After reading more about mattress design and support for different parts of the body, I started to wonder if mattresses are not designed wrongly.
Since you pelvic and upper body need slightly different support, in theory a mattress would need to be firmer around the pelvic but softer at the upper body. However, most mattresses are made in layers whereby the entire layer is the same material.
But why not split say the middle layer of a mattress in two? Have a softer/medium material from the headboard to the middle, and a more medium/firmer material from the middle to the feet-end of the mattress? Or perhaps split the mattress 1/3:2/3.
What you’re describing is generally referred to as a zoned mattress and are pretty commonly available. Many used a zoned spring arrangement but there are also foam mattresses which allow you to re-position some pieces of foam to provide varying levels of support in different sections of the mattress.
Hi EdinMass,
That’s a good question, and as Sweet Dreams pointed out (thanks!), you’re describing a zoned mattress system.
Various zoning systems can be very useful and worth considering for people who have more challenging circumstances or sensitivities, body types that are more difficult to “match” to a mattress, more complex medical issues, or who have a history of having more difficulty in finding a mattress that works well for them. There is more about zoning in this article and in post #11 here. You may also want to read post #2 here and post #7 here (latex monozone unique properties).
Zoning can add to the complexity of selecting a mattress, so I strongly encourage you to find a knowledgeable manufacturer or retailer with experience specifically with zoned systems if you are considering such a route.
Phoenix