Question about SleepEZ Configuration vs ?

Hi, this is a great and informative site but I would appreciate a little input. I am looking for a latex bed for myself and my wife. I am 5 ft 9 in and 195 lbs and am a combo stomach/side sleeper who has some lower back pain. My wife is 5 ft 2 in and 145 lbs and is a side sleeper. My wife can sleep on just about any firmness and not complain, but we did have the chance to try out the Pure Latex Bliss and we liked the Nutrition and the Beautiful models. First question would the Beautiful be too soft for me because of my intermittent lower back pain? Would the Nutrition be better?

Second question, if I went with a SleepEZ bed, what configuration would you recommend in the 10000 series, or would another series be better for me?

Any other options would be welcome. BTW I live in the Los Angeles area.

Thanks for your help,
Len

Hi Len S,

There are some excellent options in the Los Angeles area including one of the members here which I would suggest would be well worth including in your research. They are listed in post #2 here.

While I certainly love the idea of making a purchase online where you can choose your own layers … my personal preference would always lean towards a mattress that I could test personally and that could also be customized to my preferences … even if there was a premium involved in terms of price. If there were no local manufacturers within reasonable driving distance or local choices were much more expensive for an equivalent mattress (the "premium was too high and I was willing to take on the additional risk in exchange for the savings), then I would lean towards an online manufacturer who was knowledgeable and offered exchanges of the mattress or layers at a reasonable cost.

Side stomach sleeping combinations are the most difficult of all combinations sleeping positions because the needs of stomach sleeping (as thin and firm on top as possible with firmer support layers) are the opposite of side sleeping (thicker ans softer on top to accommodate the more curvy side sleeping profile) In these cases I would choose the thinnest and firmest layering I could that would adequately relieve pressure on my side to help accomodate my stomach sleeping. In the case of the PLB, the Beautiful has 3" of 19 ILD over 2" of 24 ILD which would likey be on the soft side for you. This would mean I would choose the Nutrition over the Beautiful and the Nature over the Nutrition if all of them relieved pressure on my side. I would also consider firmer latex on the top layers (which the PLB doesn’t offer) if I knew that would also relieve my side sleeping pressure well. Zoning with the middle section firmer than the areas under the shoulder and legs would also be an option worth considering.

While nothing but your own personal testing (especially with the help of someone who has the knowledge and experience to help you in person and can see you lie on each mattress) can answer “is this too soft for me?” for certain, I would tend to avoid a mattress that was quite so soft with your height and weight and combination sleeping unless it was the only pressure relieving option that worked and even then I would be hesitant (I think alignment/support is more important than pressure relief which can be adjusted with a topper if you can’t adjust to it).

If you did decide to go with SleepEz … then it’s likely with your side sleeping that you may need the 10,000 but if your testing indicated that you could “get away” with a 2" top layer then I would go in that direction again for the benefit of your stomach sleeping.

Hope this helps … and you have some very good local choices.

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix, thank you very much for your recommendations and the several local options that I will definitely check out. I agree that if I could have one purchased or made locally by a knowledgeable person then I would have a much better chance to get it right for me. Spinal alignment does take precedence for me esp. with my lower back issues, but comfort is also an important secondary consideration. Just curious, if I bought a mattress that was firmer and it was too firm and I added a topper, would that throw off the spinal alignment as bad as if I purchased a very soft bed in the first place?

Len

Hi Len S,

The firmness and the layering of the deeper support layers is the most important part of spinal alignment and it’s much easier to build a comfort layer that relieves pressure on a suitable core than to fix a core that is too soft. If you end up with a comfort layer that is a little too thin (or too firm) for good pressure relief … then a thin layer of a softer material would work well without affecting alignment in any major way. It’s almost impossible to fix a mattress that is too soft … especially in the support layers but even in the comfort layers because it will still let you sink in too much even if you put a firmer foam on top.

It’s always better to go a little too firm and then make any adjustments than the other way around. Zoning (with the middle third of the mattress core being firmer) can also help with keeping the heavier pelvic area better supported and still allow for a softer shoulder area. This may be a good option with stomach/side sleeping to help prevent the tendency to sleep in a “swayback” or hyperextended position when you are on your stomach.

Phoenix

You are a wealth of information and I really appreciate you taking the time to help. Thank you.