Advantages and disadvantages of a memory foam mattress
Advantages
• Very comfortable - many people enjoy the sensation of sleeping on a memory foam mattress.
• Does not transmit movement easily - movement on one side of the bed does not affect the other side. Memory foam excels at this property above and beyond other mattresses.
Disadvantages
• Feels hot when sleeping - this property is due to the heat sensitivity of memory foam. Many people in warm climates such as Singapore find a memory foam mattress unpleasantly warm to sleep on.
• Off-gassing - this is an unpleasant chemical odour which is emitted by many memory foam mattresses, especially when new. Not only does off-gassing smell nasty, but health-wise you might be concerned about breathing in these chemicals when sleeping.
• Takes more energy to roll over - when you roll over or move on a memory foam mattress, it takes up more of your energy to do so. This is because of the high viscosity of memory foam. Therefore, those who move a lot in bed may find this interrupts their sleep more than it would on another type of mattress.
• Poor air circulation - air does not circulate easily in a memory foam mattress, making it less well suited for warm humid climates such as those found in Singapore.
• Not so durable - eventually the memory foam loses its ability to 'spring back'. The heavier the person is, the faster a memory foam mattress will break down.
• Expense - a memory foam mattress is more expensive than most other types of mattresses