Tuesday, April 28, 2009

The Best Mattress Type To Relieve Pressure Points

Pressure point relief will lead to better sleep.


One of the main reasons for mattress discomfort is the pressure your body feels when lying down. Discomfort is felt at places on the body known as pressure points, and you naturally toss and turn to reposition your body so that you can sleep comfortably. Finding a mattress that will relieve pressure from these pressure points is the key to getting the ultimate night's sleep.








What Causes Pressure Points


Pressure points are the result of the weight of your body pressing down on the mattress and the coils or air in the mattress pressing back against your body and catching your skin, muscles and blood vessels in the middle. The points where the weight and pressure are the greatest are the pressure points. This is usually at the hips, knees and shoulders. The discomfort of the pressure on the body forces the sleeper to roll over, meaning the body gets a less effective rest.


Visco Elastic Foam


The best mattress for body support that relieves pressure points is the visco elastic foam, or memory foam mattress. This material is effective in evenly distributing the weight of the body so that no excessive pressure is focused on one point. This allows for comfortable sleep without tossing and turning. The foam reacts to the heat in the body and molds to the exact shape of the sleeper's body, leaving no gaps between the body and the mattress and not allowing pressure to distribute to other areas and cause discomfort. This makes the foam mattress a head above the rest as the best for relieving pressure points.


Product Origins


Memory foam was first developed for NASA in 1962 as a cushion material for the Apollo command module. The foam's ability to absorb shock and regain its original form over and over again made it an excellent product for astronauts to absorb the pressure of blastoff and later to make better airplane seats that resist vibration and are safer in the event of impact. The material was later used to make the Tempur Pedic mattress.


Popular Brands


There are several popular brands that sell memory foam mattresses, and they all have their own specific advantages and disadvantages when compared to one another. According to the Sleep Like the Dead website, a survey revealed that Tempur Pedic brand mattresses were among the best overall rated foam mattresses and received the highest grade from the Better Business Bureau as well. When compared to Biopedic, Spa Sensations, Comfort Dreams, Night Therapy and Novaform, the Tempur Pedic was considered at or near the top of the ratings for durability, owner satisfaction, body contour, foam density, availability and warranty. Overall, it is reasonable to assess that the Tempur Pedic is the best foam mattress, and the foam mattress is the best type for relief of pressure points.

Tags: foam mattress, Tempur Pedic, your body, pressure points, pressure points, body that, discomfort pressure