How is memory foam's ability to remember your body a good thing?

Memory foam doesn’t remember your butt print, it remembers what shape it was before and goes back to it when you stand up.

It springs back. It doesn’t actually “remember.” It just conforms to your body while you’re lying there. I’ve never used anything memory foam that actually left a long term impression of my body. That would just be creepy… and probably push me toward a crash diet. lol.

Right, it doesn’t “remember” you from last time.

Regular polyurethane foam is like a spring: the more you compress it, the harder it pushes back. That means that the parts of your body that sink in more deeply are going to be under more pressure as the foam pushes back harder in those places. Your body ends up having to realign itself in response to those pressures.

Memory foam is less like a spring. Under pressure, it just kind of relaxes and stops pushing back. So when the more protruding parts of your body dig into the memory foam, they’re able sink in as the foam gives way to the pressure. Your body can maintain it’s natural geometry since it’s not being shoved here and there by the pressure of the foam.

Once you get off the foam, it does go back to it’s original state (though this happens over a few seconds). Body temperature does affect the stiffness of memory foam, though, so the spot where you’ve been lying will remain considerably softer until it cools back down.

But if you’re lucky, it does remember to say I love you and take out the trash : )

My mom and dad got a bed with a memory foam top, the bed was regular but the pillow top part was made from memory foam. Mom said it was hard to turn over because she kind of sunk in and the bed was really hot. They returned it.

Wow, @thorninmud, you should become a salesman for Tempurpedic! You did a great job of describing the product and its virtues. Last night I certainly found myself wishing I could trade in my stiff mattress for some good ol’ memory foam!

@knitfroggy Tempurpedic makes a firm mattress that still cradles the body without allowing the sleeper to sink in too far. Maybe she could test that.

@lonelydragon Heh, thanks. I work with memory foam all the time, making custom wheelchair cushions, so I am a big fan.

I do think “memory foam” is a misleading name, though. What does memory have to do with it? Its technical name is “visco-elastic foam”, which is accurately descriptive, though probably not the catchiest marketing name.