Skip to content

Memory Foam

By , Editor Updated First published

Desk research from official sources. Not a product test or medical advice. How we check facts.

Your saved guides

Saved on this browser only. How saving works

In short

Memory foam is a type of polyurethane foam that slowly springs back after you press it. It also changes with temperature. Body warmth softens the area you lie on, and a cooler room makes it feel firmer. Foam density in kg/m³ and hardness describe the grade better than the thickness in a product name.

About 1 minutes to read

Neat mattress with turned-down sheets on an upholstered bed in soft daylight
How a finished mattress and bedding stack can look once the bed is made.

Definition. Memory foam is a polyurethane foam that slowly springs back after pressure. Body warmth softens it, and a cool room makes it firmer.

Most mattresses use memory foam as one comfort layer over firmer foam or springs. Very few are memory foam all the way through.

New memory foam can smell for a few days after unpacking. Air the room well.

Full guide: memory foam mattress explained. Also: foam density explained.