In recent years, a number of new mattress technologies have come onto the market. Two of the most popular types are memory foam mattresses and latex foam mattresses. Both memory foam mattresses and latex foam mattresses seek to solve a problem that most people are familiar with, the tossing and turning that most of us experience in bed.

Most of this tossing and turning is caused by a process referred to as pressure point arousal. When we lie in bed at night, our body always rests more heavily on certain areas called pressure points. A side sleeper has pressure points located at the hip and shoulder, for example. The purpose of both memory foam and latex mattresses are to reduce these pressure points, by distributing pressure over a wide surface area.

Memory foam has the additional benefit of conforming very closely to the body, and actually "filling gaps" between the body and the mattress surface. Memory foam accomplishes this in part through the way it reacts to pressure. Metal springs and most types of foam will react to pressure by exerting equal, opposing force. Memory foam, because of its slow rebound time and open-cell structure, does not return pressure in this manner. The result is that less force is built up at pressure points, and a more consistent level of support is provided along the entire length of the body.

Latex mattresses, while they are a quality product, are exorbitantly expensive. A full mattress set with a foundation can cost as much as $3,000.00 dollars, compared to about $1,500.00 for a memory foam set. One advantage that probably belongs to latex mattresses is related to durability. Latex mattresses can last fifteen years without any compromise in performance. Memory foam, because of its greater pliability and ability to conform very closely to the body, tends to be slightly less durable, but can still last ten years with little or no degradation. In fact, some memory foam mattress brands such as Sleep Aid www.sleepaidfactory.com place up to twenty-year warranties on their mattresses. In any case, both memory foam mattresses and latex mattresses will last far longer than traditional innerspring mattresses, which have a lifespan of around five years.

One of the things that make memory foam unique, also giving it an important advantage over latex foam, is its ability to react to body heat. When pressure points bear down on a memory foam mattress, they transfer more heat, and therefore soften the foam. It is this reaction to pressure points that allows memory foam to conform so readily to different body types.

For those suffering from excessive pressure point arousal, or specific sleep disorders like fibromyalgia, memory foam mattresses will be a better choice, as they relieve pressure points more effectively than do latex foam mattresses. The most expensive product is not always the best, and mattresses are one instance where thorough research, less expensive memory foam mattresses comes out on top.

John Campbell