Help with troubleshooting back pain on a Purple Mattress. Or maybe Ghostbed Ghost Flex?

Mattress Talk Needs & Personal Preferences
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I got a purple 3 about 5 weeks ago and after about 2 to 3 hours my lower back hurts to the point where I can’t sleep any longer. My wife has issues as well but not as severe as I do. Our last matreess was an innerspring mattress that I had for 16 years. I did not have back pain with but at the same time it wasn’t the most comfortable mattress either.

I’m 6’ tall 230 lbs, my wife is 5’8" 135 lbs and we both primarily sleep on our backs. I prefer to sleep on my side but I have some shoulder issues that no longer make that possible.

I believe my issue with the purple is that I’m sinking in to far and not getting adequate support, but I don’t know for sure if that’s the issue. I’m considering the ghost flex. Would this be any better? Should I be looking for something firmer?

Thank you.

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Hi Joeboo80.

Welcome to our Mattress Forum. :slight_smile:

You are not the first (nor will you be the last, I imagine) to report pain on a Purple Mattress. The comfort layer on the Purple Mattress is buckling column gel, which is frequently too firm for people unless you happen to have extreme support needs. That said, there have been a number of complaints with pain associated with a lack of support on a Purple mattress as well.

Unfortunately, this isn’t something we can say for sure as it really comes down to your PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure and relief, Personal preferences).

As you mentioned you are a taller, larger sleeper, something to consider is a thicker and softer comfort layer may be necessary to allow your shoulders to sink in enough. But, your wife is quite small so very likely has different comfort and support needs than you do.

Also, to factor in durability for someone of your stature, if you’re considering memory foam or polyfoam mattresses… for polyfoam, I would look for 2.0 lb per cubic foot density in these materials (or higher.) If the mattress is two-sided then I would use a minimum foam density of 1.8 lbs per cubic foot or higher. Memory foam (or gel memory foam): If your mattress is one-sided then I would make sure that any memory foam is at least 5 lb per cubic foot. If the mattress is two-sided then I would use a minimum density of 4 lbs per cubic foot.

Now that I’ve mentioned that bit…have you and your wife considered a split configuration? If you pick a split configuration, you can get the support and comfort each of you prefers. A number of our Trusted Members offer split configurations. Also, they are extremely knowledgable and compete with the best in the industry. If you present them with your sleeping specs, comfort/support needs, etc. they will be able to help you choose the best fit both product and ILD wise…whether you choose a split configuration or not.

Off the top of my head, I would suggest exploring options with the following…

Arizona Premium
Sleep EZ
FloBeds
Latex Mattress Factory
Nest Bedding

You mentioned Ghost Bed’s Flex mattress. What is it that calls your attention about the Flex? Is it a question of comfort, durability, or something else?

As an FYI, the customer service at Ghost Bed is great and if you approach them with your sleep stats and questions, they’ll be able to help you decide whether the Flex is an appropriate mattress for you.

I realize I’ve thrown a lot of information at you here. I hope it helps point you in the right direction, and of course if you have more questions, we are always here to help!

NikkiTMU

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As Nikki mentioned this is not an uncommon problem at all. Remember that most mattresses are made for the average person (20-25 BMI) and at 6’ and 230lbs your BMI is around 31 (very close to mine) which definitely needs special consideration in order to get something that works well for you long-term. If you are curvy, have broad shoulders, big legs/rear, etc then that adds additional demands on what you’re expecting the mattress to do in terms of performance. In general the buckling column gel on top of pocket coil design of the Purple 3 isn’t bad but it definitely does have some limitations on who it will work for.

Here’s a good thread that will likely help you in your quest to solve your issue:
https://forum.mattressunderground.com/t/search-for-a-new-mattress-leaving-purple-need-suggestions

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Thanks for the info and recommendations. I was considering the Ghost bed because when I google best mattresses for back sleeping and google best cooling mattresses it tends to show up on most list for both. I was concerned that the original ghost would be too firm especially for my wife so I was looking at the flex. After looking into the suggestions and talking to their sales people, I ended up ordering a split mattress from SleepEZ. I really like the concept of both sides of the bed being different and being able to make adjustments and changing layers if needed. Thanks for your help. I hope this works out.

What does everyone think about adjustable bases? Are they worthwhile or are they just hype and end up not really being used?

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Despite having found adjustable bases to feel very relaxing and comfortable in stores, I find that I’m rarely able to use it when actually sleeping. I’m primarily a side sleeper and quickly realized that having your legs raised at the knees and an elevated upper body really only works when you’re on your back. Only very slight elevations can work in other sleeping positions so even if you’re able to fall asleep on your back you need to reset the base to flat or very nearly flat when you reposition during your sleep. If you don’'t do so you can wake up in a lot of discomfort or pain from being bent in an unnatural position. The base is useful for sitting up in bed to read, use a tablet or laptop, or to watch TV but for sleeping I don’t find it of much use as a primary side sleeper. Of course there are many people who wouldn’t live without an adjustable base so YMMV seems to apply.

Hope you find my experience helpful and worth your consideration before making the purchase of an adjustable base.

  • Bill