I was just diagnosed with degenerated lumbar discs and am having a lot of pain. The last mattress I bought lasted only 3 years before completely sagging in the middle. That mattress came from a local manufacturer and while it was the best one they made, it was still very inexpensive and poor quality. I think the mattress is contributing to my pain, as I stayed at a hotel last weekend and had dramatically reduced pain. So I’m on a mission to get the highest quality, most long-lasting mattress I can find. I worked at a furniture store 20 years ago, and back then was told that Kingsdown was the best brand. Now I’m researching and have become super overwhelmed. Even reading through this forum has me flummoxed. I’m a very hot sleeper, I weigh about 200 lbs (but am losing weight, down 20 lbs already), and I apparently need to support my lower back far better than I have been. Can anyone help me? I don’t really trust the salesmen in the mattress stores to lead me in the right direction, I want to go in with some knowledge and information under my belt.
Hi jackirose.
Welcome to our Mattress Forum. 
Analysis paralysis is pretty common so you’re definitely not alone there! You’re also right not to trust the salesmen in the mattress stores; their priority is a commission and not your health or alignment.
As a hot sleeper, I’d suggest a latex mattress as it’s the most breathable of the foams. And, if you go the hybrid route, it sleeps that much cooler with the additional airflow passing through the springs. Something zoned is probably going to offer the best support to your lumbar as well. One option that comes to mind is the Natural Escape from My Green Mattress.
Of course, if you’re planning/preferring to do in-person shopping I’d suggest reading our Mattress Shopping Tutorial as well as the tips for choosing a great retailer. You may find this article on zoned mattresses useful as well as why I’d recommend latex for your needs.
If you want to look outside of latex, then definitely also review our durability guidelines so you know what to look for in terms of a long lasting memory or polyfoam bed.
Don’t hesitate to ask questions as they arise!
NikkiTMU
Thank you! I went today and shopped a bit. I ended up really liking an adjustable bed, it was a Sealy Posturepedic hybrid style. I didn’t purchase yet. Do you think an adjustable bed is worth the investment? I told the salesman that I wasn’t interested in memory foam because of heat, but he was certain that the gel-infused memory foam top would actually be cooling rather than hot. What do you think? Was he being honest? I was at a Mattress Firm, if that makes a difference. I was skeptical of purchasing a name brand like that, as I’ve seen many people recommend against that. But I also went with a local manufacturer last time and was really unhappy! This is such a hard decision to make!
Hi jackirose.
If you liked the adjustable bed, then I think it’s a worthy investment (assuming you’ll utilize the adjustability, of course). Gel infused memory foam can be cooler than 100% foam, but at the end of the day…it’s still memory foam and will still collapse under your heat progressively throughout the night. If you’ve not had much issue with memory foam in the past, then I’d say you’d be reasonably happy with the mattress.
That said (haha, sorry), “infused” foams tend to have less durability because they compromise the uniformity of the majority foam. So, that’s something to keep in mind as well.
NikkiTMU
Hybrid el foam mattresses are usually good products for people who need durability but also want to stay cool. Just make sure it is paired with an innerspring or pocketed coil system built into the mattress.
Gel foam is often cool, soft, and offers excellent pressure point relief, but it requires some support from a transitional spring mattress, so look for a hybrid model. I hope this assists. This article contains further information about hybrid gel mattresses that offer support.