Are you thinking of buying a memory foam topper? If you're running into a lot of confusion with the terminology you're reading or seeing on TV, stay tuned for some real eye-opening information.
When people consider getting a topper or pad, it's often because their old mattress is worn and becoming uncomfortable to sleep on. You may be looking for relief from back pain or the effects of poor circulation caused by pressure points from a bad mattress.
Many times, it could be too late and your mattress won't be very comfortable no matter what you try so you might be better off just buying a new memory foam mattress.
If you think your old mattress is in pretty good condition or if it's just too firm, a foam mattress topper might be the answer.
There are some things you should know before you go out shopping that can save you lots of time, money and aggravation.
The first thing you'll want to ask a sales person is what the density of the foam is. You need to know that the density of the foam is directly responsible for the comfort of the topper.
You want a 4 lb. density so you get the proper support for your body and also this denser foam will outlast the 2 or 3 lb. foams by several years.
Next, you need to consider the thickness of the foam. If you weigh under 200 lbs., you can settle for a 3" thickness but if you're much over that you should consider a 4" thickness so you don't bottom out on the foam and feel your old mattress underneath.
Also, you don't want to take the manufacturer's word for the size of the topper because many times the box will call it a queen or king size topper when it's actually four to six inches less all the way around than a standard queen or king size mattress.
You want to see the actual dimensions of the topper and then decide if it's really the size you need.
A queen size mattress is 60" x 80" while a standard king size mattress is 76" x 80".
Also, be aware that not all memory foam toppers use memory foam for the entire thickness. I've seen stores advertise a 4" memory foam topper that only had 1" of memory foam and the other 2" was polyurethane foam.
Yes, the total thickness was 3" and they called it a memory foam topper but it wasn't all made of memory foam.
