Because I wanted to keep chemicals to minimum, I ordered an organic mattress set from Gardner mattress for my master bedroom. When I sleep in it, I get itchy eyes and a bit of wheezy breathing…so it’s a no go. It is also very hard (I’ve traditionally liked Firm) but a Naturally Nestled Latex topper did make a comfortable sleeping surface. I also have a Costco Cocoon by Sealy 10" Medium Memory Foam Mattress for a guest bedroom and I sleep GREAT on it.
So, I feel like I have 2 options:
Order a Cocoon for the master bedroom and pray it lasts longer than 2 years…and return the Naturally Nestled topper
Find a hard, non foam, mattress to replace the Gardner (and keep the topper).
Adding a Naturally Nestled topper to add comfort to a firmer sleeping surface is a good call but regarding your “allergy” you may want to dig a little deeper to find out what is going on. It may be that you are reacting to the wool in the upholstery rather than the foam. You are not saying which of Gardner’s organic lines you currently own that may be giving some more clues.
How long have you slept on it? and What kind of discomfort does it create (without and with a topper…if any)? What are your stats (BMI, sleeping positions)?
[QUOTE] So, I feel like I have 2 options:
Order a Cocoon for the master bedroom and pray it lasts longer than 2 years…and return the Naturally Nestled topper [/QUOTE]
You may have more options than you think but you’d need to piece some more info together for anyone to be able to better guide you. I personally wouldn’t consider any mattress for which you can’t find the mattress specifications you need to know so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the mattress durability guidelines here You’ll get what you put into it. IMO this is a risky purchase in terms of the durability and useful life of the mattress regardless of how it may feel initially (comfort, firmness, and PPP when the mattress is still relatively new) so it’s not worth the financial and time investment.
I would make sure you read a bit more about Sealy Cocoon in this topic here or do a Forum Search. With densities of the memory foam (3 lb and 2.2 lb) I would avoid this mattress completely along with any mattress where you can’t confirm the quality and durability of the materials inside it because of the risk of premature foam softening and breakdown and the loss of comfort and support would mean that there would be a much higher risk that you would need to buy a new mattress much sooner than you hoped for and foam softening and the loss of comfort and support isn’t covered by mattress warranties ( see post #174 here ).
It is not only about the mattress’s durability but the quality of your sleep which is very likely to rapidly deteriorate with the foam softening and breaking down which leads to loss of neutral spinal alignment over time. Proper support is important for postural maintenance and restoration, regardless of age.
[QUOTE]2. Find a hard, non-foam, mattress to replace the Gardner (and keep the topper).
[/QUOTE] Before considering a new mattress I would investigate to find what in the mattress caused you the allergic reaction. You may find that the allergy is caused by memory foam as well, especially if is new and it did not have a chance to air out for long enough.
regarding your “allergy” you may want to dig a little deeper to find out what is going on. It may be that you are reacting to the wool in the upholstery rather than the foam
I have an Gardner Organic Classic, it has no foam or latex of any kind. And, I have desire to recover or do anything with it other than sell it. I’ve slept on it for a year and get a sore lower back and cannot find a comfortable position without the topper. With the latex topper, it’s a great sleeping mattress…but it doesn’t get rid of my allergic reaction, plus the mattress is like 15", which means even my deep pocket sheets don’t fit.
The Cocoon IMO this is a risky purchase in terms of the durability and useful life of the mattress regardless of how it may feel initially. Agree, but it’s also VERY inexpensive. During renovations, I slept on the cocoon for 18 months and it didn’t break down and I had no reactions (oddly enough). For that price, I can live with those odds
It’s a Costco purchase…so if it breaks down prematurely, I can just return it for a full refund
Because of the pricepoint, I can use it as a transitional mattress (while I search for something better) or if it starts to break down, just replace it every 2 years (or return it). Because I know it and sleep well on it…even in the short term it gets me out of a bed that causes a systemic reaction.
Thanks for your clarification. This gives me a better idea of your circumstances and what you are trying to achieve.
Given the new info, the plan you have fits most of your criteria and as a “transitional mattress,” it will certainly be giving you enough time to replace the cocoon when it starts showing signs of sagging.
I’d keep in mind that product specs may change from time to time and some companies do not publicize the change. If so then you may have a different sleeping experience on the new cocoon. Maybe Costco CS can find cocoon’s specs for you to compare to the version you own ( foam densities, IFDs, etc)
I’d be curious if you notice any differences between the two mattresses.
Phoenix
Unfortunately, the quality is NOT the same between the 2 mattresses…density on the new mattress is nowhere near the same…so it’s going back.
So, I am heavy female, side sleeper. I lean toward firm mattresses, but the Gardner without the topper is way too firm (sore back and wake up during the night). With the topper, though, I sleep pretty well. I don’t wake up during the night, but I don’t fell 100% rested (like I do the Cocoon), more like 80-90%. However, it’s hard to tell if the lack of fully restful sleep is my allergic reaction (and I definitely wake up with itchy eyes and fully stuffed up nose) or the fit of the bed.
Price is not a consideration and I’d like to get organic/all natural if possible.
If it helps, I have no major health issues (except my weight)l I’m mid 50s, have good sleep habits and I’ve been told I’m a tosser/turner. I like to sleep in a coldish room (60 degrees) with organic and/or Oeko-tex bedding.
I’ve dragged literally the same bedding from my bedroom to the Guest, and the sleeping experience is different…it’s definitely the bed.
Unfortunately, the quality is NOT the same between the 2 mattresses…density on the new mattress is nowhere near the same…so it’s going back.
So, I am heavy female, side sleeper. I lean toward firm mattresses, but the Gardner without the topper is way too firm (sore back and wake up during the night). With the topper, though, I sleep pretty well. I don’t wake up during the night, but I don’t fell 100% rested (like I do the Cocoon), more like 80-90%. However, it’s hard to tell if the lack of fully restful sleep is my allergic reaction (and I definitely wake up with itchy eyes and fully stuffed up nose) or the fit of the bed.
Price is not a consideration and I’d like to get organic/all natural if possible.
If it helps, I have no major health issues (except my weight)l I’m mid 50s, have good sleep habits and I’ve been told I’m a tosser/turner. I like to sleep in a coldish room (60 degrees) with organic and/or Oeko-tex bedding.
I’ve dragged literally the same bedding from my bedroom to the Guest, and the sleeping experience is different…it’s definitely the bed.
Oh, and I’d prefer, if I go hybrid or layered, to have the ability to swap layers out. And, I think you may be right, Phoenix, about the wool being the culprit of the allergies. I do find I can no longer tolerate down comforters (boo, I’m been a big fan since my 20s) but the Costco Cottonpure comforters are wonderful.
Thanks for confirming that Costco’s newer Cocoon version is a lower grade variant of the older Cocoon mattress you own, It was certainly worth a try. It looks like you gave up on the idea of getting an interim mattress for a while… either way, we are back at square one.
Just to confirm that you are not reacting to something in your Naturally Nestled topper, you may want to sleep on the Cocoon in the guest bedroom for a night or two and add the NN topper to see if you still wake up with “itchy eyes and wheezy breathing” allergy symptoms.
To thoroughly eliminate any allergenic residue on NN’s toper, I’d either air the entire toper out or unzip and wash the cover in lukewarm water before sleeping on it in the new location. This is unlikely but you may still want to check if your sensitivities also include latex. Latex comes both in natural and organic so this may be a logical material choice to use in your mattress.
A component style system with zippered cover will allow you to fine-tune the overall feel of the mattress but you’d need to check on any Fire-Retardant solutions used to ensure they are not chemically based and trigger your allergies. Read more about fire barriers such as viscose/silica (not wool) inherent fabric (see post #2 here ) ) but there are also other types of inherent fire barriers as well. As you seem to be allergic to wool then I’d try to find some good quality plant-based covers such as organic cotton/bamboo/Tencel etc.
Most of our Trusted members have hybrid-latex or all-latex beds but you’d need to individually check if their covers and constructions meet your criteria needs. Depending on the type of mattress you settle on you may need to do some mixing and matching with components from different companies.
Some that quickly come to mind are
~ Luma Sleep has more of a modular system both hybrid and all latex. Here is their product specs page for a quick overview. Their cover is Tencel and the design includes a base mattress to which you add a “pillow Top” if more comfort is needed
~ Arizona Premium has Organic Cotton zippered mattress covers here and you can also get Ken to help you build either a hybrid latex or all latex depending on your preferences.
~ SleepEZ also has 9" to 14" tick organic Latex Mattress constructions both natural Talalay and Dunlop (NR and Organic) Shawn, Roger, and Jerremy are excellent “mattress matchmakers”
~ Flow Beds has a components style system all-natural latex Talalay mattress, but it looks like their cover contains some wool You’d need to call and ask if they have a non-wool zippered cover version.
All listed above are also mattress experts with their dedicated forums on our site and you may want to reach out to them with any questions you may have about their products.
Remember that when you can’t test a mattress in person then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed phone conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart and who can help “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses, constructions, and the properties and “feel” of the materials they are using (fast or slow response, resilience, firmness, etc.) and the options they have available that may be the best “match” for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs, options, and firmness levels to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.
Let us know of your eventual decisions and additional questions as you move forward
Phoenix Added later: You can usually do any edits as long as no other person replied to your post. I have combined your previous 3 posts in one for better conversation flow.
