensitive areas like hips and shoulders, while also encouraging healthy spine alignment.
People prone to overheating should consider purchasing a mattress with cooling features, such as heat dissipating materials or gel infusion to keep their body cool.
Firmness
Memory foam mattresses tend to be firmer than hybrid and pocket-sprung models, which may be beneficial for some sleepers. Firmness provides excellent spinal support while cushioning the body to relieve hip and shoulder pressure. On the other hand, too firm of a mattress might not be comfortable for stomach or back sleepers so it is important to test different firmness options before making your final choice.
Denser foam tends to be firmer. But firmness alone should not be taken as an indicator of quality; other considerations must also be considered such as foam core properties, thickness, temperature sensitivity and resin type.
The top memory foam mattresses are constructed with multiple layers of high-grade foam, including a cooling comfort layer, lumbar pad to support lower spine and relieve pressure points, medium density memory foam for contouring support and high density polyfoam base for stability – plus an eucalyptus-derived Tencel cover known for breathability and durability.
Many memory foam mattresses also boast enhanced edge support to prevent rolling off of the bed and some even include phase change material that helps regulate body temperature.
When purchasing a memory foam mattress, be sure to research its trial period and warranty details carefully. In an ideal world, this would allow for three to eight weeks of evaluation in your own home before committing. Many brands also provide up to one year of free returns/shipping so if it turns out not being what you expected you can always return it; many offer extended warranties of 10 years or longer as well. Also keep in mind that new memory foam mattresses may produce an unpleasant chemical smell upon unboxing (known as off-gassing), though this should dissipate after a few days – something new memory foam buyers should keep in mind before they buy!
Temperature Control
Memory foam’s dense structure and other structural properties make it susceptible to heat retention, trapping more of your own body heat when conforming to your shape and producing an uncomfortable warming sensation. Manufacturers have since responded with cooling technologies designed to increase airflow and dissipate it more effectively in order to keep mattresses cool for sleepers.
Gel memory foam mattresses are an increasingly popular choice. Their small blue or green dots help regulate temperature by drawing away body heat more evenly across the mattress surface and disseminating it evenly across its surface. Some models even incorporate phase-changing materials that start as solid material but liquefy when exposed to your own body heat and thus helping lower its temperature further.
Keep your mattress cool by including additional layers of foam and breathable covers that promote airflow. Many memory foam mattresses feature convoluted air channels designed to enhance breathability from top to bottom or zoned systems that improve ventilation in specific parts of the bed.
Softer memory foam mattresses that feature an aggressive hug can also aid with cooling by letting body heat escape rather than trapping it, but this type of mattress won’t provide enough support for back or stomach sleepers.
When selecting the ideal memory foam mattress for you, take into consideration your desired level of contouring. Side sleepers often favor soft foam with noticeable hug, as it helps them feel supported when in their preferred sleeping positions. Heavier sleepers may not appreciate such soft mattresses since they lack support for hips and lumbar area – medium firmness mattresses could provide sufficient support without sinking too deeply into foam; additionally they offer excellent motion isolation capabilities for shared beds.
Breathability
Memory foam was once the go-to choice in mattresses three decades ago, and its soft squishiness may feel outdated now that mattresses-in-a-box exist; but its slow sinking sensation remains unparalleled. Furthermore, memory foam mattresses can relieve pressure points while supporting proper spinal alignment – our tests have even demonstrated how these types of beds may reduce back pain!
Memory foam beds often restrict airflow by conforming to their sleeper’s curves, leading to overheating. Some brands provide features designed to decrease heat buildup; but the best way to avoid overheating with memory foam mattress is selecting one with breathable fabrics designed to wick away moisture quickly – for instance the TEMPUR-Cloud uses 360deg stretch fabric that’s specifically engineered to wick away extra heat quickly and dry quickly in order to ensure you remain cool all night long.
Cocoon by Sealy Chill offers another good choice in cooling memory foam beds with various firmness levels. Its top layer, made of Adaptive Foam infused with gel to regulate surface temperatures and increase breathability; beneath that are layers made of high-density foam to balance contouring with support; plus its core is reinforced with polyfoam to avoid sagging.
This model may not be ideal for everyone; however. It may not provide adequate pressure relief for back, shoulder, and hip pain sufferers or side sleepers due to not providing sufficient contour for pressure relief around hips and shoulders. Furthermore, its foam composition creates an insufficient barrier against jostling when sleeping on this mattress.
Few memory foam mattresses feature spring coils, making them technically hybrid mattresses rather than true memory foam beds, but we still included Helix Midnight as it offers all of the benefits associated with memory foam while offering sufficient contouring to meet side sleeping needs. Its soft sleep surface is especially helpful for pressure points in hips, shoulders, and knees while dynamic foam in its center enhances contouring while adding responsiveness beyond what can be found with traditional memory foam beds.
Durability
Memory foam revolutionized mattress technology three decades ago, and while its quicksand-like squishiness may feel outdated in today’s era of mattresses-in-a-box, these beds remain ideal choices for many sleepers. Memory foam offers excellent support, alleviates pressure points and creates an incredibly comfortable sleeping surface; but not everyone finds it suitable; stomach sleepers may find it too soft; heavier sleepers might sink too deeply or feel stuck; combination sleepers could experience motion transfer from an active partner.
Manufacturers now provide various kinds of memory foam and techniques that foster breathability to address those concerns, including cutting patterns or holes into it to allow airflow, using cooling gel as temperature regulation on bed surfaces, and infusing heat-dissipating materials into it. Furthermore, new trends feature faster-responding foam mattresses which reduce “getting stuck” feelings that many sleepers encounter when using older models.
If budget is an issue for you when considering memory foam mattresses, there are budget options available that pack as much research and technology into them as more expensive brands would. One such mattress is Simba Simbatex Foam mattress; featuring four layers that combine contouring support with cooling comfort layers as well as polyfoam stability layers.
Puffy Luxe mattress comes with firmness ratings of 6-8 (though some reviews indicate it leans more toward the softer end). This mattress’ layers include temperature regulation material, memory foam that contours to your body, and polyfoam that increases contouring while simultaneously increasing support.
Cocoon Chill, our final budget option on this list, is ideal for hot sleepers. It features an open-celled memory foam cushion that is 25-30% plant-based to help with temperature regulation while phase change material stores body heat until needed – then releases it back when your temperature has decreased during the night.
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