Memory foam mattresses have their advantages:

  • They do not put undue pressure on the spine, hips and joints.
  • Their unique surface provides motion isolation. The result is that restless sleepers will not disturb their spouses when sleeping on memory foam.
  • They tend to be more comfortable than some other mattress types.

However, despite their advantages, some consumers have been reluctant to purchase and enjoy memory foam mattresses and related projects due to fears that the foam in these mattresses might contain harmful chemicals .

In July of 2019, the American Chemical Society published a study indicating that a person’s body heat could trigger the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) when they lie down to sleep on a polyurethane mattress. This is worrisome because there are potential health risks when people are exposed to high levels of these VOCs. In particular, children tend to be at risk of harm from excessive VOC exposure.

The 2019 study did not conclusively prove that polyurethane mattresses had caused cancer or any adverse health effects. The researchers declared that further study was warranted in order to better understand the p ossible health outcomes when people are exposed to chronic, low-level amounts of VOCs following mattress-related exposure.

We now have additional insights to draw on, thanks to research that will be published in the journal Chemosphere .

Researchers evaluated the levels of chemical emissions from a couple of new memory foam mattresses for a period of 32 days. While they did find that some chemical emissions occurred, the period of off-gassing was brief; the VOC emissions were strongest for the first day after the mattress was installed, but they decayed rapidly afterward.

Furthermore, the researchers found VOC concentration levels to be below the existing acceptable benchmark levels.

The researchers concluded that the memory foam mattresses they tested are unlikely to pose unacceptable health risks to consumers.

Does This Mean That All Memory Foam Mattresses Are Safe?

This study, while helpful, does not give us the final word on the safety of all memory foam mattresses. It only gives us insight into the actual memory foam mattresses that the researchers investigated. There are many different memory foam products available, and all of them could have a different chemical composition. Some are likely to be more toxic than others.

Other Precautions to Consider When Buying a New Memory Foam Mattress

Considering that the researchers did, in fact, determine that VOCs were briefly an issue with the memory foam mattresses they tested, it would be prudent for consumers to use caution when bringing home a new memory foam mattress or other memory foam product.

To be sure of avoiding excessive levels of VOC exposure, it is beneficial to read mattress reviews and to specifically search out mattresses that are known to be non-toxic.

It is advisable to open the bedroom windows and ventilate the room for the first few days after bringing home a new memory foam mattress or pillow. It would also be sensible to avoid sleeping on the new mattress for the first few days after its installation. This will ensure that the mattress’s owner will avoid exposure to the worst of the VOC off-gassing.

For more insights into the latest available research on this topic, see Volume 303, Part 1 of the journal Chemosphere, which should be available in September of 2022.