Hello, everyone. Heads up: this will be a lengthy post, since I want to include as much info as I can to hopefully get the best advice.
I’ll start off by saying that I’m a female in my mid-thirties, around 5’9" and 175 lbs., average build, and I’m mainly a side sleeper who occasionally wakes up on my back. I also have a wide shoulder and hip span.
I’ve had my Luxerion Hybrid from Latex Mattress Factory for two years now - I should note that this is the older model, which has a 1" layer of wool and 3" soft Dunlop on 6" pocketed coils, all together in an organic cotton case which can’t be opened by the consumer.
Prior to this I slept on a Simmons BeautySleep mattress on a box spring for 11 years - a few years with two different foam toppers for extra cushioning - when I started to have pain in my low back. I figured this was due to the foam layers on top/in the mattress sagging from the pressure of my hips/butt. After doing some research online, I decided to try a hybrid mattress with latex, and settled on the Luxerion Hybrid from LMF for its affordability and its soft latex layer being suitable for side sleeping.
To ensure a stable foundation, I traded the old box spring for a slatted foundation I made from 3.5" wide and 1.5" tall planks of wood, with each plank being 1.5" apart, and a 1.5" W and 1.5" T piece of wood going down the center. This sits on the metal bed rails of my twin-sized bed frame, which I’ve had for years and is still in good shape (the wooden head and foot of the frame are pretty sturdy). I got metal legs attached to the center beam of the slatted foundation to help support the weight of myself and the mattress.
So, I tried the hybrid mattress for about a month, and I found it comfy as a side sleeper. However, when I would lie on my back, I found that it exacerbated my low back pain (mainly in my sacroiliac (SI) region), with my hips/butt sinking in quite a bit. I decided to get a 3" medium Dunlop topper from LMF to try on the mattress - on the soft side of the mattress at first, and later on flipping the mattress and trying the topper that way. It was moderately better, but I was still having tightness in that SI region.
I later bought a 3" medium Dunlop topper from Turmerry to try with and without the LMF topper - didn’t really help too much, and I kept the LMF topper and got a refund for donating the Turmerry one. I then tried the 2" soft Dunlop topper from Turmerry on the LMF topper - a little better, but not quite right for my low back.
Then, last year and earlier this year, I tried the 3" firm Dunlop topper from LMF and tried a few layer combos. Medium on firm felt too firm as a side sleeper; the same with soft on firm; and soft on medium on firm felt like too many layers on the flipped mattress. I even tried the latex layers alone, with 2" soft on 3" medium on 3" firm; it was okay, but I think I prefer sleeping on a taller mattress. I ended up returning the 3" firm, leaving me with the 2" soft and 3" medium toppers.
Currently I’m just sleeping on the medium topper on the flipped mattress, and lately I’ve been noting my present and past experiences (including the ongoing tightness in my SI area) on this sleep setup while doing some research on this site and Reddit. I know that I need an extra layer - a transitional layer to help supplement support and comfort. Right now, I’m leaning towards a few new solutions to my situation:
- 2" soft Talalay topper on 3" medium Dunlop on flipped mattress;
- 2" soft Talalay topper on 3" medium Dunlop on 2" firm Dunlop on flipped mattress;
- 3" medium Dunlop on 2" firm Dunlop on flipped mattress
- 2" or 3" medium Talalay topper on 3" medium Dunlop on flipped mattress.
So, yeah, I’m looking for a sleep surface that both supportive and comfortable enough for a side/combo sleeper. I really want to give the latex hybrid type a chance, since I’ve slept mainly on traditional spring mattresses in the past, and I’ve grown to like latex for its beneficial properties (including its eco-friendliness and superior longevity over memory foam). I just need some input from folks here on what I can do before I make further investments.
I’m welcome to any other suggestions folks may have.