Consumers today have a bewildering array of
options when it comes to a new mattress. Two technologies in
particular, air mattresses and memory foam mattresses, have emerged as the most advanced
mattresses to date and seek to address an age old bedtime problem; the
tossing and turning that many of us experience at night.
Almost anyone sleeping on a conventional,
inner-spring mattress experiences some pressure point arousal, and
while some activity during sleep is normal, too much activity can
diminish the restfulness of sleep. Both memory foam mattresses and
air-mattresses seek to address this pressure point issue, with varying
degrees of success.
Memory foam was created by NASA specifically to
eliminate pressure points. Memory foam was first conceived as a
material for flight chairs on the space shuttle, because while
pressure points in bed are disruptive and annoying, pressure points
acting on astronauts at liftoff can cause serious injury. The foam
used in a memory foam mattress is
unique, because it does not apply an equal opposing force when
compressed, the way metal springs do. This means that memory foam is
able to spread pressure over a wider surface area, reducing the
pressure exerted on any one point.
Air mattresses
are unique in that they can be adjusted for firmness. This
adjustability is appealing to couples who have different preferences
for firmness, and it also plays a role in an air mattress's ability to
reduce pressure points. Air mattresses reduce pressure points by
displacing pressure to the sides. Imagine pushing on a partially
deflated balloon. In the area where pressure is applied, the rubber
will conform to your hand, and other areas will bulge outward.
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