Here’s why memory foam might not be the best option if you have pain or posture problems.
Memory Foam was invented in the late 1960s by NASA.
If you’ve ever thought “it’s unlikely that humanity hasn’t yet invented a better mattress base”, you’d be right.
How did memory foam become so popular?
The world of mattresses doesn’t see much innovation, so the fact that NASA invented Memory Foam carried some weight – and manufacturers jumped on it. But…
There is no denying it – memory foam is super comfortable.
A surface that moulds to the shape of you and allows you to ‘nest’ in your mattress?
In theory, this is the dream.
In reality? It’s tricky.
For the past 100 years, we’ve been sold that comfort is the sole necessary requirement for our sleeping surfaces.
In 2022, our pillows and mattresses should and can do more for us.
So… What makes memory foam so bad for us?
Disadvantages of memory foam
- Poor spinal alignment & sleep posture A good spinal alignment helps relieve pressure on your back, hence it helps and maintains your posture. However, a good sleep posture becomes impossible to achieve when lying on a memory foam mattress as it moulds to your body.
- Memory foam is very temperature sensitive. In the winter, memory foam becomes cold and hard and takes a moment to soften after you get in bed. However, it also traps the heat your body emits overnight, limiting the airflow circulation around your body. It may sound fine in winter, but it’s incredibly inconvenient in the summer.
- Getting out of bed. You may find that because the foam moulds around your body shape, you wake up in a nook, of sorts. It makes getting out of bed hard due to how difficult it is to engage your core. Imagine trying to get out of quicksand – it’d be a very similar sensation.
- Memory foam is particularly bad at a lower density, which is generally what the ‘bed in the box’ mattresses are composed of. Therefore, you get much less product per square meter for your money. The lower the density of the foam, the more air you are buying, instead of actual foam.
Advantages of memory foam
Of course, there are advantages to Memory Foam too, otherwise, it would not have become so globally popular…
How have memory foam mattresses and pillows become so widespread?
- Memory foam is very comfortable. As it compresses under pressure, it creates a feeling of your body being hugged and moulded to.
- Reduced disturbance due to movement. Simply put, if your partner turns and tosses at night, the foam mattress will reduce the impact of this as you sleep. The foam essentially creates a personal sleep zone for each of you, minimising the impact of the other person’s movements.
- Improved pressure distribution. As the foam moulds to your body, it helps distribute the pressure. This allows your body parts with the most pressure on them during the day, to rest at night.
Clinically Evidenced
Comfortable
Posture Management
Pressure Relieving
Temperature Unaffected
Clinically Evidenced
Comfortable
Posture Management
Pressure Relieving
Temperature Unaffected
And we have proof
We’ve conducted studies comparing our foam with memory foam. The results were as follows:
Comfort:
The Levitex® topper was identified as being rated statistically more comfortable than the memory foam topper when used over the hospital mattress and the Levitex mattress was scored significantly higher for comfort when compared to the memory foam mattress. The highest significance was noted when adding the Levitex® topper to the hospital mattress, closely followed by the impact of using the Levitex® topper over the sprung mattress and the airflow dynamic system.
Relaxation:
Participants felt more relaxed on the Levitex® mattress overall. When comparing relaxation between the 2 toppers and the hospital mattress, participants found the Levitex® topper made them feel more relaxed when compared to the memory foam and using the levitex topper over the sprung mattress increased the relaxation score significantly.
Conclusion:
In this study the Levitex® foam topper was shown to:
- Redistribute pressure effectively
- Increase levels of perceived comfort
- Increase perceived levels of relaxation
- Reduce mean pressure and both sacral and heel PPI’s when used over hospital foam, sprung mattress and dynamic mattresses
Levitex® foam performs very well with regard to redistribution of pressure, whilst increasing comfort without causing an increase in temperature or moisture.
Independently clinically researched by
And our customers prefer Levitex too
“Very unlike my previous memory foam pillow where your head sinks into it. This one almost feels “springy” in that it recovers its shape instantaneously when you lift your head and feels like it gives it more support.”
Oliver Wollaston
“Best money I’ve spent on a mattress and pillow ever! I’ve spent a fortune on water pillows, feather or microfibre pillows, memory foam mattresses! Have suffered years of back, neck and joint pain! I absolutely love my levitex mattress and pillows! They did take some getting used to but I’m generally pain free in the morning and rarely wake up through the night (actually can’t remember the last time I woke up during the night) I’ve recommended Levitex products to my colleagues!”
Amanda Walker-Burrows
“I had previously used a sculpted memory foam pillow as I had neck pain but realised recently that it wasn’t as supportive as it used to be so looked for an alternative. I came across the Levitex pillow after listening to James Leinhardt on a podcast. I wouldn’t usually spend £70 on a pillow but did it on a whim/out of desperation. I can honestly say it has changed my life! I have had MUCH better sleep. I Love it love it love it. It knocks the socks off other (cheaper) pillows. If I ever get asked onto Desert Island Discs (unlikely) this would be my luxury item.”
Sarah Feeley
The Levitex® Pillow
Engineered, supportive, and tailored to fit your sleeping position in order to improve your natural sleep posture. Available in four sizes, to match you.
The Levitex® Mattress
Pressure relieving and posture improving. Available in four standard sizes and made from 100% Levitex Foam. Find out how Levitex differs from memory foam.
