The ‘cool’ New Material In Your Mattress
Gel is most often touted in mattresses for its cooling qualities, but it can offer several other characteristics, such as enhanced pressure relief, unique support characteristics, and extended durability.
From a scientific standpoint, gel is a material that falls somewhere between a solid and a liquid. Known as a ‘viscous semi-rigid solid,’ gel chemically resembles a liquid but exhibits no ‘flow’ when in a steady state. This means it has the ability to be stretched, squished and pulled, but will always return to its original shape. Gel is similar to rubber, but it tends to be heavier and have more of a delayed resiliency than rubber. Because of these qualities, gel is a great material for shock absorption and pressure relief in mattresses.
Only Foam Mattresses Have A Break
Mattresses, foam or otherwise, have a 30-60 day breaking-in period. Breaking in your mattress is crucial for experiencing good sleep. However, the length of time needed depends on the mattress type. Memory foam takes longer than latex because the former is denser. Try weight and warmth to help break in your bed. Walking on your new mattress works well for all mattress, especially memory foam. For any mattress that contains foam, heat can do magic. Any increase in heat softens the foam. For spring mattresses, try moving across the bed with your hands and feet to break in the coils.
How Foam Density Effects The Life Of A Mattress
Density is a measure of weight per cubic foot. Low-density mattresses support 1.5LB per cubic foot. Medium density mattresses support 2-3LB per cubic foot. High-density mattresses can support 4 to 6 LB per cubic foot or even more. They have a high resistance to stress factors. It is because they distribute your body weight across the length X width and depth through the other supporting layers. Hence, the stress on individual layers will be relatively less.
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Difference Between Memory Foam And Gel Foam
The main difference between memory foam and gel memory foam is heat retention.
Traditional memory foam can trap body heat as a side effect of the foams density. If too much heat accumulates in the mattress, it can disturb your sleep and cause you to wake in a sweat.
Adding cooling gels to the foam mixture improves the mattresss heat dispersion. The gels absorb heat and wick it awayand the more evenly the gels are distributed throughout the bed, the better they are at carrying away body heat.
As gel memory foam requires more materials, it comes with a higher price tag than regular memory foam.
Infusing gels is not the only way to create a more cooling mattress. Many manufacturers incorporate other materials such as copper or graphite or they substitute select petrochemicals with plant-based oils.
Is Gel Memory Foam Cooler
A gel-infused mattress may be cooler than some, traditional memory foam designs that have a closed-cell structure. However, new advances in sleep technology have meant that its now easy to find quality, open-cell memory foam that promotes increased airflow for a cooler sleep. In fact, some gel used in mattresses actually conducts heat! So, while they may feel cooler at first, this feeling may not last for long if your body temperature increases.
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How To Choose A Gel Mattress
Buying a gel mattress comes with special considerations. Buyers must decide on not only the composition and placement of the gel foam, but also on the type of mattress.
If youre thinking about whether you should get a gel mattress, you may find it helps to have an understanding of how gel infusions contribute to the overall feel of the mattress, who is best suited to a gel mattress, and what other factors should be taken into account when buying a bed.
Does Gel Memory Foam Wear Out
We all know that it wears out, so it makes sense for this question to be answered. Yes, it does but how much depends on when and where it occurs. The thickness of your memory foam mattress can weaken or compress too much due to sagging. In fact, memory foams are continually compressed by heat and pressure because of how they function.
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How Often Should You Get A New Mattress
If you own a memory foam mattress youre probably wondering, does memory foam wear out.The answer is yes, you could get roughly 8-10 years of use from your memory foam mattress. However, the quality of your sleep for the lifespan of the mattress is not guaranteed. You may find it becomes too hot too quick or you feel like youre sleeping on quicksand.
Sleep comfort is your main priority when it comes to getting a new mattress. You undoubtedly want quality at an affordable price, you want pressure relieving comfort that is durable and cozy. You want AirFoam, a modern revolution of mattress technology that could offer you far greater comfort than even the most expensive memory foam mattresses.
AirFoam mattresses are 100% temperature neutral so they sleep much cooler than memory foam. They offer 4 times greater pressure relief than memory foam and are 300% more durable than memory foam.
Memory foam mattresses had their time, opting for a more modern mattress material ensures youre choosing a mattress that has been researched, designed, and produced with the latest technology. Providing you with the latest in sleep comfort rather than relying on a material that was developed in the 70s.
How Do You Know When Your Mattress Needs Replacing
The surest sign that you need a new mattress is when youre no longer getting a good nights sleep on it. Maybe youre waking up with a sore back, or perhaps you feel tired after sleeping for 8 to 9 hours. Your mattress is supposed to help you recover, so if you feel worse instead of better when you wake up, then the beds not working as it should. Another sign that your mattress is ready to be replaced is extensive sagging.
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How To Determine Mattress Durability And Lifespan
Memory foam mattresses are among the most durable models on the market. Models with low-quality memory foam may begin to lose their ability to bounce back or return to their original shape within a few years, while high-quality memory foams may last 10, 15, or even 20 years.
Several factors go into determining the memory foams durability. The first and most important is density, but well also cover foam indentation load deflection and layer thickness. Well also discuss how the mattresses warranty can help you make sure your new bed will last.
Memory Foam Mattress Price
Memory foam mattresses start for as low as $200 and go up to over $2,000. At the entry-level, between $200 and $700, youre looking at models with less dense foams because less dense foams are inexpensive to produce. Some of these models will be as comfortable as higher-end mattresses, but they wont last nearly as long. And, others may not make it to the average six-year mark before indentations or sagging begin to show.
In the mid-range, from $700 to $1,200, theres a wide selection of mattresses that balance the quality of materials with the price. Youll see higher density foams throughout these models, which gives them better durability. These models may also have extra cooling features like gel, copper, or graphite to enhance breathability.
At the high end of the memory foam market are $1,200 to $2,000 mattresses and some that are close to $3,000. These models may have more layers with varied firmnesses and densities that extend the life of the mattress.
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How Much Do Gel Foam Mattresses Cost
As mentioned earlier, gel memory foam products are more expensive than standard memory foam products. Although the cost of infusing or adding gel into memory foam has significantly reduced over the years, its still an extra step in the manufacturing process, not to mention more material has to be taken into account when determining the cost of the final product.
To put it into perspective, gel-infused mattress toppers will cost you anywhere from about $50 to about $350 and above, depending on the size and the brand. Gel memory foam mattresses cost between less than $150 to around $5000.
Why You Should Trust Us
The SleepFoundation.org team is made up of experts in the sleep space. To compile our best-of lists, we use a comprehensive testing process that looks at how each mattress performs on various factors such as edge support, pressure relief, and motion isolation. As part of this process, we also measure how much heat the mattresses retain using a hot water bottle and a thermal camera.
Our in-house testing team, which includes people of varying body types and sleep position preferences, combined objective results with their own subjective opinions to provide you with this look at the best gel mattresses currently on the market.
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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 aboutmemory foam mattress toppers as well as when and why you should replace them.
Does Gel Memory Foam Work
While there are no science-backed studies that show whether or not the gel does indeed keep you cool, the idea behind using gel to cool a dense foam
mattress is quasi-scientific: gel is a semi-liquid, and liquid can be an effective way to cool a surface. When its included in memory foam it can help to draw heat away from the body.
But heres the catch: a liquid that isnt able to evaporate just stays at the temperature of its surroundings. In a gel foam mattress, the encased gel will naturally take on the temperature of the foam around it. It may warm more slowly than the foam, which conducts heat easily, but not slowly enough to stay cool for the length of a nights sleep.
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How Long Does A Memory Foam Mattress Last
Memory foam is pretty durable and you can expect to get around eight to 10 years use out from it. This is mainly because there arent a lot of materials and components in these mattresses, meaning theres less to deteriorate and compromise the quality.
Memory foam mattresses generally need to be rotated regularly and must be kept clean and aired. If you start waking up with aches and pains and find that the foam is no longer supporting you and offering pressure relief, its time to upgrade.
Sink-in body cradling thats gone from the sublime to the ridiculous is also a red flag. Watch out for the memory foam discoloring too, as this is a sign of mattress old age.
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.
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Gel Memory Foam Mattress Toppers
If you want to add a gel memory foam layer without replacing your mattress, a gel foam topper may be a good option for you. Mattress toppers are a thicker, more supportive version of a mattress pad, and a gel memory foam topper can help you adjust the firmness, temperature, and feel of your existing bed.
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Use A Perfect Mattress Protector
A quality mattress protector is handy in increasing your gel memory foam mattresss lifespan. It protects your mattress from unwary bedwetting and spills. Besides, these mattress protectors keep the gel memory foam mattress protects from dust, mites, sweat, and other harmful things. Especially when you have kids or pets, your gel memory foam mattress is a regular victim of these problems, affecting its lifespan. By using a perfect quality mattress protector, you can increase the lifespans of your gel memory foam mattress.
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Ways To Increase The Life Of Your Mattress
There are multiple ways you can elongate the life of your mattress without much effort overall. Consider adding a few of the following habits to your cleaning schedule for maximum mattress comfort for years to come:
- Either keep your mattress in a mattress protector or keep it well vacuum to help reduce dust mites and another buildup of dust and grime that can hold moisture. Since moisture breaks down foams, this is a great way to help keep your foam feeling the way it should.
- Spray your mattress with antifungal and antibacterial sprays quarterly since body moisture can build up in mattresses to create environments that harbor bacteria and fungus growth.
- Keep your mattress dry if you have to spot clean it, and air it out regularly to help keep it smelling fresh and healthy.
- Although most memory foam mattresses are not designed to be flipped, they can be rotated, and it is suggested to do so at least 4 times a year to help keep weight distribution evened out.
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What Are The Benefits Of Memory Foam
Memory foam mattresses have quickly become a popular choice with customers around the world because they come with lots of benefits that set them apart from other mattresses. Here are some of the most important:
Pressure point relief
Memory foam mattresses distribute your body weight evenly in order to reduce pressure. This helps to promote healthier blood circulation and relieve aches and pain throughout the night. There are memory foam mattresses specially created for people with neck pain, and others do wonders for those who suffer from sciatica.
Optimal support and comfort
Memory foam mattresses contours to the shape of the body for targeted support and optimal spinal alignment. Youre basically getting very good level of personalised comfort that will make you feel that the mattress was designed just for you.
Reduces transfer of movement
Memory foam creates a personal sleep zone by contouring your body, which means that you wont be feeling your partner tossing and turning. This is the best type of mattress to buy if you sleep with a partner and are often woken up by their movement at night. As you lay into bed, the mattress forms a cocoon that helps reduce transfer of movement, thus allowing for better sleep for you and your partner.
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So Which Mattress Wins
When you compare a traditional memory foam mattress with a gel memory foam bed, you can see that theres not a lot of difference. Both are excellent choices for anyone. What it comes down to is the temperature and the firmness you prefer. If you like to sleep cool on a firmer surface, then a gel memory foam mattress is the best choice. If not, then a traditional memory foam will provide you with a great nights sleep.
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How To Care For Your Mattress So It Lasts Longer
Following some simple tips will help extend the lifespan of your mattress, which will save you money in the long-run as you won’t need to replace your bed so often:
1. Rotate it regularly to help keep the surface even and prevent any indents. Although some mattresses can be flipped, make sure you check the manufacturers guidelines first. Some mattresses are one-sided only and could be damaged if flipped.
2. Put your mattress on a sturdy base. Most manufacturers recommend what type of bed bases suit their mattresses but, as a general guideline, a box spring, platform, or bed frame with evenly spaced slats should provide decent support.
3. Clean and air your bed frequently to keep it fresh. Many modern mattresses have washable covers that can be removed and machine washed, though some can only be spot-cleaned. Run the vacuum over your mattress and wash your bedding regularly to help prevent the build-up of dust mites, bacteria and sweat.
4. Use a mattress protector at all times. These slip over just like a fitted sheet and help to safeguard your bed from dirt, spills, sweat and bacteria. They are easy to machine wash and dry, and they needn’t cost much either.
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Open Cell Memory Foam
The airy body of an open cell memory foam mattress provides supreme breathability for a cool sleeping surface with superior motion transfer. Sleepers looking for a fresher memory foam experience that is less dense than gel memory foam will enjoy these mattresses with an average lifespan of 810 years.
Get the Facts: The Life Expectancy of Each Mattress Type
