Hi blubs,
Wecome to the Mattress UnderGround,
I am happy fellow Canadian, Mario was able to offer some great advice.
Nonetheless, it sounds like you’ve been through quite a journey trying to find the right mattress and pillow combination for you and your wife. Let’s break down your situation:
- Previous Mattress Experience: You mentioned sleeping on a worn-out Sealy mattress that caused a sagging hole around your hip and shoulder area. This suggests that you may need a mattress with good pressure relief, especially for your shoulders.
- Current Mattress Experience: The medium-firm latex mattress from Sleeponlatex didn’t work well for you. While latex is known for its durability and support, it might not provide sufficient pressure relief for side sleepers like yourself, especially if it’s too firm.
- Pillow Experimentation: Switching to the Bedgear Night Ice pillows, particularly for you with a higher loft, might have contributed to the headaches due to poor neck alignment. Reverting to your old pillow reduced headaches but increased shoulder pain, indicating a need for better shoulder support.
- Waterproof Bamboo Mattress Protector: Removing the protector made your current setup feel softer, suggesting that the protector might have been affecting the feel and firmness of the mattress.
Given your experience and preferences, here are some recommendations:
- Mattress: Since you liked the feel of the Galaxy 10" Memory Foam Mattress, it might be worth considering further. Memory foam tends to offer good pressure relief and contouring, which can be beneficial for side sleepers. However, the lack of reviews on this specific brand might be a concern. If possible, try to find more information or customer reviews from other sources. Alternatively, look for reputable memory foam mattresses from well-known brands that offer similar features. Another perspective is memory foam, while offering great pressure relief, tends not to be the more durable of foam options, see my post here.
- Pillow: Finding the right pillow height is crucial, especially for side sleepers like yourself. Consider trying different pillow lofts to see which one provides optimal neck alignment and shoulder support. Ideally, your head and neck should be aligned with your spine in a neutral position. Pillows are a particular passion of mine. It is just not something we rest our head on. Materials, head position on the pillow, and matching the pillow to the mattress are all critical in getting a comfortable night’s sleep. You can look over my post on pillows as my journey was long to find the right combination.
- Mattress Protector: If you decide to go with a new mattress, consider investing in a high-quality, breathable mattress protector that doesn’t significantly alter the feel of the mattress. This can help protect your investment while maintaining comfort.
- Trial Period and Return Policy: Make sure the mattress you choose comes with a generous trial period and a flexible return policy, allowing you to test it out at home and return it if it doesn’t meet your needs.
Remember, finding the right mattress and pillow combination can take some trial and error, but prioritizing comfort and support is essential for a good night’s sleep.
I would be happy to answer any other questions you might have in a generic sense as I am not as familiar with the Canadian Market Brands. For that I would have you circle back to Mario.
All the best,
Maverick