I’ve been sleeping on a 12" Nectar with a 2“ Turmerry Latex Topper (soft, 20 ILD) for about 4 years. It was fine for the first couple years when I was only sleeping 6-7 hours a night. But then I developed a chronic illness and now sleep 9-11 hours a night, plus spend extended periods of time in bed during the day. I’m now sinking into the memory foam way too much, and am having back pain. I don’t have the budget to buy a whole new mattress right now, but am wondering about adding another layer of latex (medium or firm) between the Nectar and the soft latex.
I’m 5’-11", 260-280lbs. Side/back combo sleeper; always start on my side because it’s better for my sleep apnea, but almost always end up on my back.
When I first split with my ex back in 2020 I tried an Avocado Green. It was too firm, had pain in shoulders and hips when on my side. I added their plush topper, but still had pain; think I was just sinking through the topper. I returned them, and tried a Layla memory foam mattress. The soft side was too soft, and the firm side too firm, so I returned it too. Then tried the Nectar. It wasn’t bad, but felt I settled in a bit too much during the night. I was tired of returning beds so decided to try a latex topper (my ex and I had an Ikea memory foam mattress with an added latex topper, which wasn’t bad). The Turmerry topper had a return period so it felt safe to try. The combo seemed good enough and I stuck with it. These days it feels great when I first get in, but after a while/in the morning it feels like I’m in a hammock.
I’m thinking about adding a 3" layer between the Nectar and the Turmerry. Add a bit of firmness, and insulate the memory foam from heating up so much. Possibly even flip the Nectar upside down. May have trouble getting sheets to fit. When I eventually have more resources I can ditch the Nectar and get more latex support layers. I know this isn’t an ideal approach, but does this make any sense?
If I do get another layer, I’m not sure about firmness. Most guides say I should use a firm middle layer, based on my weight. But guidance like that hasn’t worked out for me in the past, like with the Avocado being too firm, the Layla firm side being too firm. But having the Nectar underneath complicates things, makes me think firmer may be better. Any guidance would be appreciated.
Edited thickness of Nectar to 12", not 10".
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Hey there, I don’t think adding more funds to the Nectar mattress is going to give you the support you need based on your height and weight.
A mattress is only as good as its weakest part. A lot of people with older, sagging mattresses end up buying a topper thinking it’ll fix things, but they usually end up with the same issue, the topper starts off fine but then the sag comes back. That’s why we always stress how important the foundation is in a mattress setup.
If the foundation isn’t right, even a great mattress won’t perform well. The key is starting with a high-quality mattress, then if you want or need to make any adjustments, you can do so, that’ll work long-term. If a mattress is too firm but has a solid build and support, you can often make it work with the right topper or pillow combo.
Also, give your body some time to adjust to any changes you make. If you only give it a week after changing something, that probably won’t be enough for your body to get used to it. Your body needs time to adapt, and that can take a couple of months, not just a week.
I’m not totally sure about your situation, but it’s something to think about. That said, when you do make changes, there should be some noticeable improvement over time.
As far as sheets go, DreamFit sheets are the best for staying and fitting on a mattress. Even with an adjustable base, these sheets dont come off until you are ready to take them off.
All the best!
Maverick
Thank you for your response. I know the Nectar isn’t a good choice for a base, but it’s what I have and I can’t afford to buy a whole new base. It isn’t sagging as in worn out, it’s just that memory foam isn’t the right fit for me now. I think I may try flipping it over and seeing if the Turmerry over the bottom of the Nectar is tolerable. It will probably be too firm, but I figure it’s worth a shot. I’ve got the flu right now, but will try that when I have recovered enough to change my sheets.
Yes, I always give any changes an extended try. The only exception was the firm side of the Layla; it gave me such bad tension headaches that I couldn’t make it past a week. Tried that twice, but just couldn’t go longer. When I first got the Nectar I slept on it for 3 months before getting the topper.
Anyway, my thought with adding a layer was that it could be a transition phase, maybe make the setup tolerable for a year or two. Then I could get another layer of firm latex and get rid of the Nectar. But perhaps it’s not a good idea. I’m likewise hesitant to do anything like get HD foam as a base layer, to replace the Nectar now, as I don’t feel that’s a long term solution. I was hoping to find a way to make incremental changes, spread the cost over time, and not buy anything that was intended to be thrown out.
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Ok, no worries, lets make the best with what we have. If you have some thick comforters at home, try placing them on the mattress, even if you have to fold them in half, to double the thickness. Try to get it to about 3-5" as they are only comforters and will compress. If they are down, wool, or even poly fill, you should get some relief and cushioning. If it works it may help to figure out which direction to go with a true topper. The issue with Turmerry, if it is a similar topper to what they offer now is all that zoning, that you likely do not need.
Is this a 12" foam nectar or hybrid? As a general rule of toppers, 3" or more changes the feel completely, 1- under 3" will soften the mattress, add a bit of pressure relief and contouring.
If you are sinking which is leading to back pain, you have to do everything you can from heating that memory foam of the nectar up. If your nectar is an all foam, you could give it a shot upside down. Hopefully, your comfort layer is not compromised and the nectar’s support layer will become your comfort layer and whatever topper you have available or using a couple of comforters as toppers, temporarily will help. This is the best no cost solution. If you are going to have to spend any money, you can simply get an @EngineeredSleep today mattress or classic which are very budget conscience mattresses and in some cases not much more than the cost of a quality topper.
Give this work around a try and see what happens, The comfort layer of nectar is a viscoelastic foam, and not a very dense or durable one at that, so your body heat will transfer to the foam, the foam will get softer and you will sink.
Give it a try and see what happens.
Best of luck,
Maverick
I think your best shot is to flip the Nectar over so you have a good solid base foam, then get a 3" Medium Dunlop with your soft on top. This will buy you some time until you can afford a new base foam which should also be latex if you want a long term solution
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Thanks to both of you. I’m going to flip the Nectar and try with the Turmerry to see how that goes. Using blankets is an interesting idea, I’ll try that if the first experiment is no good. Finally, I’ll try adding a 3" layer of medium latex if need be. I’ve got a plan now, and a few months worth of trials here. I’ll report back when I settle on a solution.
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Have you really looked at the most affordable options for an all latex mattress? You can get an all latex queen from LMF for $800.
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