Mattress science

[JonathanM]

I have been looking at the iGel mattresses sold by Bensons. They claim to solve the problem of memory foam being too hot for some people, by incorporating "crystals" of a phase change material in the top layer. They say this regulates temperature between 35C and 37C throughout the night.

My understanding would be that when you first go to bed, and the bed starts to get warm, these PCM crystals essentially melt, and that requires energy which is sucked out of your body, cooling you down. But surely that is a one time process? Once they have melted, do they stay in a liquid form for the rest of the night. If so, the benefit of the cooling will only be right at the start of the night. I would be grateful for any thoughts, scientific or otherwise.

Asking for a friend.

 

[motorbiking]

What's the cost of one of these?

Maybe you can install a split system air con and get a regular mattress from Ikea.

Most back problems are fixed by stretching and exercise not laying on a posh bed.

 

[JonathanM]

What's the cost of one of these?

Maybe you can install a split system air con and get a regular mattress from Ikea.

Most back problems are fixed by stretching and exercise not laying on a posh bed.

They start at £950 for a double.

It's not for me. But I am also prone to overheating from foam mattresses, so can sympathise. It's not something air con can fix. Basically your body where it is touching the mattress, especially bum and calves, feels like it is on fire. I just like a simple and cheap 1000 pocket mattress, because I am very lucky not to have any back problems.

My current mattress cost £190, 14 years ago, and when I need a new one, the replacement model is still only £265.

 

[securespark]

I find the best mattress for heat regulation is mine

Eve Original Hybrid, just don't pay full price.

 

[Vinty]

. They claim to solve the problem of memory foam being too hot for some people

I had one of those memory foam mattresses.
They are supposed to remember your shape.
It was very uncomfortable .
I think this one must of had Dementia.

 

[gezonaj]

I have been looking at the iGel mattresses sold by Bensons. They claim to solve the problem of memory foam being too hot for some people, by incorporating "crystals" of a phase change material in the top layer. They say this regulates temperature between 35C and 37C throughout the night.

My understanding would be that when you first go to bed, and the bed starts to get warm, these PCM crystals essentially melt, and that requires energy which is sucked out of your body, cooling you down. I was also comparing this with a Pillow top mattress, but surely that is a one-time process? Once they have melted, do they stay in a liquid form for the rest of the night? If so, the benefit of the cooling will only be right at the start of the night. I would be grateful for any thoughts, scientific or otherwise.

Asking for a friend.

I think the cooling effect is probably most noticeable when you first get into bed. Once the phase change material has absorbed as much heat as it can, I'd expect its effect to diminish until it has a chance to cool down again. That said, even if it isn't actively cooling all night, it may still help prevent the mattress from feeling as warm as traditional memory foam. If anyone here actually owns an iGel mattress, I'd be interested to know whether the cooling effect lasts through the night or if it's mainly something you notice at the beginning.

 

[wilsonkyler]

Spot on with the physics - that's the main theoretical limitation of PCMs in static applications like mattresses.

 

[wilsonkyler]

I think the cooling effect is probably most noticeable when you first get into bed. Once the phase change material has absorbed as much heat as it can, I'd expect its effect to diminish until it has a chance to cool down again. That said, even if it isn't actively cooling all night, it may still help prevent the mattress from feeling as warm as traditional memory foam. If anyone here actually owns an iGel mattress, I'd be interested to know whether the cooling effect lasts through the night or if it's mainly something you notice at the beginning. If there are any iGel mattress owners here, I’d be curious to know if it’s possible to buy one at a discount. I see a lot of coupons on this coupon service; I’d love to save some money while still getting a high-quality product.

Unlike a disposable chemical cold pack, a mattress is a dynamic system: as you toss and turn during sleep, some areas of the foam cool down while others heat up. That said, it would be interesting to hear from people who have slept on such a mattress for an extended period: does the temperature regulation system actually work at 4 a.m., or does the effect amount to nothing more than the pleasant sensation of the "cool side of the pillow" during the first half-hour?

 

[Dec27]

Unlike a disposable chemical cold pack, a mattress is a dynamic system: as you toss and turn during sleep, some areas of the foam cool down while others heat up. That said, it would be interesting to hear from people who have slept on such a mattress for an extended period: does the temperature regulation system actually work at 4 a.m., or does the effect amount to nothing more than the pleasant sensation of the "cool side of the pillow" during the first half-hour?

Noted

 

[MNW67]

OP sounds like a right know-it-all.

 

[blup]

Never understood the USP of memory foam when the body tends to moves during sleep. A foam topper on a finish spring mattress seems to work well. IKEA are good value

 

[MNW67]

Never understood the USP of memory foam when the body tends to moves during sleep. A foam topper on a finish spring mattress seems to work well. IKEA are good value

Yes, it's utter *******s. Tempur used the name of NASA and a photo of a hand imprint in the foam to convince people that's what they wanted. Most people didn't think to ask whether the needs of astronauts experiencing 10G on take off are the same as those wanting a good night's sleep. They paid thousands of pounds to be hot and miserable.

Mattresses were pretty much perfected decades ago. For most people you can't beat a 1000 spring pocket mattress costing £350 from a respected manufacturer like Deluxe Beds.