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I have a memory foam mattress and pillows. I love them.
The mattresses are pretty expensive.
But you could try getting a memory foam pad to put on top of the mattress you already have.
The pads are about 2 inches thick and and about $100 or 150.
You could purchase them at Linen n Things or Bed Bath & Beyond.

you can get some cheap memory foam pads off of overstock. way cheaper than big box stores. they're very comfy on top. i have one and it's fabulous! :)

After sleeping on a memory foam mattress while visiting family in NY I was sold. Rather than replace our mattress altogther (b/c I eventually want to upgrade to a king size bed anyway), I think I'm going the topper route. Overstock.com has a big selection and you can read lots of reviews...the general consensus is if you're going to do a pad spring for the 4" version and if you get hot a night definitely get the "cool" variety.

Here's the one I'm planning on ordering:
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Enviro-Green-4-inch-Memory-Foam-Mattress-Topper/3169356/product.html

We bought one from Bo Concept. WAY too hard, literally like sleeping on a board.

we bought a softer memory foam pad for the top and it's perfect. i would recommend just starting off with the pad.

We bought a memory foam mattress from Bo Concept. Hard as a board. We bought an inexpensive soft memory foam pad for the top... problem solved.

if you don't need to get rid of your existing mattress, just buy the top pad. if you're buying a new mattress, look into the softer memory foams.

Save your money and buy the 4" memory foam mattress topper from Overstock.com - I got $2 shipping on it, it was around $150 and it is heeeeeeeeeeeavenly.

I got a foam topper and hated it! My mattress was a pillow top already, and with the foam topper, when I slept on my stomach, my back arched the whole time and I woke up with terrible back aches every morning. I'd only recommend a topper if your current mattress is firm.

Now, I have a full foam bed and like it, but it took a little getting used to. It gets pretty warm in the summer, and I could definitely feel it holding heat in. This might be nice in the Chicago winter I am going to experience for the first time in a few months!! Overall, I'm very happy with the full mattress, and sleep great every night, waking up in the exact same position I fell asleep in.

Good luck!

I have the temp-ya know one and i love it, i sleep like the dead, really wonderful mattress.

Two things,
holds heat... would be bad in really hot climates.
No bounce, great to sleep on... maybe not so conducsive to "other" bed activities

Memory foam mattresses are great, but they also have some drawbacks to consider:

-They are incredibly heavy (in terms of moving, lifting, transporting, or flipping the mattress).

-They can be significantly warmer at night for those sleeping on them (they retain heat).

-They are not so good for non-sleeping bed activities. *wink* You sink in further and further, and can get stuck in one position.

-They are kind of like a brick that gives. You cannot just flop down on them - it feels like you hit concrete! Only a problem if you are a dramatic flopper-downer, like me!

All of that said, they are very good for couples who toss and turn - you wont feel a thing! They helped my back problems a LOT. And I generally slept more soundly than I have in years.

Memory foam mattresses are great, but they also have some drawbacks to consider:

-They are incredibly heavy (in terms of moving, lifting, transporting, or flipping the mattress).

-They can be significantly warmer at night for those sleeping on them (they retain heat).

-They are not so good for non-sleeping bed activities. *wink* You sink in further and further, and can get stuck in one position.

-You cannot just flop down on them - it feels like you hit concrete! Only a problem if you are a dramatic flopper-downer, like me :)

All of that said, they are very good for couples who toss and turn - you wont feel a thing! They helped my back problems a LOT. And I generally slept more soundly than I have in years.

My experience with the Temperpedic is that it was bliss for about 18 months then its memory kicked it and remembered all too well where the bodies had been and got very soft there, but remained super firm elsewhere. A lot of money for deteriorating performance and HOT in the summer, to boot! Go Ikea and replace regularly or go the conventional root.

Oo! i can comment on Keetsa- I bought one of their mattresses last March, so I have now had it for seven months.

I tested it out in the store and LOVED IT. I took it home and found it to be too saggy. I put up with it for a month and then when I moved I upgraded the slats on my bed and actually got a cross beam and it has made all of the difference! I now remember what I loved so much about it in the store.

I can 100% recommend my keetsa mattress! Plus, I feel really great about sleeping on such an environmentally friendly bed. :) Just make sure that you have the proper support UNDER your mattress!

Beware that memory foam (all foam actually) does off-gas and can cause breathing problems, etc.

http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/98/mattress

Please check out Natural Latex Matress from European Sleepworks in Berkeley. A much healthier alternative.

wow! thanks everyone.

the guy at the keetsa store told me if i was thinking about not buying a memory foam mattress i was just being "nostalgic."

i have been using a memory foam topper and just by testing out the beds at the keetsa store there seems to be a dramatic difference.

what i know is that:

the keetsa mattresses are pretty reasonably priced. ($600-1000)

they claim to be green, but i think green-ish is more likely. they do seem to smell less like chemicals.

big challenges seem to be possible heat retention and lack of bounce.

upsides seem to be deeper sleep and relief of back pain.

the yelp reviews are all so positive it freaks me out a litte, so if anyone has has other great specific info like the need for proper support, better alternatives like natural latex or specific experience with a specific model i'd love to hear it.

again, thank you!

I just got rid of my pillow top memory foam mattress. You tend to sink in way too far, especially if you're a stomache sleeper. Also, when my hubby gets up of a morning he sits on the bed for a few moments and because he weighs significantly more than I do he makes a big dip in the mattress so I kind of tumble right into him. I now have a latex foam mattress, and my back hurts no more! Most latex mattresses have lumbar support as well. Good luck!

costco sells a memory foam topper that is really comfortable. i had it when i was living with my parents and had to buy it again after i moved out and got my own bed..
it is actually reversable and has a cool and warm side...just a suggestion if you decide to stick with the topper idea.