Hi Brick,
I don’t really have enough information about the specific details of your mattress or of the “symptoms” you are experiencing or your sleeping positions and style to offer any meaningful or specific comments about what may help. I can certainly help with the quality and value of a mattress but this is very different from it’s suitability in terms of design and layering for any particular person which is best tested on a local level or with more detailed conversations with the manufacturer who would be much more familiar with the specifics of their materials and how they may interact with different body types and sleeping styles ad the types of changes they can make than I am.
Having said that … I may be able to offer some more generic suggestions that may be helpful.
The first step in doing any fine tuning of a mattress is to identify in as specific terms as possible the type of symptoms you are experiencing, the part of the body they are happening, and the sleeping positions you normally sleep in and which ones seem to be connected to the symptoms you are experiencing. The goal is to identify whether the symptoms are connected to pressure issues (which is related to the thickness and softness of the comfort layers), to primary support which “stops” the heavier areas of the body from sinking down too far (which is connected to the firmness of the deeper support layers) or to secondary support which fills in the gaps in the sleeping profile and helps to maintain the natural alignment of the recessed parts of the spine (and which is also connected to the thickness and softness of the comfort layers).
It can also help to know what type of mattress you are used to sleeping on because in some cases 2 weeks may not be enough time to adjust to a new sleeping surface if your new mattress is significantly different from what you are used to even if the comfort and alignment is better than what you had before (see post #7 here about learned alignment and natural alignment).
I should also mention that upper body and neck issues are often connected to the type of pillow you are using because this is an important part of your sleeping system and keeping your upper body in neutral alignment and a new sleeping surface may need a new pillow because the “gap” between your head and neck and the mattress may have changed. It would be very helpful to know whether your symptoms are lower back related or mid or upper back related.
If I had to make a guess right of the top of my head (which is usually not a great idea) … given your feedback and preference for a medium base layer when you were testing mattresses … it may be a little on the firm side for you either in the comfort layers (I don’t know what they are calling super soft) or in the support layers. If you do decide to test the mattress without the topper … I would pay particular attention to whether the symptoms get any worse or better over the course of a few days (all changes should be tested for at least a few days) because this could provide some helpful feedback.
It would also be a good idea to eliminate the possibility that this has anything to do with the support system or foundation under the mattress or the mattress protector or any other bedding that is on the mattress. Can you tell me what the mattress is sitting on and the type of mattress protector you are using?
So first of all … I would talk with John and have a more detailed conversation that may help pinpoint what is happening and so that he can also be involved in the process of any changes you make and the results they produce. I would also try to determine based on a more specific description of your symptoms whether you are experiencing pressure issues or primary or secondary support issues and which sleeping positions seem to make them worse or better. Finally I would try the mattress without the topper for a few days and see what specific changes you notice (any changes whether positive or negative can be helpful as a pointer).
One step at a time and the most accurate possible feedback can help identify the cause and in turn point to which layer many need to change and in which direction to move closer to your ideal.
Phoenix