If you wake up with a sore back every morning, chances are – the culprit is in that uncomfortable mattress that you’ve been sleeping on for the past decade! Barring any serious medical conditions like fibromyalagia, scoliosis, spinal injuries and chronic pain conditions – the most popular cause of the occasional back pain is your sleep surface.

Now most people have sleep partners, the bed that is causing you to wake up every morning with aches and pains likely has your spouse sleeping like a baby! For this reason going out and simply buying a new mattress isn’t as easy a fix as it may seem. The memory foam mattress system has helped many couples resolve this issue. The visco-elastic material moulds and forms to the individual curves and shapes of the bodies. So where your body may call for more support in the lower back, and your partners body needs more support in the hips – you will find a happy compromise with memory foam.

The most popular brand of visco elastic sleep surfaces is Tempurpedic, they are accredited with bringing this material to the general population several decades ago. Because they are the most popular and best brand, they are also the most expensive as well. If you are not ready to make the investment of several thousand dollars, the most viable solution for you is to purchase a memory foam bed topper.

These foam bed toppers are quickly replacing the old fashioned egg crate foam mattress toppers. You can find them in discount stores like Costco for a fraction of the cost of a full bed set. As long as your current mattress is in good shape with no sink holes or sags, you can simply place the memory foam topper on top of your existing sleep surface and enjoy the benefits right away! These are not designed to be as durable and long lasting as full mattress sets, so you may find yourself replacing it every few years, but at the fraction of the cost – it is well worth the money!

With the rising trend of “going green” and being environmentally friendly, we have seen a rise in organic products. The most popular organic products are foods, cleaning supplies and clothing – but mattress manufacturers are jumping into the market now and gaining popularity with their organic mattresses. With organic Mattresses being the new “It” thing in beds, many people are asking: Which is better, memory foam or organic? There is no black and white answer to this question because the products are uniquely different and cater to entirely different markets.

Organic Mattresses: These are growing in popularity due to the fact that they are free of many of the chemical components found in regular mattresses. For example, they are free of fire retardants, dioxins, formaldehyde and pesticides. By definition, organic means that a product is one hundred percent natural and void of any man made products as enhancements. It is made of organic cotton, latex and wool that is totally free of dyes and artificial softeners or hardeners. Now this is perfect if you are prone to certain types of allergies. They are also useful for babies and small children as they won’t be sleeping on or absorbing chemical toxins. They sleep comfortability but are in that regard, they really are no different than standard pillow top mattresses.

Memory Foam Mattresses:  The visco elastic material was designed by the scientist of NASA to create a more comfortable launch and landing experience for their astronauts. The material moulds and conforms to the body, it expands with heat and restricts in cold environments. Where the organic mattress appeals with allergies or enviromental concerns, the memory foam mattress appeals to people with chronic pain, sleep disorders,back pains or just an overall desire for a more peaceful nights sleep. for this reason it is unfair and difficult to compare the two against each other.

Whether you are in the market for an environmentally friendly mattress or a body friendly mattress, make sure you do your full research. A quality bed is an investment, and you should take it upon yourself to be an informed consumer.

It is understandable that many consumers may be tempted to buy the most inexpensive memory foam mattress that they can possibly find. However there are a few things that you may want to consider before choosing a cheap alternative. When it comes to mattresses, making the investment into better quality can add years and years of use. The return on investment for a quality mattress more than makes up the difference in what you would spend.

However if you insist on purchasing a discount memory foam mattress, here are a few tips to remember.

1. You get what you pay for: If the price that you have been quoted for the mattress seems to good to be true, that is because it is. While some may argue that the notion of price being linked to quality is not always true when it comes to purchasing your memory foam mattress, it is absolutely the truth. what you gain (or save)  in cost, you will lose in quality.

2. The density of your mattress will be considerably less: Some manufacturers are able to keep their prices low by decreasing the density in their products. The real “magic” of mattresses made with this material is found in the density. The less dense the material the less effective it is.

3. You will replace your mattress sooner than you expected: Once again, the density of the memory foam mattress is what keeps it effective. It’s density also helps it maintain the life of the mattress. Over time, your mattress will become less resilient to the weight of the various bodies that sleep upon it. What this means is that your mattress will begin to cave in, in the same manner as a cheap spring coil mattress.

4. You will lose the benefits of the mattress: Let’s face it, if you’re interested in a visco elastic mattress it’s probably because you suffer from stiff joints, a bad back, comfort related insomnia or some other sleep related issues. You have probably been told that this type of sleep surface is the answer to your night-time prayers. By opting for the cheapest option that you can find, you will most surely lose the long term health benefits of this purchase.

Now don’t mistake this for the suggestion that you should go and spend your entire life’s savings on a new mattress, but at the same time – you must be a wise consumer for this purchase. You can find sales and deals on some of the top brands by simply searching the Internet and employing some wise bargaining tactics. Larger retailers are unlikely to budge on their prices, but visit your local mom & pop brick and mortar store fronts. Their small size allows them more flexibility in pricing options.

The memory foam is truly unique in that it is able to mimic characteristics of both a liquid and a solid simultaneously.

Unlike traditional mattresses that simply “hold” the weight of your body – memory foam conforms to the shape of your body. This tends to create a more comfortable sleeping surface.

After being perfected by NASA, a the now popular company called Tempur Pedic began using the materials for hospital beds. Bed sores can be a tremendous problem for bed-ridden hospital patients. The hardness and coils of traditional mattresses lead to bruising, joint pain and just an overall unpleasant experience. The introduction of memory foam mattresses to the medical industry helped to drastically reduce the instances of those painful bed sores.

During the 90’s this material became available to the general public, of course it was quite expensive in the beginning, but has become much more affordable in recent times. Memory foam is used in many ways now, it’s found in pet beds, car seats, infant beds, computer carrying cases and much more. Of course the most widely known use of the visco memory foam is in mattresses!