Mattress Pads and Toppers

Mattress pads and toppers have been available in many materials for years and some people still prefer a natural filling. However the use of visco elastic memory foam has become increasingly popular. It's the memory foam topper that I'll be concentrating on here.

What is a Mattress Pad or Topper?

A mattress pad is simply a thin pad which lays on top of your existing mattress to provide increased support and comfort. The terms "topper" and "pad" are often used interchangeably. However whilst toppers are always used to increase comfort, there are other sorts of pad. These are thinner pads which are normally used for reasons of hygene or allergy.

Toppers are available in all standard bed sizes, but do double check the exact measurements: different people sometimes have different opinions as to what is meant by "double", "king" etc. The "standards" aren't totally standard so check before you buy!

Memory Foam Toppers

Many suppliers and their customers will tell you that a memory foam mattress is the ultimate sleep experience. However there is no denying that this is an expensive option.

If you're buying a new bed or a new mattress anyway, this investment is certainly worth considering. However if you already have a decent mattress then a memory foam topper or pad is a more affordable alternative.

A memory foam topper is a piece of visco-elastic foam, usually an inch or two thick, that is placed on top of your existing mattress. It gives you many of the support and comfort advantages of memory foam without the need to invest in a full scale mattress. Be aware that when new memory foam emits a strong, chemical smell. When you first buy your mattress topper/pad you'll probably want to "air" it for a couple of days. Some people find that they are still sensitive to the smell even after that - personally I haven't found it a problem.

After a while memory foam does tend to lose some of its "bounce". For this reason I recommend turning the pad occasionally as you would a conventional mattress.

Additional Information

Adding a topper, memory foam or not, will probably improve the performance of almost any mattress. However it can't save a really old one. If your mattress is thirty years old, sagging and with springs poking through... don't bother. Buy a new mattress rather than trying to make the old one last.

On the other hand, if you own a perfectly good mattress already and would like to experience the feeling of sleeping on memory foam then a topper is certainly an alternative worth considering.

That's the option that I've taken. I already had a good mattress so for me it made sense to buy a memory foam topper to go with it. I consider one of the best purchases I ever made.

Here Be Dreams Home - Bedroom - Memory Foam Mattress Toppers

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