Bumping up from prior post: seeking help with severe hip pain and feedback on <4PFC foam density

Reposting/hoping for feedback given the ongoing intense pain I’m having that is totally disrupting all sleep. I’m a 120lb female, primarily a side sleeper, but some back sleeping. Have tried several new mattresses and continue having intense hip pain. Seems I just haven’t I have found the right combo. AI research that suggests I need a coil base with foam top but the foam should be ILD 14-19 due to my 120lb weight, and more “give-able” coils. It suggested Helix Sunset model. Open to all ideas as I’m desperate at this point- severe pain, no sleep

  1. Is there any feedback on the ILD top layers of Helix Sunset and how “intense” the coils might be in the Helix Sunset for a 120lb side sleeper?
  2. Are there any recommended hybrids with ILD 14-19 and “gentle/elastic” coils? Seems I need the coils for some back support but all the new hybrid mattresses I’ve tried have given me immense hip pain.

Thank you!
List of mattresses tried so far:
(Currently on new Stearns & Foster Lux Estate Plush PillowTop with Saatva foam topper and having immense pain. Previously tried: Saatva Classic Medium and Plush Soft (with Saatva foam topper); BeautyRest Heavenly Bed Equivalent; iComfort Pro Level 2 Plush Pillow Top - all of these gave me hip pain and I went back to my old mattress using Saatva Foam Topper for 6 months. In June, I tried Saatva RX, and added Saatva foam topper, but still had extreme hip pain.)

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I think you need a zoned comfort layer: different ILDs for hip section and for shoulders.

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Hi kkcc2026!

Chronic hip pain that’s wrecking your sleep is miserable, and it’s frustrating when mattress after mattress isn’t fixing it.

A few thoughts on your questions:

On the “ILD 14–19” target: that range is on the softer side for a comfort layer, which makes sense for a 120 lb side sleeper — you need enough give for your hip and shoulder to sink in without the tissue underneath getting compressed against a firmer layer. That said, ILD numbers alone don’t tell the whole story. Foam density, layer thickness, and what’s directly underneath the top layer (transition foam vs. going straight to coils) all affect how “hips-friendly” a mattress actually feels. A soft ILD layer that’s too thin, or that sits right on top of firm coils, can still bottom out and cause pressure at the hip.

On coils specifically: what usually causes hip pain in hybrids for lighter side sleepers isn’t the coils being “too firm” in an absolute sense, but rather the transition — if there isn’t enough softer material between you and the coil layer, you can feel the coils’ edges/support at exactly the point your hip is trying to sink in. So it may be less about finding “gentler” coils and more about finding enough cushioning depth over whatever coils are used.

I’m tagging @HelixSleep directly here so they can speak to the actual ILD and coil specs used in the Sunset — that’ll give you a more reliable answer than any AI-generated guess about the specific numbers.

Given that toppers haven’t solved this across multiple different base mattresses, it might be worth considering: a step up in topper thickness/quality (a 3" high quality latex or soft memory foam topper rather than a thinner topper) rather than another hybrid mattress purchase, or looking at all-foam/all-latex options instead of hybrids entirely, since that removes the coil-transition variable altogether. At 120 lbs you likely don’t need coils for support the way a heavier or combo sleeper would.

It might help other members give you more targeted advice if you can share: the actual thickness/type of topper you’re using now, and whether the pain is worse right at the hip bone itself (suggesting need for more give) or more of an ache after sleeping (which can sometimes point to alignment/firmness mismatch rather than pure pressure).

NikkiTMU

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The sunset elite IS very soft. I could not imagine it causing any pressure points.

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Thanks for all of the feedback. My extreme hip pain is on the side of the hip, and it is when I wake up in the morning (and all day long) after I’ve been on the mattress all night. Also, I just learned that my topper is only 1.5 inches.

I wanted to send a few other questions and kindly request feedback - after doing more research yesterday - and seek feedback on the Nest Sparrow and Nest Owl and Engineered Sleep options, and any others. (someone mentioned considering All Latex). Thank you for the feedback on the Helix Sunset, but now that I’ve learned about the 15.5, and some even have 16 (EOS), gauge coils, I guess I would lean only toward that 15.5 gauge of coils if I am doing hybrid, unless someone suggests otherwise!

It seems it is suggested the 15.5 TPS coils as being the most flexible, and I saw that for Nest Owl they use this base and have the soft Talalay layer 14 ILD. I have never tried (or tested) Talalay, but I am sort of interested given that I know foam can be a little hard to turn on after sinking into it. I do turn quite a bit from side to side and side to back - so really need something with no pressure on the hip but still some lower back support.

Would 14 ILD for Talalay be soft enough for me as a 3 inch top layer? Or I suppose I could put a LaNoodle on top and add additional softness if 14 ILD would feel too springy? I came across one company offers a top Talalay layer of 10 ILD but forget who this was. I mention that because it suggested that 14 might not be the softest Talalay?

Or would folks recommend going with the Nest Sparrow, which I think has the 10 ILD foam layer?
(I do see that Nest also has an all foam mattress, which someone suggested I perhaps consider -that is what I slept on for 12 years prior - but am wondering now if I am over the aspect of the extra effort it takes to turn on the All Foam.)

Are their any concerns about top Talalay layers in these beds wearing out too quickly under a 120lb weight? I saw someone state that these can wear out in 2 years…

I see that Engineered Sleep has 19 ILD as their top Talalay layer, so don’t know if this would definitely be too bouncy and give pushback.

Also on Nest - any issues with those coming in a box, and any impact on the quality? I would be ordering a king so this would be a bit difficult to manage.

Thanks so much for all the feedback, and I am open to any other ideas on top of your thoughts to the above!

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The softest spring layer TPS is called the PLUSH option and it’s softer than the 15.5g

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Thanks. not sure which one you are referring to - which company.

Can anyone provide feedback on the Nest specs? Or recommend other mattresses for my specific issue. Happy to provide more details but trying to keep it on the shorter side. I see responses to other inquiries and am trying to pick bits and pieces out of those. But it seems at 120lbs side sleeper with back sleeping combo and extreme hip pain, I need a mattress that has the most elastic coils and a very soft latex or foam top layer. I am brand agnostic at this stage but having gone through 6 mattresses really want to make sure I get something that is suitable. EOS seems to only use Dunlop, but they have the 15.5 or 16 gauge coils. Would Dunlop be too firm? For Nest, I thought they used the 15.5 coils, but it is not clear on their website; but they do have the soft top layers. It seems I should be searching for the softest top layers and the most “plush” coils. Is there a combo out there with this? Thanks!

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TPS is Texas pocket springs. The brand of coils that nest uses. You could DIY a bed using their plush springs from the site pocketspringstore.com there are also more options that I’m familiar with but will have to put thought into it. I do really like that sunset elite and it is very soft.

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With some more thought put into it, my thoughts would be to either try the sunset with the glaciotex pillow top, or a DIY with pocketspringstore.com plush springs, a 1" luxHQ foam layer for under the springs from foambymail.com as well as a 2" of their 4lb memory foam and 1.5" convoluted hd36 foam on top. Could also add 2 1" layers of super soft foam to the order for cheap to have some different configuration options.

Where you order the cover for it is up to you, the one from pocketspringstore.com is great but $350. Which is not all that bad considering how it functions and easy it makes the bed to take apart and put together. You’d need a 13" cover to be able to have the 1" of foam under the springs and 4" of space on top for comfort layers.

Mattresses.net also has their bamboo wool covers. And if you wanted to try latex I’d order a 2" soft and 2" super soft blended latex.

The thing is, if you ordered both the layers from foambymail and mattresses.net, you’d have multiple possibilities for layering.

15.5g spring from Texas pocket springs is a pretty strong support for a light weight sleeper at a 6.5 firmness. I assume their plush spring base is 4.5 firmness.

The majority of these mattress companies don’t use softer base layers with their soft models, they just change the top layers. But if the DIY option seems too complicated here are some other recommendations you could look at that would probably work:

Winkbed soft
Helix sunset w glaciotex pillow top
Helix sunset elite
Glacier apex soft model
Thermobalance elite by Brooklyn bedding in soft
Also thermobalance original in soft

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Thank you so much for this information. The DIY might be difficult for me because I am a single female, but if that is the path I need to take to eliminate the pain, I might just have to do it and find some people to help me assemble. Of the other brands you mentioned (Winkbed, Helix, Glacier, Thermobalance/Soft BB), do you know if any of these would use a 15.5 gauge coil, or do any of them use the softer coil than what Saatva and Stearns & Foster uses (my two reference points that have caused me acute hip pain)?

Do you know what the ILD is for the foam on the top layers of the Sunset and Sunset Elite? 3 weeks ago I got the Stearns & Foster Lux Estate Plush PT which is advertised as super soft but has given me the most hip and back pain of all and the AI research I’ve done has suggested that it’s not only the coils but that the top foam layers are too high in ILD for me.

Finally, what would be your thoughts about me going to all latex?
Thanks so much!

The coils in the other brands are not quadcoils but are instead arranged in rows. Quadcoils have each spring connected in two different spots while the usual springs are connected in straight lines. Which means an equivalent gauge of coil would translate softer.

Really all of the options use medium/medium firm springs and change the feel based on the top layers. The softest base layer option I can think of are the quadcoils in plush. The softest bed I have ever laid on is the helix sunset elite but that is kind of expensive. Maybe @DLX could help as well. They told me their 14 inch option is more conforming than the 12 inch.

Thanks for the mention, @Gc123!

One thing I’d add is that there are a lot of variables that affect how a mattress feels beyond just coil type or ILD numbers. Coil height, wire gauge, coil diameter, number of turns, the comfort layers above the coils, foam thickness and density all play a role.

In our lineup, the main difference between our 12" and 14" hybrids is the support core. The 12" uses a 6" pocket coil, while the 14" uses an 8" pocket coil. That taller coil has a little more travel before it firms up, so it generally feels a bit more conforming and does a better job relieving pressure, especially for many side sleepers. The 12" is a little more supportive and is often preferred by heavier individuals or back and stomach sleepers or people who have a strong preference for a more supportive feel.

For @kkcc2026 specifically, I’d be hesitant to recommend our mattress based on what you’ve shared so far. For someone who finds the Stearns & Foster Lux Estate Plush Pillow Top not soft enough for pressure relief, I’d be concerned that our Premier Hybrid 14" in Soft may not be soft enough either.

It’s difficult to predict because there are still a lot of unknowns, but one thing that stands out is that every mattress you’ve tried from the Stearns & Foster Lux Estate Plush Pillow Top, Saatva Classic Medium, Saatva Classic Plush Soft, Saatva RX, Beautyrest Heavenly Bed equivalent, to iComfort Pro Level 2 Plush Pillow Top uses a spring support system.

Even at 120 lbs, as a side sleeper, it’s possible you’re compressing through the comfort layers enough that you’re feeling more of the support core and that may be contributing to your hip discomfort.

That doesn’t necessarily mean springs are the problem, but after trying this many hybrids, I’d start wondering whether the common denominator is worth exploring. A very thick mattress, something 18" or more with a substantial comfort system, might reduce how much you interact with the springs.

One other thought that might be worth considering is trying a mattress without a spring support core altogether. Since every mattress you’ve tried uses coils, it may help determine whether that’s the common denominator.

I probably wouldn’t recommend an all-latex mattress by itself. Latex is very resilient and buoyant, and while many people love that feel, someone who already isn’t getting enough pressure relief may find it too “pushy” even in a softer firmness.

Instead, I’d be more inclined to look at a latex support core with a softer foam comfort layer or a quality foam topper above it. That combination gives you the durability and support of latex while allowing the foam to provide more pressure relief at the surface.

It may be worth reaching out to a member of the Mattress Underground like @Sleep_EZ . They have quite a bit of experience with customizable latex mattresses and may be able to point you in the right direction. If you go that route, I’d lean toward something at least 13" thick rather than one of the 10" models. The additional thickness reduces the likelihood of compressing through the comfort layers and “bottoming out,” especially as a side sleeper given the discomfort on the previous mattresses. If needed, you could then add a quality foam topper to fine-tune the pressure relief.

I can’t say with confidence that’s the answer, but after trying this many coil mattresses, I do think it’s a reasonable path to explore if you haven’t already.

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Thanks so much @DLX for that information! The iComfort Pro is all foam, no innersprings, and that did not work for me either. I’ve done some research that suggests my 120lb weight is not heavy enough to relax into the foam layers? This was AI research - which often tells people what it thinks they want to hear - it’s provided the same feedback about the Pillow Top materials on the Stearns & Foster Lux Estate Plush PT: that the foam is acting as a brickwall with the intensity of the coils underneath it because my 120lb weight does not generate the heaviness or heat needed to “relax” it. Is there any accuracy to that? I will say that I did not feel any “sinking into” the Lux Estate Plush PT at all - was hard as a rock, honestly, and I was only able to make it a few days before the extreme pain kicked in and I then placed the Saatva foam topper onto it.

@Gc123 thank you for the feedback. I hear you mentioning the Helix Sunset Elite being soft - do we have the same body weight? I’m just wondering if the “softness” of these beds really has to do with a person’s weight.

On a different brand note, does anyone have any experiences with Paramount’s mattresses? I tried a Paramount Nature Spa Ocean mattress in a show room today and it felt great - this has foam core, some latex, and microcoils. They say this is a “luxury firm”. Reviews say that it arrives feeling 30% firmer, so I don’t know if I would end up in the same situation again with too much firmness there. But I wonder if the foam base with latex and microcoils would relieve the pressure. I think I’m just confused because the Serta iComfort Pro 2.0 was all foam and it gave me issues. My old Serta Dr Green mattress from 2014 was the only thing that has not given me hip issues (as well as mattresses at hotels).

(I did also try an all latex mattress in this showroom, and it felt too bouncy / jiggling to me with the turning. I saw that some other people were providing similar feedback. I tried both a soft and medium top layer.) Thanks!

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I’m 6’0 215lbs. My girlfriend who is 105 pounds laid on it with me in the showroom and described it as very soft as well.
I think maybe one good option would be to switch to back sleeping, but with how sensitive your hip is if you want to keep side sleeping maybe an all foam DIY build would be better. You could buy 6" HD36 base, a 2" of 4lb memory foam (maybe 2 layers, or even a 3" instead of 2"), 2.5" and 1.5" convoluted hd36 foam, 3 1" layers of super soft foam and 2" of soft latex if you wanted, experiment with different combinations under a fitted sheet, then whatever you figure out what works best, buy a cover in that specific height.

Which model of the icomfort pro do you have?

Thanks. I am simply unable to switch 100% to back sleeping. My body always wants to turn on my side, even with the hip pain. I’ve tried all the usual tricks, but this has only been an issue with each NEW mattress. I did not have this hip pain with my prior mattress, and I also do not have this hip pain when I sleep in hotels, ever. This leads me to think that it has to be the new mattresses, and that I am simply not heavy enough to break them in, or the top layers are too intense? I simply don’t know, but it is bewildering to me, given that the hip pain has only been an issue with NEW mattresses. I also do not have any injuries and I am highly active with low impact exercise (mostly walking) 5 days a week.
I had the Serta iComfort Pro Level 2 Plush Pillow Top, and this one also did not work for me. I’m beginning to wonder if the Pillow Top is the issue, but the none of the Saatvas had a pillow top and those were problematic. I was surprised that the iComfort Pro did not work.

I would hesitate now to judge any mattress by its showroom feel - that’s how I got trapped into the Saatva sell, and after receiving rock-hard versions of what I laid on in the show room, the sales guys then fessed up and admitted the song and dance of , “oh yeah, it’s much softer in the showroom than what will arrive new to your home.” I suppose I could have assumed this, but the last time I bought a mattress was in 2014 and I never had a single issue of this nature.

Does anyone have any knowledge or experience with Paramount Sleep mattresses?

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Other than the DIY idea or using different layers on top of your current mattresses, I’m not sure what else to say personally. I do think it’s interesting that the icomfort pro 2 is mostly latex.

One thing you can try, and I wouldn’t really call it a trick, is to take an extra pillow you have in the house and use it as a quasi body pillow when you are sleeping on your side. Let your upper arm rest on the pillow, almost like you are cuddling with your significant other. Most folks that I speak with know I am a big advocate of having more than one or two pillows as part of a sleeping rotation. When I have a headache, I use one of my more forgiving pillows like my Oxygen-Pillow, Latex Cube Pillow or Helix ComfortAdjust Pillow. Rather than my horsehair pillow which is much firmer and offers little bounce back. If my neck and shoulders are sore, my horsehair pillow is my go to. I believe everyone should have several quality pillows that they can rotate through based on how they are feeling and whether they are experiencing any aches and pains on a particular day.

The reason this can help is it can keep you from rotating into an awkward position while you are sleeping. A lot of side sleepers will unknowingly twist their upper body forward or let the top shoulder collapse, which can change how your hips and lower back are positioned and can alter where you feel pressure. Something as simple as supporting the upper body can sometimes help keep everything more aligned and change how the pressure points feel.

As far as Paramount Sleep goes, yes, they make very good mattresses. They are a long-standing U.S. manufacturer with a reputation for building quality products, and they also manufacture the Luxury Hypnos line for the U.S. market.

Like any manufacturer, the individual mattress model and its construction are what matter most. I would look at the materials, the coil system, the upholstery layers, and how the mattress is designed to perform rather than just the name on the label.

Also, I agree with your point about showroom feel. A mattress showroom can be a useful place to get a general idea of a mattress, and a forum for eliminating mattresses that are too soft at first testing, but it is not always a perfect representation of how that same mattress will feel when new in your home, or how it will feel after several months of use.

Maverick

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Thanks for the additional information that actually changes my thinking a bit.

I also agree with your comments about AI. I think it’s a useful starting point, but I wouldn’t rely on it too heavily. Firmness is incredibly subjective and there’s no formula that can reliably predict how a mattress will feel for a particular person.

Even if you’re not fully engaging the support core, it can still influence the overall feel of the mattress. For example, in our lineup the 12" and 14" models both have about 5.25" of foam above the springs. Someone who weighs 120 lbs may not compress deeply enough to really activate the coils, yet the 12" still feels more supportive and firmer than the 14". The support system changes how everything above it responds.

The same idea applies underneath the mattress. Even on a 14" mattress, a flexible slatted foundation can make the mattress feel noticeably softer and less supportive, even for a lighter-weight sleeper. Everything in the sleep system contributes to the overall feel.

That said, I hear what you’re saying about the top of the mattress feeling stiff. My guess is that the comfort layers simply aren’t soft enough. The quilting could be part of that. The Stearns & Foster, for example, has a fairly substantial quilted top, and our Premier Hybrid does as well. The initial feel is influenced by both the ILD and the density of the foams used in that quilt package.

If you haven’t already, you might want to consider a mattress with a flatter stretch-knit cover rather than a heavily quilted cover. A cover with a good amount of elasticity allows your body to sink more directly into the comfort layers instead of the quilting resisting that initial compression. Combined with a very soft memory foam comfort layer directly below the fabric, that may provide better pressure relief than a traditional pillow top.

I also wouldn’t rule out a thicker mattress. Even at 120 lbs, a very thick comfort system can feel noticeably softer because there’s simply more material available to compress before you reach the support core. The challenge is still getting enough initial plushness in those top layers. Unfortunately, most of the brands you’ve mentioned don’t publish meaningful specifications, so it’s difficult to compare them based on construction alone.

One other thing that stands out is your old 2014 Serta Dr. Green mattress and the fact that hotel mattresses also seem to work well for you. That tells me there is a construction that agrees with your body and just need to identify what that is.

If you don’t mind sharing your ZIP code, we may be able to suggest a few local manufacturers or retailers where you could try something that’s built differently. Some areas have excellent independent manufacturers, while others are more limited, but it’s certainly worth a shot.

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Thank you, @Maverick, for the info regarding the pillows. Out of desperation, Monday morning I had the S&F moved off my bed and my old mattress moved back on. Two nights in on the old mattress, the shooting hip pain vanished immediately, but I am having the lower back discomfort (and the knee discomfort is still present, which is a new thing but I’m guessing it’s from the extended period of inflammation to the hip.) It seems I am caught in the side sleeper hip -pain relif needed vs. support needed for the back, and I am forever going to have to choose between one of the other?? This is beyond frustrating. And I simply cannot “train” myself to be a full time back sleeper. I have tried to hug a pillow while on my side, and maybe i need to keep at that. But now am not sure what to do to help my lower back while sleeping on my back.

Now that I’ve gone back to the old Serta Dr. Green Mattress (Foam) from 2014, it seems that my pillows are too high when I’m on my back. It looks like you would recommend any of the following pillows that you mentioned: Oxygen-Pillow, Latex Cube Pillow or Helix ComfortAdjust Pillow? Would these be suitable for shifting from side to back? I’ve never purchased one of the cervical pillows, but I have tried various latex (including the highest end Saatva Latex pillow, which I was not a fan of) and lower end latex pillows, as well as various foam pillows.

Thank you regarding the info on Paramount. I was looking at their Cotton 7 and 8 collection. I see they use 16 gauge coils, and the 8 also uses microcoils. The 8 is a higher price point than I wanted to go, and seems it would be firmer.
I’m wondering at this juncture if I should give my body some time to settle back to get out of the pain and discomfort from the new mattresses and perhaps try to get a new pillow that could suit a better alignment for my back on the old mattress. I just don’t know what the answer would be to providing back support on the old mattress now, though it has definitively solved my hip pain issue.

Thanks so much!

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