I am not using a protector at this time (wanted to see how the bed felt first). The sheets are cheap microfiber (polyester?) and I have no doubt they are a contributing factor to the heat, however, it seems a little warmer on this bed than my previous bed when using the same sheets (a sleep number like air bed with a few thin layers of convoluted and memory foam and a quilted top). My mattress is on the wire grid.
I changed my pillow from memory foam to a more traditional material and that seems to have helped with the night sweats, but my back is still warmer than Iād like. I do not seem to be bottoming out on the bed. Also, the top of the bed does not seem to be a traditional quilted top.
The quilt I was referring to is very thin but I canāt remember what it is made out of (whatever it is, it is very cool to lie down on but keeps me warm enough when I am underneath of it).
All other things being equal and ruling out any other factors ā¦ this could be the reason. You may be sinking in more deeply into this mattress than with your previous mattress and with the sheets possibly being a less breathable layer ā¦ they could be reducing the airflow and resulting in a thicker āinsulatingā layer around your body. A leather fabric on a car seat that covers foam would be an example of how a single layer can lead to temperature or perspiration issues.
Because you are looking to reduce the amount you sink in (to be confirmed because you also mentioned wanting some extra āplushnessā) ā¦ and because of the excellent breathability of wool, a wool mattress protector or even a mattress pad (a little thicker) that has protective qualities may well do the trick in both of the factors you are looking to fine tune. Thereās more information and some links to some good resources in post #10 here about some of the differences between different types of protectors, mattress pads, and mattress toppers and some examples in post #15 here.
An example of a thin wool protector (not so much a mattress pad) that is water resistant (not waterproof), thin and stretchy (so it has less effect on the mattress) and very breathable would be the Dormeir. They are high quality and available at several places including here and here. More information about various wool mattress pads and sources is in the last part of post #32 here and in post #3 here.
I would probably suggest waiting till your experience on the mattress has āstabilizedā and you have more clarity on what you want to adjust and how and then deciding what if anything you may wish to add to the mattress.
Youāre right. This mattress is much different than what Iām used to. It also doesnāt seem to feel as warm as it did before. How long does it take for the experience to stabilize?
This can vary a lot with the person and many external factors as well but it will generally be anywhere from a few days to as much as 3 months. For most people the first month is the most important. You can tell that things are āstabilizingā when your experience on the mattress and how you sleep is more consistent night to night rather than one day feeling one way and the next not being sure or feeling differently. Once you consistently feel pretty much the same every night (either good or a consistent set of ānot so goodā symptoms) ā¦ then you will know that this is likely to be your longer term experience and itās time to consider any fine tuning or adjustments if necessary. Sometimes it can be very surprising how differently people feel after a few weeks than they felt when they first started sleeping on the mattress.
During this time frame ā¦ you may also notice things moving in a certain direction (such as better or worse āsymptomsā in certain areas) and this can be a pointer as well in terms of which direction things are moving.
In general it depends on the person (flexibility, health issues, how wide an ideal ārangeā they may have etc), how much the body has āmemorizedā a less than ideal sleeping position on their previous mattress, how different the old and new mattresses are, the type of testing that was done (subjective ācomfortā or more objective needs and preferences) and on the many external factors that may also be affecting how you sleep.
There also appears to be two versions which is the Wash n Snuggle fitted mattress pad (16 oz/sq yd) and the Wash n Snuggle topper which is thicker (would have more wool).
I know the Dormeir is quite stretchy and has 7.5 oz/sq yd of wool (quite low and thin) so it would have less effect on the feel of the mattress than the Natura mattress pad or topper compared to the Dormeir. Protectors with more wool would tend to modify the compression and feel more and the stretchiness of the cover will also have an effect as well (more stretchy will allow for more compression of the latex underneath).
Based on wanting to have a bigger effect and reduce the compression and āfirm upā the latex layers a bit ā¦ I also think that a thicker wool protector or pad will probably be closer to what you are looking for. This is one of the ways that you can actually make a mattress a bit firmer although there are limits to how far you can go and the type of firmness (surface pressure relief or deeper support) that can be affected.
Thanks again. The Natura product I was looking at seems to be about 10 oz per square yard (judging by weight and looking at similar products). I suppose I could go for a non washable thicker pad like a snug fleece, but they have polyester backing and Iām trying to reduce heat as well.
Drog, How about this 1.5" thick wool pad? Itās expensive, but looks really nice and it gives you a good layer of wool covered in cotton which should keep the heat at bay.
I think the pad/topper that Maia linked would likely make a good choice for what you are looking for. Itās made by PureRest.
There is more information about wool pads/toppers and various sources in post #2 and 3 here (and a couple of other posts that are linked there as well) which may also be helpful.
Some of them are a little easier on the budget although wool in general is not an inexpensive material.
You know, I am tempted to buy one of the Natura seconds from Organic Sleep Products and decide later if I want something better. Phoenix is right in that it may take a while for the experience to stabilize and right now I can feel some muscles stretching that I donāt think have moved for decades (and were usually happy not moving at all). This has caused some burning and pain and I think itās affecting how I am perceiving the feel of the mattress (why I canāt decide if itās too soft or too firm). I think this is also the reason I thought the mattress was hot. I do want some protection for my bed because I can not keep my dog off of it no matter what I do (as soon as I leave she jumps on).
Having said that, is there a general rule of thumb on how deep you should sink in to the mattress to form the cradle? The cradle is something Iāve completely ignored in the past but now I find myself taking measurements.
I think one of the Natura seconds would be a good idea because a protector is important, especially with a dog taking ownership of your mattress :). Natura makes good quality products which are normally fairly pricey but these are certainly good value assuming that there are no major flaws that would affect performance (which is unlikely).
I should have mentioned before too that the snugfleece with the polyester backing is washable (which is why they use the polyester). The one that is cotton backed needs to be drycleaned because the cotton backing will shrink if itās washed. In another post today Will10025g linked to another wool fleece pad at overstock which may be an option as well although I donāt know the weight of the wool thatās in it.
How evenly you sink in to the mattress is more important than the depth of the cradle and some people prefer to be more āinā their mattress (and this is one of the reasons that some like memory foam) while some like to be more āonā their mattress. As long as the cradle is āenoughā to redistribute weight and make sure there are no pressure points then more than that would be a matter of preference. Measuring the cradle depth really wonāt tell you as much as the alignment of your spine and joints and as you mentioned is seems that there are muscles that are taking their time to loosen and come into a more ānormalā alignment. I suspect that the wool may help as well because with a little bit of thickness it can add some surface softness under the pressure points but will also reduce the compression of softer latex underneath it which may be the combination of softness/firmness that āfitsā what you are experiencing and may also ease the muscle tension.
There are a few toppers in the wool topper thread I linked (including the snugfleece) that have a money back guarantee which may make them worth considering as well.
Thanks again. After taking a ton of ibuprofen and clearing off my massage chair last night before going to bed, I must say my back is feeling much better and I feel like I got a good nights sleep last night (feeling very alert even without drinking a cup of espresso which I keep forgetting to make ā something that is unheard of).
Will the wool pads increase the sensation of softness? Iām kind of scared to add any more. The bed is already plush enough. I guess Iām thinking of when I added the top layer from my old bed to the new one. I donāt think I sagged in to the mattress as much but at the same time it felt like there was way too much cushion.
I think Iām leaning toward the Natura Wash N Snuggle again. Should be easy to clean and care for (which is desirable since I own a dog).
Iām going on 2 weeks on our mattress and I believe its finally stabilizing. Iām finding that the past couple of nights, it has firmed up and now Iām hoping to get a mattress pad that will soften it up a bit. I was really surprised at how soft it was when we first got it but it really has firmed up.
Just to put some perspective on this ā¦ every person may feel the same thing differently but the ānormā would be that if anything a mattress tends to soften in the first few weeks and not āfirm upā. Fibers (such as wool or cotton) can compress and lead to a mattress becoming firmer but they are not in the Ultimate Dreams so it is likely part of Searchingforsleepās āadjustmentā process in some way. Of course this is just as ārealā for anyone who experiences this but is not likely to be connected to the mattress actually becoming firmer.
Ordered the Natura washable wool pad ($125 at Amazon). I believe it has about 10 ounces of wool per square yard (2.31 pounds total) so really not much at all, though shipping weight is over 6 pounds so it could have more. I doubt it will make much of a difference in the feel of the bed (and at this point, I think I just want some minor adjustments for pressure points and perhaps sinking in a bit less), but since I have a dog who likes to drool all over my bed during a thunder storm when Iām not home, I needed something that is washable.
I was hoping to find something in the 20 ounce per square yard range but that didnāt happen. Having a washable protector though will open up possibilities Iām comfortable with (non washable wool pads) should I decide need it.
Also, the lambs wool pad from overstock looked nice, but Iām afraid it would change the feel too much.
