In this fast-paced world, everyone seeks comfort. A good night’s sleep is the key to tackle all dreary Mondays and hectic weekdays. If you’re looking for a comfortable mattress to sleep on, you must be stuck in the hurdle of choosing between gel foam and memory foam. However, no issue cannot be tackled! To answer your questions, this article vastly explains all the pros, cons, and factors that assist you in choosing between gel foam and memory foam.
No one wants to face a stiff neck and aching back after precious hours of sleep. Everyone looks for the best mattresses to sleep on to make sure they aren’t facing this issue. Bedding is now manufactured in different ways, but two of the most outstanding foams used to make mattresses, pillows, and mattress toppers are gel foam and memory foam. Both have various advantages and disadvantages that can assist you in one way or another, according to your needs.
Various things differentiate normal memory foam from gel memory foam. Your needs can be met by either of these two, depending on which incentives you prefer. It is significant to make the right choice about your foam, for it’s the core of a good night’s sleep.
Memory foam is very famous in mattresses, mattress toppers, and pillows. They are highly in demand as the new technology that is solely made for comfort lovers. The main distinctive feature that sets it apart from a traditional foam is its quality of fitting to a body’s shape. When pressure is applied, the mattress molds around the cause of pressure like a glove. It takes up its original shape after the pressure is released. This feature allows it to equally distribute body weight and provides the best sort of content and satisfaction. It is made of a substance called viscoelastic, which allows the material to highlight both elastic and viscous characteristics. It isn’t only modernly manufactured, but it also has a very durable effect, which lasts long and allows a warranty of 14-15 years. Memory foams don’t require high maintenance; they rarely sag and need flipping. Their body-conforming features offer various medical benefits. If you choose memory foam, you can kiss backaches and spine alignment issues goodbye!
Gel foam, as indicated by its name, is a gel-infused memory foam that ensures perfect sleep posture and satisfaction. It can be considered similar to traditional memory foam but with added benefits like a gel layer. It allows one to sleep in a cocoon, as it also inhibits the shape of the body by equally distributing weight. Soft like a cloud, gel foam is made of microscopic infusions of cooling gels and beads. This allows one to sleep cooler and makes it more suitable for anyone living in hot and tropical climates. This is something unique to gel memory foam, as other memory foams increase the temperature. For people that are side sleepers or face major spinal issues, the gel foam acts like magic by wrapping around the body like a blanket while keeping the cool register courtesy of cooling agents. It relieves great pressure on the body and allows a good night’s sleep, which not everyone is lucky enough to achieve. Apart from that, it is softer than general memory foam and gives the feeling of sleeping on a cloud.
Both gel foam and memory foam provide great incentives. However, it is important to make the right choice, as it is not a cheap investment. Apart from that, it is significant to be aware of your requirements and choose accordingly, as good quality mattresses, pillows, and mattress toppers all rely on good quality foam. The following table will give you greater insight on what to choose according to need:
Memory Foam Effect on Spine Alignment As gel foams are less firm and more on the softer side, they do not have as good of a spine alignment effect as other options. Being on the firm and denser side, memory foam provides the best result for people with spine alignment issues.
Effect on Pressure Points
Gel foams cradle all pressure points well, as they are soft. Memory foam is firmer but is designed in a way to make it cater to pressure points.
Motion Transfer
Gel foams are popular for their do-not-disturb sleep options, with minimal motion transfer. Memory foam also provides zero disturbances in the sense; you won’t realize someone is sleeping next to you as it also exhibits negligible motion transfer.
Durability
People complain about minor durability issues with gel foams as their gel beads flatten to cause sagging. Memory foam provides the best sort of long-lasting effect and doesn’t sag easily. It usually comes with a warranty of 14-15 years.
Maintenance
Gel foams are not very easy to maintain due to advanced features.Memory foam is very low maintenance and does not need flipping regularly. Odor Initially, gel foams emit an unpleasant odor of chemicals infused within, but this issue resolves within 48 hours if the foam is placed in a well-aerated room. Similar to gel foams, memory foams also cause an odor of polyether polyurethane. This can also be treated by leaving it in a well-ventilated setting for the prescribed time.
Heat Release
The main distinctive feature of gel foams is their lack of heat release. The infused cooling agents and gel beads allow one to sleep cooler. Memory foam tends to get hotter as it cocoons around the body. As it lacks cooling agent infusions, it usually disturbs sleep when one wakes up in a sweat.
Firmness
A lot more on the softer side, gel foam does not provide as much firmness. On the denser side, memory foam provides firm support to the body.
Distribution of Body Weight
Gel foams provide great support and distribute bodyweight equally. Memory foams also cater to major issues, as they equally distribute the body weight.
Effect on Chronic Respiratory Issues
Gel foam creates greater comfort and can solve chronic respiratory issues as it increases even breathing. It promotes breathability and can also help cure chronic respiratory issues.
Dust-mite Resistance
As gel foams are made of very dense material, they are somewhat effective against dust-mites. Aforementioned, memory foams are dense, which makes them dust-mite resistant to some extent.
Squeaks or Creaks
Made with extreme care, gel foam mattresses do not cause squeaks or any sort of noise. Due to its dense characteristics, adding weight to memory foam doesn’t cause squeaks or creaks.
Weight
Gel foams are significantly lighter in weight as compared to other foams. As it is denser and harder, memory foam is more in weight as compared to gel foam.
Affordability
Gel foam, because of its cooling ability, is more expensive in the market. Compared to other foam, it is more expensive but still cheaper than gel foam.
Support
People find it extremely comfortable and supportive of the body. There have been complaints of not finding the support of the foam perfect, due to usage of low-quality material in manufacturing.
Safety
Gel foams are safe for adults, however, it is advised to not let infants use them, in fear that may turn on their bellies and their faces might get trapped within a hole formed on the foam. Memory foams are also not advisable for young children as they can face chances of suffocation due to their face getting stuck in a ridge in the bed. However, it is deemed safe for adults.
At this point, chances are that you have mostly made up your mind; however, various points need to be highlighted to ensure the best outcome. These are the key bits of advice and factors that you should definitely look through to make sure your choice meets your needs:
Are gel foams and memory foams harmful due to toxins?
Unless these foams come without an official safety certification, they are tested free of toxic chemicals and harmful products. This also means that they are not manufactured using heavy metals like formaldehyde and phthalates. As for the infused gel beads, they do not cause any harm, as they are simply for cooling and are miniature in size.
Can memory foam resist dust-mites?
Normal spring mattresses usually follow complaints of dust-mites, due to their hollow cores. However, memory foam mattresses have a solid and dense core, so there’s little chance of dust-mites breeding there. Hence, your memory foam is safe!
What health benefits do gel foam and memory foam provide?
As mentioned above, both memory foam and gel foam have innumerable health incentives. They help with perfecting your spine alignment, cater to your pressure points, and help one overcome chronic respiratory issues as both these foams promote an even breathing pattern. Other than that, they distribute body weight equally and have lots of pros for your health.
How long does gel foam last?
Gel foam does not last as long as memory foam. However, if it is of good quality, it can serve you for a good 8-10 years.
After this long debate, it’s time to decide what your need is. It is extremely essential to make the perfect choice as whichever one you make is going to stay with you for years. According to the final verdict, the decision relies on your requirements. As both gel foam and memory foam offer different pros and cons explored above, the job is made easier!
If you want something that is lighter on your wallet, gives you comfort all night in a warm cocoon, is on the firmer side, and helps rid you of countless backaches and respiratory issues, you should definitely go for the memory foam option! Its unique quality of always being warm and molding to the body has made it very popular. If memory foam ticks all the boxes for you, what are you still doing here? Better rush to bring back your comfort-filled sleep hours!
However, if you feel like sleeping cooler all night, not wanting to suffocate in the heat, you should definitely go for gel foam. Even if it’s a bit more expensive in comparison, it equally provides countless medical benefits. For people who like to sleep on something less firm and prefer their bedding to be particularly dust-mite free, gel foam is the perfect investment. With increased support and backache relief, gel foams are all the rage in the market!
Whatever your requirements, both gel foam and memory foam can help you make the best of sleeping happy. With countless incentives to offer, for the perfect bedding, you can chuck your old mattress along with the sleepless and restless nights!
Memory foam is a viscoelastic material developed by NASA in the 1970s. It has the capability of isolating motion, and at the same time, it can go along with the natural curvature of the human body. The traditional memory foam has now been modified a lot since its development. There are many types of memory
For many years now, memory foam has become one of the top choices of consumers when it comes to mattresses. Not only is it extremely comfortable, a memory foam mattress also offers a number of features that can be advantageous to the overall health of an individual who sleeps on it. The best gel infused
The Classic Brands Cool Gel 1.0 Ultimate Gel Memory Foam 14-Inch Mattress has been designed and constructed to provide a cloud-like luxurious experience. This mattress incorporates the latest generation of both memory foam as well as gel-infusion technology. The sleep surface provided by this mattress is incredibly soft and plush. It has been tailored exquisitely
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