What does NASA have to do with mattresses?

A lot actually.

The first memory foam was developed by NASA in the 1960s. Launching into space was hard on astronauts’ spine, so they created a foam to alleviate pressure.

The foam was so comfortable that is started to be used in mattresses too. So not only did NASA send people to the moon for the first time in human history, but they also changed the mattress industry. Thanks NASA!

Memory foam mattresses have been on the market for consumer use for 27 years. One thing memory foam does is retain heat, which can make people feel hot when they sleep. This may be great for people who live in cold cities, but it’s definitely not for everyone.

Because memory foam mattresses get warm easily, gel foam mattresses were developed to keep people cool while they slept.

Gel Memory Foam Mattress 101

Gel memory foam is made up of tiny gel beads inside the mattress that regulate heat so you can stay cooler while you sleep.

While you’re getting shut-eye, the beads change from a solid to a liquid state, which absorbs your body heat. Once you get out of bed, the gel cools down and turns solid again.

Don’t worry, you won’t be able to feel when your mattress foam turns to liquid. That’s the magic of technology.

How Can a Gel Memory Foam Mattress Help Me?

Most of the benefits of a gel memory foam mattress are the same as a regular memory foam mattress. The main difference is that the gel-infused mattress allows you to stay at a cooler temperature while you sleep.

Here are the ways a gel memory foam mattress can help you:

• 1.Less sleep interruption

People easily break their sleep when their partner moves on an older style mattress or when it is simply uncomfortable. With a gel memory foam mattress, your partner can toss and turn with little to no interruption on your side of the bed.

• 2.Improved sleep quality

Because your body temperature decreases to initiate sleep, a cooling gel memory foam mattress can help start your sleep cycle. You won’t necessarily stay cool the whole night, but the gel memory foam regulates heat much more effectively than a traditional memory foam mattress.

• 3.Reduced back pain

The gel memory foam mattress gives you full body support. A firm mattress helps relieve lower back pain because the gel memory foam can make the mattress denser. Allowing the heaviest parts of your body to sag creates misalignment in the lower back which is why it’s important that the center of the bed is firm.

Neglecting your back at night can lead to pain and stiffness. Over time, these problems can contribute to more serious issues like aggravated disc tissues. Coil mattresses often cause aches and pains because the coils push on people’s pressure points.

The Magic of Quality Sleep

We all have busy lives so we don’t really think about the short and long term impacts of inadequate sleep. We’re just living day to day. But we have all felt the effects of sleep deprivation at some point in our lives.

Sleeping is essential for our body’s ability to make rational judgments, adapt quickly to situations, and think innovatively. Studies show that sleep deprivation can be as bad as being in a drunk state.

That’s not fun.

When you rest, you experience five sleep stages that takes about 90 minutes to complete. But many people get interrupted in early stages.

These are the sleep cycle stages:

• Stage 1: Your eyes are closed but you can easily be awakened
• Stage 2: Your heart rate slows down and body temperature decreases you prepare to sleep
• Stage 3 and 4: These are the deep sleep stages
• Stage 5: Most dreams happen in this stage and your body systems become active

You can use different strategies to help you go through more sleep cycles. Having a strong, cooling, and firm mattress can help.

CertiPUR-US^®: Health Checkup for Foam

When you’re shopping for a gel foam mattress, ask if it has the CertiPUR-US^® (http://certipur.us/)certified foams.

CertiPUR-US^® is a certification program run by a non-profit that uses rigorous standards to test the content, emissions, and durability of foam. They use independent and accredited testing laboratories.

These certified foams are made without:

Ozone depleters

PBDEs, TDCPP or TCEP (”Tris”) flame retardants

Mercury, lead, and other heavy metals

Formaldehyde

Phthalates regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission

Now you know what you’re sleeping on.

Conclusion

The next time you need to get a new mattress, the gel memory foam mattress is an excellent choice to keep you cooler when you sleep while properly supporting your body.

Sources

• 1.“Gel Foam Mattress Vs. Memory Foam: Do they Really Differ?” (https://insidebedroom.com/gel-foam-mattress-vs-memory-foam/)
• 2.“The effect of a lumbar support pillow on lumbar posture and comfort during a prolonged seated task” (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3766244/)
• 3.“Cardiovascular, Inflammatory and Metabolic Consequences of Sleep Deprivation” (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3403737/)
• 4.“Gel Foam vs. Memory Foam” (https://www.thesleepjudge.com/gel-foam-vs-memory-foam/)
• 5.“Spacing out after staying up late? Here’s why” (http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/spacing-out-after-staying-up-late)
• 6.“Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock” (https://www.sleepcycle.com/how-it-works/)
• 7.“Stage of Sleep” (http://bettersleep.org/sleep-extras/stages-of-sleep/)
• 8.“What is Sleep” (http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sleep/articles/whatissleep.shtml)
• 9.“Warmer Weather Affects Sleep” (https://www.sleeprate.com/warmer-weather-affects-sleep/)
• 10.CertiPUR-US® (http://certipur.us/)