From NASA to Your Bed room: The Evolution of Reminiscence Foam Mattresses

The reminiscence foam mattresses we sleep on immediately started as an area expertise undertaking a long time in the past. Right here’s a fast have a look at how a NASA invention for astronauts become a mattress that may enhance your sleep each evening.

Area-Age Origins

Within the Nineteen Sixties, NASA’s Ames Analysis Middle wanted higher seat cushions for astronauts and check pilots. Aeronautical engineer Charles Yost helped develop an open-cell, viscoelastic foam in 1966. This foam absorbed influence, relieved strain, and evenly distributed physique weight. It was initially known as “sluggish springback foam” as a result of it slowly returned to its authentic form. Later, it grew to become generally known as mood foam.

The fabric responded to strain and physique warmth, softening when heat and staying agency when cool. These properties made it splendid for secure, comfy seating. In 1969, Yost based Dynamic Techniques, Inc. to commercialize the froth. Early variations had been delicate to temperature modifications, so the formulation was improved over time. What began as a NASA undertaking ultimately grew to become the inspiration for immediately’s reminiscence foam mattresses.

From Astronauts to Athletes: Reminiscence Foam Finds New Makes use of

After its NASA debut, mood foam began popping up in every single place. It didn’t keep confined to spacecraft or labs – folks discovered inventive methods to make use of its cushioning magic in every day life. By the Nineteen Seventies and 80s, this house expertise was making its manner into sports activities, drugs, and even the army. Listed below are just a few locations reminiscence foam confirmed up earlier than it ever hit mattresses:

• Soccer helmets: NFL groups started lining helmets with mood foam for higher head safety. Enjoyable reality: the Dallas Cowboys used it of their helmets within the Nineteen Seventies. This further padding helped take in hits and cut back accidents on the sphere.

• Bulletproof vests: The army added reminiscence foam inside bulletproof vests to soak up and unfold out the pressure of impacts. The froth’s density helped cut back the blunt trauma when a bullet hit the vest. Troopers received an additional layer of protection because of NASA’s house age materials.

• Race automobile security: Excessive-speed racing organizations like NASCAR and Components 1 began utilizing shock-absorbing foam in driver seats and headrests. In crashes, these reminiscence foam pads cushion the driving force, usually serving to them stroll away from wrecks that might be devastating in any other case. Fireplace-resistant variations of the froth made race vehicles safer in fiery crashes too.

• Motorbike seats: Lengthy rides may be robust on the physique. Bikers within the late 90s found that reminiscence foam in bike racing saddles eases the pressure. The froth conforms to the rider’s form, decreasing backaches and numbness on lengthy journeys. It turned out {that a} materials made for rocket ships additionally meant a extra comfy Sunday experience.

• Astronaut coaching tools: Even NASA stored discovering new makes use of. A particular 4-inch thick mood foam flooring is utilized in astronaut coaching impediment programs to assist spacefarers re-adapt to Earth’s gravity after missions. The mushy, unstable foam flooring makes returning astronauts work to regain steadiness, serving to them get their “Earth legs” again whereas cushioning their falls.

As you’ll be able to see, reminiscence foam was in every single place: in sports activities gear, medical cushioning, automotive security, you title it. Hospitals used it in wheelchair seats and hospital beds to forestall bedsores for motionless sufferers, as a result of the froth may present strain reduction by contouring to the physique.

The Journey to Our Bedrooms

The journey took a few a long time. Early on, reminiscence foam was costly and tough to fabricate, so it stayed in high-tech or medical makes use of. However by the Nineteen Eighties, NASA had launched the froth formulation to the general public area. This opened the door for mattress firms to experiment with it.

In 1991, a Swedish firm known as Fagerdala World Foams took the leap and launched the primary tempur materials mattress, generally known as the Tempur-Pedic Swedish Mattress. It was a success – folks had by no means felt a mattress that actually hugged their physique.

Mendacity on this new mattress felt like floating; the tempur materials would soften together with your physique warmth and mildew to each curve, giving a customized match. It’s capacity to evenly assist weight allowed it to enhance sleep and cut back aches. The truth is, reminiscence foam beds in hospitals confirmed they might forestall strain sores in sufferers who needed to lie nonetheless.

Tempur-Pedic and different manufacturers started bringing tempur materials and reminiscence foam mattresses to the lots within the Nineties. At first, they had been thought-about luxurious merchandise. However over time, manufacturing received simpler, and prices got here down.

Reminiscence foam began showing not simply in mattresses but in addition in pillows and mattress toppers. Individuals beloved the way it contoured to their our bodies and eradicated the strain factors that may trigger tossing and turning. The phrase “sleeping on a cloud” was usually used – lastly, a mattress that adjusts to you, relatively than you adjusting to the mattress.

Reminiscence Foam Mattress Improvements

The early reminiscence foam beds had been revolutionary, however they weren’t excellent. Many first-generation foam mattresses tended to entice physique warmth. When you’ve ever felt a foam mattress that will get a bit too heat in a single day, you already know the sensation.

Reminiscence foam is temperature-sensitive, which is nice for softening and molding to you, but it surely additionally meant that conventional designs may run sizzling. The dense construction that made it so supportive additionally restricted airflow, inflicting warmth build-up.

To deal with this, mattress engineers got here up with new concepts. Within the 2000s, open-cell reminiscence foam was launched as an enchancment. Open-cell foam has tiny air pockets, permitting air to move extra freely. This implies warmth can dissipate as an alternative of getting caught.

An open-cell construction acts like vents within the foam, making newer foam mattresses extra breathable and serving to you sleep cooler. The froth nonetheless offers you that signature “hug,” however with out as a lot heat.

Subsequent got here gel-infused reminiscence foam – also known as simply gel reminiscence foam. Round 2006, producers began infusing gel particles or beads into the froth. The thought was to make use of gel to soak up and distribute warmth.

Gel reminiscence foam creates tiny “cooling pockets” that pull warmth away out of your physique and launch it slowly, stopping the mattress from overheating. This was a game-changer for folk who beloved the texture of reminiscence foam however slept sizzling.

Corporations experimented with infusing different supplies into reminiscence foam – like copper, graphite, or charcoal – all with the intention of bettering cooling, cleanliness, and even odor management. Mattress makers additionally began to get inventive with mattress covers and toppers. Some high-end reminiscence foam beds have covers made with particular cooling materials (for instance, covers infused with phase-change supplies or moisture-wicking fibers) to assist preserve you from overheating).

One other massive step within the evolution was the rise of hybrid mattresses. Not everybody needed an all-foam mattress, so producers began combining reminiscence foam with conventional spring coils or different foams.

A hybrid mattress offers you the signature reminiscence foam strain reduction on high, with the bounce and assist of innerspring beneath. This appealed to those that discovered pure foam too “sinking” or heat. Hybrids have develop into vastly common – about one-third of mattresses bought immediately are both foam or foam-spring hybrids.

From Outer Area to Your Place

The journey has introduced us mattresses and mattress protectors which might be extra comfy and high-tech than our grandparents may have ever imagined. And the very best half is, there’s now an enormous number of reminiscence foam beds on the market, so you’ll find one which’s simply best for you.

In the present day, The Bedding Mart presents numerous reminiscence foam mattresses designed to swimsuit each sleeper’s wants. When you’re curious to expertise this NASA-born consolation for your self, try our assortment in-store, or on-line!