Question about Mattress Height and back issues

Looking at some latex mattresses and noted that they are available in a variety of different heights. How important is mattress height? I’ve looked at some of the forums but haven’t seen much on it.

Also was hoping you could provide a link to ILD and other spec recommendations for latex support layers for someone with back issues.

Hi Smytrous,

You can see some comments in post #2 here about mattress thickness/height. There is also more about the effect of thickness in post #14 here.

Unfortunately there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences and sensitivities involved for anyone to be able to predict which mattress would be a good match for you based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or “theory at a distance” (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here). A mattress that may be a great match for one person’s back issues may be completely unsuitable for someone else with the same back issues to sleep on. The only reliable way to know which mattress would be a good match for you or any back issues you may have in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) would be based on your own testing or personal experience. If you can’t test a mattress in person then one of the most important parts of a mattress purchase and your best source of guidance would be a more detailed conversation with an online manufacturer or retailer of a mattress you are considering who can help “talk you through” the options they have available that would have the best chance of matching your specific needs and preferences based on the information you provide them and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you.

There is more about the different ways to choose a mattress and how to reduce the risks involved in each of them in post #2 here.

The goal for everyone (regardless of any health or back issues) is always to choose a mattress that relieves pressure and keeps you in good alignment in all your sleeping positions but alignment would be particularly important with back issues. For those with back issues I would tend to err on the side of firmness and be very cautious about mattresses that are too soft for you because it’s always possible to add additional softness and pressure relief to a mattress with a topper but it’s much more difficult to make a mattress that is too soft any firmer because this would generally require removing and replacing the materials or layers that are too firm rather than adding something on top of them. Of course this wouldn’t apply to a component mattress with a zip cover where you can easily remove and rearrange or exchange individual layers.

There is more about primary and secondary support and their relationship to pressure relief and firmness in post #4 here and in post #2 here that may help you visualize what good support and alignment “looks like”.

Phoenix