A very interesting website and no doubt extremely helpful to a lot of people…
I’ve struggled with different mattresses over the last few years and I’ve recently bought a latex one which I like very much. It has a 15cm 7 zone dunlop Latexco core with 3cm of talalay on top, which I asked not to be glued to the core because I also have a 5cm dunlop topper which I had previously to purchasing the mattress. I had a hunch I might need to experiment. It has a zip cover.
I am a back sleeper and occasionally turn to my side. The issue I’m having is that when I sleep on my back the zone under my lower back becomes too firm during the night. I’ve experiemented with toppers and base adjustments which have only helped up to a point. I currently have the dunlop topper in the mattress and the talalay layer on top in the topper cover. The zone under the lower back is the firmest although the diagram (see attachment, which I found on the net) seems to indicate that the hip area is firmsest.
And so I want to slightly soften the zone under the lower back by widening the pincore holes. Have you any idea of the best way to do this? I thought of using a drill but I have no idea how the latex will react to it. Or I could make incisions with a sharp blade. I have contacted Latexco to ask for advice but have not yet had a response. I am aware that I will probably nullify my guarantee. I decided not to opt for a one zone core, which was the only other option from the retailer, because my shoulers and hips are so comfortable with the 7 zone core.
I would guess that the diagram is likely correct and that the area under the small of your back is probably softer than the area under your hips. The latex itself wouldn’t be getting firmer over the course of the night (if anything foam will become a little softer over the course of the night) but it’s possible that the muscles in your lower back become more relaxed over time which can lead to the sensation of more firmness or the upper layers of your mattress may become a little softer which could allow you to feel more of the firmness of the support core underneath them.
Are you actually experiencing any symptoms when you sleep at night or when you wake up in the morning or is this just a “feeling” that the latex is too firm? I would be cautious about making changes like this if the only reason is based on “feel” rather than on actual symptoms you are experiencing.
It’s also possible that you just aren’t used to the feel of latex or how it contours to the shape of your body (I noticed something similar that there was more “support” in the recessed parts of my body when I first slept on latex for example). How long have you been sleeping on your mattress?
I’ve never tried this or heard of anyone who has so your guess would be as good as mine but again I would be very cautious before trying something quite as radical as this because it may not help as much as you believe it will and there may be other less destructive ways to accomplish what you are hoping to accomplish.
Its absolutely fine when I get into bed but then I will wake up in the middle of the night feeling the firmness under the small of my back. Whether that’s because of muscles relaxing or the way I’m built, who knows? Perhaps I’ve not got a lot of muscle there. But I know what you mean about muscles relaxing; the way the latex holds you is really quite something.
If I take the top layers off the core and press my hand in the hip zone and then in the next zone, the small of the back, it does feel firmer to me than the hip area. At the moment I’m experiementing with a little cushioning (an old duvet and a very thin layer of recon foam) on a hard slatted base (only a 2 cm gap between each slat, I built it myself) and leaving a gap under that particular zone so that that part of the mattress may sink down 1 or 2cm and hopefully not feel so firm under my lower back.
Thanks for the advice to not be too quick to tamper with the latex core. However, if you’re with one of your latex guys who might know how the latex would respond to such tampering, I would greatly appreciate if you could ask them how the would soften that zone if need be.
I’ll certainly ask when I have the chance but I think I can safely predict the response I would receive from most if not all of them which would likely be that they wouldn’t suggest it.
I’m not sure how long you’ve been sleeping on your mattress so it may just be a matter of the normal break in and adjustment period that is part of any new mattress that is different from what you’re used to (see post #3 here).
I would also be very cautious if you aren’t experiencing any specific symptoms of actual pain or discomfort and you are only experiencing a “feel” issue which may actually be a benefit even though you’re not used to it.
A fiberbed or fiber topper or a wool topper may also be worth considering which may provide a little more relaxed and less resilient sleeping surface and some additional softness on top of the mattress.
There is also more about zoning in post #11 here that has some ideas that may be helpful as well.
Yes, I’ve had the mattress for about 25 days now. I do also have a wool topper with 1200gsm in it, and I use it from time to time, although the wool has compacted it still provides some comfort. I don’t feel out of alignment, its just that discomfort or feel issue under the small of the back. I don’t have any back injury or anything like that, so I suppose that makes it a feel issue. Its like the latex is pressing against the spine in that area. Perhaps I will get used to it, I don’t know. I just feel that if I could get it softer under that part - problem solved. (makes me feel like princess and the pea) When I tried extra support under the hips with a blanket it seemed to make it worse. Having said that I could purchase 1cm of latex to go under the hips. That would be cheap to do. But generally speaking, I really love the way the latex holds the body. I’ve got some layers of 1cm recon foam which I laid on the base leaving a gap for that zone to sink, which helped. In addition I tried an old thick duvet underneath as well and that didn’t help. Perhaps as your post suggests I should wait a full 90 days and give myself patience and time. This might sound odd, but previously I struggled with a vi spring for two years which was wonderfully supportive but uncomfortable as it compressed during the night - a very expensive mistake. I’m much happier with latex. Definately the way to go for me. Interestingly, when I get out of bed in the morning, I can definately feel improvement in posture.
My guess is that you may just need to get used to the feel of latex which is very point elastic and resilient and will contour to the shape of your body and support the recessed curves more effectively than other types of materials that you may be used to so if you aren’t experiencing any “symptoms” then I would wait a little longer before making any changes.
If after 90 days or so you are still finding that you would prefer to make some changes then you could experiment with the recon foam under your mattress (as you are) or try your wool topper to see how it feels or perhaps a fiberbed or down alternative topper or even an soft and fairly thin convoluted foam topper may be helpful to reduce the surface resilience which may help to reduce the feeling of pressure under the small of your back.
It sounds like your mattress is a good match for you in terms of posture and alignment and in terms of pressure relief which are the two most important parts of a suitable mattress so the “feel” is likely just a matter of getting used to a more supportive sleeping surface that is very different from what you are used to.
Yes I hope that’s the case, and so I’ll give it a good go and see if I can get used to it.
I’ve attached a photo of the core so you can see it in the flesh. It appears to me that the zone under the small of the back is actually firmer than the hip zone. You can also see semi circle holes in the side of the core under the shoulder zone and a circle hole in the side under the hip zone. I assume these run all the way through to the other side? as they appear on the other side too.
So if you do find out the best way to adjust the surface holes this would be greatly appreciated. I would be curious to find out anyway. But I will try and stick with it as it is for a couple more months.
Thanks for the picture. It looks like the first diagram you posted isn’t the same as the layer you have because the center zone looks firmer than the two zones beside it to me as well and then the shoulder zones would be the softest.