Hi everyone,
I recently moved and sold the innerspring single bed I had (I was comfortable enough on it with 2 cheap foam toppers), and my friend who was moving out sold me her pillowtop mattress. Well, that was way too soft for me–I sank into it and it hurt my back in a way that no mattress really had done before–so I sold it. I’ve been sleeping on an old queen futon mattress that was on a couch I inherited from a friend. That mattress was super comfortable as a couch, but it seems to be too firm–it also is causing me some lower back soreness, though less than the pillowtop did. This is surprising to me because I slept on a futon over a slatted platform bed throughout my childhood and I was as happy as a clam. I preferred a futon to anything else in the store. I’ve been considering buying a memory foam topper for this futon mattress, but I am worried that the futon underneath it might not be at the best structure since it has lived its life on a couch for such a long time.
I am also juggling other concerns. Although I am only 24, I do sometimes have a slightly misaligned back, although my chiropractor says I’m pretty easy to get back into shape and it’s not such a big problem anymore. I have dust and mold allergies, and chemical and fragrance sensitivities. None of them are super severe, but I certainly would like a mattress that doesn’t irritate me. Are natural and organic materials best for this? I’ve been thinking about buying a memory foam mattress or a latex mattress. I don’t love the bounciness of innersprings. I prefer something that feels smoother. My statistics are that I am 5’1", 140 pounds, with a curvy body shape. I also have IBS–no idea if that has any bearing on a mattress/the chemical sensitivities. I’m not sure how my sleeping temperature is. I’ve never noticed being too hot before while sleeping. My hands and feet especially, but all of my body really, gets cold easily, and I can get dehydrated easily as well.
I went to Sleepy’s before I had found your site and started researching, and they are selling their Enso Sleep Systems memory foam mattress on sale for $600 for a full size. I put one on hold as I could get a full refund of my deposit while I searched.
I went to my local independent retailer earlier this week (I live in Western Massachusetts). It’s called Fly By Night and has a good reputation–as well as a reputation for being expensive. I lay on some of the latex mattresses there which seemed super firm, but perhaps I could buy a topper for comfort? I then tried their Eco-Sense Memory Foam mattress and simply fell in love. I started to fall asleep right in the showroom as I lay down on it. The link is here: http://www.flybynight.com/Eco-Sense-Memory-Foam_p_1767.html#. I called them and the receptionist says that it has 6-8 inches of polyeurthane foam and is topped with viscose memory foam, and that it’s petrol based and encased in bamboo. The site is more specific, saying:
Made with odor-free castor oil and recycled foam polymers
3" layer of 4.0 lb high-density cool-contour memory foam with a 7" base of acella-flex foam
100% Bamboo fiber cover has no harmful chemically and naturally antimicrobial, antifungal and dust mite resistant
It’s $940 for a full size mattress.
I also went to Ikea last weekend and I liked both the Sultan Fjordgard latex/foam combination ($649) and the memory foam Sultan Finnvik ($329).
I haven’t shopped around too much yet, but I’m planning on going to try both mattresses again this weekend. My instincts are telling me to get the Eco-sense foam despite the price increase because I have never felt so right on a mattress. My mid-range budget is $600, but I would be glad to spend more for a perfect mattress. I am looking for something hypo allergenic, durable, safe from toxins and odors, and a soft comfort layer with a firm support layer underneath. I’d love something eco-friendly but I am more concerned about all the previous options–that would really just be a bonus and not a serious search factor due to my price range.
I have a few questions for the forum:
- Is combining a futon and a memory foam topper a viable option? The receptionist at Fly By Night essentially said that this is what the Eco-sense mattress is–their high-tech futon plus a memory foam top. Maybe I could buy a new futon and top it with memory foam. Or I could do the same for a latex mattress? Is that a good idea?
- Given my preferences, what do you all think of the different mattresses I’ve tested and liked so far?
- Are their other retailers I should think about in my area?
- Does memory foam or latex offgas in a way that could trigger my chemical/fragrance sensitivities? If so, does that stop after a few days–could I just clear out of that space for a little while as my mattress got used to its surroundings?
- I’d love a platform bed so as to save on space. What kind of foundation would go best with the options I’m considering? The Eco-sense mattress at Fly By Night offers some sort of foundation for an extra $200. Would this be a good investment?
Thanks so much for your help! I greatly appreciate it.