10" UNISON ORGANIC LATEX MATTRESS - should I select med of med-firm?

Hi to all looking for a night of a good sleep…
I’m looking at 10" UNISON ORGANIC LATEX MATTRESS on page::
memoryfoamcomfort.ca/natural-latex-mattresses.html
and they list two level of firmness: MEDIUM and MEDIUM-FIRM.
Please relate an experience with either one.(this is a question to users).
I looked at their page on firmness selection and it looks MEDIUM would be an appropriate choice for us (myself and my wife).
I’m 65 and have Parkinson’s disease. My difficulties:
-turning in bed. I need to get up to change position, or to roll over on the mattress (getting tangled in bed cover and strangled in my long sleeves undershirt that I sleep in).
-getting up from the bed: the bed we have now has an older inexpensive mattress and 3" memory foam topper. The edge of mattress/topper sinks in when I lift up myself on elbow/arm.
-Sore shoulder (right at this time, sometimes both).
-I’m sleeping on my back and both sides. Since I lay in one position for a long time (typically I wake up every 1.5hr to change position) - I get too warm from the memory foam and getting a red, itchy rush on my skin.

My wife has sore hips and her hands get numb (RSI from her work/job). We are both below 135 lbs.
Any advice as to what firmness (MEDIUM or MEDIUM-FIRM) would be appropriate for us?
Is the edge the mattress firmer than the sleeping area?
Thank you…JanJ, Toronto

Hi JanJ41d,

[quote]I’m looking at 10" UNISON ORGANIC LATEX MATTRESS on page::
en.memoryfoamcomfort.ca/natural-latex-mattresses.html[/quote]

You are certainly looking at a good quality/value mattress and as you know latex is also a very durable material so there are no lower quality materials or weak links that would compromise the durability or useful life of the mattress. Memory Foam Comfort is also one of the members of this site which means that i believe that they compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, knowledge, and transparency.

[quote]and they list two level of firmness: MEDIUM and MEDIUM-FIRM.
Please relate an experience with either one.(this is a question to users).[/quote]

While other people’s comments about the knowledge and service of a particular business can certainly be very helpful, I would always keep in mind that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and I would be cautious about about using anyone else’s suggestions, experiences or reviews on a specific mattress (either positive or negative) or review sites in general as a reliable source of information or guidance about how you will feel on the same mattress or how suitable or how durable a mattress may be for you and in many if not most cases they can be more misleading than helpful because a mattress that would be a perfect choice for one person or even a larger group of people may be completely unsuitable for someone else to sleep on (even if they are in a similar weight range). In other words … reviews in general won’t tell you much if anything about the suitability, quality, durability, or “value” of a mattress for any particular person (see post #13 here).

[quote]I’m 65 and have Parkinson’s disease. My difficulties:
-turning in bed. I need to get up to change position, or to roll over on the mattress (getting tangled in bed cover and strangled in my long sleeves undershirt that I sleep in).
-getting up from the bed: the bed we have now has an older inexpensive mattress and 3" memory foam topper. The edge of mattress/topper sinks in when I lift up myself on elbow/arm.
-Sore shoulder (right at this time, sometimes both).
-I’m sleeping on my back and both sides. Since I lay in one position for a long time (typically I wake up every 1.5hr to change position) - I get too warm from the memory foam and getting a red, itchy rush on my skin.

My wife has sore hips and her hands get numb (RSI from her work/job). We are both below 135 lbs.[/quote]

While I can certainly help with “how” to choose … It’s not possible to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials or components because the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress), sleeping positions, health conditions, or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more reliable than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

[quote]Any advice as to what firmness (MEDIUM or MEDIUM-FIRM) would be appropriate for us?
Thank you…JanJ [/quote]

When you can’t test a mattress in person then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed phone conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart and who can help “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses and the properties and “feel” of the materials they are using (fast or slow response, resilience, firmness etc) and the options they have available that may be the best “match” for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs and firmness levels to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.

Phoenix

Thank you Phoenix…I did not expect such a speedy and thorough reply…You are exceptionally kind.
I think I will have to rely on MFC recommendation. I will also call MFC on a weekday and hopefully get a knowledgeable person at the other end… This not always granted.
In my circumstances: I do not drive, my wife works typically 6 days a week, going to stores, testing and finding a competent salesperson is pretty much impossible.
Best regards…JanJ, Toronto

Hi JanJ41d,
NATURE’S EMBRACE does not divulge the specific details (ILD’s) of the construction of their latex mattress, as they consider this proprietary information.

This being said the 10" Unison is made by layering 2" slabs of 5lb Organic Dunlop latex. They use firm, medium and soft in different combinations to obtain the desired comfort level of the mattress. The 6" base is layered from a mix of firm and medium Dunlop latex to give the mattress firm orthopedic support.

Since you are fairly light you should have no problem going with as soft as you want. However, most people consider the 10" Unison in Medium quite soft. Tyson the general manager of Nature’s Embrace sleeps on it (on his side) and he’s no lightweight, and quotes “it’s very soft and not for everyone”.

Here are the three option we can offer you for the top layers that will affect your comfort level, because that’s where most of the difference lies.

SOFT: 4" Soft - better for side sleepers. However, you will sink in the furthest with this mattress so it would be the most difficult to move around in.

MEDIUM: 2" Soft over 2" Medium - middle of the road.

MEDIUM-FIRM: 2" Medium over 2" Soft - Going with the medium over soft will keep you on the top of the mattress more, so it will be easier to toss and turn. This would be the best mattress of the three for back sleeping.

I hope this helps you make the correct choice, and please let me know if I can assist your further

cheers!

Hello, I am in a very similar situation that you are in and also considered the Unison mattress. I found a place called Dormio thru The Mattress Underground and found the ability to test several mattress invaluable.
I like a firm mattress and much to my surprise the best mattress for me was a softer 6 inch firm base with 4 inch soft topping versus a 6 firm and 2 inch medium and 2 inch soft. The differences between the 2 was very noticeable.
I agree that running around and dealing with sales people is not fun, however I am very happy with the well trained no pressure sales staff and it was a certainly eye opening experience to try several mattresses all at once.
Having found and tested what you like you are in a better position to order online, or at the store. For me I am happy I tested first, I eventually decided to pay a bit extra and buy from the store.