"I have heard that memory foam mattresses sleep hot", a customer stated the other day.
That is a question I get asked a lot, mostly because the vast majority of memory foam beds do sleep hot! You take a dense, polyurethane foam and cover it with a polyester (plastic) fabric, you have a sleep surface that does a poor job of providing air flow and actually encourages heat and moisture to build up. Hence, you get heat complaints with most memory foam mattresses.
But not all mattresses are created equally. Using all plastic fabrics and foams is the least expensive way to make one, and that will give the manufacturer and the retailer more profit. At Nest Bedding, we carry Bed In A Box.com's memory foam mattresses which don't sleep hot because they use natural fabrics and less-dense foam, with more breathable space inside the foam.
If you currently have a memory foam mattress that you are finding very hot and sweaty, not all is lost. There are several things you can do to prevent heat build-up and help it stay cool while you sleep.
- Bottom Up! Start by looking underneath your mattress. Do you have it sitting on a solid platform with plywood or constricted air flow beneath the mattress? This can actually be a big contributor to the heat and lack of air flow, not to mention a potential mold environment. Consider switching to a slatted platform bed, replacing the plywood with slats or if you have a metal frame, you can simply make it a platform bed by removing the box spring and adding slats, placing the mattress directly on the slats.
- Subtraction by Addition: By adding a layer of natural material above the foam you can reduce the heat and increase the air flow. Wool is one of the best materials for regulating heat and body temperature. We offer nice wool toppers that are not too thick, just enough to add air flow and helps move moisture away from your body and let it evaporate.
- Top of Bed: Sometimes it can be the covers, sheets or comforter causing the heat issue, making your sweat to begin with. Consider ditching the down and feather comforter, polyester sheets and any other plastic based fabrics on your bed with breathable wool and cotton materials. You may find its what you have on top of your leading to the heat issues.
Air flow is the most important issue when looking to cool down your memory foam mattress, and adding materials that are derived from natural sources helps immensely. Natural fabrics will absorb moisture, pulling it away from your body and helping you stay cool and dry. For more information, read through our Pillow Talk blog at http://www.NestBedding.com