I've tried every mattress out there...help!

[phoenix]

Hi Jewels,

Over the last few months, I’ve discovered that I don’t tolerate standard mattresses. In other words, my immune system has a negative reaction and my doctor has no way of knowing if it’s the glue or fire retardants. I do know that for whatever reason, my health improved dramatically when I had the sleep number mattress. I found it quite painful on my back, but my overall health improved.

Post #2 here and the more detailed posts and information it links to have more information about safe, natural, organic, “chemical free”, and green mattresses and mattress materials that can help you sort through some of the marketing information and terminology that you will encounter in the industry and can help you differentiate between them and answer “how safe is safe enough for me” so you can decide on the types of materials you are most comfortable having in your mattress. These types of issues are complex and are generally specific to each person and their individual sensitivities, circumstances, criteria, and lifestyle choices.

Sleep number mattresses use polyfoam and/or memory foam in their mattresses (depending on the mattress) which are the same materials as are used in the comfort layers of most “standard” mattresses so at least you know there are some synthetic/chemical foams that you are OK with but of course you may be sensitive to some versions of polyfoam or memory foam and not to others because different manufacturers use different chemical foam formulations to make their foams.

Therefore I am considering the OrganicPedic Classic mattress by OMI (Organicpedic).

OMI mattresses are primarily latex so not being sensitive to the foams in your Sleep Number won’t necessarily “translate” into whether you are sensitive to latex or not but outside of actual latex allergies (see post #2 here) the odds are high that latex will be fine in terms of sensitivities.

I am planning on buying a topper to help soften it. I have no idea if this will work for me. It’s a firm mattress and I’m concerned that I won’t be able to find a quality topper that’ll make it comfortable. I would love any opinions you have. Do you have any advice on a quality (and pure) topper that can be effective in making a mattress feel softer?

I would tend to avoid buying a mattress with the intention of adding a topper if you haven’t tested the mattress/topper combination in person because choosing a topper that is a good match for both you and the mattress you are using it on can add an additional level of uncertainty to your purchase (see post #2 here).

If you do decide to add a topper after sleeping on your mattress though then post #2 here and the topper guidelines it links to can help you use your actual sleeping experience on the mattress as a guideline for choosing the type, thickness, and firmness for a topper that has the best chance of success and also includes a link to the better topper sources I’m aware of as well.

Phoenix