At a loss, really need to find something that works

Mattress Talk General Mattresses Questions
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After 4 years on a Beautyrest that quickly started sagging in the middle. I bought a firm latex hybrid from dreamfoam .

It was all good for about 6-7 months then I began developing midback and rib pain during sleep. So much so that Id wake up a number of times. So this mattress is only 8 months old but I can’t sleep on it. It has gotten much softer over the course of 8 months also.

So I’m not sure what to do. I’m 6’3" and 255lbs, solo side sleeper most of the time. I was looking at Shikibutons because I can sleep on the floor a bit more comfortably than I can this mattress im finding out. But Im not sure if its Im just so tired from poor sleep.

Or is there a another $500 -$750 solution for this issue. Any input is appreciated.

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Hi Badbakk. Welcome! Is your foundation sturdy enough to support your mattress? If not, maybe you could try putting it on the floor for a night. If that helps, it could be your foundation. Until someone with experience responds, it could be that your mattress just isn’t firm enough for your BMI.

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Thanks. I been sleeping the past few nights on a cheap firm mattress in another room and it has been much better but still not ideal. I took the plunge and bought a tatami mat and shikibuton. I have had terrible luck with firm mattresses of all brands and have had enough. They all sag in the middle. Every single one, in my experience.

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I agree that the mainstream brand name (overpriced) mattresses sag. The big mattress stores call it body impressions, but they sure feel like sagging to my back. I learned so much on the forum and will never again sleep on a mattress that hasn’t been recommended here. I hope you get some really great sleep.

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Hi BadBakk,
I see that your BR started sagging which is no big surprise as BR ‘foams up" their mattresses these days, to the point of, “you know it is going to sag at some point” (particularly in the black line) and the Pressure Smart’s have what I all the swimming pool cover syndrome. BR uses a very dense foam encasement foam to surround their coils for edge support. On the pressuresmart most people complain, that the edges are very firm(to start, until that foam starts to soften too) and then you sink and roll towards the center of the mattress, as if you rolled from the edge of the swimming pool to the middle on top of the swimming pool cover. I must admit, they look great on the showroom floor. The Black series, albeit fairly expensive, usually has so much foam above the support layer, you rarely get supported by the spring layer and the foam starts to sink. Personally, I think the Simmons product from 20-30+ years ago was much better.
Your dreamfoam is actually a very nice mattress, but at 6’3 255 (close to my old weight 245-50 and 6’) I dont think the ascension coils in that mattress would be supportive enough for you, as the gauge of the ascension coils is 16g. I will put the $500-750 solution aside for the moment. If you like something like the dreamfoam with it’s talalay comfort layer (firm is a 36ILD) a better choice would actually have been the Plank Natural from BB over their Dreamfoam. The Plank natural uses a 13.5 gauge coil and a bit firmer talalay which makes that mattress close to an 8-9 on the firmness scale (on the firmer side, as it is flippable). It does come at a higher price though. If you did not care about the natural mattress, than you might want to consider the BB Plank Luxe, it is a step firmer (9-9.5/10) than the Plank Natural, but at a price very close to the Dreamfoam Latex Hybrid. The Plank Luxe is the mattress I ended up chosing. I had looked at every super firm mattress out there. The BR line, S&F, Aireloom, Shifman, TP, and I passed on any that were perimeter foam encased, and because of the individual reviews, passed on the other well known name brands, as the Plank series kept coming up as the firmest mattress available, with very good reviews. I would say that there are some #trusted manufacturers at TMU that could whip you up a firm and supported mattress for your size and weight (all your PPP requirements) but since you mentioned Dreamfoam, which is a BB product, the Plank would have been the perfect choice from their collection. Sorry that you didn’t have success with your past choices. If the mattress is sagging, perhaps you could contact them for a warranty issue and upgrade to the plank version which will offer a better support layer and a firmer comfort layer that is still comfortable to sleep on. My wife and I are 80% side sleepers (she is 5’4 130-5) and absolutely loves the mattress and does not bother her side sleeping despite it firmness. While most companies will stick to their trial periods, perhaps you can convince them that the Dreamfoam did not live up to your expectations and the will offer you a concession of some type. It cant hurt to call and try. I have spoke with BB many times on their chat and phone, and they have always been very nice and I didnt even buy the mattress directly from them, as I bought it from an authorized dealer who has a brick and mortar in San Diego as well as an on-line presence. I did buy a pillow from them directly and the mattress protector. Hey it is just a phone call or a chat, what have you got to lose? Good luck and give it a shot!

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I would have gotten the plank if Brooklyn Bedding had a streamlined line of mattresses. Idk why everything has a different website. They said I can’t exchange or anything though.

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I think the “impression” claim is just industry subterfuge/spin.

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Yeah, unfortunately you may be right about that! It sucks they wont help you out. I guess if they do it for one, it would open the flood gates. Perhaps there is someone you know that is much lighter than you that could use the mattress. It is a shame that someone didnt clue you in at the beginning. I am quite certain as I may have mentioned that if you dont want to go the way of the Plank Series, that one of our Trusted Manufactures (Manufacturer-Retail Stores :: The Mattress Underground) can create or has an existing mattress that would cover all your PPP’s. Sorry you have to through this. Hopefully, third time is a charm.
Norm

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Hi BadBakk, and welcome to the Mattress Underground :slight_smile:

A lot of very good feedback from forum members, thanks to all! Very sorry to hear that your DreamFoam bed is no longer providing the comfort and support it once did. Remember, any mattress you choose as ideal will be based on your Stats (height, BMI, sleeping position(s) and any underlying health conditions) - thanks for providing those! - and your PPP (Posture & alignment, Pressuret relief, and Personal preferences). As a higher BMI sleeper, you need to make sure you have good support.

The Brooklyn Bedding Dream Foam mattress has:

10" height
2 x .75" soft quilted reflex foam
3" Talalay Latex
6" Ascension pocket coils

It may be the ‘hammocking’ you describe on this and your previous bed are caused by you ‘sinking ‘ too far into the top comfort layer(s) and possibly ‘bottoming out’ on the firmer layer below, depending on the firmness level of the Talalay. Also the pocket coils may be causing discomfort as well; not everyone enjoys the feel of this type of mattress.

As you can see comparing the Mattress Specifications You Need To Know to the Mattress Durability Guidelines, latex is one of the most durable materials you can have on a mattress. Unfortunately, it’s not unusual to have sagging on the ‘major brand’ mattresses which can have memory foam if insufficient density or using inexpensive ‘filler foam’ - these tend to break down prematurely causing ridges and valleys in the foam, or outright ‘hammocking’ as you have experienced, exascerbating existing pains and possibly causing new aches and even alignment issues. You need to find a mattrsss with sufficient density for your size, with good durability that will last over time. Agreed that a lot of the big brands use ‘body impressions’ to explain what is basically a failure of the foam to ‘recover’ which is what sleepers look for in memory foam!

Since you have had issues with both…Latex and memory foam have very different ‘feels’; and for foams, we suggest any foam in a potential mattress has no more than an inch or so of lower grade foams (for memory foam no lower than 4 lbs/cuft for normal range weights, and 5lbs/cuft for higher range weights) and if polyfoam is used, with at least 1.8 lbs/cuft density, just to ensure you have support.

It sounds like you prefer a very firm sleep surface, so a firm to medium firm all latex, latex hybrid, or memory foam of sufficient density would likely be the best bet for you. Every sleeper is unique, though and a thin solution like a Shikibuton is very popular with many sleepers, and might be ideal for you as well.

If possible, you might want to try some various types and firmnesses of mattresses of different materials just to get a ‘baseline’ for what works and what doesn’t, if you are still not finding relief. You may then want to consider looking at the offerings of the Trusted Members of the site, who carry many sleep solutions of all types, materials, Thicknesses and firmnesses, and can assist you in finding the right solution for your specific Stats and PPP.

I do wish you success in finding a comfortable, supportive and durable mattress; please feel free to let us know how your search is progressing!

~ Basilio

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Hey BadBakk,

I am sorry for what you are going through. This, unfortunately, has become a common problem for many people who have bought mattresses over the last several years. Typically, a hybrid mattress consisting of a pocket coil and memory foam, tend to break down or hammock quickly. This is usually due to the softer pocket coil, which will not be firm enough to support the foam. Memory foam also has a tendency to break down quickly, mainly because it is a very slow moving foam (low resiliency) and we tend to sleep in the same spot all night.

For someone who is a side sleeper with back pain, the best recommendation would be a firm mattress with some type of plush quilt or pillow top, this will alleviate the pressure on the shoulders, hips and knees. I am not sure of what your price range is, but, I would highly recommend latex instead of memory foam. The latex is hands down the most durable and most supportive material in the industry. There are several mattresses out there with this type of hybrid (latex and spring).

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Welcome to the forum. We’re loving our new Shovlin mattress!

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Hi Shovlin. Im actually in Jersey and was considering you at one point but lack of time to dedicate to coming to your showroom plus I wasn’t really able to get much information on your selections on your website. Like I said however i was last using a latex hybrid and it wasn’t firm enough

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If you’re close, you should stop in and try their mattresses. We only met Dani when we were there, but she was awesome. The guys who brought our mattress to PA were really nice too, and they said they made our mattress and box spring. I could tell they were proud of their quality work. I can’t imagine this mattress ever getting body impressions. Believe me, I checked it after the first few nights, and it’s perfect.

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I would love to chat to talk about what we have and why we use the materials we use. If you would like to call me, Ron Shovlin, I would be happy to spend as much time discussing the industry and our products. I can be reached at 908-322-4178. I will be in the office tomorrow from 10:30-4:00. I look forward to connecting and seeing how I can help you sleep better and feel better. Cheers.

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