I’ve been sleeping on a Beautyrest Imperial Liston for 7 months. It felt like the right mattress when I tried it in store at Sleep Country but when I received it, it felt extremely firm. The guy said several times that it will take 3 weeks to break in but it’s been 7 months now and it does not feel any better than the day I received it.
I’ve had hip pain, shoulder pain and shoulder blade pain and have had to go to a chiropractor several times. I bought a foam topper from Jysk to help soften up the mattress and it has helped but the mattress still felts too firm so I bought another topper, they are 1.7" thick each. With the two toppers my shoulders feel great but my hips goes down too low and I have hip pain, knee pain and ankle pain, back alignment issues, and neck pain. I remove one layer of topper and it feels too firm again. What should I do to make this better?
Hi there, Longroadrover,
Welcome to the forum! It’s surprising that your Beautyrest (BR) hasn’t softened over the 7 months, as many other BR owners typically report the opposite, finding that their mattress softens too much over time.
Without knowing your height, weight, and sleep position, I can only give general suggestions, but here’s what I gather from your situation. The BR Imperial Liston is approximately 14.5" tall, and with the two 1.7" toppers you’ve added, you’re now at about 18" in total height, which is quite high for a mattress. It’s tricky to find exact specs for the Liston model, but based on what’s typical for that line, if it has an 8" coil support layer, that would leave up to 10" of foam above it, meaning the comfort and topper layers are providing comfort and support, which is not how a mattress is designed to perform.
Another key factor here is the material of your toppers. If your hips are sinking too much, it’s likely that the toppers are made from memory foam. While memory foam is great for pressure relief and contouring, it does tend to cause sinking and can trap heat, which can exacerbate issues like hip pain and misalignment.
One potential solution would be to switch out your current toppers for a 2–2.5" medium latex or latex-alternative topper. Latex tends to offer a balance of pressure relief and support without the excessive sinking effect that memory foam can cause, and it’s also breathable, which can help prevent overheating. A medium latex topper should give you the right amount of contouring for your shoulders while keeping your hips from sinking too low, helping to alleviate pain and improve alignment.
I hope this helps, and feel free to share any additional details, like your sleep position or any other factors, so we can offer more tailored advice.
Maverick
Hi Maverick,
Thank you for the information.
I’m mainly a side sleeper but occasionally sleep on my back. I’m 5’6" and 180lbs. Without the topper I don’t feel like my hips and shoulders sink into the mattress. I try not to lay on my back because my pressure points hurts.
I’ve heard about latex and lots of people love it. My understanding is that there are two types, dunlop and talalay. Should I go for one over the other? I’ve never heard of a latex-alternative topper. How does that compare with the latex topper?
Hey LRR,
There are those who will suggest that as long as the complete process used was to the highest standards, and the ILD are the same, you should get a similar result. Others will opine that Talalay is the softer feel of the two processes. There are some mattress manufacturers that exclusively use Talalay for comfort layers and Dunlop for support layers.
You will find prices for Talalay more expensive than Dunlop as the Talalay process is a bit more involved than Dunlop. You can speak with Trusted Members that sell both and have them offer their opinion based on the mattress you are placing the topper on. I would aim towards a medium density talalay.
Latex alternative is a blend of synthetic foam from Brooklyn Bedding, much this. It is intended to have features of both memory foam and latex with out the sinking hot lava feel of memory foam, and the slight bounce of latex, but at a lower cost as it is a synthetic. You would want to start with something that you know is exchangeable, just in case. But with the titanflex product, medium would be the right balance there too.
Maverick
In the long run, Latex is the more durable product, but it will depend on you needs.