An Introduction to the Memory Foam Mattress and Memory Foam Pillows

Memory foam mattresses and memory foam pillows are rising in popularity these days. They are touted to be able to adequately reduce the pressure in order for the person to have a comfortable and restful sleep using the upholstery. They are quite effective. Now that they have become popular, people are now asking, “Where did the memory foam concept come from?”

NASA: The Reason Behind

It may seem too far-fetched, but the truth is, the origins of the memory foam could be traced back to the United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration and, subsequently, the space age. Yes, you read it right. The history of the memory starts way back when someone in NASA decided to steer their concerns towards alleviating the discomfort—or perhaps pain—that astronauts have to go through during lift-off. At this stage, the astronaut is subjected to extreme g-forces, or forces that pull the body back towards the Earth as a result of the rocket propulsion pushing the spacecraft upwards towards the sky.

At that time, the foam and cushioning used by NASA in the upholstery of the spacecraft was inadequate for that task. Scientists who studied the problem found out that the trick lay on having the pilot cushioned no matter what position he assumes, and whatever movement he undertakes. Hence, studies were aimed towards developing “smart” foam material that can take the shape of the astronaut’s body but flexible enough to resume similar form after the astronaut no longer sits against the cushion.

That’s where the name “memory foam” comes from. The foam actually rebounds to force and pressure exerted on it. Unlike other foam material, the cushion does not resist when one lies down or sits down on the upholstery containing memory foam mattresses, hence assuring the maximum amount of comfort to the user.

Maybe NASA foresaw it; maybe it didn’t. However, this breakthrough in comfort technology initially intended for military and scientific use would ultimately become a very marketable concept that can capture the interest of the general public.  Memory Foam Toppers are also very popular.

However, it was in Sweden that the story of the memory foam mattress continued further from the laboratories of NASA. The concept was carried on further by Fagerdala World Foams, and other companies including Tempur-Pedic(R). It was this company that later on introduced the first smart foam for commercial use in 1991.

What Memory Foam Mattresses Are Made Of

In its core, memory foam mattresses are simply synthetic polyurethane foam material. However, this foam material is combined with certain chemicals. This combination results to the visco-elastic material that we all know to be memory foam mattress.

To create a memory foam mattress, companies typically find three guidelines or grading, and these grades are:

Weight. The weight corresponds to the amount of chemicals used together with the polyurethane foam in order to induce its visco-elasticity.

Tensile properties. The foam’s property to take in as much pressure and bend before the material is broken by the pressure. This generally measures how much weight or pressure it can take before rupturing.

Resilience. This is the measure of foam’s springiness and percent rebound in response to pressure.

Indentation Load Deflection. This measures the amount of pressure in order for the foam to crumple or indent itself by 25%.