Thanks! I noticed the âreceive notificationsâ checkbox at the bottom of my reply yesterday. Mustâve missed it last time.
I think the issue is actually not so much my hips sinking too far, but my torso sinking too far. If I put a pillow under my hips only, it makes the problem worse. If I put a pillow under both my hips and torso, it feels so much better.
I will definitely check back in one we receive the new topper and have slept on it a bit.
Hey rp0475,
The more you describe some of your solutions, the better it seems that your choice of a 24 ILD replacement should be a good fit. Please keep TMU updated on your replacement experience, it will be helpful to other forum members:) 
.
Thanks,
Sensei
Hi Sensei,
Nothing new so far. Have you moved my question to a new topic already? Has it been answered?
Hi Drackean,
Thank you for your prompting and perseverance! Your initial post with questions certainly slipped through the cracks and has never been moved or answered (Until now) so sorry :oops: !
I have created this new topic and placed all your comments and related posts to your own dedicated topic and subscribed to you to it so that you receive notifications whenever someone replies to it.
We are in the process of site redesign and our small team wears many hats but weâll certainly get to it soon.
Phoenix
I really appreciate that Phoenix. Looking forward to your analysis on the issue. Thanks for the help.
Hi Drackean,
Thanks again for your patience and gentle approach. I appreciate it!
Diagnosing and troubleshooting an old mattress is not always that straight forward âŚyouâd need to know the materials used within your old mattress and look for any potential visible sagging or signs of the foam breaking, virtual impressions, and mattress failing along with how your own body interacts with it⌠Poor quality materials would lead to the mattress prematurely breaking down. This issue may be further compounded by the use of comfort layers that are too thick and/or too soft.
If your current mattress that has thick layers of lower quality polyfoam in the upper layers such as in a pillowtop âŚas it starts breaking down it will gradually put you âover the lineâ and the mattress may no longer be suitable for you (even though it may still work for your wife with a different BMI body type or sleeping positions). I am not sure if your mattress is still under warranty but unless there is an obvious defect, loss of comfort and support from foam softening would not be covered (even though itâs the most common reason people need to replace their mattress). If you wish to do some in-depth mattress diagnosing as part of the learning curve for future mattress selection there is some information about the many different symptoms people can experience on a mattress and most common causes behind them in post #2 here that may be helpful to you.
In general, issues with âpainâ earlier in the night tend to be surface comfort related, and issues with âpainâ in the morning tend to be more alignment (deep support) related, Lower back pain and Frequent repositioning is one of the signs that your mattress may not be meeting your specific deep support and comfort needs. For someone with lower back issues on a mattress ⌠the first place I would look is the thickness and softness of the comfort layers. What can often happen is that the heavier parts of the body (the lumbar pelvis area) will sink down too deeply relative to the lighter parts of the body which arenât sinking down as much. The sinking into the mattress is not even for all parts of the body and that spinal alignment is not âneutralâ. In this case, the pelvis will tilt which leads to the lumbar curve not maintaining its neutral relaxed position. You probably need to be closer to the firmer support layers that âstopâ the heavier lumbar/pelvis from sinking too far. There are some general guidelines as to what tends to cause back pain in post #2 here that you may find interesting
Your pictures show a good posture and spinal alignment when laying on the edge/perimeter of your current mattress, but I am guessing that this is not in your habitual sleeping area and that youâd sleep more towards the center of the mattress where most of the mechanical stress would occur and where the foam(s) would first start breaking down, softening, and losing its supportive properties. The pictures taken of you being placed towards the center of the mattress may be a bit misleading but I do notice more sinking-in than when you are on the edge. Generally, those photos also show good alignment, but if the foam started to break down it would have less resilience and would not fill in the gaps to offer support for the recessed parts of your body.
Again, when you are dealing with alignment issues (often lower back issues) ⌠then itâs usually about some part of your body sinking DOWN into the mattress too far relative to the others. Assuming that your mattress foundation is sturdy, flat, and offers a good central support without sagging, your lower back pains can be the result of either mattress support layers (such as an innerspring) being too soft or comfort layers that are too thick and soft which can allow some parts of the body to âtravelâ too far. It can also be from comfort layers that are too thin or firm or support layers that are too firm where the âgapsâ in your sleeping profile (such as under the lumbar curve or waist) arenât being filled in and supported which can also allow the more recessed parts of the body to sag or âtravelâ too far. These can both lead to pain and discomfort in either the back or joints when either the spine or joints are outside of their âneutralâ alignment.
While your description is a fairly good assessment of what is seen in the photos about good posture and alignment, Iâd try to focus more on how it feels rather than how it looks. See my reply to a recent post with similar questions about spinal alignment that may be useful in trying to understand your current landscape.
Glad to see that in your new mattress hunt you moved away from getting a pillowtop with unknown componentry that may contain lower density polyfoam. They can have a great âshowroom feelâ but that feel doesnât last very long âŚwith over 3" of polyfoam is even worse (the lower density polyfoam there is the more effect that foam softening will have). These guidelines will help you avoid most of the worst choices when you are mattress shopping.
Assuming that you chose the right balance of comfort/support for you, the Latex Albizia hybrid mattress does look like a good product. The bed is listed as having perimeter support and the zoned pocket coils are rarely the weak link in a mattress. If you primarily sleep on your back than the 2" Talalay Latex of 19 ILD (most likely from Vita Talalay) maybe not supportive enough and cause again alignment issues. Post #2 here has some generic guidelines for different body types and sleeping positions.
All foam materials will both soften (virtual impressions) and/or develop visible impressions to some degree over time and wonât stay perfectly flat but if they are higher quality and more durable materials such as latex they will be significantly less and take longer to develop than lower quality and less durable materials and any minimal softening or impressions wonât generally affect the comfort and support of the mattress. Latex, in general, is the most durable of all the foam materials and generally holds up very well for a very long period of time.
I hope this helps ⌠itâs nice to see that there are still people who are taking their time rather than rushing to replace a mattress quickly and go through the stress of hurried decisions and more âurgentâ research.
Phoenix
Hi all,
Sorry to start a non-sequitur post, but Iâm new to the forum and canât figure out how to start a new topic. I believe my account has been approved, but when I visit the main page, I donât see any button to start a new thread. Is there something wrong with my account? Iâm a millennial and consider myself a pretty tech-savvy person, but I spent 30 minutes trying to find a Start New Topic button to no availâŚ
Because I canât figure out how to start a new thread, Iâm replying to this thread as itâs the only way I can communicate/create a post.
Anyone have any advice?
You can only currently start a new thread in the Talk to the Experts sections. If you can find a related expertâs area you can post your new thread there, or you can search for and find an existing thread which is related to your topic and just post your question on that thread. Admins may then move it to a new thread if they deem it necessary. Thereâs nothing wrong with your account!
[color=black]Hey Yesnyc123
Welcome to our Mattress Forum ! Happy to have you here and hope that you find TMU teamâs research, the many contributions by our Trusted Members and consumer member resources helpful while making your mattress purchase.
Sending a âThanksâ to @SweetDreams, TMU Gold Member for guiding you through the posting process :cheer: , youâll find a number of knowledgeable and responsive consumer members here who are great at sharing their experiences and answering support questions. Without getting into the details of the two posts/ questions you asked our Expert Members, also sending thanks to @ArizonaPremium and @Cozypure for their replies too. From reading the last post response from the topic Help! Have 24 hrs to buy mattress in New York City, looks like Arizona Premium has offered to send product information to you. Keep us updated on your mattress shopping journey and let us know how we can helpâŚ
Thanks,
Sensei
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The Bedding Mart helped me find the perfect mattress for me. I live in Arkansas and they spent the time with me to select a tempur pedic. Huge upgrade from my last thrift-store bought bed! If youâre in the AR, TX, OK area they were really helpful.
I know with all the internet-brand beds that are probably good (like purple, casper, etcâŚ) I didnât trust going all-in without even laying on one first. Going to a store was a refreshing experience for me. They helped me ask the right questions, I wouldâve never thought of.
So we received the 24 ILD topper (3" blended Talalay, same as the 19 ILD we had first), and Iâm really torn. Luma is giving us 2 weeks to try it out and decide which one to send back. We slept on the 24 ILD for a week, and while my husband and I both initially felt like it offered better support, it felt much firmer than I think either of anticipated, and we both missed the plush feel of the 19 ILD. With the 24, I think my hips are sinking in enough (honestly itâs so hard to tell), but my shoulders feel a little more crunched. I tried a thicker pillow and that helped, but I still much preferred the way my shoulders sunk into the 19.
I also kept finding myself waking up throughout the night tilted forward, almost on my stomach, likely because the mattress was feeling too firm on my hips (my biggest pressure point). While my initial impression was that the 24 was more supportive, I did still feel a bit of that same strain mid-lower back that I felt on the softer topper. The area Iâm talking about is basically from the top of my pelvic bone to the bottom of my rib cage. If Iâm laying on my left side, itâs the like the pelvic bone and the rib cage on the right side are bending in a bit too close to each other, if that makes sense. If as Iâm laying there I flex my muscles to raise my waist/lumbar up, which in turns pushes my hips further down a bit, It feels better. Iâm not sure whether this means my hips arenât sinking down far enough, my waist isnât being held up high enough, or some combination of the two.
After a week on the 24, we switched back to the 19 to compare. We both felt so much better climbing into bed with that level of softness, but that back strain I mentioned did feel more exaggerated. I donât wake up in pain there, but itâs just an uncomfortable awareness of the way those muscles are bent. Because I was still feeling it on the 24, I didnât think the firmer topper was really helping. But switching back to the 19, I think the firmer one did help some, just not completely. But I could never feel comfortable enough on the 24. On the 19 last night, I did wake up with some hip/upper thigh pain on the side I was laying on, and had to switch sides. Iâm not sure if that was a pressure point issue (feeling the 28 ILD below it), or if it was actually muscle strain from possibly being too soft?
On both configurations, when looking at my spine, it looks relatively straight from hips to waist, and then takes an upward slant from waist to neck. I say ârelatively straightâ because I think, although itâs hard to tell for sure in the pics my husband took of me laying there so I might be wrong, that there is a slight âvâ in that area of âstrainâ I mentioned.
Iâm really not sure what to do here. Iâm hoping we can find the right combo without having to send the whole mattress back. I also donât want to add a second topper, as the mattress is already 15" tall. For reference, the rest of the mattress construction, topper aside, is 8" 15 gauge L&P QE Bolsa, topped with 2" of 28 ILD Dunlop. Those two pieces are glued together within the cover, and then we have the 3" 19 or 24 Talalay pillow top separate.
Hey kkleinkopf,
Welcome to The Mattress Underground ! Always a pleasure to hear from new members keeping in mind the rules for posting to TMUâs forum regarding advertising, non-expert member retailer linking etc. We are proud of the relationships with our Trusted Member retailers/ manufacturers, their years of expertise in the mattress industry and the professional insights they provide our consumer members. They have a deep understanding of the âcause and effectâ relationship of components in the mattress design process and have earned their reputation of educating others in a âfair and transparentâ way.
Congrats on your new mattress purchase. Feel free to check in and share your experience with everyone following a month or so âsleep adjustmentâ period.
Cheers,
Sensei
Hey rp0475,
Youâve provided lots of good feedback on your Luma Mattress purchase and comfort exchange, thanks for sharing with the TMU forum.
Have you shared your comfort exchange thoughts with Team Luma? As one of our Trusted Expert Members, they would be interested in your concerns and could extend the trial period a bit longer to better determine which of the two toppers better suits your comfort preferences. Perhaps a conversation on what youâve experienced so far will help them suggest what next steps could be, you can contact them directly either from our site here or Chat/ call directly through Luma Sleepâs site here. All of our trusted members are dedicated to providing both high quality products and a superior consumer experience. Hope this helpsâŚ
Thanks,
Sensei
I sent them an email on Friday but havenât heard back yet. In the meantime, I was just curious what your advice here might be about what the issue isâŚalthough I realize that ranges from difficult to downright impossible to diagnose without actually seeing it. I know my spine is curving down too much, but I canât tell if itâs because the topper is too soft, too firm, too thick or not thick enough. Whether itâs the softness causing it too curve, or even possibly that itâs not soft enough for my shoulders, so theyâre being held too high causing my spine to have to curve down to meet my hips. I wish I could take an x-ray of my spine and the individual layers of my bed to see for sure what was happening!
Hello everyone - Iâm new to the whole informed mattress buying game. There are so many nuances to buying a mattress that I never stopped to consider. After staring at screens for as much time as I have, its time for me to go lay on some mattresses. Iâm very interested in latex, but Iâve never knowingly slept on latex before. So here is my problem - I can not for the life of me find anywhere remotely close to me that has latex mattresses to demo. I live in Northeast Mississippi and Iâm willing to drive. Iâm looking n the Jackson area, Tupelo area, Starkville area - or anywhere else that I can convince myself is close. Does anyone have any experience in this area of the country? Anyone know where I can demo a latex mattress? All of the former posts that address Mississippi are dated and havenât produced any good results for me.
Also - i have no idea if this is the right place to post this or not. If not, someone please point me in the right direction. This site has a ton of great information, but it is far from easy to navigate. For example - i have no idea how to post a new thread. Or if Iâm even allowed to do that. So if Iâm in the wrong spot, someone let me know.
My many thanks, also, to the many posters here â youâve volunteered more information than I had imagination to consider. Iâm gearing up to buy my first new bed in twenty-three years, and this forum provides all of the information, and then some, that I need to make an informed decision. Iâll be buying my bed from a manufacturer, recommended on the forum, located close to my home here in north Texas.
Hey billyzanejr,
Welcome to the TMU Forum ! Thanks for your kind words about the site and yes, you can totally start a new topic at the âAsk An Expertâ pagehere. Choose one of the Trusted Members from the list of âGeneral Mattress Questionsâ and on the following page, select the âNew Topicâ/ green button on the left. You can also use the forumâs âsearchâ and enter âlatex mattressâ for example to find existing threads of interest. Glad you asked, âcreating a New Topicâ is often a question from new users.
I strongly suggest to new consumer members to check out Phoenixâs Mattress Shopping Tutorial itâs a good 101 reference for use of TMU Forum resources, the 5 steps in making the best quality/ value choice, and Trusted Members program explained. It is a lot of reading and yes, you will need to lay on some mattresses but you are definitely heading in the right direction to understand your PPP (Pressure relief, Posture and alignment and Personal preferences) and experience the feel of latex.
Specifically for Northeast MS, unfortunately the answer is no, mainly due to how retailer programs change on a monthly basis, not all stores carrying the same assortments as others. I would always give referral preference to one of our trusted manufacturer/ retail members as many of them ship latex mattresses and have sound âComfort Exchangeâ policies. That said, feel free to ask consumer members about their experience too. Iâm moving this thread to a new topic, âShopping Latex Mattresses in Tupelo, Starkville MS, Jackson TNâ
BTW, hey @farfallah, welcome to the Forum to you as well ! Glad to hear youâre finding the resources here useful and thanks too for supporting a recommended TMU manufacturer in your area. Would be interested in hearing about your mattress choice and experience, following a reasonable âsleep adjustmentâ period. You may find the links in this post/ above useful in the decision-making process as well. Best of luck to you both!
Cheers,
Sensei
Iâm trying to follow the instructions given to billyzanejr but Iâm not finding the âNew Topicâ button. Does anyone here mess with sleep number beds? I recently moved and the movers packed my sleep number bed. When I went to set it up, the pillow top and mattress cover are gone so I have the pump, air mattresses, foam sides, 2 foam tops, and box springs. Where can I get the case, plastic corners, and pillow top?
Thank you for any help!
Sorry if this answer seems somewhat obvious, but to get specific parts that you need for a Sleep Number bed youâd have to contact them directly.
Whatâs the best way to ask forum member thoughts on two different retailers?