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Hello all, Have read this forum for several months and have learned a lot. Recently took the plunge and bought a 3 layer zip cover 100% natural talalay configuration on a wood platform with slats about 2 1/2 inches apart. Have invested more than 2K so far in this setup. The problem is that I can't find a layer arrangement that works. I've learned that I need a soft layer up top or I wake with muscle pain, but then it gives me back pain. The firmer configurations also cause back pain. I do not ordinarily suffer from back pain, so it is definitely from the mattress. I did not buy from flo beds so cannot try their zoned approach. I weigh less than 120 lbs. My last best bed was an old spring air back supporter. I believe they were made with extra springs in the middle, or a different spring configuration to support the middle of the body, lower back and hips. It was a wonderful bed and they just don't make them like that anymore, as you all know. I researched an enormous amount to find a modern equivalent to the old spring air but couldn't find anything that was the same or even similar. Supposedly some of the innersprings now put extra reinforcement in the middle with extra foam instead of wiring, but I couldn't really confirm that. Also, with the new innersprings, there are a lot of offgassing issues, in fact I bought an S brand and had to return it due to the horrible odor that it had, and I have spoken with others who had the same problems. I also tried a cotton innerspring which was very uncomfortable, my husband said it felt like sleeping on the ground outside. So, I turned to latex, as they felt great in the mattress stores, but am not having much luck here with them at home. So what I am wondering is, perhaps the problem with latex is that each slab is the same consistency throughout, in other words, there is no extra reinforcement in the back area. So, 1) For those of you that switched to a ZONED latex, did it greatly improve the comfort and support in the back area? 2) Or has anyone found the right combination of softness on top-firmness for the back that they would recommend in latex or other combinations? 3) Or has anyone been happy recently with a comfortable yet supportive innerspring? thanks! This message was modified Sep 17, 2010 by jasmine
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Springs by definition push back too. Also, they may not conform as well to the body shape. I guess the more expensive ones can do a better job at that. However, springs probably don't change significantly after laying on them for while (due to temperature or whatever). I am not sure how much firm latex changes after 1-2 hours, but it does seem to change a bit. Physics dictates that the mattress/box spring will "push back" with equal force as your body weight. Otherwise you would end up on the floor. It doesn't matter what kind of mattress. So, the only thing really can affect the pressure points is how that push back gets distributed along your body. Memory foam, soft latex, indiviudal pocketed coils, zoning, etc. help distribute the body weight to a way one prefers, but they cannot eliminate the force being pushed back. Of course the mattress will also dictate spinal alignment (i.e. back issues) and temperature as well. Trying to get the right weight distribution, alignment, and temperature is a complicated thing and difficult for some people accomplish in a satisfactory way. How thick is your foam and fibre bed? If not too thick you might want to try one of those on top to see what happens. This message was modified Sep 17, 2010 by sandman
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| thx everyone for your input. i appreciate you all sharing your experiences and advice - diane i was considering trying the zoned latex but i think you just saved me the effort and $ - |
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Well, I finally found a combo that feels good on the back area. Hooray! The problem is that now my neck is hurting. Never a dull moment! To help with the neck pain, I have tried a number of different pillows as well as I have heard that sometimes with a new bed one should try a thicker or thinner pillow. So far no luck. This is exhausting. Has anyone had a latex bed that caused them neck/top of shoulder pain and if so, did you find a solution? thanks as always, wishing you all a great nights sleep :) |
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Please share with us what your final configuration is. Do you feel your shoulders are sinking in more or less on this mattress than on your old spring air? Are you sleeping in the same body position as you were before? Do you have a favorite side (for example, I sleep mostly on my right side)? Does one side of your neck and shoulders hurt more than the other? Answers to these questions may point in the direction of what to do for pillows. |
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Diane, So far the best config seems to be S/F/M, top to bottom, it seems to feel the best and does not cause back pain. I should have bought firmer layers initially I now see, but in the showroom we really didn't like the firmer latex mattresses. If I could do it over I would go firmer. I sleep on side and nothing has changed at all in sleep habits. The hard part is that I cannot tell if shoulders are sinking in more or less, my guess is less. Last night I tried a really thick pillow, and that was the best so far but doesn't make a lot of sense logically. The only thing I can say for sure is that I definitely need soft latex as a layer on top as even a medium is too much push back for me. Strangely, latex feels so heavenly initially, but I find as the night wears on the push back becomes annoying. What I have learned about working with latex layers is that they don't seem to follow logic, that is, what my experience and reason would tell me would be best for me is not necessarily so. Nor is trying beds out in a showroom all that instructive, because it seems that whether a mattress will work for me does not become apparent till the 3rd night. Maybe that is why so many of us can sleep great on a hotel bed as we are not there for an extended stay. My recommendation for anyone considering the latex is to have the ability for a lot of layer switches and trial and error. Latex doesn't work for everyone, and it seems most people end up with a firmer config than they originally thought would be right. There are for sure people on this forum who buy a mattress and are happy right off the bat, and I wish I could be one of them. At this point I will either return the whole thing, keep it and make the best of it, or give it away. I'm even reconsidering the dreaded S brand. If I lived near a small business mattress mfg. that allowed returns, I would probably buy a flippable innerspring mattress from them, with a real box spring like they used to make. I used to be able to sleep on anything....guess those days are gone, both because I'm older and mattresses are not as well made anymore. This message was modified Sep 28, 2010 by jasmine
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1. Pillow. If your shoulders are not sinking in as much as before you will need a thicker pillow now so that does make sense. 2. Configuration. If you want it a little firmer, did you try putting the firm in the middle with soft on top and using the medium as the base layer?
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The neck problem most likely can be solved with the right pillow height. Diane is right that less sinking in requires a thicker pillow. I like down pillows, and I have made one of mine thicker by putting it in a pillow cover and making that cover a bit smaller with safety pins on one end (essentially shortening the cover by a few inches). Smaller cover forces more to the middle, making it thicker. Some people don't like the feel of 100% latex, so you might prefer memory foam, some of type of foam or possibly even a featherbed for the top comfort layer. You can buy memory foam from Costco or Sam's club to try instead of your S layer, and should be able to return if not happy. If you really want it firmer, you may want to buy 3" of latex from sleeplikeabear to replace the medium. Not sure what ILD, because I am not sure what exactly you have. Probably something in the 30s though. If that works it cost you something, but probably better than starting from scratch. If it doesn't work, you can return within 30 days for a refund (less shipping costs both ways and a small handling fee). Or you can buy a firm piece of quality firm HD foam for less money. Probably won't last as long or be returnable though. Good luck and keep trying. Unfortunately, many of us have to go through trial and error to get it right.
p.s. not sure if you have read about Mark's success . What you may need is a firmer level (maybe just 2") instead of the medium + 1" of memory foam on top of the soft. Do you know the ILDS of your latex? p.s.s. You can also try just 6" S/F or S/M to see what a firmer configuation might feel like. Probably not a long term solution, but you never know. This message was modified Sep 28, 2010 by sandman
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Diane, S/F/M is what the mattress config is now. Seems so far to work better than S/M/F which caused pain everywhere. Sandman, Thank you for your excellent advice as well, Mark's post was thought provoking. I will try your suggestions. |
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jasmine wrote: Diane,
S/F/M is what the mattress config is now. Seems so far to work better than S/M/F which caused pain everywhere |
diane, i appreciate your even taking the time to read it and comment...your experiences were very helpful.  This message was modified Sep 30, 2010 by jasmine
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