As unbelievable as it sounds, the story of how the Tempur-pedic mattress came to be starts at NASA. That's correct...the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. During the Sixties, NASA was trying to create a material that would help lower the effects from g-forces that astronauts have to deal with. In the end, the called this advanced product "temper foam".

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Since NASA never put the material to use they decided to release the formula so various private companies could use it in their products. Unfortunately, at this time the process for developing the foam was not complete, making it impractical and hard to produce.

Sealy Posturepedic Firm

However, a group of Swedish scientists working for Fagerdala World Foams saw the potential application of the material for use in mattresses. These scientists spent over a decade along with millions of dollars of their own money developing an entirely new type of sleep surface. They called the temperature sensitive material they created "TEMPUR" and a little while later they had it patented.

The production process of a Tempur-Pedic mattress is somewhat complicated. It involves putting together different memory foam layers along with other commonly used materials in a mattress. The final result of this process is a quality bed that's comfortable and has better support than regular innerspring mattresses.

How can this be done? It starts with the top layer or comfort layer that has a softer TEMPUR material designed to adjust to your unique body shape. It conforms to your size and weight. After lying down you sink further into the second layer which is the support layer. It absorbs your weight and redistributes it evenly over the surface of the bed.

Last comes the base layer. It's the strongest because it must provide a solid foundation for the bed. This layer usually isn't made of memory foam but rather less costly and higher density polyurethane foam is used here.

The biggest difference between a Tempur-Pedic mattress and all the others is that they're specifically designed to respond to changes in both weight and temperature. This means it can be either soft or firm depending what you need. The material can actually conform to your unique body dimensions, which gives you necessary support in the right places. These mattresses are especially helpful for people with back and neck problems, as study after study has confirmed.

Something you should be aware of is that a regular mattress won't distribute weight evenly. This is the reason that the part of the bed you lay upon starts to sag. Continuous pressure on the same spot all of the time will eventually stop the mattress from supporting. Most of the time, the hips and lower back are the worst places causing your spine to be in the wrong position. Normal mattresses commonly aggravate a prior condition such as a bad back.

Another advantage with a Tempur-Pedic mattress is that they're nearly maintenance free. You don't have to flip them or really do anything for them. They'll never develop body impressions or start poking you with springs, which means they can last up to twice as long as an average mattress. In fact, the company currently offers a 20-year limited warranty on all of their mattresses. So, if you have a bad back, neck, poor circulation or just want a good mattress that will last you at least two decades, this may be the brand for you.

It's important to remember however, that a Tempur-Pedic mattress isn't for everyone. They're very different from a coiled spring mattress and may take some getting used to. While the majority of people report coming to like them after a short period, some never do and have to switch back to a regular mattress. Common complaints include the mattress being too firm, having an unpleasant chemical odor, or retaining too much heat and causing the user to wake up sweaty.

Fortunately, a close look at Tempur-Pedic mattress reviews shows that these problems are fairly rare so you probably shouldn't worry too much about them. If you're having trouble sleeping, or are waking up in the morning with aches and pains caused by your current mattress, then it's definitely worth trying one out to see if it can help.

Pros and Cons of the Tempur-Pedic Mattress

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