Visco Elastic Mattress Topper

A Buyer’s Guide: Three Things to Consider before Purchasing a Visco-Elastic Mattress Topper

The media hype behind memory foams and mattresses is not just plain media hype. These modern-day sleeping aids really add more comfort and restfulness to what is usually an ordinary night’s sleep. The popularity of memory foams brought about the emergence of too many manufacturers, some of which produce low-quality mattresses that do not bring the quality sleep memory foam manufacturers promise.

A memory foam mattress, less commonly called a visco-elastic mattress topper (you will understand why later on), is a sound investment. If you are considering getting one or more, here are some things to think about first:

1. Choose a memory foam topper that has a broad range of temperature sensitivity. Memory foams can get pretty sensitive when it comes to temperature. They become firmer or more viscous in colder temperatures and bouncier or more elastic in hotter areas. That is why a memory foam topper is also called a visco-elastic topper. Some low-quality brands do not conform to the contours of your body as much as you would like them to because of this.

2. Different people have their own sleeping preferences, thus the density of a visco-elastic mattress topper you want to buy will depend ultimately on you. Density is expressed in cubic meters. The higher-density toppers, say those around 5.5 to 6 lbs, are less yielding and less effective it will be in conforming to the contours of your body. At the other end of the spectrum are the low-density toppers, which may be too soft and spring back to the original shape a little too quickly. A foam with a density ranging somewhere from 3 to 5.5 lbs may feel just right for lightweight sleepers, but if you prefer a firmer mattress, you can go for the higher density foams. Just take note that these are more expensive than those with low densities.

3. If the size of your budget isn’t big enough for the most expensive memory foam topper, then you had better prioritize the thickness of your topper over its density. A two-inch-thick low-density visco-elastic mattress topper is not worth your money at all, since it is too thin and yields too easily that you will simply “bottom out.” A high-density topper of the same thickness, on the other hand, is better, but it can cost you more than a thicker mattress with a lower density. A three-inch-thick foam topper with a density of 4 lbs is usually your best bet.

4. There are many small-time manufacturers of memory foam mattresses and toppers that have mushroomed overnight. You have to be careful in choosing your visco-elastic mattress topper provider. One warning sign you should watch out for is when the manufacturer is selling the topper for a dirt-cheap price. While it is good to come across a bargain product, you should know that memory foam mattresses and toppers are not made with cheap materials and processes. A visco-elastic mattress of good quality is priced somewhere between $150 and $300. If you are offered with anything that is less expensive that that, you had better turn away. Chances are the mattress is of bad quality and made with outdated manufacturing methods.