Memory Foam Mattress Topper Twin

From Outer Space to the Bedroom. Memory foam was developed either in 1966 or 1972 depending on the source material you are reading. Current manufacturers as well as their marketers all point to the foam's link with NASA, pointing out that the technology behind it began with the space agency.

Scientists were experimenting with materials for use on space shuttle seats that would minimize the effects of high g-forces on take-offs and landings. Unfortunately, these materials never got off the ground, literally. Instead, it eventually ended up in hospitals and bedrooms.

NASA released the technology to the public sometime in the early 80s. the Swedish company Fagerdala World Foams picked up the concept and conducted further studies and experiments, and the rest, to use a well-worn cliché, is history. The memory foam you see today is a far cry from what NASA was working on, which was a seat not a bed, but at least its seeds were planted then.

Memory foam was first widely used only in a medical setting as it was too expensive. Apart from the rich, it was used by patients who had to lie in bed for prolonged periods, sit in wheelchairs all day, and needed a padding for problems with their posture.

Recent developments in production processes as well as with the products themselves, however, have now made it more affordable. In addition to the full mattress, toppers are also available. And these come in different sizes such as the memory foam mattress topper twin, double, queen, or king.

Full memory foam mattresses may still be a little beyond the pocketbooks of a number of people, notably students, fresh graduates just starting out on their first jobs, or newly married couples who just are beginning to build their home. Fortunately, the couple do not have to wait for their first million to enjoy the benefits of a memory foam. They can always opt for a memory foam mattress topper twin.

Toppers are laid over existing mattresses. They come in thickness of 1 – 3 inches with densities of 3 – 5 pounds. The thicker a foam is, the better able it can relieve pressure points while lying. Density refers to the softness or hardness of the foam, with the higher number being harder. The proper density is relative. A person on the heavier side would be more comfortable with a harder foam.

When it comes to comfort, memory foams beat, hands down, spring mattresses, air beds, water beds, and even hammocks, the quintessence of leisure and relaxation. Made of polyurethane, the foam is highly viscoelastic reacting to body heat and pressure. When it senses these, it compresses to conform to your body contours. If you sleep on your side, for instance, your shoulders and hips sink into the foam but not your waist. This keeps your back, and your spine, straight thus preventing back aches in the morning. Pressure points are relieved allowing the free flow of blood through pinched arteries that could otherwise cause numbness.

The top three manufacturers of memory foam mattress toppers are Tempur-Pedic, Serta, and Select Foam. All three offer them in various sizes –the memory foam mattress topper twin, double, queen, and king.