Hi Onyx,
First off, let’s be real, no one wants to be in pain. There’s a big difference between pain and discomfort, though. We all know what pain feels like, but discomfort can be a little trickier. It might just be our body reacting to something unfamiliar. Even with an open mind, we sometimes shut down physically because we’re not ready for what’s happening, and that can lead us to talk ourselves out of something before giving it a fair shot.
You even mentioned yourself that the latex didn’t feel like it was pushing back, and that your old memory foam felt firmer, even though you admitted it was sagging. That’s a really important observation. Memory foam compresses and sinks without pushing back at all, which can feel firmer in a way because it just gives and stays there. Latex, on the other hand, pushes back more in areas where there’s pressure. It’s a different type of support and can feel unfamiliar at first, especially if your body is used to a slower-responding surface like memory foam.
A very similar thing happens when folks sit on the edge of a mattress that uses edge to edge pocketed springs. They think they can sit on the edge and it will remain stiff like a chair. This is a big misconception regarding edge support. When the full weight of the body sits on a small area of coils that were meant to be used with all of its other twin brother coils to support an entire body, you get sinking in that small area trying to support an entire body’s weight, whereas someone lying on the same mattress, along the same edge, will have excellent support and just the right amount of contouring to keep one comfortable. So, it is not how the mattress reacts to you crawling on hands and knees, it is how your entire body rests on the surface.
That said, I personally don’t think anyone should have to endure with either pain or discomfort for too long when adjusting to something new. How long is too long? Well, if someone is really paying close attention, there should be slight improvements every day, and ultimately it will all come together.
It can be tough to tell the difference between the two (pain and discomfort), and that alone can be frustrating. Just because what you’re feeling with your mattress might not be textbook “pain” doesn’t mean it’s not real. Mattress feel is super subjective. Two people the same size and weight, say, identical twins, could try the same mattress, and one might say it’s firm while the other thinks it’s soft. Neither is wrong. It’s just how it feels to each of them. Conversely, there are those who believe they need a plush mattress due to some physical or health issues, and in reality, too much contouring causes more pain, where a flatter, firmer surface alleviates the pain and/or discomfort.
Still, mattress makers label their products in a way that gives people an idea of what most (about 80%) are likely to experience. But that still leaves plenty of room for individual differences.
Now, looking at your photos, here’s my take: In one of them, you’re lying almost right on the edge of the mattress. I can see some sinking at your waist, hips, and butt, which makes sense. But I’d be curious to see the same shot with you more centered on the mattress. Just for reference, I also sleep right at the edge of my mattress. When I test mattresses, I do both, lie on the extreme edge, something most do not do, and in the main sleep area of the mattress, they way the 80% do. Why? It is because I know that’s where most people sleep. When testing a mattress, it is not about me, it is about what I imagine the majority of folks will think.
In the other photo, it’s interesting. You’re not sinking much at all in the same areas. Actually that photo looks quite good. There does seem to be a slight incline from your chest up to your shoulders, but it is hard to get a real sense, since your neck and head is out of the picture. The line drawn to show your alignment, this isn’t quite accurate, though, in either picture. In one picutre, the side angle, it almost looks like your pillow might be too tall, or maybe you’ve got very broad shoulders. Either way, based on that image, the mattress looks like it’s giving you the support on would expect. For a better read on your spinal alignment, we’d really need a photo taken from a wider angle, with your whole back visible from head to knees. In the edge of the mattress picture, if the segments of the mattress are around 2" at each seam, even at the edge of the mattress, that only accounts for less an an inch which is not a lot excessive contouring going on.
While I was on the flight home, I was thinking about all this. Initially, I was leaning toward recommending a firmer comfort layer and then using a topper to fine-tune the feel in certain areas. But in your side-sleeping photo, honestly, the alignment looks pretty darn good, which gave me pause. But as I read your posts, it is taking me back to a medium top layer with a firm layer between the top and springs. I was reading what BLK56 chimed in, and your set up is not much different except for the support layer being springs rather than a firm latex. For your weight, I have to agree that the spring layer will better serve you.
I found this photo online from a company I’ve been considering inviting to TMU. You can see how much contouring is going on there. Is a Hybrid Latex Mattress Good for Back Sleepers?
Other than her not using a pillow to keep her head and neck in the correct position, there are similarities on her contouring the mattress to yours.
Now take a look at these two comparison images. These usually surprise people the most: The first group.
In the bottom two pictures, the main issue is either a pillow that’s too thick or the mattress being too firm and not contouring enough. This is exactly what had me second-guessing myself on that flight. Your photo looked similar to the good alignment in these shots, but only from certain angles.
Here’s another illustration that often brings up questions:
At first glance, people usually think that angled spine position looks wrong. But funny enough, this is exactly how I sleep. For someone in that position, it’s actually perfect alignment.
Look, I am not privy to your conversations with Mario or whomever you have discussed your situation with at MFC. If you indicated you liked a plushier feel, than the medium and soft over coils would be the way to go. If you werent quite understanding what plush is relative to your memory foam mattress feel.
The good thing is, if you remove the plush and place a firm above the coils, you can always use the soft latex as a topper.
Also, I dont remember, but do you have an chronic pain issues generally?
The first step, I think is to remove the soft dunlop layer and see how the medium over coils feel. You are not compressing the medium enough for it to be an issue of “feeling” the coils. For reference, my mattress is firm coils with 2" of HD foam on top of the coils, on the side of the mattress we sleep on. So 2" of medium latex over coils, is not unheard of. If that feels better to you, get another medium layer, if it seems too soft, then get the firm, and as I mentioned, keep the soft as a topper option.
For now, and I mean no disrespect, I would keep the conversations between you and MFC, (who ever you have talked to) leaving the rhetoric aside, or as we used to say, hang the ego’s at the door, and just solve the problem. Everyone is likely to be charged up and frustrated, and you don’t want that to interfere with the success of your comfort. Solve the problem first and then decide if you are going to mail them holiday cards later.
All the best,
Maverick
