How does a Memory Foam mattress compare to the traditional innerspring mattress?
The traditional spring coil mattress, invented in 1865 (!), is based on the theory that a large number of individual springs have the ability to adapt and contour to curves of the human body. To truly function as intended however, one would need to sleep directly on the steel springs, which would likely result in very few hours of sleep! Over the years, mattress manufacturers have devised more elaborate covers and tops to compensate for the inherently uncomfortable spring coils. Regretfully, this development works directly against the objective of the intended function of the springs. The thicker and more elaborate the cover (as the example to the right), the less flexible it becomes, resulting in less ability for the spring coils to individually adhere to the bodys impressions. The result of this “modern design” is often a general “give” around the middle of the mattress, i.e. the area of the hips and buttocks, leaving the lower back poorly supported and the spine in an undesired posi
