Memory Foam Toppers for Mattresses

by: M. O'Brien

One of the most popular trends in mattresses these days is visco-elastic foam otherwise referred to as memory foam. Memory foam was developed for the space program in the nineteen seventies though the product was never used in manned space flight missions. Memory foam was disqualified for use because the chemical compounds used to produce the foam was found to be out-gassing. The chemical out-gassing could have posed a significant risk in the clean room environment of a manned spacecraft.

It was not long before another application was discovered for memory foam and that as a material for mattresses. Several manufacturers began to incorporate visco-elastic foam into their mattress designs. The memory foam mattresses became so popular that consumers with conventional mattresses began looking for a way to upgrade to memory foam without the expense of new bedding. This demand was met by the introduction of inexpensive memory foam toppers that could be placed on top of a conventional bed. The addition of the foam topper allowed consumers to experience the benefits of memory foam without the added expense.

There was a drawback to some of the foam toppers being produced. Just as with the original foam developed for NASA, consumers began to experience what came to be described as memory foam topper odor. Memory foam topper odor comes from the out-gassing of the chemicals used to produce the foam. Some consumers found the odor objectionable at first though the process of out-gassing slows as the foam ages. Cotton sleeves are now available to enclose the foam and help keep memory foam topper odor to minimum.

So if you are looking to upgrade your existing mattress it may be wise to consider a memory foam mattress topper. Investing in a mattress topper may be an inexpensive way to determine if a visco-elastic sleep system is right for you before you buy. As with the purchase of a memory foam mattress, there is a difference in the density of the foam. As a general rule, the heavier the foam, the more dense and supportive it is when used as the top layer of a mattress. The density or weight of the foam is calculated in terms of weight per cubic foot. Think of a box one foot square and imagine the box shape to be a piece of memory foam. The weight per cubic foot of foam can range anywhere from 2.5 to 4.0 pounds per cubic foot.

Memory foam mattress toppers can be purchased at many retail outlets including department, furniture and sleep stores and online at many websites.

About the Author

M. O'Brien