Hello people of TMO,
I’m a new member but have been reading up on reviews on reddit who recommend I come here.
I’m in desperate need of a new mattress yesterday.
A little back story. My husband and I slept on an Englander Viscopedic Mattress that we loved for about 10 years. The mattress held up okay over that time frame but we needed to upgrade from a full size to Queen. I ended up purchasing a Zinus Green Tea mattress. about 3 years ago. I HATE IT! I’m not sure I ever liked it. The mattress is way too firm for both my husband and I. I kept thinking it’s memory foam and eventually it will break down and soften up. Oh how wrong I was.
Details:
5’4" 155lb side sleeper and sometime back, I think it’s mostly due to our horrible mattress
5’9" 185 side sleeper, who then will roll all over in the night.
Queen sized bed and box spring.
With the green tea I’ve been having quite a bit of hip pain and my husband has been having shoulder pain.
I’m not ready for DIY quite yet but might be willing to go that route.
Since we have a bed frame that needs a box spring is there any recommendations on what we should look at? Thank you!
Hi Msalty.
Welcome to our Mattress Forum. 
Thank you for sharing some of your backstory! I am sorry to hear of the pain you are both experiencing on your current mattress. I did some quick research and can see it is an all foam mattress. They self rate it as a medium firmness, but they also do not share the densities of their foam layers. So it is hard to know for sure. Did you get the 8", 10", or 12"?
As you and your partner are both combo sleepers, it would be wise to choose a comfort layer that is a little thinner than your “deepest” sleeping position would normally require (typically side sleeping) and then choose a support layer underneath that helps you to sink in a little extra when you need it. A middle layer or “transition layer” can be especially useful for those who sleep in multiple positions and it can help you to sink in enough to help with pressure relief and also help keep you from sinking down too far and causing back issues. Innerspring designs that are more conforming like pocket coils or offset coils or different foams that are softer on top and become firmer faster when they are compressed (such as latex) also make very good choices here.
Innerspring designs are also a great fit for a traditional boxspring.
That said, all foam designs (latex or memory foam) also come in arrangements that include a comfort layer, transition layer, and base layer.
If you haven’t already, definitely do browse our Trusted Member directory! I would be happy to point you in the direction of the Trusted Members that may be your best fits. Are you looking to stay away from memory foam this time around? Or are you still open to it? What did you like about your Viscopedic mattress?
NikkiTMU
Hi Nikki,
Thanks for much for the reply. We have the 10" Zinus Green tea mattress. Based on what your describing I think the transition layer is our issue with this mattress. The top layer seems pretty soft, but under that it feels like a brick.
The thing I like about the Viscopedic mattress was how soft it has become. I still sleep on it on occasion and enjoy just the plush feel. I’m sure part of the reason it’s so soft is due to being 15 years old.
I have done some research and I think think we should probably stick with an all memory form mattress. Since my spouse moves a lot while sleeping we need some thing with low motion transfer. If there was a hybrid that had low motion transfer I would be open to it. I’m on the fence with latex. We have never tried it and most of what I see recommenced on your site uses wool as the top layer. Wool makes me extremely itchy so I’m a little concerned about sleeping on it all night. I’m not sure if this info is helpful or not. Thanks for helping me with this!
Hi MSalty!
That information was helpful indeed. Thank you!
Yes, memory foam (all foams, but memory and polyfoams especially) break down over time and it’s possible that the enveloping feeling of the memory foam is especially comfortable to you.
Because you are most interested in memory foam, I would suggest taking a look at what Ghostbed has to offer. They have both all-foam and hybrid options. They have a live chat on their site so you could ask more specific questions about motion transfer, or you can always ask them questions here on TMU, especially with any concerns you may have in regards to pains you experience on a mattress, and we will bring the post to their attention so they can answer directly.
Another of our Trusted Members with memory foam/memory foam hybrids is Nest Bedding. They also are extremely responsive to any questions you may have about the appropriateness of their mattresses for your BMIs and sleeping positions, preferences, etc.
Wool is a common component, indeed. Wool is used as the fire retardant to pass the fire regulations. It’s not itchy because there is no direct contact with the skin, and wool is among the best temperature regulating materials used in the industry (in both directions).
I would definitely recommend laying on a latex mattress before committing to one. It is popular because it sleeps cooler than other foams, and it extremely durable as a material. It’s similar to memory foam in that it has the ability to form itself to the exact shape of your body profile while you are sleeping, and to do this instantly as you change positions. It can be soft and supportive at the same time.
I hope this helps!
NikkiTMU