Canadian (BC) here, looking for natural (or possibly organic) latex mattress or DIY options
(I posted this in General forum earlier, but cross posting here to hopefully get some local help )
I’m pretty low BMI and have difficulty finding a mattress that would let me sink in enough to provide decent support for lumbar area.
I’m trying to encourage my body to mostly sleep on the side, but also spend some of the night on back or stomach. Two of my previous mattresses ended up causing me excruciating back pain (especially when on stomach), and I’m still recovering from that, so my spine is very sensitive to misalignment.
I’ve tried several variations of latex layers. The softest I tried was 3in extra-soft talalay on 3in soft. It felt great for hips, decent for shoulders, but did very little to hold my lumbar area up when on my side. It felt like my body just didn’t sink in enough. Any other combination that I could try?
I’ve been suggested a DIY and I think that’s my best bet. I’m hoping for suggestions on what ILDs and thickness to buy to get a shot at decent alignment and also where to buy these from for a reasonable price. Suggestions?
Hi skyisred,
The wrong mattress can cause or worsen your lower back pain. When your mattress fails to support your lower back, it results in a poor sleeping posture, your spine gets out of alignment, and your surrounding muscles become enflamed as they strain to pull the spine back into position. A comfortable good night’s sleep is essential to your back’s healing process. During deep and relaxing sleep the muscles, ligaments, and other spinal structures can completely relax.
Sleeping comfort and support go hand in hand, your personal sleep quality is most likely be determined by how comfortable you are and how well you sleep. Most likely this will be on a mattress that properly supports your lower back. Research indicates that a firmer mattress significantly reduces chronic lower back pain and improves sleep quality. The firmness of your mattress remains largely a personal preference, however, as the research is not extensive. What has been shown is that mattresses that are over 5 to 7 years old often are worn out and need replacing. A new mattress is likely to reduce back pain and improve sleep quality.
MATTRESS CONSIDERATIONS
Knowing more about the cause of your back pain, and what your body requires for a restful night’s sleep, is the best way to choose the right mattress.
Personal preference rules: Ultimately, personal preference still trumps other considerations when choosing which mattress is best for you. Not all people with lower back pain receive relief from the same mattress. A mattress that delivers you a good night’s sleep without pain, is the right mattress.
Ask about and understand the components of the mattress: You will learn that the mattress’ support is provided by the inner springs, some contain a larger number than others, and they are all arranged differently. You will also find that the padding over those springs comes in a variety of thicknesses.
Mattresses with back support: A good mattress should provide support for the natural curves and alignment of the spine, alleviating muscle soreness in the morning. Studies are revealing that a medium-firm mattress provides more back pain relief than a firm mattress.
The balance of back support and Comfort: One begets the other? In a way, yes. However, a mattress that is too firm can cause pressure point aches and pains, disallowing shoulders, and hips to sink in a bit, which would allow a straighter spine and a more restful sleep.
The 1st rule:
The first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own personal preferences).
DIY mattress
All the best
Thank you for your reply! I’m also interested in trying some extra-soft talalay for a top layer. Your website mentions Vita Talalay as a good option, do you know if I can purchase it anywhere for a DIY?
Hi skyisred,
Usually, we can’t get some soft all natural Talalay, but now due to supply chain issues it’s no longer available. Please check with us in February 2022 to see if the manufacturer has manage to produce any.
All the best!
Thank you! I will!