What Is A Memory Gel Mattress, How Does It Work?

What Is A Memory Gel Mattress, And How Does It Work?

With unbeatable body contouring and energy absorbance, memory foam is undoubtedly the best invention to grace the mattress world. It's also supremely soft, reacting to heat and pressure to evenly distribute body weight.

But memory foam has two problems inherent to its dense composition – heat retention and low breathability.

Memory foam absorbs body heat and retains it terrifically well. These qualities are great for space flight missions (the material was initially invented) but not so much for sleep, where it can make people feel unseasonably warm.

In the late 2000s, new memory foam containing millions of tiny gel capsules came out with cooling qualities.

You can now buy a memory gel mattress like the Silentnight Geltex 2000 for around the same price as a regular memory foam mattress. Prices are also decreasing, making them an excellent option for all budgets. But should you buy one?

Silentnight Geltex 2000 Illustrious 5FT Kingsize Mattress. — Pictured: Silentnight Geltex 2000 Illustrious 5FT Kingsize Mattress

This article covers everything you need to know.

What is gel foam?

'Gel foam' or memory foam is a viscoelastic polyurethane foam infused with tiny gel capsules/beads. The capsules are evenly distributed in the foam, absorbing and dissipating heat faster than the foam, keeping it cool.

Regular memory and gel foam have the same squishiness and body contouring because they are structurally identical. The only difference is gel foam has gel beads that account for around 4% of the mattress's weight.

Gel foam is a significant upgrade over memory foam because it sleeps more excellent without compromising body contouring or energy absorbance. It regulates your temperature while sleeping, enhancing comfort through the night.

What is the gel in a gel mattress?

Some gel foams use non-toxic, super-absorbent polymer water beads—sodium polyacrylate. These absorb heat and draw it away from the body, helping regulate temperature and prevent sweating.

Future mattresses might use a next-gen gel bead made from graphene oxide aerogel, a phase change material (PCM) that offers even greater heat dissipation. These beads have the best thermal performance on the market.

What does memory gel feel like?

Memory gel is memory foam, so it has the following qualities:

Softness
Squishiness
Body contouring
Motion isolation
Pressure relief
Energy absorbance

When you press down on memory gel foam, it expands back slowly - this is because the stickiness of the surface sticks pockets in the foam together, and the density of the foam stops air from flooding it, preventing expansion.

What are the main benefits of memory gel?

The significant benefit for the sleeper is a cooler mattress - memory gel dissipates body heat, keeping you more relaxed than regular memory foam.

Memory gel lasts at least ten years with everyday use - comparable to regular, high-quality memory foam.

Memory gel also has a significant advantage for comfort – the foam can be thicker than regular memory foam because it sleeps cooler, so manufacturers can use a thicker comfort layer to make a softer and plusher mattress.

Are there any downsides to memory gel?

Memory gel mattresses are heavier than other types and are most suited to slatted bed bases to relieve pressure on the support system. Most gel mattresses cost more than regular memory foam mattresses, but only around 10% more.