Got an OSO, tried both sides, lower back pain on both sides

So I read the mattress tutorial, and read through the simplified choices also. I finally decided to get an OSO, I tried both sides, first 2 weeks I tried the firm and woke up with a stiff/sore back.

The next 2 weeks I tried soft, my pain was less but still there, still discomfort when I woke up in the morning.

Before getting the OSO, I had the Zinus here:
ADMIN NOTE:Removed 404 page link | Archived Footprint: zinus.com/product/liberty-gel-memory-foam-10-inch-mattress/

When I slept on this, most morning I did not wake up with a back pain but after reading much of the material available here, I worried about longevity of the mattress and returned it, because I believe it had lower quality materials than some others offered in the same price range (~$500) [Addable, Arctic Dreams]

Not sure where to go from here next, I’m currently considering Novosbed since it has a exchangeable comfort layer. (I don’t sleep hot, so I think Memory foam is fine). I do like the latex on OSO, but I’m not sure if latex is the best for me after trying it and experiencing back pain. I’m still on my 100 nights trial with OSO.

The others I am considering:
Novosbed (medium)
Addable
Alexander Signature Series (medium)
Kiss mattress (Not sure if soft or firm)

And maybe, something from Dreamfoam, still looking at their choices

From reading the materials here, they all seem like high quality choices, maybe some more than others.

Hi sahilkpal,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum! :slight_smile:

I’m sorry you’re not sleeping as comfortably as you would like with your new OSO mattress. I want to be sure I’m understanding you correctly (I don’t mean to be too literal), but the OSO mattress doesn’t have a “soft” and “firm” side in the sense that most people would assume (flipping one side versus the other). It has the DreamCell area located under the shoulder area, which allows for a bit more sinking in of that region, or if you spin the mattress 180 degrees the DreamCells would then be under your knee area and the product would feel “firmer” under your shoulders. I’m guessing this is what you’re referring to as the “soft” and “firm” orientations, right? I just want to be sure in my assumptions.

It is possible that you desire a little more surface “contouring” than what your OSO currently provides, you may just prefer the sleeping “in” feeling of memory foam versus sleeping “on” feeling that is a bit more common with latex comfort layers.

Zinus is a Chinese manufacturer that uses mostly low / mid quality materials although they are CertiPur certified. They are most commonly sold under many brand names in big box stores and elsewhere. Post #6 here talks about about mattresses imported from Asia or China (which I think is what you would have read) and which may have been compressed for long periods of time in either shipping or storage before being purchased and a forum search on Zinus (you can just click this) will bring up more information and feedback about some of their brands and mattresses. Being sourced in China would make this somewhat of a risky purchase IMO.

I would keep the item in what you’re referring to the “soft” configuration (DreamCells under your shoulder area) for the remaining time you keep the product.

Novosbed has a Comfort+ kit that they can send you to customize their mattress that you can zip into their product to help customize the feel if things don’t turn out as well as you had hoped. With what you’re describing, with my “theory at a distance” goggles, it seems as you prefer the feel of memory foam or something with more layers of point elasticity on top, which the Novosbed might provide for you.

The Addable will have less surface comfort memory foam than the Novosbed. They certainly use good quality componentry for the price range.

This mattress would be closer to the Novosbed in the amount of memory foam in the upper layers and perhaps a better chance at more pressure point relief than the Addable.

This would be more “similar” to the OSO mattress (without the DreamCells), so would may not provide as much pressure relief as the Novosbed and the Alexander Signature.

As you are probably aware, Novosbed, Addable, Nest Bedding (Alexander Signature) and SleepEZ (Kiss Mattress), and Reverie (OSO mattress) are all members of the site, which means that I think highly of them. And the good news is that you had the foresight to choose a mattress (OSO) that has a good return policy, so if you decide to return it I would be sure to place a phone call and have a detailed conversation with any of the manufacturers you’re considering, letting them know what you’ve already tried and did and didn’t like. Their guidance will be your best ally in determining what they offer that might provide you the best chance at success.

I’ll be interested in learning about your future progress.

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix,
Thank you for the detailed reply. Yes, you understood correctly the two “soft” and “firm” sides.

I did more research after reading your post, I was researching temperatures (“sleeping hot”) with relationship to memory foam. I don’t have this issue but my wife does, it is a pretty big issue for her. I know after reading some of your posts, you said that temperature is varies by from person to person.

The one thing that worries me about Novosbed is that according to sleepLiketheDead here:

“Like memory foam beds in general, Novosbed mattresses – especially the Soft and the Medium model – have an above average potential to trap heat particularly in the summer. About 13% of Novosbed owners report a problem at least some of the time.”

I know in other posts that I have read here, and learning that Latex is “generally sleeps cooler” when compared to Memory Foam.

I also looked at the Dreamfoam Ultimate Dreams Medium firm that has “gel” top, and it states that it is 33% cooler than other foams. Then I came across a post here where the person complained that their Ulitmate Dreams had softened up too much, in that topic you referred them to this post:

https://forum.mattressunderground.com/t/sweda-bliss

Where you state that one of the reasons you like Latex for the following:

This is also one of the reasons I like good quality latex because the initial softening is much less than other foams, the more gradual softening process takes much longer, and the breakdown takes even longer yet. While all foam that is used in the upper layers of a mattress will go through these three processes … good quality latex will last much longer for every stage (although all foam materials have higher quality more durable versions and lower quality less durable versions).

I am willing to give Latex another try, maybe a different brand might help?

Hi sahilkpal,

You’re welcome, and I’m glad I understood correctly.

There are some review sites that amalgamate mattress reviews from all around the internet for example (such as Sleep Like The Dead) and then “rate” mattresses (and other products) based on these amalgamated reviews. Information like this has little practical value as there are so many variables inside each mattress category and for each individual person, and buying a mattress based on the perceptions of other people would be like buying clothes or shoes based on what other people like “on average” and when it comes to products where there are so many variables or subjective elements involved then the averages of any group is much too likely to be different in terms of “feel” or “fit” or preferences from the needs or preferences of any specific individual. In other words … reviews or other people’s experiences in general won’t tell you much if anything about the suitability, quality, durability, or “value” of a mattress for any particular person (see post #13 here).

Latex in general is the most breathable of all foams (Talalay is better than Dunlop in the same ILDs), followed by polyfoam, then memory foam.

Regarding cooling memory foam claims, you can read more about phase change materials in post #9 here and at the end of post #4 here) and you can read more about the various different types of gel foams in post #2 here. In general terms gel foams will tend to have a temporary effect on temperature while you are first going to sleep until temperatures equalize but have less effect on temperature regulation throughout the course of the night.

It’s not really possible to quantify the sleeping temperature of a mattress for any particular person with any real accuracy because there are so many variables involved including the type of mattress protector and the sheets and bedding that you use (which in many cases can have just as significant an effect on sleeping temperature as the type of foam in a mattress) and on where you are in the “oven to iceberg” range and because there is no standardized testing for temperature regulation with different combinations of materials … there is more about the many variables that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress or sleeping system in post #2 here that can help you choose the types of materials and components that are most likely to keep you in a comfortable temperature range.

In very general terms … the materials, layers, and components of a sleeping system that are closer to your skin will have a bigger effect on airflow, moisture transport, and temperature regulation than materials, layers, and components that are further away from your skin and softer mattresses or foam toppers will tend to be more “insulating” and for some people can sleep warmer than firmer versions of the same material.

For the reasons I listed earlier, I would keep in mind that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and I would be cautious about using anyone else’s suggestions, experiences or reviews on a specific mattress, on this site or others (either positive or negative) or review sites in general as a reliable source of information or guidance about how you will feel on the same mattress or how suitable or how durable a mattress may be for you. In many if not most cases they can be more misleading than helpful because a mattress that would be a perfect choice for one person or even a larger group of people in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP may be completely unsuitable for someone else to sleep on (even if they are in a similar weight range).

I think that you may be ascribing a bit to much of the reasoning for you lack of comfort on your current mattress to the 1.5" of latex on top of your current mattress, as all of the layers of a mattress work together. And while I can certainly help with “how” to choose … It’s not possible to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials or components because the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, or PPP or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress), sleeping positions, health conditions, or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more reliable than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

I’d tell you to read the information in the mattress shopping tutorial here and two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).

While again nobody can speak to how any specific mattress will “feel” for someone else or whether it will be a good “match” in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP because this is too subjective and relative to different body types, sleeping positions, and individual preferences, sensitivities, and circumstances and you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress … outside of PPP (which is the most important part of “value”), the next most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability which is all about how long you will sleep well on a mattress. This is the part of your research that you can’t see or “feel” and assessing the durability and useful life of a mattress depends on knowing the specifics of its construction and the type and quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or how a mattress feels in a showroom or when it is relatively new so I would always make sure that you find out information listed here so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.

While I think that you’ve already done quite a bit of this reading, I just wanted to reinforce that you should start from the quality of materials and then trust your own careful personal testing of current and past products as a reliable indicator of what might work best for you, as opposed to amalgamation and “review” sties.

Phoenix