Foam Density – The Factor That Decides How Comfortable and Firm a Mattress Will Be

Sometimes more does not make things merrier especially when you are shopping for mattresses. Even if you were able to select the mattress material that would be most comfortable and support your health, you would still face some issues that arise from numerous varieties of memory foam on offer.  

Suppose you decide to buy memory foam mattress because you have drawn inspiration from your friend who has excellent experience of using it. Both of you might have similar body features and weight and even share similar experience about aches and pains. Still, the specifications that your friend found useful might not be good for you.  What should be the foam density that you should choose?  In this article, you will find an explanation about density in some more detail that could make the task easy.

Blending firmness and comfort

The density of the foam is a measure of its weight for every unit of its volume. If memory foam density is 6 lbs / cu ft, it means that one cubic foot of foam would weigh 6 pounds. The memory foam mattresses available in the market usually have several layers of foam of varying density.  Since the load bearing characteristics and softness of the foam depends on the thickness, it is often useful to combine foam of different mass to derive the right degree of comfort.  Having a layer of denser material at the bottom and a layer of low-density foam at the top is an example of blending firmness and comfort that most people want.

Low density – not exceeding 3 lbs / cu ft

Be ready to accept the fact that when using memory foam mattress you have to give it some time to acquire the softness that lends comfort.  The foam needs some time to respond to the body temperature to become soft and obtain the shape of the body contour necessary for making you feel comfortable. The cushion effect that you feel under the body would take some time to adjust to the conditions.  The time taken for adjustment is less for low-density foam that could start giving the feeling of softness the moment you hit the bed.  Moreover, the low-density foam is also easy on the pocket.

Medium density – between 4-5 lbs/ cu ft

According to the experts at Memory Foam Talk, the mattress review website, the mid-range foam has an excellent ration of firmness and softness, which makes it a popular choice. Not only are the features attractive, but the price also suits almost every budget, which is another reason for its popularity. This variety is suited for those who do not have any joint pain or body pain.

High density – 6 lbs / cu ft and above

This grade of foam is typical of orthopedic mattresses that give more emphasis to firmness over softness.  High-density memory foam is very costly and has a particular use for those suffering from pain related medical condition. The initial response of the mattress would be hard and stiff that gradually softens to some extent as the body temperature passes on to it.

Author bio: Camilla Bowden is an author of a few books on health and fitness. She has done extensive research to understand the impact of mattresses on health. Briefly, she was an advisor to the website Memory Foam Talk. She is a health freak, and regular gym sessions are what she likes most.

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