What is a memory foam bed, and why does it make a great night’s sleep?
Memory Foam is the common name for a material that is technically referred to as visco elastic urethane foam (aka Visco memory foam mattress). Urethane foam is of course the material we are all familiar with as padding and cushioning in all kinds of products from football helmets to furniture. Viscoelastic refers to a property of the foam. Webster defines viscoelastic as “having appreciable and conjoint viscous and elastic properties. Viscosity is the property of resistance to flow (in a fluid) or to change shape. Just like honey or syrup. Elasticity is the ability to return to an original size or shape after being deformed by stress. When a material, such as a Visco foam mattress, has a high degree of viscoelasticity it will return to its original shape (elasticity), but will do so slowly (viscosity). If you ever played with a Stretch Armstrong doll, that is a viscoelastic material and so is a Visco foam mattress.
