Hi all - I’m trying to troubleshoot my recent DIY mattress issues.
I’m a side sleeper (5’5/145 lbs, wider shoulders than hips) that recently constructed the DIY mattress with components from Latex Mattress Factory listed below (stack listed from top → bottom). I started with just a 6" coil base + 3" soft talalay and had no hip issues but woke up with shoulder pain + sometimes a dead arm. I was advised to add a medium layer as an intermediary layer. Now I don’t wake up with shoulder pain, but have experience serious pressure points in my hips.
What could potentially fix this? I’m thinking I take out the medium layer, but I haven’t fully figured it out. Do I need a softer bed? I tend to sleep hot, so switching from memory foam to latex has been a dream. However, I’m open to trying a memory foam topper if that would be helpful for pressure relief.
3" soft talalay (19 ILD)
3" medium talalay (28 ILD)
6" pocket coil base (non-zoned)
Thank you!
You are on the smaller and lighter side so it could very well be that the medium talalay layer is too firm for you as a side sleeper. As you know, side sleepers generally need a softer sleep surface to allow for shoulder sink in. Latex foams do tend to have slightly firmer or softer sides so maybe try flipping your middle layer to see if that helps.
Also, I think that particularly as side sleepers, we can have a good mattress for our sleep style but incorrect pillows. We end up blaming the mattress when we should also be considering head support as a possible problem/solution.
Unlike back sleepers who can often solve alignment issues by sleeping with a very thin pillow or without a pillow at all, side sleepers need a fair bit of heft and support from their pillow(s). Some side sleepers like pillow squares or pillow cubes. Some prefer a well stuffed but more malleable pillow like shredded latex or kapok or feathers/down.
Most side sleepers also do well with a pillow between their knees.
Perhaps your original mattress config was good, you just needed to adjust your pillowing situation?