I recently purchased the Aloe Alexis from Dreamfoam bedding in a queen size. Being 280lbs and 5’11" I wanted something with enough layers to support my weight. I talked to Chuck who helped me choose the firmness layers for the mattress. The description for the level 8 was that it would be comparable to a pillowtop mattress. My wife and I have found that mattresses we find comfortable often have a pillow top so I went with an comfort level of 8, which means the top layer would be an 8 and a 7 in the middle.
The first night was terrible. I couldn’t find a comfortable sleeping position and woke up with back pain. My wife is much lighter than me and was fine though she mentioned the lack of edge support and that she could feel me tossing and turning. I figured softer latex would have less edge support, not sure if it’s also the cause of motion transfer.
After a week of discomfort and back pain, I swapped the layers so the 7 would be on top. Right away the added support made a huge difference. Though not perfect, I finally don’t feel like I made a huge mistake with the purchase. The edge support has improved a bit, though motion transfer still seems to be an issue.
I am considering swapping the layer 8 with a 6 in the middle for additional support. This will give me the option of putting the 6 on top if I want, but may also address other issues. I have a few questions.
What kind of difference can I expect to feel by swapping the 8 for a 6 in the middle layer? I’m assuming as a heavy person it will provide noticeable support.
Will it help with edge support? I would think so, but not sure.
Will it help with motion transfer?
Will it make a difference in longevity/durability?
Additional information: The mattress is on the Simple Life foundation that I ordered along with the mattress. Not sure if it a factor in motion transfer.
Side notes: We love the shredded foam pillows and the brushed microfiber sheets that came free with the mattress.
Congratulations on your new mattress! You certainly made a good quality/value choice.
Regarding a pillowtop, that isn’t a comfort designation, but a manner of assembly. I’m guessing you meant that you like a softer mattress when you say pillowtop. I remember from earlier last year that you had spoken with Chuck and at that time he had recommended the level 6 (24 ILD over 28 ILD). I see you chose the level 8 (19 ILD over 24 ILD). If these ILDs from Dreamfoam have changed for your mattress, please correct me.
As you probably know the most common reason for lower back pain is a mattress that is too soft and it’s not all that surprising that a 19 over 24 ILD was too soft for someone in your weight range. While latex is generally good at isolating motion, I would expect some transfer of motion in your situation. The slightly softer configuration can allow for a little more movement. I’m not sure what you’re comparing to regarding edge support, as innerspring products will generally have firmer feeling edge systems. The firm polyfoam base in the Aloe Alexis will provide a firm edge along the base, but there are no polyfoam racetrack edges glued along the side of the latex layers. While the edge will not feel hard in layouts like this, they will tend to hold shape quite well.
So I believe that you now have the 24 ILD over the 19 ILD latex (dominating layer on top). This would make sense to feeling better for your back/alignment. I would recommend to prioritize alignment and lower back pain over pressure relief (although of course having both is ideal) because outside of certain medical conditions alignment is the single most important factor in how well you sleep at night and your body’s ability to rest and recover over the course of the night.
Again I’m making an assumption here because I’m not sure I’m referring to the same ILD configurations as you are, but I’m thinking that you mean keeping the 24 ILD on top and placing a 28 ILD underneath that. If this is the case, you would generally notice better support, which should assist with your alignment. You also should feel a bit lees motion transfer and also the edges might feel a bit firmer to you.
Adding firmer latex should assist with that, yes.
Yes, it should. But this can also be a result of your foundation, and most importantly, the bed frame that you are using, as if that is a standard metal bedframe is can tend to “amplify” movements versus a very solid bed set or platform bed base.
All latex tends to be a very durable product, with the uppermost layers tending to wear out faster than the deeper layers, and lower ILD layers tending to wear out sooner than higher ILD layers. So replacing a lower ILD layer with a higher ILD layer could increase longevity somewhat.
Great to hear!:cheer:
I’ll look forward to your feedback on my comments (if I’m accurate with my ILD assumptions) and any configurations you may decide to try out.
Thanks so much for the prompt reply. I believe you are correct about the ILD assumptions. When I spoke to Chuck last year I hadn’t spoken to my wife yet and had assumed she preferred a firmer mattress. When I talked to her this year she said she preferred a softer mattress. Of course this creates a conundrum as a soft mattress for a light person won’t offer much support for a heavy person. I tried to error on the side of making misses happy. Since she is fine with the current configuration I think I will go ahead and swap out the 19ILD layer for a 28ILD layer. If motion transfer continues to be an issue I may look at getting a platform bed. Thanks again for the advice, you are treasure!
I know it can be a bit of a “balancing act” at times to find a comfort that works for everyone, but if your wife is good with changing to a bit firmer transition layer, I think it will be more appropriate for what you’re trying to achieve. The good news is that you had the foresight to choose something that does allow for exchanges/customization.
A good solid platform bed can make any mattress feel more solid and generally assists with some motion transfer issues caused by the movement displayed in traditional bed frames.
I’ll look forward to your comments about your new layer.
Thanks again for your advice. I got the replacement layer and swapped it out 4 days ago. I was surprised at how much of a difference it made. It instantly and greatly increased the level of support and solved the issue of edge support. Having slept on the new configuration a few nights, both my wife and I are satisfied with the mattress now. While I could go a bit firmer, this would probably negatively effect my wife’s experience. I’ll try and write up a review soon.
Thanks for your update, and I’m glad you’re sleeping better for now. It sounds as if you now have the Level 6 (24/28 ILD) configuration.
I’ll look forward to your feedback after you’ve had some more time sleeping upon your new configuration. (EDIT - I see you posted your feedback here. Thanks!)
You certainly made a good quality/value choice.