Hi, I’m so grateful for this site as I have found the information so helpful.
I purchased a Simmons Beautyrest about 3 years ago and I have not been pleased with it. I did a lot of research beforehand. I had slept on one in a hotel and found it so comfortable. I am petite and I was surprised when it started to sag after only 4 months of use. I continue to rotate it, and now it sags pretty much all over. I deal with chronic pain, and my pain has been such that I am ready to try something new.
I am interested in purchasing a memory foam mattress, medium firmness. I am a side sleeper. I sleep on my right side, and all my pressure points hurt. I am 5’1", 130 lbs, bmi 24.6.
From what I read on this site, I am still confused as to the material I should look for in a good, memory foam mattress? Could you please provide me with a summary?
#2: The density of any polyfoam or memory foam layers in lbs per cu. ft (lb/ft3)??? This does not make sense to me? What specs do I need?
I see memory foam mattresses listed as 8", 10", 12", 15". What height should I go for and what are the differences?
#4: The type or blend of fabric and any quilting materials used in the cover. If the quilting material is polyfoam or memory foam and is in the range of “around an inch or so” or less then it’s not essential to know the density. If any quilting layers are 2" or more then I would want to know the density of any foam materials in the quilting. ---- What should I be looking for with this, or is this a personal preference?
I very much appreciate your help with this.
Liz D.
Dallas
Hi Elizabeth1560.
Welcome to our Mattress Forum! 
I am glad you are finding our site helpful.
The major brands such as Sealy/Stearns & Foster, Simmons, and Serta, all tend to use lower quality and less durable materials in their mattresses than most of their smaller competitors. The lower quality materials will tend to soften or break down prematurely relative to the price you pay, which is why I generally suggest avoiding all of them completely (along with the major retailers that focus on them as well) regardless of how they may feel in a hotel room (or showroom) along with any mattress where you aren’t able to find out the type and quality/durability of the materials inside it (see the guidelines here along with post #3 here and post #12 here and post #404 here ).
I am sorry to hear about your chronic pain and while I don’t know what may cause it I would point out that generally basing a purchase on a “Hotel mattresses” has low odds of success. The hotel version of the mattresses would be a basic version of the retail/consumer version of the same mattresses made by the same manufacturer in the same price range that many mattress companies offer (which isn’t a good thing). One of the “secrets” , however, to many hotel mattress is that they usually use a bedding package that includes a mattress pad or topper that is a big part of how the mattress feels and can also add to the durability of the mattress (replacing a mattress pad or topper can be less costly than replacing a whole mattress because a mattress or sleeping system will usually soften or break down from the top down). In many cases, the more subjective short-term experience of sleeping at a hotel is an improvement over the mattress that people sleep on regularly and this often “translates” into the perception that hotel mattresses are better than they are. They are a frequent source of buyer’s remorse. They tend to be firmer products using softer “top-of-bed” materials to create extra plushness. There’s more good information about hotel mattresses in post #3 here.
Typically memory foams and polyfoams are described by density (mass divided by volume, mass is measured in lbs. and volume in ft3 hence… lb/ft3)
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Higher densities usually mean more durability. (Higher densities use more material to produce it which in turn provides better weight support) There are other factors to describe Memory foams such as breathability (how open the cells are and other methods that are used to make it more breathable which results in cooler or warmer sleeping foam), temperature sensitivity (the range of temperatures it is most sensitive to and how soft or firm it becomes in certain temperature ranges), response time (how quickly it adapts to new shapes and how much of the “sleeping in wet sand” feeling it may have), and the overall feeling of softness or firmness (a general impression that most people would share based on a combination of many of these factors). The thing to remember is that you want a memory foam with your preferred “feel” in the density that is appropriate for you. If you use a density that is to low … the foam may feel great for a while but it won’t last and it will lose its feel much faster.
As a general guideline, I’d want to make sure that there is no more than “about an inch or so” of lower quality or “unknown” polyfoam or memory foam in the upper layers (top 5" or 6" of the mattress). Once you are at about 2" or more of lower quality or unknown polyfoam or memory foam then the odds are higher that it will become a “weak link” in the mattress and affect durability and reduce the comfort and support life of the mattress (which isn’t covered by a warranty).
For memory foam, I would use a minimum guideline of about 4 lb density or better and for higher weights, I would lean towards 5 lb memory foam or higher and reduce or minimize lower density memory foams. If you are in the very lowest budget ranges and there are no alternatives to using memory foam that is lower than 4 lb. density in layers more than about an inch or so strictly for reasons of budget (there would be no other reason to consider this) then I would consider an alternative material other than memory foam that will be more durable or if you do choose to use memory foam in the 3 lb range (and no lower) I would make sure that it’s “price appropriate” and that you are OK with the tradeoff between lower durability and price so that your expectations of the useful life of the mattress are realistic. Once again I would also want to make sure that any memory foam is manufactured in North America or if it’s not that it’s also CertiPur certified (or has a similar or better certification such as OekoTex). More than an inch of memory foam that is less than 4 lb density would be much more risky in terms of the premature loss or comfort and/or support.
For polyfoam comfort layers I would use a guideline of 1.8 lb density or higher in a one-sided mattress (higher weights would do better with higher density in the 2 lb range or higher) or 1.5 lb density in a two-sided mattress. In the lowest budget ranges where there are no higher quality materials available then I would consider 1.5 lb polyfoam as long as the mattress is “price appropriate” and you are comfortable with the tradeoff between durability and price.
The most reliable way to tell how long a mattress will last is to know the materials inside it, which layers they are used in, and the mattress construction itself. Even this information is sometimes like pulling teeth when it comes to major manufacturers who will do anything they can to prevent meaningful comparison shopping.
Regardless of how thick or thin a mattress may be, the most important part of the “value” of a mattress is how suitable it is “as a whole” for your particular body type, sleeping positions, and preferences in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) regardless of how thick it may be.
There is certainly no reason that at your BMI of 24.6 you would “need” more thickness unless this is a preference in and should be factored into the design you are looking at and the layer arrangement. There is more about the effect of thickness in post #14 here.
I’m not sure what you’ve read since you found the site but just in case you haven’t read it yet … the first place to start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones.
Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).
I am not sure what you’ve read since finding our site
The basic information I would ask for starts with the type and thickness of all the layers and components in the mattress listed in order from the top down or the bottom up so you can make sure they add up to the total thickness of the mattress and nothing is “missing” (see this article which you can print and take to the store).
Once you know the type and thickness of all the layers and components then you can identify whether the mattress has any obvious weak links that can affect durability and the useful life of the mattress. The most important part of this is knowing the specifics of the upper layers (the top 5" or 6" or so) because these are usually the weak link of a mattress (a mattress will tend to soften, break down, or compress from the top down). Heavier weights will tend to need thicker layers of higher quality materials in the upper layers of the mattress because they will sink into a mattress more deeply and put more wear and tear on the deeper layers than lighter weights.
You are correct that I recommend to find out the type of fabric and the quilting material (if any) used in the mattress (generally natural or synthetic fibres or foam) if any of the quilting layers are more than 2" then depending on the type of foam used in the quilting this could potentially be a weak link in a mattress. The upper layers of a mattress are subject to most mechanical stress and will be first to break down diminishing the useful lifetime of your mattress …… this is the place where it is most important to use the highest quality and most durable materials. I would make sure that you find out the density of any foams in the quilting if thickness is above 1.5" and follow the guidelines I listed above.
Of all of these “specs” … the specs that affect the quality/durability of all the foam layers in the upper layers are the most important. In many cases and with many manufacturers they are also the most difficult to find out. Most people that sell mattresses have very little knowledge about even basic foam quality specs. This is usually enough to make meaningful assessments and comparisons or identify any potential weak links in a mattress. For those who want more detailed information about the durability and useful life of a mattress relative to each person then post #4 here and the posts it links to has much more information about all the variables that can affect durability.
Some relative comparisons of different materials and components are in post #3 here .
There is also more about how the suitability of a mattress choice and the sensitivity of each person to a range of comfort/pressure relief and support/alignment can affect the useful life of a mattress for each person in post #2 here .
It’s usually much simpler to deal with experts that have your best interests in mind and already know what you would otherwise need to learn in what can be a very complex area of study than to go through a longer learning curve and “become the expert” yourself because in some cases too little information and too much technical information can both lead to some poor choices.
Phoenix
Thank you so much for all this information. Yes, I have read the Mattress Shopping Tutorial. The part I had trouble understanding was what I need to look for in material.
And yes, I read about avoiding some of the major name mattresses. I had done extensive research when I bought this Beautyrest, and I thought I was making a wise decision. I was, with the information I had at that time. [quote]
The major brands such as Sealy/Stearns & Foster, Simmons, and Serta, all tend to use lower quality and less durable materials in their mattresses than most of their smaller competitors. The lower quality materials will tend to soften or break down prematurely relative to the price you pay, which is why I generally suggest avoiding all of them completely
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When I read this from your articles on this site, that totally made sense with what I have experienced. I am looking to base this next purchase from what you outline in the Tutorial for store and mattress.
Thanks again so much for these resources. I am all the wiser for it!
Hi Elizabeth1560.
You are welcome! Glad to be of help!
Good luck! and once you’ve had the chance to narrow things down a little further, feel free to post back with any specific questions and I or any of our Expert Members we’ll be happy to assist you.
Phoenix.