Before I launch into my question I want to thank you for this website. All the
information and your patient and thorough responses to questions are incredibly
helpful and make what is a terribly difficult job (of choosing a mattress) at least
bearable. I happened on “mattressundereground.com when I was at my wits end
and educated myself as best as I could. We had been sleeping on a Royal-Pedic all
cotton mattress which compressed in the middle after 5 short years. They wouldn’t
stand behind their warrantee. So, I read and read on your website until I reached
what you called “paralysis by analysis” and followed your advice and sought out the
advice of a knowledgeable latex bed salesman. I called SleepEZ and talked to
Shawn. Based on what I told him he suggested and I ordered the 10,000. That
sounded about right because I had tested and liked the PLB Beautiful and the ILD’s
were pretty close I thought. When I ordered the 10,000 I forgot that I had
preferred 2” on top, not 3" which seemed too squishy. The 10,000 is too soft and
I’m sinking in the lumbar area. I have severe lower back problems (weigh 135 and am
5’1", side sleeper but occasionally back sleeper).I called Shawn. He suggested moving the medium to the top, then firm, then soft. This is better but not great. Mostly, I think the problem is pressure points now. Do I add a 2" topper? What ILD am I looking for? And now I wonder what the point of is of having the soft layer at the very bottom. Do I change it out for something more supportive?
Thanks so much Phoenix.
Hi stefaniez,
Just as a point of reference … the Beautiful has two 3" soft layers (not just one) on top of a firm 6" core so it is even softer than what you have (you can see the specs here).
My first suggestion would be to stay in touch with Shawn for ongoing advice as needed. They are the best source of information about their own mattresses and layering options.
All the layers in a mattress will affect every other layer and the thickness of the top layer is just one of the design factors that will affect the feel and performance of a mattress. By itself … the top layer thickness is only one part of many interacting influences.
You have other layering arrangements I would try before considering a topper though.
If the new layer order caused pressure points (and it’s a fairly big change in layering from one end of the firmness softness spectrum to the other) ,… it’s probably because of the medium top layer … especially with firm underneath it. The good news is that you have layering combinations that are both too firm and too soft and have other options that are “in the middle”.
I would also be aware that there is “pressure relief” softness and “support” softness and each change will affect each of the two main functions of a mattress differently. It seems that your first layer order was soft enough on top for pressure relief but too soft for support. The second layering you tried was probably fine for support but too firm on top for the best pressure relief.
I would also make sure that you slept on your initial layering for at least two weeks and if possible each new layering combination for at least a week before making changes. As you are changing layers in the beginning your mattress is also going through it’s initial break in period and you are also going through an adjustment period to a new sleeping surface and it can be difficult to tell at first which of these ongoing multiple changes are leading to things getting either better or worse. Your body needs time to adapt and catch up to each change (including the first combination) and to make sure that the changes you are making are more reflective of your long term experience rather than just a few days experience which can be influenced by many things.
So assuming you slept on your initial combination for at least two weeks … and assuming that your second combination is clearly too firm for you (and you don’t need to test it for longer) … then I would probably consider using soft / firm / medium next. This will give you a fairly soft comfort layer (just a little firmer than your original combination) which may be better for you being a lighter side sleeper and a firmer support layer (with the firm being closer to you). Once you have tried this for at least a week … then depending on your experience you could also try medium / soft / firm which would give you a firmer comfort layer yet but some extra give underneath it.
Only then (at the soonest) would you be ready to consider either a layer exchange and the options it makes possible based on your actual experience or the possibility of adding a topper.
Hope this helps.
Phoenix