Memory foam was initially developed by NASA to ease the pressure of astronauts being pinned back into their seats during lift-offs. Nasa’s engineers were trying to create a type of foam  padding that would offer soft support to the body and would also preserve its shape. And so, visco elastic memory foam was born. The unique properties of this foam allowed for equal distribution of weight and the ability to easily adjust to body position changes. Following several years of research and development, TempurPedic brought the first memory foam beds to the public in the early 90′s.

Despite the fact that visco foam is soft to the touch, it really can’t be classified as a soft mattress. It molds and contours to the body, and the contouring effect spreads that weight over more of the sleeping area, thereby eliminating pressure points. On a typical spring mattress, pressure points can create pain and make you toss and turn, so visco’s contouring nature will allow for a better night’s rest. Another feature of this foam is the “open cell” composition, which allows the bed to “breathe”. In effect, a memory foam bed won’t retain your body heat and moisture, leaving the resting area comfortable all night.

Due to the extremely resistant nature of memory foam, mildew and mold are not an issue. This is good news for allergy sufferers who sometimes find that they have problems with traditional beds over time. A visco elastic foam mattress also works to lessen motion transfer between you and your significant other, so if one of you moves in the course of the night, it will not wake and disturb the other. It is of course a great deal easier to get good sleep if you are not bothered by unwelcome disturbances.

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