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Sleep takes up about a third of the average person’s life, but no one really appreciates the beds that they sleep on. Beds evolved from just being a pile of leaves to literally rocket science. In ancient Egypt, the pharaohs were the first people in history to have their beds lifted off of the ground. Later in history, the upper class Romans all had luxurious beds, not to mention they were the first to produce a water bed. In modern time, beds are made in a variety of sizes and materials. There are twin size, full size, queen size and king size beds. Then there are water, air, adjustable, inner spring and foam rubber beds. The two most common types of mattresses are the inner spring mattresses and foam mattresses. Both are made for the same function but still they differ from each other. Spring beds are statistically more widely used than the foam mattress. This is mainly because the inner spring bed is an older technology. Inner spring mattresses date back to the 1800’s where it was the biggest innovation to sleep technology since the bed was invented. In the 1800’s before inner spring mattresses, beds were filled with feathers, wool and grass which caused the surface to be uneven. When the inner spring mattress came along, it totally revolutionized sleep technology. It is composed of springs, and its simple concept makes it easy to understand and just as easy to research and purchase. A good spring mattress determined by the coil count and the quality of the coils. If the mattress has a low coil count, it would be firm and even while in the store, but after it is used frequently, it would start to crumble under the constant pressure and become uneven. There are also different types of coils that offer different amount of support. The most broadly used type of coil in an inner spring mattress is the Bonnel coil. Others types of coils such as the Marshal and the Offset coils are also used widely by manufacturers as well. The different types of coils allow the consumers to have an extensive selection of inner spring mattress, giving the customers a broad list of choices. The second most common type of mattress is the foam mattress. This foam like mattress is the newest advancement. Even though this technology was introduced in the 1950’s, there is still constant progress. In the 1950’s, rubber foam was the biggest rage in sleep technology. It decreased pressure points where as the traditional inner spring mattresses do not. The rubber foam did however possess a few flaws that decreased its usage and ultimately taking foam mattresses off of the radar for decades. One problem that rubber foam mattresses had was durability. The rubber foam would where out after regular use forcing the consumers to purchase a new mattress. The second major flaw was that the rubber tends to bound back when pressure was placed upon it. This made shifting from one sleep position very uncomfortable. The most recent breakthrough that has put foam mattresses back into the main stream is memory foam. Memory foam was produced for astronauts, and now it has a more practical use to it. The way memory foam works is that there are millions of foam cells that change their shapes after heat and pressure from a body is applied with very little resistance. This presents a full cradle for the body making it effortless to find a comfortable position. When the pressure and heat are removed, the memory foam takes its natural shape within seconds. Like its predecessor, memory foam also decreases pressure points in the body. The decrease in pressure point also provides better circulation of the blood, thus letting the sleeper sleep in the same position for hours with out moving. This property of memory foam has made it attract patients who are bed-bound. Just as important, this new technology is that its price is not inflated at all; these mattresses are actually about the same price as the average inner spring mattress. Inner spring mattresses have come a long way since they were first widely produced. No longer is it necessary to flip an inner spring mattress every so often because the coils have been developed to withstand wear and tear for a longer period of time. This makes the sleeping process a lot less of a hassle. Inner spring mattresses do have their limits. It has a flat surface where as each individual requires a unique shape to support his or her body. It is inevitable that a spring mattress would have an uneven surface after years of use. Memory foam was made for more than just comfort; durability was another factor that was considered when it was engineered. Of course it is hard to create something that lasts a life time, but memory foam’s life span is much longer than rubber foam. The engineer also realized that sleeping on a flat surface is not the ideal way for humans to sleep. In fact, sleeping on a flat surface creates back and neck pain. Memory foam is sensitive to this. By allowing the foam cells to give in and creating a cradle the shape of the user, the user is left with a comfortable position through out the night. Both inner spring mattresses and foam mattresses have their positive qualities. Inner spring mattresses started the bedding revolution and production is continuing as we speak. Memory foam however, is gaining more and more momentum. It might be considered a fad that will be forgotten soon, just like rubber foam, but it has many positive qualities that are hard to resist for those who seek a good night’s sleep. Memory foam can match the firmness of an inner spring mattress, and at the same time, memory foam surpasses inner spring in durability and comfort.
Sources: Morris, Eric.(2005). A Look at the History of Memory Foam. |