How Long Does A Memory Foam Mattress Topper Last
A mattress topper is a bedding item designed to be used on the top of your mattress to provide extra comfort and support, improve cleanliness, and prolong the lifespan of a mattress.
Toppers can be made from various materials such as memory foam, latex, down, etc. and there are many different designs and structures that can suit different needs and sleep preferences.
Your topper should improve the support for your entire body and complement any sleeping position. It should also act like an extra cushion for your entire body, especially memory foam mattress topper and allow you to sink into it to prevent the appearance of pressure points and provide you with the peaceful and restful sleep every night.
However, if it causes you to wake up in pain or felling more tired than ever, then it may be that your mattress topper is getting old and that you should get the new one.
Read our article and learn more about memory foam mattress toppers as well as when and why you should replace them.
The Ins And Outs Of Memory Foam: Is It Worth The Hype
April 10, 2017 Filed under: Shopping Tips
Memory foam mattresses have soared in popularity over the last decade. Memory foam pillows are a more recent addition to the product line. But whats so great about memory foam? A lot, it turns out.
What is memory foam?
Memory foam material dates back to 1966 when it was developed by NASA to absorb shock in airplane seats. Since then, slow spring back foam has been used in NFL helmets, hospital beds, shoes, and prosthetics.
Memory foam has evolved in recent years, and technologically advanced foams are common materials in mattress construction. For example, Sertas gel foam mattresses are made up of a combination of tiny cushioning chambers, each infused with millions of Titanium gel beads uniquely designed to relieve pressure points, provide added support and aid in temperature regulation.
Why do some sleepers prefer memory foam?
Memory foam is a great mattress material for many reasons. It evenly distributes weight and pressure over an area, giving many sleepers pressure point relief. The foam contours to each individuals body shape, allowing for a high level of mattress personalization. Memory foam is also resistant to movement. If your bed partner gets up frequently or tosses and turns at night, the activity doesnt ripple throughout the entire mattress.
How long does memory foam last?
What if Im still not sure?
How Long Do Gel Mattresses Usually Last
Memory foam and gel foam mattresses have a very limited lifespan when compared to other mattress options on the market. On average, memory foam and gel foam mattresses only last between five to eight years depending on how well you take care of the mattress. You can purchase additional products to protect and lengthen the lifespan of the gel foam mattress, but you will still receive limited use out of this product. However, there are options on the market that provide the better cooling technology with a longer lifespan.
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A Firm Mattress Is Good For Back Problems
Many salespeople will recommend that you get a firm mattress for your back aches, but you need to keep in mind that your spine follows a natural curvature when you lie in bed, which means that choosing a firm mattress may accentuate pressure points. Investing in memory foam or hybrid mattress is a great choice for those who want a bed that follows the natural curves of your body while providing adequate support.
Is Gel Better Than Foam
Gel benefits mattresses by retaining less heat than memory foam. Also, newer gels compete against memory foam by being more responsive and less toxic. Because of gels heat diffusing properties, it is generally found in the top layer of the mattress under the cover. Pros: Cooler sleeping surface vs memory foam.
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What They Have In Common
Memory foam and gel memory foam have a lot in common since theyre manufactured from nearly identical materials. The common features of these beds include:
- Reduced motion transfer Both styles of memory foam are great for reduced motion transfer
- Reduced allergens Neither material allows for the accumulation of dust, bacteria, and mold. This feature is helpful to those with allergies.
- Unrivaled support With any type of memory foam, you get unrivaled support for your body as it molds to your individual contours
- Reduced pressure Every type of memory foam mattress, from traditional to gel, takes the pressure off points of your body. That take a lot of strain when lying down such as the shoulders, hips, and head
Does Memory Foam Wear Out
As day turns to night and spring turns to summer, all good things must come to an end. Memory foam mattresses wear out for all the same reasons any other mattress wears out.
The quality of the materials used in its construction, if it has been kept clean and dust-free, how much weight has it been holding, if youve been sharing the bed with a partner or occasionally having kids or pets on the bed too. The materials and the treatment of the mattress determine memory foam mattress lifespan.
Memory foam mattresses contain viscoelastic chemicals that retain heat, therefore, it can be uncomfortable for people who sleep hot.
Memory foam may not be as supportive as some other mattress materials. Stomach sleepers may experience lower back pain and side sleepers may experience back and hip pain on a memory foam mattress. This is due to the sinking nature of the foam and its alleged inability to support the vulnerable hip, shoulder, and back areas.
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Firmness And Sleeping Positions
Your preferred sleeping position will determine what type of mattress you find comfortable.
The best mattresses for side sleepers are soft to medium. This firmness allows for more cushioning around the shoulders and hips, so no pressure points form near these sensitive areas.
Back sleepers often prefer a medium to medium-firm mattress, so they dont experience sinking, and the spine stays aligned.
If you need the best mattress for stomach sleeping, choose something firm. Firm mattresses prevent the chest from sinking too far into the bed and keep the spine in healthy alignment.
Mattresses for combination sleepers can range from soft to medium in firmness since these beds are suited to most sleep positions and body types.
- Takeaway: Overall, memory foam mattresses offer more firmness options than spring mattresses. This variety makes it easier to shop for a mattress that will suit you. However, spring mattresses also vary in firmness. You will have to research the bed thoroughly to understand what type of mattress you are getting.
Maintaining Your Mattress Topper
Memory foam may be difficult to clean and maintain, but there are ways how you can clean them and prolong their lifespan.
You should clean them at least once or twice a year by vacuuming them, spraying them with water and detergent solution, washing them, spot cleaning or using topper covers and washing these regularly.
Well maintained memory foam mattress toppers will last longer and serve your better than those that are not maintained at all.
If you avoid cleaning your topper, stains from food or drinks, pet urine, dust and accumulated debris and odor will eventually ruin your topper and render it useless.
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Gel Memory Foam Mattress
Cooling gel memory foam is made with polyurethane foam and added chemicals to increase its density. The main difference between gel and traditional foam is that gel memory foam mattress is infused with cooling gels to prevent heat retention. These mattresses were developed to give sleepers a cooler sleeper surface since traditional foam beds are known to hold onto body heat.
The biggest advantage of a gel memory foam mattress is it wicks away moisture as you sleep. It also works to increase the airflow throughout your mattress. Just like traditional memory foam, the gel-infused foam layers have contouring abilities. This is especially good for sleepers who are looking for a mattress with excellent pressure point relief.
What Is A Hybrid Mattress
A hybrid mattress is a combination of foam and spring coils. These mattresses usually have at least 3 inches of foam in the top layer of the bed and a base made of pocketed spring coils. There are many different hybrid mattresses on the market. Some feature memory foam layers, while others rely on latex foam. Many consider hybrids to be the best of both worlds since they offer the contouring of memory foam but also have the bounce that comes with an innerspring bed.
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What Is Gel Memory Foam Mattress
Gel memory foam was introduced to beat the drawback of traditional memory foam beds. The dense structure of memory foam can sometimes trap body heat, making sleepers feel hot. Mattress manufacturers addressed this concern by infusing memory foam with cooling gel.
Temperature and pressure-sensitive memory foam has many benefits. Memory foam softens in response to your body heat, conforming to your curves providing pressure point relief. The body-conforming feature of memory foam makes these beds popular.
Memory Foam Vs Gel Foam: What Is Gel Memory Foam
Gel memory foam refers to foam that has been infused with gel microbeads. Gel-infused memory foam is included in mattresses and other materials to help regulate your body temperature and avoid trapping heat like traditional memory foam is known to do.
Gel-infused memory foam mattresses are a great option for people who want the pressure-relieving comfort of a soft foam mattress without some of the drawbacks like heat trapping.
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When Is The Best Time To Buy A Memory Foam Mattress
Most memory foam mattress brands run deals throughout the year, but not all of them are worth buying. How come? Prices fluctuate, and we’ve noticed that there are definite points throughout the year when its cheaper to buy a memory foam mattress compared to others. These include Black Friday through Cyber Monday, when brands tend to drop big sales in an attempt to lure pre-Christmas shoppers. Well be covering all of these and more in our Black Friday mattress deals round-up, so you wont miss a saving.
The Memorial Day mattress sales are popular too, but that doesnt mean they are the best time to buy a memory foam mattress. In fact, we saw some price increases across certain brands, so while the discounts may have been the same as Black Friday, for example, the mattress prices were higher.
To help you, we have included the MSRP of every product featured in our best memory foam mattress guide so you can see the original prices at a glance. To a large extent, the best time to buy also depends on your needs. Are you desperate for a new memory foam mattress today? Then wed suggest using our guide to find the top three models for you, then compare them in terms of the price, current discounts, the returns policy and the trial period to help you narrow down your choice.
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No Mattress Works For Everybody
Heres the core truth about mattresses: Its impossible to find one that works for everybody. The best any mattress can do, our experts told us, is feel amazing for a small group of people, work well for some people, and do okay for the majority of people. Comfort and support depend on a host of different factors, including your weight, your musculoskeletal health, your bodys temperature gauge, and your personal preferences, to name just a few.
The only generalization we can make is that, to a certain extent, you get what you pay for. The higher-end mattresses weve tested typically offer denser foam, more layers, and a smoother transition from top to bottom. However, when weve looked within each price category , weve been hard-pressed to find a runaway winner or loser. In other words, an $1,800 mattress may often have more fans than a $600 mattress, but a $600 mattress doesnt necessarily beat out a $500 mattress. We cant claim that any of our top picks are the most comfortable for everyone by any stretch. Instead, we focus on models with a broad enough appeal and a good price for the quality of the components offered. We also prefer companies that are transparent and specific about the materials they use. After all, how can customers confidently plunk down $1,000 or more if they dont know what theyre getting?
Most foam mattresses claim to be medium-firm , but our tests and other reviewers have found a huge range within that middle.
More mattress coverage
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Casper Original Foam Mattress
The Casper Original Mattress is quality built with meticulous attention to detail to ensure you get the best night of sleep possible, every night. It is especially suited to anyone who tends to sleep hot or live in hot climates. Because of the gel foam layer, this mattress has a cooling effect, whisking away heat and keeping your body cool through the night.
The foam also perfectly contours to your body so that you can sleep comfortably on your back or side while still providing the support you need. It will perfectly cradle your hips and shoulders while providing full support to the spin. This is one of the best choices for those who deal with chronic back pain.
If all that is not enough, the mattress arrives in a box just like all the other mattresses on this list, making it easier to unpack and set up than unboxed mattresses. Just make sure to give it enough time to return to its shape after being compressed into a box.
Clean Your Bedsheets Regularly
As mattress protectors bedsheets are also useful to lengthen your gel memory foam mattresss lifespan. Bedsheets protect your gel memory foam mattress from those things that are not good for it. For that reason, bedsheets are going to dirty in a short time. You need to clean them regularly. We suggest you wash your bedsheets twice every month. Try to purchase bedsheets with removable covers for easy use. Quality full bed sheets are very much helpful for the comprehensive services of gel memory foam mattresses.
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Are Memory Foam Mattresses Better Than Spring Mattress
Memory foam mattresses tend to have the highest customer stratification ratings due to their ability to provide support and pressure relief. However, the best type of bed for you will depend on your personal preferences. You will want to consider your sleep position and any health issues when deciding on a new mattress.
Take some time to research the mattress and understand how it will fit your needs. Mattress reviews found on Amazon and the brands website can also be a great way to learn more about a mattress. These reviews are written by customers who have experienced the comfort of the bed first hand. Their feedback will give you an unbiased perspective on the overall quality of the bed.
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Similarities Between Memory Foam And Gel Foam
As memory foam and gel memory foam are such similar materials, they have a lot in common. One of their biggest draws is how well each foam molds to your body for pressure relief. Side sleepers and chronic pain sufferers can rest better on a memory foam or gel mattress.
Both are also excellent at preventing motion transfer, as the foams absorb motion at the point of impact. Couples can sleep comfortably together on a memory foam or a gel memory foam mattress.
Memory foam and gel foam mattresses also share one drawback. Many foam beds, particularly those with lower-quality foams, give off a chemical smell when opened. The odor is the result of volatile organic compounds breaking apart at room temperature, in a process called off-gassing. The scent typically dissipates within 3 to 7 days.
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Take Steps To Avoid Bed Bugs
You need to be very much careful about bed bugs because they can quickly do damages to your brand-new gel memory foam mattress. If they attacked, you need to suffer lots of hassles to get rid of them. So, be careful before their attack. It is wise to purchase bug-proof mattress encasements and clean them regularly. Keep special attention to your gel memory foam mattress to avoid bed bug issues for the purpose of more prolonged use.
Price Range For Gel Mattresses
A gel memory foam mattress is generally more expensive than a regular memory foam bed. A quality gel mattress is at the high end of the mattress price spectrum. That said, some gel memory foam mattresses are available in the budget price range of $400 to $500, and the price tag for a cooling gel mattress topper starts at only $10.
Mid-range prices hover in the $1,000+ range, while a high-end, cool gel memory foam mattress is around $2,500+. Most major brands have mid-range and premium gel mattress options.
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How Does It Work
Standard memory foam adapts and contours to the body by using heat and pressure. It molds around each curve of the sleeper, allowing them to sink into the foam. This keeps the whole body supported during the night, and the spine naturally aligned.
Another feature that makes traditional memory foam unique is its slow return to the original shape when the pressure is removed. Unlike other types of materials found in mattresses, memory foam doesnt bounce back right away. Instead, it regains its shape slowly, minimizing motion transfer. Thats why memory foam mattresses are great for sharing.
