Saatva Mattress

Hi , We spent over a thousand dollars on a Saatva mattress online. My husband likes it but after sleeping on it almost a week I’m done. I got back ache right off which were every night but soon I had neck and head aches and the last few nights I woke up w/ a fast heartrate and headaches like I am never used to having. We are ok returning it but not sure where to start over as it almost seems like it’s something in the mattress that’s affecting me. What would your guess be that it is? Any help would be appreciated as I was expecting great sleep and it was totally the opposite! So frustrating as we thought we did the research and this one looked like a good one for our price range. Thank-you in advance!

Hi Mom,

There is more information about Saatva mattresses in post #2 here and in post #1 here and the rest of the topic and a forum search on Saatva (you can just click the link) will bring up more comments and feedback about them as well. The first post in the simplified choice topic would also be well worth reading as well.

While Saatva would be a “better than average” quality/value choice compared to many of the mainstream mattresses made by the major manufacturers (which I would avoid completely) … some of the materials they are using are less durable than I would be comfortable with and for most people they wouldn’t be in the same “quality/value” range as many of the other options that use higher quality and more durable materials that most of the members here would know about as a result of the information on this site. I would also be cautious about making a purchase based on some of “marketing exaggerations” on their site.

While it’s not possible to “diagnose” mattress comfort issues on a forum with any certainty because there are too many unique unknowns, variables, and complexities involved that can affect how each person sleeps on a mattress in terms of “comfort” and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your Personal preferences) or any “symptoms” they experience … there is more about the most common symptoms that people may experience when they sleep on a mattress and the most likely (although not the only) reasons for them in post #2 here.

The most common (but not the only) reason for lower back pain is a mattress that is too soft. Head and neck issues may also be related to the pillow you are using as well and it’s very common that you may need a new pillow with a different profile when you buy a new mattress to keep your head and neck in good alignment in all your sleeping positions.

Unfortunately I’m not a health professional so I can’t speak to any medical conditions you may experience. It’s certainly possible that it could be connected to the pain and discomfort you are experiencing on your mattress but of course there is no way for me to know for certain and it may be a good idea to check with your health provider so that they can rule out any possible physical causes for these symptoms.

If the pain and discomfort goes away when you sleep on a different mattress then of course the odds would be higher that it’s mattress related.

In theory … it’s also possible that you could be sensitive to some of the materials in the mattress. The only reliable way to to assess the “safety” of different materials in more general terms is based on lab tests and the certifications they have for harmful substances and VOC’s so that you have some assurance than the VOC’s are below the testing limits for the certification (see post #2 here for more information about some of the more reliable “safety” certifications). If the materials in a mattress or the mattress itself has a reliable “safety” certification then for most people they would certainly be “safe enough”.

Saatva is on the CertiPUR-Us list here so they would certainly be “safe enough” and wouldn’t be a cause for concern for most people but it’s possible that some people may be more sensitive to certain materials that most people would be fine with even if they are certified.
ADMIN NOTE:Removed 404 page link | Archived Footprint: certipur.us/for-consumers/find-products/

While it may be more information than you are looking for … there is a lot more information in post #2 here and the more detailed posts and information it links to about safe, natural, organic, “chemical free”, and “green” mattresses and mattress materials that can help sort through some of the marketing information and terminology that you will encounter in the industry and can help you differentiate between them and answer “how safe is safe enough for me” that can help each person decide on the types of materials they are most comfortable having in their mattress or on the certifications that may be important to them. These types of issues are complex and are generally specific to each person and their individual sensitivities, circumstances, criteria, beliefs, and lifestyle choices.

The good news is that you had the foresight to purchase a mattress that has a good return policy which only costs you the price of shipping which can be an important part of the “value” of an online purchase where the only way to know for certain whether it will be a good “match” for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP (or at least a “good enough” match) will be based on your own personal experience.

If you decide to return it and buy another mattress then the first place to start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones.

Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort” and PPP that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

If you are looking at online options then the mattress shopping tutorial also includes several links to lists of many of the better online options I’m aware of (in the optional online step) that include many different types and categories of mattresses in a wide range of budgets, firmness levels, and with different return/exchange policies that may also be worth considering.

If you are also considering local choices that you can test in person before a purchase then if you let me know your city or zip code I’d also be happy to let you know about the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in your area as well.

Phoenix

Thank-you so much for getting back to me. We are in Parkesburg Pa 19365. Any retail recommendations of where a good place is o get one would be great!

Hi Mom,

The better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Parkesburg area (subject to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines I linked in my last reply) are listed in post #2 here.

Phoenix

I was also wondering what the difference is buying latex beds online or from a store like “Pure Latex Bliss” company?(and which would u recommend?) I did check into Spindle and they said they wouldn’;t recommend their bed if we’re over 190lbs. which my husband an I both are. Does that mean we should not buy a latex bed or just go w/ a 12 ‘’ thickness or is it more the quality of latex that matters?

Hi Mom,

There is more about the pros and cons of an online purchase vs a local purchase in this topic (and the posts it links to at the end of post #3 in the topic) and there is also more information in post #2 here (which I linked in my last reply) about the different ways to choose the most suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for.

While I can certainly help with “how” to choose … I don’t make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials or components because the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences 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 materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort” or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress), sleeping positions, health conditions, or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more reliable than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

I or some of the more knowledgeable members of the site can help you to narrow down your options, help you focus on better quality/value choices that are available to you either locally or online, help you identify any lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress, act as a fact check, answer many of the specific questions you may have along the way that don’t involve what you will “feel” on a mattress, and help with “how” to choose but only you can decide which specific mattress, manufacturer, or combination of materials is “best for you” regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or whether anyone else (including me) would have the same criteria or circumstances or would make the same choice.

There is more information about the 3 most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here (which I also linked in my last reply) which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on suitability, durability, and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase to fine tune the mattress or any exchange/return options that are available to you).

Spindle uses BMI rather than weight which is a more accurate way to assess whether a mattress will be a suitable “match” for someone in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP. Someone that is much shorter will have a higher BMI for example than someone who is taller and is the same weight and their weight will generally be more concentrated in specific areas of their body. In other words … there are certainly people that weigh more than 190 lbs where their mattress would be a suitable choice.

The thickness of a mattress or any individual layers inside it is really just a side effect of the design and the design goals of a mattress and is also only one of many variables that can affect the feel and performance of a mattress relative to any particular person and by itself isn’t particularly meaningful (see post #2 here). In some cases higher weight ranges (or a higher BMI) will sometimes do better with a mattress that is thicker than lower weight ranges or a lower BMI (see post #14 here for more about the effect of thickness) but even this depends more on the specific design and combination of materials in the mattress and on how well your testing or personal experience indicates the mattress “as a whole” matches your specific needs and preferences in terms of PPP than it does on just the thickness itself.

If you do decide to purchase a mattress online and 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 and firmness levels to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.

Any type of latex (either Dunlop or Talalay and made with synthetic rubber, natural rubber, or a blend of both) is a high quality and durable material relative to other types of foam and the choice between them would be more of a preference and a budget choice rather than a “better/worse” choice. There is more about the different types and blends of latex in post #6 here and more about how Dunlop compares to Talalay in general in post #7 here but the best way to know which type or blend of latex you tend to prefer will be based on your own testing and personal experience.

I would always keep in mind that the suitability of a mattress and the durability of the materials are different issues and the “value” of a mattress purchase includes both suitability and durability which aren’t mutually exclusive of each other.

In its simplest form choosing the “best possible” mattress for any particular person really comes down to FIRST finding a few knowledgeable and transparent retailers and/or manufacturers that sell the types of mattresses that you are most interested in and that you have confirmed will provide you with the all the information you need about the materials and components inside the mattresses they sell so you will be able to make informed choices and meaningful comparisons between mattresses and then …

  1. Careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in the tutorial) to make sure that a mattress is a good match for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP … and/or that you are comfortable with the options you have available to return, exchange, or “fine tune” the mattress and any costs involved if you can’t test a mattress in person or aren’t confident that your mattress is a suitable choice.

  2. Checking to make sure that there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress you are considering relative to your weight range that could compromise the durability and useful life of the mattress.

  3. Comparing your finalists for “value” based on #1 and #2 and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

Phoenix