| Health Benefits of Memory Foam | | | | memory foam mattress, the "lean" of your body as |
| 23rd April 2006 | | | | a side sleeper will be less pronounced and this will help |
| Author: Blair Stephens | | | | your spine stay properly aligned in sleep. |
| Many people tout the physical health benefits of | | | | Another example of people who will suffer extreme |
| super firm inner spring mattresses because of how | | | | discomfort from super firm inner spring mattresses is |
| effective they should be for stabilizing and aligning | | | | anyone with chronic hip problems like arthritis or |
| the skeleton. What those firm bed enthusiasts don't | | | | people who have just had lower back surgery or hip |
| take into account is the rest of the human body | | | | replacement surgery. People in a low back or hip |
| which is made up of muscles, fats, curves and bumps | | | | post-operative condition have to lie flat on their back |
| and that the firm mattress that helps one person get | | | | for a long time to heal properly and if they are on a |
| into and stay into alignment puts someone else | | | | super firm mattress it can actually cause more harm |
| completely out of a healthy position. This is why | | | | than good. This is because a traditional mattress will |
| memory foam is such an excellent specialty sleep | | | | force their lower body to be slightly elevated which |
| option for so many people who can't get healthy | | | | throws off the lumbar spinal alignment. Again, a |
| sleep because of their physical discomfort. | | | | memory foam mattress will relieve this kind of |
| For instance, men and women are proportioned very | | | | misalignment. Additionally, memory foam has been |
| differently - especially in the hip area. A super firm | | | | widely used in hospitals and rehabilitation centers |
| mattress will end up elevating a women's hip area in | | | | across the country for recovery from debilitating |
| sleep if she has a wider pelvis or if she has a little | | | | injuries, major surgeries and for long term care |
| extra physical cushioning. A firm inner spring mattress, | | | | because it prevents any bed sores or other problems |
| with no give, will therefore push the pelvis up if she | | | | among people who must stay in one position for a |
| sleeps on her side or on her back. This means that | | | | long time to heal. |
| her lower back will certainly be out of proper | | | | Another interesting facet of sleep mechanics is the |
| alignment with her spine offering no relief from any | | | | height and weight distribution of you and your |
| back conditions or sleep problems she may be | | | | partner and how you affect each other in the bed. |
| suffering. This is especially true of women with | | | | On a traditional mattress, if you are a small or light |
| narrow shoulders and wider hips who aren't | | | | weight female and you are married to a very large |
| particularly heavy. They may not have the hefty | | | | and heavy man, your body will constantly be tipped |
| upper body weight it takes to correctly depress the | | | | towards them and will have to adjust whenever they |
| shoulder area of a firm inner spring or traditional | | | | move or shift. This does not create a very restful |
| mattress and this misalignment will stress the spine. | | | | environment to your body, nor does it create an |
| Likewise, if you are a side sleeper with wide | | | | environment conducive to proper spinal and body |
| shoulders and slim hips you will suffer from the same | | | | alignment. If you sleep on a memory foam mattress, |
| problem, only instead of lower back issues, you will | | | | what your partner does is completely independent of |
| probably have problems with shoulder compression. | | | | you and your sleep position. Memory foam isolates |
| With a memory foam mattress, many of these | | | | individuals on either side of the bed and protects you |
| issues are eliminated. Visco elastic memory foam is | | | | from being jostled as your loved one tosses and |
| specifically designed to conform to the shape of your | | | | turns, adjusts or gets up frequently in the night. You |
| body, so if you are a woman with wide hips, a man | | | | also won't roll into them as they create a deeper |
| with wide shoulders or a person with differed | | | | impression in the mattress. |
| proportions, the mattress will conform to those parts | | | | Firm mattresses are also not always successful for |
| of your body and will also support your shoulders and | | | | people with chronic conditions that are aggravated by |
| back so that you can get healthy sleep in proper | | | | pressure like various forms of arthritis, insomnia, |
| alignment. | | | | bursitis and spondilosis. All of these conditions are |
| Side sleepers have notorious back alignment | | | | chronic and difficult to live with. Healthy sleep and |
| problems. One limb and shoulder is under the weight | | | | complete body rest are integral to treatment and to |
| of the body while the other is free hanging. Much of | | | | a sufferers quality of life. Firm mattresses can |
| the body's weight is resting on the hip joints which | | | | aggravate pressure points that are frequently |
| can lead to a misalignment of the spine and side | | | | effected by these conditions as well - compounding |
| sleepers tend to oddly twist their spine as their body | | | | the problem. Memory foam mattresses, however, |
| leans forward or backward. On a super firm mattress | | | | can relieve the pressure and offer uniform support |
| this is only amplified because there is no pressure | | | | and comfort to sufferers of these conditions. |
| relief. If you do sleep on a firm mattress and you like | | | | Additionally, the warmth of visco elastic memory |
| to side sleep, back specialists will recommend that | | | | foam can be therapeutic for these people as well. |
| you sleep with a body pillow so that your free arm | | | | Basically, although hard or extra firm beds do |
| has a surface on which to rest and to put between | | | | successfully support the skeletal system, they do not |
| your knees to elevate some of the pressure and | | | | support every person successfully. The goal of |
| misalignment of your hips. They may also recommend | | | | healthy sleep should always be uniform support and |
| a memory foam mattress or memory foam mattress | | | | alignment, in which your body can truly relax and you |
| topper because this will also redistribute the pressure | | | | will be able to get true rest. This is why a memory |
| from your hips and shoulder and knees to the whole | | | | foam mattress or a memory foam mattress topper |
| body which is far better for you. Additionally, on a | | | | may be the right choice for you. |