Hello,
I’m 100lb, 5ft, and 30yrs old and have tried a couple of mattresses the past few months but continue to be in a lot of pain. I naturally sleep on my side, but usually roll to my stomach eventually due to shoulder discomfort. I’m currently sleeping on a Casper Select and have horrendous lower back pain. Though I’m lightweight, my hips are quite wide and jut into the mattress, so it feels like I’m sleeping in a V-shape. My hip ends up in a hole, and because the rest of my body doesn’t sink in at all, the surrounding foam pushes against my lower back/side, exaggerating the problem even more.
I tried the Casper Element and it was much too firm and left me with shoulder pain, but in retrospect I wonder if I should have kept it and gotten a soft topper.
Basically, I need a lot of support under my hip but enough softness that my shoulders don’t get sore. I guess I like the idea of memory foam, but it seems to throw my body out of alignment so maybe sleeping more on top of the mattress is better for me? Is there a way to achieve that while still getting pressure point relief?
I am on a tight budget. At this point I’m inclined to buy a cheap, firm mattress for the support and add a soft topper if needed, but I don’t even know if that’s a viable solution. I could maybe spend 700-800 total for a queen but would strongly prefer to keep it at 300-500 to give me wiggle room for a topper if I need it. I really don’t want to return another mattress.
Zinus seems like the obvious budget choice but I’m seeing mixed reviews and would love to stick with US-made and fiberglass free (not a requirement, just a preference). I’m currently looking at Dreamfoam Arctic Dreams or Elements Latex. I’m not opposed to DIY, but the options are overwhelming. Any insights on those, or suggestions for other possible solutions to look into, would be greatly appreciated!!!
Hi jxmann17.
Welcome to our Mattress Forum. 
Sorry to hear of your ongoing pain on your mattress(es). To quote Phoenix and this thread "Lower back issues generally come from a mattress that has upper layers that are too thick and soft and/or support layers which are too soft which can allow the pelvis to sink down too far relative to the rest of the body. This tilts the pelvis which changes the natural curve of the Lumbar spine and can lead to lower back issues. A mattress that is too soft can also allow the hips to sink down too far which flexes the hip joints out of their neutral position which can also lead to joint soreness or back soreness if the muscles are working to keep the back and hips in alignment.
In some cases a mattress that is too firm can also cause lower back issues because the body doesn’t sink in far enough to fill in the gaps in the small of the back and/or the waist (depending on the sleeping position) and the recessed curves of the back can sag. Finally if a mattress is too firm and there are pressure points on the hips (for side sleepers especially) then you may “twist” the lower body away from pressure which twists the spine and and puts it out of rotational alignment which can also cause back discomfort or pain in the area where the spine is twisted.
In most cases … lower back issues come from comfort layers that are too thick and soft and/or support layers that are too soft which can both allow the pelvis to sink down too far and put the lumbar spine out of alignment."
Based on what you are describing, a zoned mattress. Multi-zone mattresses with a softer layer under the hips and shoulders and a firmer layer under the lumbar.
No matter who you ultimately choose it is important to have a detailed conversation with whomever you choose to purchase from and provide them with your stats, body type, sleeping styles, general preferences and history, some general information about your current mattress, or what you have tested, and any other specific information or circumstances that could affect your choice of a mattress so they can help you choose which may be your best fit from their inventory.
NikkiTMU