Memory Foam Pillow and Memory Foam Bed Explained

Memory foam is polyurethane (wide variety of synthetic forms) with extra chemicals that together increase its viscosity and density. Memory foam is also referred to as visco-elastic polyurethane foam.

There's quite a story behind this so called perfect bedding product, so before we begin to talk about the true value of this Visco Elastic Foam, let's just begin with a brief couple of paragraphs on the history of memory foam and how it came to be such a superior product

Visco Elastic Foam. The Memory Foam Cushion for Astronauts

Memory foam began is life at NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). It was created as the optimum body support for astronauts. Without going into too much detail, the memory foam market began with the NASA space program because it had a desire to cushion, contour, and conform the seating on any of their manned space vehicles so as to reduce the discomfort of the G-force experienced during take-off (or should that be lift-off!)

It wasn't an instantly suitable for commercial use though, and it was some years later after extensive development and research that the commercially viable product known as Visco Elastic Memory Foam, became a huge hit with we consumers.

Now we have the Memory Foam Bed Pillow and other Bedding Items

Since going commercial, It has become one of the most sought after materials for bedding comfort products to ever hit the high street. It basically stared with the memory foam contour pillow but was soon followed by the memory foam mattresses otherwise known as memory foam toppers.

Memory foam is designed in bedding and support cushions to adjust, conform, curve and shape to the natural contours of the human body. Because Visco elastic foam has elastane properties which mould and contour to accommodate whatever rests upon it, this product not only provides excellent and natural support for the head, neck, shoulder area, and back support (spine) for anyone in perfectly good physical shape, but it is often the perfect pressure relief orthopaedic pillow for those folks who suffer from various body pain or pains due to aging or injury.

So why stop at the memory foam bed pillow? Memory foam is not only used for supporting pillows. You can also enhance your sleep further by having a memory foam mattress cover too. Also known as mattress toppers, these can take your 8 hours of sleep to a new level. When well looked after (say with a memory foam mattress cover), the longevity of these blissful products means that they are excellent value for money in the long term, and a great investment into your bedtime health immediately.

Memory Foam Pillows, Cushions, and Body Supports are not for everyone!

So if the latest memory foam offers better support, smart design, and an elastic property that comforts, aids relaxation, and remembers you by retaining the shape of your individual body mould, then why would anyone be interested in any other cheaper or pricier alternatives in body and bedding support such as feathers, quality down, coir, sisal, lambs wool, cotton, plus other less popular natural and manmade materials?

The answer is simple. There is not now, nor has there ever been, a one product suits all whatever it happens to be, and that includes Visco Elastic Foam. So you may be wondering then what the cons are regarding items such as the Visco Elastic Memory Foam Mattress, Pillows, and Neck Supports? It's wise to look at all bedding items prior to purchase, and that means reading up on memory foam mattress reviews as well as pillows, and all other types of bedding. After all, beds and bedding can be costly, and we don't change it too often. Back to some of the main gripes (for some), on memory foam products:

The Disadvantages of Memory Foam Pillows, Bedding, and Cushion Supports

Visco Elastic Foam is Temperature Sensitive. This means it changes with the warm and cool environments. This simply means the feel can be unpredictable should the products it be used in varying rooms of places, i.e. buses, trains, and planes etc. This simply means that you'll have a firm memory foam when cool and soft when warm. The degree in which this varies may differ between products and bands, and does not cause problems with all users.

Memory foam can take some adjusting to. Whatever the product of range of memory foam you select, it may take some getting used to, especially if you've had no previous experience of Tempur-pedic supports previously. This means that you may not get to experience the comfort of memory foam until your body has had time to adjust to it.

Memory Foam needs Weight to Work Efficiently! What this means is that for the elastane properties to perform at optimum, it needs a certain amount of weight pressed upon it before the material can be moulded into shapes to remember. This is especially the case with the higher density foams. If you are very lightweight, then Visco memory foam pillows or other products such as a memory foam travel pillow or memory foam pads for your bed mattress, might not be the best items to invest in for you personally.

Electric Blankets are Out! The manufacturers of memory foam bedding generally discourage the use of an electric blankets because they say the heat will eventually break down the memory thus ending the product(s) effective life span prematurely.

There may be other complaints, but generally speaking, there appear to be far more pros than cons with memory foam bedding and support products. Other products such as the memory foam seat cushion, which is becoming a popular support cushion for cars, wheelchairs, office chairs, and so on. In fact you can even find the purpose built memory foam chair nowadays, and more support products using this wonder foam are on the horizon.

If you have an interest in this modern support wonder product and would like to learn more, you can find lots of extensive customer reviews online which will undoubtedly have lots of detail on selection, prices, brands and personal experiences, all of which will contribute towards helping you make a better informed decision should you decide to purchase.

Bed Bedding Says: Memory Foam does not Contain Toxic Ingredients: Sometimes, the smell of a new memory foam pillow can have quite a odour to it. This smell is loved by some and loathed by others. It's important to note though that US memory foam does not contain any ingredients which are toxic. Although the smell can, to some, smell a bit chemical, it usually goes away within a few days to a couple of weeks at most.

Knowing GOOD memory foam from the not so good? Cost is one determining factor. The old idiom of 'you get what you pay for' generally holds true with memory foam bedding products, but on its own it's not the only determining factor. For the Joe Average consumer, the safest way to know you're getting quality in your memory foam bedding is to go with a reputable brand name. Brand names have already proved themselves to be a trustworthy in the industry. Tempur-Pedic ® is perhaps among the best, but there are others that you might want to check out prior to making any decision. If in doubt, ask an expert at a local bedding department near you, and they should be able to steer you in the right direction.

Below are some frequently asked Q & A on Memory Foam Products

Q. How much does Memory Foam Weigh per square foot?

Not all memory foam is the same and so there is no exact weight for the product. If more chemicals are used in its construction then the heavier it will become. More chemicals will make the foam more visco-elastic and dense, although density itself does not determine the actual firmness of the end product.

Q. What does Memory Foam Grade mean?

Without getting too technical, whenever you hear about the various grades of memory foam, think about the feel and density. What this means is that there are grades which are extremely soft right the way up to grades which are extremely ridged. Some of these grades are even fire retardant. You may often read that there are only 2 basic grades of memory foam, those being Standard and heavy weight, but the fact is there are many more grades in between.

When it comes to memory foam bed pillows, the softness is personal, but what's important is that the product is dense. Put simply, the denser the material is, the more supportive it will be, and at the end of the day, any purchase for a memory foam pillow should be made on its supportability.

Seeing is Believing – it's all very well BedBedding writing these articles for you, but when you've finished here we suggest you search a video sharing website such as YouTube, Blip.tv, or Vimeo to name just 3 of many. You will surely find some audio visual presentations displaying the types of memory foam pillows which in turn should help you make a more educated choice should you decide to buy these wonder products.