I am a FURNACE! Memory foam is my enemy...Recommendations?

Discussions General Mattresses Questions
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12 years ago, I bought a USED queen Simmons Beautyrest that has served me well. As long as I’ve been alive, 56 years, I’ve slept extremely HOT, to the point of smelling badly in the morning, even though I shower the night before. You can tell from the sweat stains on the sheets which side I sleep on.

The problem is that my wife and I can’t find a mattress that is made without memory foam or some other type of foam that sleeps as cool as the 15-20 year old Simmons pocketed coil mattress with the big dip in the middle.

We tried a Simmons hybrid…terrible…worst nightmares in my life. The Outlast Pad didn’t help. Sleep Train took the mattress back.

We tried a foam mattress from a local builder…waaayy too hot. A wool topper didn’t help. We exchanged it for a latex bed he had on display…better, but still fairly hot, and we’re stuck with it, because he won’t give us our money back. It’s in the guest room now. We have a $4500 guest bed.

We tried a Helix mail order mattress with coils…pretty good, but still too hot. Returned for refund. We tried a Sleep-Number bed…I made it 3 hours. Returned for refund. We just got a Purple mattress, and I made it 3 hours. It was also too stiff for me…I’m 5-10, 185, broad shoulders. Returning for refund now.

So here we are again, looking for another mattress. I sleep comfortable and cool on hotel mattresses, but from what I’ve read here, they’re not made well???

Sleep Train is now Mattress Firm. Every time we inquire there, and they tell us ALL their mattresses have memory foam. I’ve tried “Cooling” toppers, and several types of pads, all with the same results…too hot! I do NOT want to buy a mattress that has to be crutched with a cooling device. We already have a cool mattress…why can’t we find another like it?

So…what are the blazing hot sleepers out there finding that works well for couples? Motion isolation is important as well.

Gerard
San Diego area, zip code 92065

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Hi Gerard,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum! :slight_smile:

I’m sorry to hear about your temperature issues while sleeping Hopefully I can provide a bitof information that may be helpful.

In very general terms … the materials, layers, and components of a sleeping system that are closer to your skin will have a bigger effect on airflow, moisture transport, and temperature regulation than materials, layers, and components that are further away from your skin and softer mattresses or foam toppers will tend to be more “insulating” and for some people can sleep warmer than firmer versions of the same material.

While it’s not really possible to quantify the sleeping temperature of a mattress for any particular person with any real accuracy because there are so many variables involved including the type of mattress protector and the sheets and bedding that you use (which in many cases can have just as significant an effect on sleeping temperature as the type of foam in a mattress) and on where you are in the “oven to iceberg” range (you’re in the blast furnace category) and because there is no standardized testing for temperature regulation with different combinations of materials, there is some good information about the many variables that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress or sleeping system in post #2 here that can help you choose the types of materials and components that are most likely to keep you in a comfortable temperature range.

While I don’t have complete information, in your situation it seems that you respond best to more “traditional” mattresses using innersprings and “standard” polyurethane foams on top. Warm sleepers will also tend to respond better to mattresses in which they sink in less, as all foams are insulators to an extent.

There are plenty of innerspring mattresses in the marketplace that are of a more “traditional” design that should be able to accommodate you. There is more information about finding a quality mattress in the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones.

As you are in San Diego, subject to first confirming that any retailer or manufacturer on the list that you wish to visit is completely transparent (see this article) and to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines here … the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around San Diego are listed here. Many of these companies feature latex, but also would have options for mattresses using springs with latex on top or other styles of innerspring mattresses. As you situation is quite unique, I would recommend attempting to find local options that you can test in person.

In extreme temperature sensitivity issues, some people choose to go with mattresses using no foam and only coils or natural fibers. While not a complete list, a few products in this category are listed here. Additionally, these is a newer generation of mattress pads that are designed to cool, such as the chilipad. You may wish to investigate this technology.

I hope all of that information is helpful to you.

Phoenix