Newbie needs help with mattress selection

I have been browsing these forums for a few days and have certainly learned a lot. Now I need some advise on selecting a mattress.

For background, we are 60 years old, and I am 165 lbs/5’6" and my wife is 140 lbs/5’4". I am a side sleeper and she sleeps on her back and side. She has chronic pain in her left shoulder, and I have the occasional lower back pain. I have a bulging disk that causes me to wake up in the morning on a regular basis with the spine tilting to one side (right hip higher than left); luckily most of the time this causes only minor discomfort and is easily fixed through my morning stretching routines.

Until recently we slept on a king size Kingsdown Body system mattress and box springs, that we purchased 6 years ago for a lot of money. We were completely clueless and fell for the name brand spiel. The mattress was comfortable for the first 3 years and got progressively worse as the pillow top began to deteriorate. We are in the process of relocating to Charlotte from the Horsham, PA area at the end of May. Rather than move this uncomfortable bed, we got rid of the mattress and box spring and plan to buy new ones to replace them once we are in Charlotte.

We know we do not want memory foam - tried it out and did not like it. So, after reading these forums, it will most likely be a latex mattress. If we buy an innerspring mattress, we will buy something that does not cost a lot so that we can replace it in a couple of years and not feel like we wasted a lot of money. Buying something that we could flip would also be a plus. We both prefer a “firmer” feel.

Any advise on what we should consider and where we should buy it? I know that we have to go try out any mattress before we buy it, but it would good to get your thoughts on what you think will work for us. As far as stores are concerned, ideally we would like to buy the mattress in Charlotte, but don’t mind buying it here in the Philadelphia area if we have a better choice. We are willing to spend around $2000 for a good king size set.

Thanks for any advice.

MM

Hi Mehta,

With your wife’s shoulder issues and your lower back issues and bulging disc, the best combination of comfort layer thickness and softness and the firmness of the support layers would be very important. While I don’t know the exact construction that would end up working best for you (only your own testing on specific mattresses can know exactly) … a good starting point would probably be in the range of 3" of softer latex over firmer support layers. The latex comfort layers would probably be in the range of 19 - 24 ILD depending on what you perceive as “firmer” and the support layers could be either latex, an innerspring, or polyfoam (depending on whether you wanted to reduce your budget and still have latex in the upper layers). The support layers need to be firm enough to keep your heavier parts from sinking in too far and putting your spine out of it’s natural alignment in any of your sleeping positions while the comfort layers need to be soft and thick enough to allow shoulders to sink in enough to relieve pressure on the joints and pressure points of the body and also to fill in the gaps in your sleeping profiles.

While some people can “sleep on anything” without stress and pain and their testing only needs to be very approximate, when there are more sleeping issues to be dealt with, the ability to make custom adjustments to either layer thickness or layer firmness levels can be important if the models that are on the floor don’t have a wide enough range of constructions and layering to find one that “fits” or are not perfectly suitable for your needs and preferences.

As you probably know … the choice of outlet can be the most important first step in choosing a mattress and you are fortunate that there are several very good options near Charlotte, NC (3 right there and one within an hour) so it would probably be simpler and a good idea to wait till you were there. They are …

http://www.lakemattress.biz/ Factory direct manufacturer in Conover. I have talked with Todd (one of the owners) on several occasions and they are transparent, knowledgeable and helpful. They make a range of memory foam, latex, and innersprings and have some very good quality and value options. They can also layer the materials they use in any of their mattresses at their factory so you can get a good sense of how they feel as well.

http://dilworthmattressfactory.com/Our_Location.html Charlotte. Local factory direct manufacturer. I have talked with Alan the owner and he makes a range of mattresses of all types (except memory foam) and is both knowledgeable and helpful. Can make custom adjustments to any of his mattresses to fit them to any individual. Good quality and value.

Find an Original Mattress Factory Store Charlotte area. Regional factory direct manufacturer that makes a full range of mattresses including traditional innerspring/polyfoam (including 2 sided), latex, and two memory foam mattresses with good quality and value. They tend to put all their mattresses on an “active” flex boxspring so if you are testing their memory foam or latex models, l would make sure you also test them on a firm foundation (such as an adjustable bed) because this can make a significant difference in how a foam mattress feels.

Denver Mattress® - The Easiest Way to Get the Right Mattress Charlotte, NC. Regional factory direct manufacturer that makes a range of mattresses including innersprings and their iChoice which is a “mostly latex” mattress with either a memory foam or latex topper and several all latex mattresses as well. They are transparent and disclose all the information about the materials they use in their mattresses and are generally good quality/value choices compared to most mainstream brands. I would avoid the major brands they also carry.

http://www.sleepeasymattressgaffneysc.com/ Local factory direct manufacturer in Gaffney, SC. They make all types of mattresses including innerspring, memory foam, and latex.

http://www.theorganicsleepshop.com/ Retailer in Pineville that carries Savvy Rest component latex mattresses along with Organicpedic (OMI), NJaturepedic, Hypnos, and Gold Bond mattresses. They are all high quality mattresses but some of them may also be in more premium price ranges so I would make some careful “value” comparisons here.

At Original mattress I would suggest you include the Latex Supreme on a firm foundation (not just on their flexing boxspring) in your testing. At Dilworth they can make custom adjustments to their standard models so you are not limited to the exact layering of the mattresses that they have on display as they can be customized to your needs and preferences. At Myluxurymattress / Lake Mattress they have a fairly wide range of good choices to choose between.

Hopefully this will help and feel free to post with any questions if you need to.

Phoenix

Phoenix, thanks much for the quick and detailed reply!

It looks like the Original Mattress Factory is quite close to our new home. I took a look at the Latex Supreme, as you suggested, and it says that the core is 40% natural latex and 60% synthetic. It also said this is a “two sided design”.

First, do you think it is OK that the latex is a blend of natural and synthetic? I am also a little confused about the design - it says it has a 6" core (30-34ILD) and a foam topper (17-21 ILD). It also says it is equally padded on both sides - do I take this to mean that the foam topper is on both the top and bottom with the core in the middle? Not sure how else we could flip it - unless I am misunderstanding the term “two sided” and it cannot be flipped.

Of the places you suggested, is there one you like more than the others?

Thanks again.

Hi Mehta,

Yes. With Talalay latex both materials are Oeko-Tex 100 class 1 certified as being safe for babies in terms of chemicals and offgassing. the blended Talalay is a little more durable in the softer ILD’s than the 100% natural Talalay and also less expensive. For those who are willing to pay more for a denser and more “natural” choice … then the all natural is also a great choice but it comes with a lower warranty (10 years vs 20) and a higher price tag.

With Dunlop latex it’s the other way around and my preference would be 100% natural over blended which I believe is a better material in the different and more dense Dunlop manufacturing process. There’s more about the different types of latex here.different types of latex here and in post #2 here.

The Original mattress design is two sided which means they both have a support core and identical comfort layers and quilting/ticking are on both sides of the mattress so it can be flipped. In addition to the materials listed, both of their models have an inch of soft polyfoam in the quilting materials to create a softer surface.

My personal preference among the four outlets I listed would be the first two (Dilworth and My Luxury Mattress) because the selection and/or ability to customize your choices would be greater. While I don’t know their prices on all their models so I can’t speak to exactly how they would compare to the other two in terms of value … I would definitely include them in your options. While My Luxury Mattress is a little further away, they would be well worth a phone call and a conversation to see if you think they would be worth the drive once you’ve done some initial research and have a sense of how different layering feels for you.

The regional outlets (Original mattress and Denver) have a more limited latex selection (2 latex or “mostly” latex models each) and don’t have the ability to customize their options to your preferences so you would need to “fit” one their models … although they do have good value.

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix,

I know this is an older thread but I’m sure you’ll find it…I happen to be visiting family in Charlotte, NC for a few days and can’t resist visiting mattress places while there. My question is about the Denver Mattress Co. specs. I previously posted about being 300+ lbs. and how I was looking for a King latex mattress. You suggested looking at something substantially thicker than 9" given my size.

I expect my mattress to last about 10 years. Given that, would you be concerned about the memory foam that is intermingled into both the comfort and the support layer of both the Aspen and the Snowmass? Obviously I would LOVE to spend less money, so a mix of latex and memory foam may be the way to go, but I am prepared to spend anywhere between $1500 to $3000 for a great mattress so I am not asking strictly because I CANNOT spend more.

I realize you cannot attest to the 3 P’s in my case…I plan on going to try them out. But as far as quality and value (in this case, value with regard to things YOU can account for and not my personal value equation), do you at least think the price is justified based on materials used? I am willing to here pros and cons either way, and am not expecting you to talk me in to or out of anything. Mostly, I am curious if you think it would be a bad plan to go down the route of mixed latex and memory foam in order to achieve a thicker mattress without substantially increasing cost.

I imagine you’ll be taking some time away from the computer…feel free to share thoughts when you return. Thanks so much for all your help and information.

Hi sleepyvet,

New posts go right to the top of the forum list so I have no problem finding them :slight_smile:

A thicker mattress may or may not be necessary depending on how well a particular style, combination of materials, and layering works for you but in general you would be in the weight range where a greater thickness (up to 12") could certainly be a benefit. I would include this in your conversations with various manufacturers and retailers and there is more information about the thickness of a mattress in post #14 here. Your own personal testing will also be just as important as any “theory at a distance” though.

You’ve probably seen this but the better options I’m aware of in the Charlotte, NC area are in post #2 here.

The two “mostly latex” mattresses sold at Denver Mattress don’t contain any memory foam. They each have an inch of polyfoam in the upper layers (which is within the guidelines I normally suggest as being reasonable because the more rapid softening of a layer this thin compared to latex won’t have a significant effect on the mattress) and besides this thinner layer any additional polyfoam is in the bottom layers which are less subject to wear and softening and are usually not the weak link of a mattress.

There are many factors involved with the durability of a mattress that are unique to each individual (see post #2 here) and a mattress that would last for 10 or even 15 years for one person may only last 5 for another. Part of this is because all materials will soften to some degree and the loss of comfort and support is the biggest reason that a mattress usually needs to be replaced. If you choose a mattress that “just barely” provides the support and alignment you need then even a little bit of softening may take you over the line where for you the mattress is no longer providing what you need while for someone else it may require much more softening to take them over the line where the mattress no longer “works” for them.

The materials themselves will certainly last that long and won’t be “broken down” after 10 years but whether they will still be providing you with the support you need at that time will depend on how suitable the mattress was for you in the first place. While they use good quality materials and are good value IMO … this has nothing to do with how suitable they may be for your heavier weight and they may not provide the support you need even when they are new much less years down the road. The latex support layers are 32 ILD in both models which would be on the soft side for someone of your weight IMO but I would also keep in mind that personal testing always trumps “theory at a distance”.

From a “raw commodity” perspective I would consider both mattresses to be very good value yes (compared to other mattresses that use similar components and materials). The blended Talalay latex they use is good quality material and the polyfoam they use (not memory foam) is 1.8 lb density which is also “better than average”) although not in the “best” range for polyfoam and the ticking/quilting also doesn’t use higher cost materials such as wool. My biggest concern with both of these would be their suitability not their quality and value. I would test both of these very carefully for support/alignment in particular (this article and post #11 here may help you test for alignment). Thickness is only one of many factors I would consider and a thicker mattress that is too soft or not supportive (especially in the deeper support layers) would be just as “bad” as a thinner mattress that was too firm for you (or became firm with compression too quickly so you felt like you were “bottoming out”) or didn’t have the range of adaptability to accommodate all your sleeping positions. With a thinner mattress that has a firmer support layer but where the comfort layers are not quite soft or thick enough you can always add a topper but a mattress where the support layers are too soft or the comfort layers are too thick and soft is very difficult if not impossible to “fix” except perhaps on a partial or temporary basis.

I have certainly spend less time on the forum over the holidays than “usual” but I usually try to keep fairly up to date even on holidays so I don’t get too far behind (and there are often fewer posts than normal over holidays so this helps as well) :slight_smile:

Hopefully this has helped but if you have more questions or I haven’t answered any particular concerns completely feel free to post any more questions you may have.

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix ,

I should have posted an update in 2012, but better late than never!

We ended up buying a mattress from Dilworth Mattress and enjoyed it until recently. I think we may have bought something on the edge of our preference (we prefer a firmer feel), as we are no longer enjoying the mattress, and the aches and pains are back for both my wife and me. It feels like the support has broken down, and feels like we have “low areas”.

I ended up chatting with Shawn, and a couple other folks at SleepEZ yesterday, and ordered their 13" latex mattress (not organic) in the medium Talalay/medium Dunlop/firm Dunlop/x-firm Dunlop. Should ship Tuesday and get to me the following Monday. Can’t wait! I did get the extra 5% off.

This time we might have gone a little too firm, but with the layers, it should be easy to fix if necessary.

This website is a great help. Thanks!

Hi Mehta,

Welcome back!

It’s possible that “being on the edge” of your comfort preference that as the foams softened over time they eventually became outside of your comfort preference. Thanks for the update - late is better than never. :wink:

Congratulations on your new mattress! :cheer: You certainly did make a good quality/value choice, and you are correct that this mattress does allow for customization, which is a nice option not only initially, but as time goes on. I do think highly of the advice offered by SleepEZ, and I’m glad you were able to get your 5% TMU discount!

I’ll look forward to your future updates!

Phoenix

Hi, I’m in a search for new mattress. I regret my mattress purchase from Mattress Firm, which is only 2 years old and was quite expensive.
I visited Dilworth Mattress recently and spoke with Alan.
My question to you, do you know the Firm Count on the mattress you purchased from them? I was shown a #38 and told … it is their Most Preferred Mattress. However, it felt very soft for my liking.
I feel, I wasn’t provided enough info as to Why their Mattress’ were such a better quality than the typical Mattress store on every corner of Charlotte.
I would truly appreciate your thoughts on your mattress search. I’m retired and too old to make another bad purchase.

Sorry, don’t know the Firmness. I am very happy with my purchase from SleepEz, so you might want to call them. They have a generous trial period, and you can customize the feel for each side of the bed. Also, you can alter the feel by changing the order of the layers.

Good luck with your search!

I am trying to find some good mattress stores in my area. I do see from browsing on this site that there is one company suggested by this site but that store is 1 hour away.

I went to Macy’s one time and tried a handful of mattresses but all of them seemed to not relieve pressure on my shoulder when lying on my side. I am mainly (purely?) a stomach sleeper but I think I can become (partially have already) more of a side sleeper, as I know that’s more healthy. Perhaps I am going about this wrong and the shoulder issue should be addressed with other accessories. I ordered a buckwheat pillow that I am going to put under my stomach and ribs while sleeping, which I think will at least partially address the problem.

One of my main goals at this point is to make it out to a good store, to test some mattresses out but I am unsure of where to find a store. I see that one company listed on this site is 1 hour away. So, that’s not bad, although I was hoping to find something a little closer, given that I am in Philadelphia.

Are there some good procedures for finding places?

Hi floatingkeyboards.

Welcome to our Mattress Forum! :slight_smile:

Assuming that you’ve read the mattress shopping tutorial here you seem to be on the right track with looking for a good store to test different mattresses and understand by comparison what type of mattresses or materials you may better like and prefer. Philadelphia has been mentioned quite often on our Mattress Forum and you can perform a forum search here and type Philadelphia om the keywords text box, or any city or area (you would be closer to and consider driving) and see what other businesses have been discussed in that region which may be helpful to you.

We discontinued the provision of listings of potential retailers in various geographic regions (unless they are already approved site members), because of the difficulty in maintaining such lists in a retail landscape that is constantly changing, and most importantly the confusion it was creating with the consumer members who incorrectly assumed that these businesses had indeed gone through the strict qualification process and were approved as members of The Mattress Underground. Such an assumption is unfair to both the consumers seeking assistance, as well as the very businesses and manufacturers who meet the criteria to become Trusted Members of The Mattress Underground.

Whatever business you’re considering, I would always confirm that any retailer or manufacturer that you wish to visit is completely transparent (see this article) and also make sure that any mattress that you are considering meets the Post #13 quality/value guidelines here.

Before visiting any store I’d make sure you’ve read two of the most important posts in the tutorial: 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 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 he will sleep), durability (how long he 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).

For your stomach and side sleeping position (hopefully, you’ll train yourself to gradually switch to a side sleeping position) you may wish to review the guidelines in this [url=Your sleeping style, preferences, and statistics - Your sleep positions - The Mattress Underground] Sleep Positions Article [url] so that you avoid hyperextension in a swayback position that can cause back issues. Usually, someone who sleeps in the prone (stomach) position needs a surface that is firmer and less forgiving, and I agree with you that incrementally switching to sleeping on your side would be better in the long run but again this introduces a new variable and you may need to take into consideration this future adjustment when you consider any mattress. With the future position change in mind, you may wish to look into something that is good for combination sleeping (primary stomach, secondary side sleeping positions) and which may offer some layer exchange possibilities down the road.

Different sleeping positions are part of what determines how deep a cradle you need and how thick the comfort layer should be. This, in turn, affects the type of support layers that will be appropriate. The layers underneath this comfort layer can help with pressure relief for those who change positions and with thinner upper layers or can be primarily focused on preventing you from preventing your heavier parts from sinking down too far with thicker comfort layers.

Of course, your weight and body profile will also make a difference in how far you tend to sink in and how deep a cradle you need in your mattress so for more on your “statistics”, and how they can affect your choices you can read this article here.

As you are considering a side sleeping position I would also throw into the mix that a suitable pillow is an essential part of good alignment for the head and neck and upper body because the gap between the head and the mattress and the curve of the cervical spine needs to be supported just like all other parts of the spine. Like mattresses … there are certain “needs” that depend on body type and sleeping positions but with pillows, personal preferences play a more important role because the face is much more sensitive to textures, temperature, smells, and other more subjective “feel” based properties of a pillow. There is more about choosing pillows in the pillow thread here and the other topics and sources of information that it links to that may be helpful.

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

Thanks for the last post. That was good to kick the process more into gear for me. I have an interesting update. So, here goes.

When side sleeping on mattresses, the main issue is that my shoulder isn’t properly accommodated for by the mattress. When I lay on my side, I feel like my body is close enough to being a straight line with just my shoulder creating a “bump” on the straight line. Mattresses, on the other hand, seem to be evenly distributed surfaces (appropriate mainly for just back sleepers). The best sleeping experience that I have been able to achieve is putting a sleeping pad on top of a mattress to cover 2/3 of the length of the mattress, and sleeping with part of my body hanging off of that. Here is a link to the mattress pad that I used:
https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/bean-bag-tri-fold-mat-in-black/1047056749?Keyword=bean%20bag%20tri%20fold%20mat
I would have 1/3 of it hanging off of the bottom of the bed. I would have 1/4 of my body (arm pit to top of head) hanging off the top of it, and I would have my head resting on 2 pillows. In between my head and the sleeping mat, I would have a “reservoir” for my shoulder.

The setup was good but the main problem that I was having is that the sleeping mat was not quite thick enough, and would flatten over time (but perhaps would reverse the flattening if I didn’t sleep on it for a couple of nights). Another issue with this is that my arm would have to be at a 90 degree position relative to my body. The last issue is that it would sometimes fall off of the bed (in sleep, probably I would kick it off the bed when changing to the stomach position).

Is there a setup/ product that is more designed with my preferences? Is a memory foam mattress an alternative? Are there other alternatives?

Hi floatingkeyboards,

[quote]When side sleeping on mattresses, the main issue is that my shoulder isn’t properly accommodated for by the mattress. When I lay on my side, I feel like my body is close enough to being a straight line with just my shoulder creating a “bump” on the straight line.
Mattresses, on the other hand, seem to be evenly distributed surfaces (appropriate mainly for just back sleepers).
[/quote]

The majority of people sleep mostly on their sides in various postures … if what you say would be correct then about the 70% of the world’s population would have real trouble finding a suitable mattress. There are more than plenty of mattress choices for side sleepers your task is of finding one that it is right for you. The appropriateness of a mattress as it relates to the sleeper’s sleeping positions is more connected with the combination of materials used within a mattress and the combination of primary and secondary support of the comfort/support layers within the mattress. Also for sleepers with out of the norm needs, some zoning can be used to provide better support and alignment. There is more about zoning in post #11 here and the posts it links to.

While the 4" “hanging” polyester fiber filled pad you are using along the pillows may seem to “work” better for you, I am not so sure that this is long-term and even short-term solution for several reasons. You mentioned that you are looking into a temporary fix as you were “thinking about moving” so I am not sure if the “setup” you detailed is a permanent or temporary solution but either way I see some red flags with it:
• As you’ve already experienced, the 1/3[sup]rd[/sup] “hanging” pad with the pillows arrangement used to create a cradle/“reservoir” for your shoulder and arm resting at “90 degrees relative to your body” … can easily flatten overnight and shift out of place while you reposition yourself during sleep, (we reposition ourselves many times during the night)
• Polyester fiber fills have much air, are less dense, and are generally not used as load-bearing materials in a mattress. Keep in mind that comfort layers of a mattress also have the function of secondary support for the recessed areas of your body (see this article here) in this case a pad like this would be designed for a flat solid surface and not for the top of a mattress.
• You seem to be in in the process of training yourself for side sleeping and while the added fiber filled pad allows for more sinking in and helping with the shoulder pain and even prevent to a certain extent your body collapsing and reverting to a prone sleeping posture this “setup” will be inconsistent and gradually flatten, giving your body more “problems” to solve in trying to compensate for the multiple changes.
• Both the fiber mattress pad and a memory foam layer you are contemplating will contribute to difficulty in repositioning, which may be an issue especially during the" training" to side sleeping and they will also both contribute to a feeling of warmth (and the sinking you described). If you’re wanting to use fiber or memory foam, your best bet would be to use a smaller amount, so that it has the least effect on your alignment as it sinks during the night.
• Using some sort of latex for the upper layers might be beneficial to you and could address some of your concerns. Latex, specifically Talalay latex, will be breathable, resilient, and supportive while offering the comfort you’d need for your shoulders. and It will be easier to reposition with latex in the uppers layers than with memory foam, but this would not solve any sag or support issues within your current mattress which could be part of the pains and issues you’ve mentioned.

If you are looking at getting a new mattress I’d do a hard reset and start with reading the tutorial post here along with assessing the condition of your current mattress to determine the cause of your discomfort so that you can avoid having the same issue in your new mattress.

If your current mattress is in good condition and all it needs is a comfort layer to accommodate for your side sleeping, I’d be making any changes one at a time and keeping good track of them. I wouldn’t change too many things at the same time, you can get some good hints from your body as to what it needs but would also make small and more incremental single changes so you can better assess the effect of the changes you make.

If you make too many changes at once (such as adding the pad, adding the pillows and changing the primary sleeping position at the same time) it will be much more difficult to assess which change is having which effect. If you make changes that are too large (such as adding a topper that is thicker than you need) then you could go from one extreme to another (from too firm to too soft for example) and “jump over” the ideal combination. If you make changes too quickly before any symptoms you are experiencing have had the chance to stabilize and form a consistent “pattern” (rather than just being an anomaly over the course of a few nights) then again it would be very difficult to assess the longer-term effects of the change you made. It’s also more difficult for your body to adjust to making too many changes too quickly.

If you are contemplating purchasing a new mattress and not only to find a fix for the current mattress, then depending on your body type and the width of the shoulders you may need to consider a mattress that provides some zoning. There is more about zoning in this article and in post #11 here and the additional posts it links to but the only way to know whether any specific mattress (zoned or otherwise) will be a good match for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP will be based on careful testing or your own personal experience.

You mentioned in an earlier post here that

While it is not possible on an online forum it is not possible to “diagnose” any symptoms because there are too many unknowns, variables, and different possibilities involved to be able to make any specific suggestions based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or “theory at a distance” based on the limited information that you offered I can certainly make a few general suggestions that may help in tracking down some of the possible reasons for your pains.

Generally, the most important goal of a suitable mattress is to support the spine and joints in neutral alignment in all your sleeping positions so that the muscles and other tissues can fully relax and not work during the night to maintain good alignment. It also needs enough softness on the surface to allow your pressure points to sink in enough so that direct pressure on various parts of the body don’t cause soreness. Too much firmness or too much softness in either the comfort or support layers can both lead to alignment and pressure issues, discomfort, or pain in various areas of the body.

In my previous response, I suggested that you also look onto the pillow issue as Head and neck issues can also be the result of a pillow that doesn’t keep your head and neck in good alignment over the course of the night.

Shoulder and arm issues can come from a mattress that is too firm and puts direct pressure on the shoulders, the shoulder blades, or on the back muscles and can also cause soreness or numbness and tingling in the arms or can often come from postural issues as well. There is some much more detailed information on the shoulder and arm issues in posts #2 and #3 here

I suggest that you first try to understand a bit better your sleeping landscape and where your symptoms originate and perhaps do a bit of local testing. You might wish to approach FloBeds on our Expert’s panel regarding any zoning that you may consider.

Phoenix

Thanks. I am exploring mattresses that have different materials at different horizontal points in the mattress, like you suggested. That kind of design makes sense to me. I think that my body is quite straight except for shoulders.

One thing that’s interesting is that I am not sure what percentage of the time I sleep in each position. I estimate it to be approx.
60% side, with knees bent, body is not consistently perpendicular to the bed
39% stomach
1% back

I wish that I could get a better handle on what my actual percentages are. The side and stomach percentages, could, in reality, be flipped. Also, it would be helpful to be able to monitor my progress when I am trying to change my percentages. I guess I’d need to sleep with the light on, and have a camera (with motion detection, ideally) or have some sort of heat seeking or night vision device.

Well, I don’t belong to your area so I can’t say more about the physical store. What I wanted to say that eCommerce website such as Amazon, Wallmart, we can’t ignore them.

Because just one search on these websites will serve you with 1000s of relevant products. After that, you can go with the product that matches your requires, is highly rated.

I saying this because I see that the reviews posted on these websites are approx. 95% correct… we should take benefit of this!

Thank you for your advice. It has been helpful.
I tried out the zoned support and I feel as though it was an improvement. I also tried a new pillow and that also helped.

I found a unique design-- the cuddle mattress.

I am intrigued by this mattress. Do you know of any other similar mattresses that I can also consider if I go in that direction?

Hi floatingkeyboards,

Thanks for the link on this mattress. It is a rather unique design. In the past, the most unique, creative “foam” designs have come out of Europe, by either the combination of different foam and/or very innovative fabrication/cutting of foam. Mostly originating in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands.

Regarding this particular design, the photograph showing the elbow in between the columns of foam is not a great selling point for me…just data point of one person only. Additionally, I am concerned with how well these rows or columns will hold up long term. Not that I question the quality of foam, I don’t really know that, its that as smaller pieces, they don’t have the overall support of pieces working together.

Regarding zoning and innovation, you may also want to check out one of our members, Reverie.

Here a link to their mattress product page on their website.

Thanks,
Sensei