I’m 8 months out from my second shoulder surgery on my right shoulder (Rotator cuff and biceps tenodesis). I am a side sleeper and it has been a while since I have had a good nights sleep. Everything is healing well but not as fast as I would like. My age, 69 may have a lot to do with that. After I lay on my shoulder for awhile it starts to ache and wakes me up. Then begins the tossing and turning.
I have been researching latex mattresses and came across this sight. It made the whole process much easier and saved me a lot of time. Thanks for that. I have narrowed down my options to either a 3 or 4 layer split configuration queen mattress. I have always preferred a firm mattress. To that end and to accommodate my “fussy” shoulder the configurations I am considering are Firm, Medium, Soft, Dunlop, Dunlop,Tallalay respectively and XFirm, Firm, Medium, Soft, Dunlop, Dunlop, Dunlop, Tallalay respectively.
The rational behind these configurations is based on my preference for a firm mattress but my temporary need for extra softness until my shoulder heals completely. I am 6’3" and 180 lbs. Very little body fat. Most of my weight is centered around my hips and upper body. (Long legs). The split configurations should give me options to adjust the firmness as my shoulder heals. I am leaning toward the 4 layer option as it gives me more flexibility. Since I sleep alone most of the time, having multiple pieces might save me having to buy a piece in the future should one deteriorate. I am looking at SleepEZ and Foam Sweet Foam as vendors and leaning towards SleepEZ. My questions are 1. Do my rationale and configurations make sense to you? 2. Should I worry about specific ILD’s from each vendor or would any differences not be significant?
I should tell you that my current mattress was not too bad until it more or less “collapsed” a few weeks ago. Not only did the sinking affect my shoulder but I started having lower back pain and stiffness. It is a one sided mattress so I flipped it over and am now sleeping on the bottom side. It was actually an improvement. My back doesn’t hurt anymore, just gets stiff. Not so good for the shoulder though.
Hi dt190,
When you can’t test a mattress in person then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed phone conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart and who can help “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses and the properties and “feel” of the materials they are using (fast or slow response, resilience, firmness etc) and the options they have available that may be the best “match” for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.
There is also more about the effect of thickness in post #14 here and while you aren’t in a weight range that would “need” more than 9" of latex … you may still prefer it. A split configuration would also allow you to temporarily use two soft layers on one side of your mattress if you find it helps while you are healing.
There are also some suggestions in this topic that may be helpful with rotator cuff issues as well.
I would always keep in mind that the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, personal preferences, and individual circumstances involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of layers would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort” or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your Personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more accurate than your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).
Having said that … the layering you suggested would certainly be “in the range” that would be suitable for most people in your weight range based on “averages” (although by definition not everyone will fit inside the averages of other people).
I wouldn’t worry about any relatively small differences in the ILD’s of each of them since they will both help you choose the layering that they believe will be most suitable for you out of the options that they have available. I would also keep in mind that the choice between Dunlop and Talalay is a preference choice rather than a “better/worse” choice because both Dunlop and Talalay come in a wide range of firmness levels. There is more about the differences between Dunlop and Talalay in post #7 here.
As you know both of the options you are considering are members of this site so you are looking at two very good options.
Flipping the mattress over and sleeping on the other side is one of the suggestions in post #4 here for a mattress that has softened or has started to break down that can sometimes extend the useful life of a mattress (at least for a while) but most people would add a softer topper on top of the firmer support core to provide the comfort and pressure relief that they need.
Phoenix