Hi everyone,
Wow I really wish I found this forum before I spent a small fortune on the Tempur-pedic Cloud Luxe last week. I researched and tried out memory foam mattresses for 2 weeks before finally buying this, and so far I’m miserable. At first it seems like heaven to lay on and I was more than excited to sleep on it. But it’s been 4 nights and so far, and I wake up extremely stiff and sore in my neck (especially), lower back, hips and even my arms. (I should add a side note that my previous mattress was 10 years old and not well made; I bought it from Bobs Discount furniture so I didn’t expect it to last long. I developed daily sore hips, lower back and a sore neck over the last few months because of it, so I can’t blame this new mattress for the pain- yet).
I also notice I wake up a few times during the night to try and get comfortable, bc my body is literally sinking in and isn’t a nice feeling at all. And I have a scratchy throat, tension headache, and am very stuffy since I’ve been sleeping on this mattress. I’m wondering if it’s from the chemicals?
I understand that memory foam mattresses take some getting used To- but I’m scared that I made a huge mistake on this purchase. My friend has the same exact one and she loves it and has never had a problem, but hers is about 5 years old so I’m wondering if it was made differently back then.
Anyway, had anyone else had experience with Tempur-pedic and pain? Does it go away? Should I exchange it? I think I need something with good support, but Also prefer a soft mattress top. I thought that was what the cloud luxe was supposed to be, but now I’m not so sure I believe it. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Lindsay
The first thing I would suggest is to give things a little more time because there will be a break in and adjustment period with any new mattress that is different from the mattress you are used to sleeping on (see post #3 here).
If your sleeping experience has “stabilized” after a few weeks and it’s clear that the mattress you chose isn’t suitable for you and you aren’t able to “fine tune” it then the best option would generally be to exchange it for a mattress that is more suitable for your body type and sleeping positions. If a mattress is too firm then you can also add additional softness or pressure relief by adding a topper (see post #2 here) but it’s much more difficult to make a mattress that is too soft any firmer because this would generally involve removing and replacing layers rather than adding a topper (see post #4 here).
There is also more about the different types of “symptoms” that people may experience on a mattress and some of the most likely reasons for them in post #2 here that can help you with the detective work that may be involved in identifying the most likely reasons for your “symptoms” but based on your description it sounds like your mattress may be too soft and may not be a suitable match for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences).
Post #2 here and the more detailed posts and information it links to have more information about safe, natural, organic, “chemical free”, and green mattresses and mattress materials that can help you sort through some of the marketing information and terminology that you will encounter in the industry and can help you differentiate between them and decide on the types of materials you are most comfortable having in your mattress and help you answer “how safe is safe enough for me”. These types of issues are complex and are generally specific to each person and their individual sensitivities, circumstances, criteria, and lifestyle choices.
Having said that … your symptoms are fairly typical for those that are sensitive to some types of memory foam (although they may not be sensitive to all types of memory foam) and these types of issues appear to be more common with Tempurpedic mattresses than with other manufacturers that also make memory foam mattresses. I also had a similar experience with a memory foam topper (although it wasn’t Tempurpedic) and you can read about the “symptoms” I experienced in post #2 here.
While most new mattresses will have some type of smell that diminishes to levels that most people wouldn’t notice in a few days to a few weeks and there are some suggestions in post #3 here that may be helpful … your experience sounds like more like a sensitivity to the Tempurpedic memory foam than just being an “odor issue” … and you certainly wouldn’t be the only one that has experienced this (see here).
While only you can decide which course of action would be best for you … you are really facing two separate issues and both of them could be a reason to return or exchange your mattress. If I was in your shoes then I would certainly consider exchanging or returning your mattress for a refund (if you have the option for this available) if it’s clear that the mattress isn’t suitable for you after a few weeks but with the sensitivity symptoms you are experiencing I would be tempted to exchange it even sooner than that if it’s clear that you are sensitive to the materials in your mattress.
If you are able to return your mattress and start to look for a different choice (and decide that’s what you wish to do) then I would make sure that you read the mattress shopping tutorial here which has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choices … and know how and why to avoid the worst ones.
Post #2 here also has more information about the different ways to choose a mattress that can help you assess and minimize the risks involved in each of them.
There is also more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here that can help you make more meaningful comparisons between mattresses.