I was originally disappointed when after 12-13 years my Tempurpedic started giving me pain in the hip and back due to softening of the foam in my sleeping spot, but, having done quite a bit of research now in my hunt for a new mattress, it looks like I actually got pretty good wear out of it.
I am about to pull the trigger after about a year of waffling and half hearted research, and it is time to get serious. I recently had to flip the Tempurpedic over and I am sleeping on the “wrong” side because the “right” side is so uncomfortable. I am just the kind of person who really has a hard time making those final distinctions in choices once the more obvious bad choices are weeded out. And I am pretty stuck on “Memory foam vs Latex”.
I am pretty sure I want to go with a Dream Foam, due to quality and value. I do not regret buying my Tempurpedic, at the time there were not many other options in memory foam, but if I can get similar quality for less, then I certainly want to do so. I just am not sure whether or not to go to latex when I did get years of good pain free sleep from my memory foam. Are there any people who have made the switch, slept long term on both who might comment? I really need help deciding. :unsure:
Memory foam and latex are very different in terms of how they feel and perform and the choice of materials is really a personal preference more than a “better/worse” choice and each person may have very different opinions about which one is “better for them”. There is more about how they compare in general terms in post #2 here but your own personal testing and experience is really the only way to decide which one you prefer.
In terms of durability … latex is generally a more durable material than memory foam but each material has more or less durable versions and there is more about the many other variables that can affect the useful life of a mattress relative to each person in post #4 here and the other posts it links to.
So basically it is just a matter of feel or preference when it comes to the memory foam vs latex issue? What am I sleeping on now that I have flipped my Tempurpedic over? What kind of foam is it that they have on the underside of their mattress? It is pretty firm, it isnt comfortable for side sleeping, really, but it isnt bad for back sleeping.
Ive been reading and I have to admit, Im really overwhelmed with all the jargon, especially about the foams. I am not really a terribly picky person when it comes to beds. I am reasonably content right now sleeping on the wrong side of my Tempurpedic, although I am pretty sad about not being able to sleep on my side. I am a natural side sleeper. However, because of my back problems, I really need the mattress to keep my spine aligned pretty exactly or I get cramping in my hip and legs from nerve compression in the spine.
I basically need a bed that has cushy enough comfort layers for side sleeping, and firm enough support layers to keep my spine aligned properly. The more I read, the more confused I am getting. (Im reading now you recommend as few inches of memory foam as possible??) sigh At this rate, it will be another year before I do pull the trigger. I feel like I need a college degree in mattressology, but you are so right about the fact that more than any other purchase, a mattress makes a HUGE impact on your quality of life. I really miss pain free sleep.
Yes … the choice of materials is a personal preference although I would always make sure that it’s a good quality and more durable version of that material because every material has lower quality and less durable versions and higher quality and more durable versions.
Tempurpedic uses firmer polyfoam as a support material under their memory foam comfort layers. In general … polyfoam that is firm enough to be used as a support layer wouldn’t be soft enough to relieve pressure points without adding a topper to replace the comfort layers that are used in the mattress when it’s the other way around.
The balance between “comfort/pressure relief” and “support/alignment” is the most important part of any mattress purchase for everyone and is the reason that careful and objective testing is important. What works well for one person may be completely unsuitable for someone else to sleep on (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
I would avoid the tendency to study the information in the tutorial post like you would a textbook and read it like you would a good book. The most effective way to buy a mattress is to know “just enough” that you can recognize the experts that already know what you would otherwise need to learn. Not enough information can lead to some poor quality choices but too much information can also lead to information overwhelm and “paralysis by analysis” which can also lead to poor choices when you put theory ahead of your own personal experience.
The key is to choose a mattress that is a good match for you in terms of PPP (and theory won’t be able to tell you this) and then make sure it uses good quality and durable materials that are suitable for your budget range (the lowest budgets won’t have the highest quality of materials).
If you follow the steps in the tutorial post one by one you will bypass the information overload and have much better odds of success than trying to learn enough to become an expert yourself.
If you have read the information in the tutorial post then it’s probably time to decide where to do some testing and if you let me know your city or zip code I’d be happy to let you know of any of the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in your area.
The tutorial post also has links to some of the better online choices I’m aware of if you are comfortable with an online purchase and wish to include them as one of your options.
You have no idea how absolutely sage that advice is. Or you probably do, but you have no idea how much I needed to HEAR that wonderful sage advice. Paralysis by analysis should be my middle name. I have never gotten a tattoo, but if I ever do, Im tattooing THAT somewhere I can see it when I am stuck on a decision.
I do love facts, and I do overwhelm myself with data, and I do let theory get in the way of personal preference. So thank you. I needed to be reminded of that.
Okay, so my zip is 37722. Hit me with some good testing places. I am in the boonies, so I know I may have to do some driving.
And thank you so much for what you do. Not just the providing of information, but also your very real skill of seeing what has someone stuck in this process. You rock.
I have slept on both but after getting accustomed to Latex I don’t like Memory foam as much as I did (In fact I almost hate it). Believe me, I came to this Forum asking about memory foam only - I did not know about latex.
Honestly, I think I picked Latex (Aloe Alexis by BB) based on theory but I am glad I did. Others (Like my father) who have slept on memory foam for 10 years or more may not take to the different feel of Latex as easily as I did - I had tried Memory only about 5-6 nights.
My only recommendation is to buy quality product that has a good return/exchange policy because until you sleep on a mattress for 30 days or more you really can’t say how it feels - anything can feel good for 10 minutes!
Best of Luck to you and pleasant dreams,
Jeff
It can sometimes be a fine line with the large amount of information available on the site to “sense” when someone may not have enough information and when they may be trying to research more than they need to.
You are certainly “in the boonies” but the better options and possibilities I’m aware or that are within reasonable driving distance are in the Hendersonville/Asheville list in post #4 here in one direction and in the Knoxville list in post #2 here in the other. There is also a list for Kingsport/Johnson City, TN in post #2 here as well but I think the other two may have a better chance of success.
Paralysis by analysis should be my middle name. I have never gotten a tattoo, but if I ever do, Im tattooing THAT somewhere I can see it when I am stuck on a decision.