Help narrowing down - deep pressure relief AND not hot?

Talk To The Experts
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1

Hey there!

I previously posted in the general forum about my plight and have tried many of the suggestions, so now coming here for my next step :slight_smile: Thanks in advance!!

Will try to keep it concise, since I know you’re all busy…

  • 5’9" ~130lb side sleeper, pronounced waist narrowing vs shoulders/hips.

  • Neuroimmune disease that causes surface-level nerve and deep musculoskeletal pain, plus transient fevers.

  • Can’t handle any surface tension, quilting/tufting, pushback or pressure. Ideal texture is floating suspended and most gently cradled. Soft convoluted Dunlop way too firm, dense memory foam like oldschool Tempur also hurts once I sink – hard pressure against nerves.

  • Mattress: split king Sleep Science iFlip Napa on adjustable base. Both sides of mattress too firm for me (probably due to sinking through to firm layer).

  • Have tried every configuration possible of following 3 foam toppers: 2" serene, 1" soft graphite MF, 1.5" Saatva natural talaylay 12-16 ILD (w/ & w/o its topper)

  • For heat dispersion, tried 3cm 750gsm merino wool fleece pad (above and between foam layers) (did not help) as well as 1/8" 3D spacer mesh fabric (per rec here) (failed & uncomfortable). I use 100% organic cotton lightweight jersey bottom sheet (woven creates pressure pain). Have not been able to find quality stretch bamboo yet, but have been told thin fabric is unlikely to make a big difference in heat.

  • I do not always sleep hot – fevers are transient and mostly affect core. This causes the foam underneath me to heat up and radiate back. Too much cooling will give me chills, since it’s not normal body heat.

  • Serene is most comfortable against my nerves, if it could just suspend me a bit more so I didn’t sink through it… The soft graphite is not bad but even hotter than serene and of course it’s nowhere near pressure relieving enough on its own, being so thin. The Saatva feels too firm and does heat up, though slightly less than the others. Currently trying the Saatva on top of the Serene – it causes a bit too much deep sink for my low back but still has a bit more surface firmness than is comfortable. Flipped mattress from medium-soft to medium-firm side which helped the deep sink somewhat but the latex firmness and overall still not great. Removing the cover from the Saatva helped pressure relief a bit, my sharp points could sink in better, but still not conforming enough, too much pushback, hurting shoulder esp as well as hip. The larger divots in the latex (holes that don’t go all the way through) are a bit noticeable. I feel like they’re larger than other latex toppers I’ve seen… I will be returning the Saatva.

  • FYI I placed a blanket roll under mid section of mattress to gently raise it slightly to fill waist gap – if I get it just right it helps keep my low back from tweaking.

So, where I’m at is – based on all of this, do you think that a 3" ultraplush 14 ILD blended talaylay as the standalone topper will solve my need for maximum surface and deep pressure relief, support, as well as greatly reduced heat retention? Not 100% perfect maybe, but a significant step up from what I’ve tried?? It looks like Custom Sleep Tech and Arizona Premium are my two options there, though CST offers a return if it doesn’t work. Even though return shipping is what it is, at least I wouldn’t be out the entire amount…

PS it was suggested to swap out the mattress for one with coils to be cooler, but with all that entails (especially since the adjustable base came with the bed and would therefore also have to be disassembled and returned to Costco) we’d like to avoid this – if possible. FYI we did buy and return 2 hybrid mattresses before keeping this one. Casper Snow Max ($$ and foam was way too firm even after full trial period) and Helix Sunset Lux (better texture but still some shoulder pushback and could just not handle the lumpy top).

Can’t thank you enough for your help!!

2

I would be happy to offer you some advice based on my 25 years of experience as both a mattress designer with extensive latex, memory foam, air and traditional pillow and Eurotop type of mattresses designs, not to mention being a Doctor of Chiropractic who has personally worked with thousands of customers and patients over the years to help solve each of their particular needs.

Dealing with neuroimmune nerve pain and deep musculoskeletal pain requires an incredibly delicate balance. Your description of needing to be “floating suspended” without surface tension, while still filling in that pronounced waist gap, perfectly highlights the fundamental flaw in standard mattress designs. In fact, your temporary solution of placing a blanket roll under the mid-section is exactly what inspired me to create a targeted zoning system!

You asked if a 14 ILD talalay topper would solve your need. Because of your extreme sensitivity to surface tension and pushback, even an ultra-plush 14 ILD latex can sometimes still have too much of that inherent rubbery buoyancy for surface-level nerve pain. Conversely, traditional memory foam bottoms out and traps your transient fever heat.

Because our flagship Ultrabed store in Southern California is the largest mattress showroom in the U.S.A., we get a much wider perspective on what actually works well for complex physical needs. It allows us to offer and recommend the absolute best mattress to suit an individual’s exact needs, not just try to fit them into standard models. Based on this, I highly recommend our brand new Back Science Series 4.

While it is so new that it is not even on our website yet, I specifically created the Series 4 for side sleepers who require the absolute softest, most luxurious surface for severe joint and nerve pressure relief—designed exactly for situations where even our plush Series 3 medium is not soft enough.

Here is how it solves the precise issues you are experiencing:

  1. Cloud-Like Pressure Relief without the Heat: The Series 4 uses our most advanced, ultra-plush layers of Flex-Comfort and PostureFlex Hypergel (in the highly durable density range). This completely eliminates surface tension and pushback, giving you that suspended, gently cradled feel without the hard pressure against your nerves. Furthermore, it utilizes our Kool-Flow™ micro-vented bamboo cover and ventilated foams to dissipate your transient fever heat without artificially cooling you to the point of chills.

  2. True Lumbar Support: To permanently replace your blanket roll and perfectly support your pronounced waist narrowing, the underlying structural support system utilizes our patent-pending Lumbar-Flex™ Zoned Support. It actively reinforces the center third of the bed using heavy-duty transitional support foam, giving your lower back the elevated support it needs to prevent tweaking, while letting your hips and shoulders sink deeply. This exact side-sleeping alignment balance is what I set out to achieve when I started developing Back Science 20 years ago, and finally refined it with the help of the Mattress Checker postural alignment measuring tool and App I created to objectively verify this exact level of corrected support.

  3. A Customizable Solutions: If you find the Series 4 still isn’t 100% perfect for your nerve pain, you do not have to worry about having to settle on the wrong solution for your needs. We offer free customizations at no cost whatsoever to ensure that the mattress properly suits your needs. This is easily accomplished thanks to our GripLock modular cover system, whereby we can exchange internal components that will change the level of firmness and support of the mattress right from your own home.

Since the Series 4 isn’t online yet, and because of the nuances of your condition, I would love to discuss this with you to make sure we dial it in perfectly. Also, by utilizing the code TMU10 for your Mattress Underground member discount, we can ensure you get a fantastic value.

You can explore how our zoning works at www.BackScience.com and see our wider perspective at www.Ultrabed.com. Feel free to reach out to us directly at 800-667-1969 to me or my staff if you want to discuss any of this in more detail.

Thanks!

Rick

Dr. Rick Swartzburg, D.C.
Founder and Vice president of Product Development