I’m in need of advice — I’m a side sleeper (36, female, 180 lbs.), and a week ago, I woke up in so much pain that I could hardly walk. I was completely bent over, and had to shuffle in small steps; the pain was deep in my right hip, near the socket/joint. If I tried extending my right leg at a normal walking angle, it felt like the whole thing would snap. I assumed the problem was muscular, but now I think it may have been bursitis or a pinched nerve.
I don’t have ANY chronic hip problems, so it was 100% the way I was sleeping.
My current mattress is a Miralux (a Sleepy’s house brand; there’s my first mistake) that is 6 years old. It’s foam-based, and was $1300, but I didn’t research enough before buying it, and didn’t realize it was a virtually unknown brand. I also haven’t flipped it regularly, and I currently have it on an IKEA Malm frame with wooden slats. The slats keep shifting and the mattress feels like it “tilts” to one side (the right side, that caused me pain). This has been going on for a few months, but things hadn’t reached “emergency level.,” until last week.
Needless to say, I’m shopping for a mattress and a new frame.
Here’s the thing — when I’m trying out mattresses in stores, I seem to prefer a firmer feel. I’m just not sure that is the wisest option in the long run, because countless people I’ve spoken to say that side sleepers need a softer mattress.
I am not a fan of the retail experience in the big box stores, but I visited a few anyway, at the start of my mattress-buying journey. Of the “big” brands, the bed I liked the best was the Beautyrest World Class Luxury Firm, and the Aireloom/Hotel Collection Vitagenic Copper Streamline Plush, and the Stearns & Foster Palace Luxury Firm.
I do not like all-memory-foam, or feeling like I’m “stuck.” I also don’t like overly cushioned pillow tops. I DO like a little bit of bounce and responsiveness.
I’m looking into online options like Casper, Leesa, Helix, and T&F, but it’s hard to tell which one might work best, without being able to test them in person.
I finally visited Urban Mattress this week, and was pleasantly surprised at how down-to-earth and knowledgeable the guy who helped me was (his name was Andy). The mattress I liked the best (and it was an instant “oh my g-d” reaction) was the Integrity from their Urban Mattress line. It was firm and supportive, but also had a plush quilted top, and a bit of bounciness. (SPECS HERE).
The store rep seemed to think I would be happier in the long run with something more plush, because a firm mattress would press too much on my pressure points. Isn’t it true that all mattresses (especially comfort layers) soften a bit over time? I’m concerned about getting a mattress that’s soft to begin with, and ending up in pain from sleeping on a sagging marshmallow after a year.
I asked, and the polyfoam that’s in the top is two 1.5 inch layers of 2.1 LB foam. There’s also 2" of Firm 36 ILD latex. Do you think the plush feeling from the quilted top could eventually go away, leaving me with TOO firm of a mattress?
The other mattress he had me try was a Prana Sleep Super Vinyasa Luxury Plush (Gen 5). It’s a floor model that’s 50% off. It was nice, but it bordered on too soft, and although my spine was aligned horizontally, it felt like my shoulders and back wanted lean back compared to my hips (so I didn’t feel as stable front-to-back as on the firm mattress). It also didn’t feel as good lying on my stomach. (SPECS HERE)
Given those foam densities, what is the likelihood that this mattress will start to feel even softer, or develop indentations over time? It was nice, but if it were 10-20% softer, I could imagine it being unbearable. I’m not sure if the softness is something I’d get used to (and might be easier on my hips in the long run), or if it would drive me crazy.
As it’s a floor model, it would be final sale. So that’s also troubling, because at least with one of the other mattresses, I would have one exchange and a comfort guarantee.
Should I go with my initial preference and seek out a relatively firm mattress, or should I get used to sleeping on something softer? Thank you in advance for any recommendations you can offer.
[quote]I’m in need of advice — I’m a side sleeper (36, female, 180 lbs.), and a week ago, I woke up in so much pain that I could hardly walk. I was completely bent over, and had to shuffle in small steps; the pain was deep in my right hip, near the socket/joint. If I tried extending my right leg at a normal walking angle, it felt like the whole thing would snap. I assumed the problem was muscular, but now I think it may have been bursitis or a pinched nerve.
I don’t have ANY chronic hip problems, so it was 100% the way I was sleeping.[/quote]
While your other comments seem to indicate that it’s time for a new mattress … It’s also probable that your “sudden” experience here wasn’t because of the mattress and was more likely to be from how you slept on the mattress. For example almost everyone has made some kind of twisting or jerking motion while they were doing something they have done hundreds of times and ended up with a pulled muscle that was painful for days. I have even had this happen while I was shaving for example. If you sleep well on a mattress for a period of time then issues or “symptoms” that are the result of the mattress generally start to happen or build up more gradually. It sounds like your experience put buying a new mattress on the front burner though which may be a good thing anyway.
They are right that “most” side sleepers do better with a softer mattress than back and especially stomach sleepers but each person is unique and not everyone fits the “averages” of other people. It’s also true that you can “fix” a mattress that is too firm by adding a softer topper but it’s much more difficult to “fix” a mattress that is too soft because this would generally require opening up the mattress and removing and replacing the layers that are too soft with firmer layers.
The major brands such as Sealy/Stearns & Foster, Simmons, and Serta all tend to use lower quality and less durable materials in their mattresses than most of their smaller competitors that will tend to soften or break down prematurely relative to the price you pay which is why I would generally suggest avoiding all of them completely (and the major retailers that focus on them as well) regardless of how they may feel in a showroom along with avoiding any mattress where you aren’t able to find out the type and quality/durability of the materials inside it (see the guidelines here along with post #3 here and post #12 here and post #404 here).
It’s also unlikely that you would be able to find out the specs of the Aireloom mattress either (see this article) which means that I would avoid it as well.
Spending time testing major brand mattresses or any mattress where you can’t find out the specifics of the materials and components inside it or where another manufacturer doesn’t make a similar or better quality/value mattress that they specifically describe as being similar (which you won’t find in the case of any of these mattresses) is mostly wasted because it would be too risky to purchase and it can’t be used as a reference point to purchase another mattress that is “similar”.
It’s not only hard to tell … it would be impossible to know for sure outside of testing them side by side or your own personal experience when you sleep on them. I would always keep in mind that there is no such thing as “one mattress fits all” and any specific mattress may be the “best” match for a relatively small percentage of people, a “good” match for a larger percentage, and an “OK” match for a larger percentage yet but the only way to know for certain whether an online mattress you end up choosing will be a “good enough” match for you to keep it (even if it isn’t the “best match” out of all the mattresses that you “could have tried” instead) will be based on your own personal experience when you sleep on it.
Many online mattresses (including the ones you mentioned) have a good trial period and return policy so you can try them in your bedroom instead of a showroom with little risk (outside of the time you spend sleeping on it and/or returning it if that becomes necessary or any costs involved in the return process) so if it’s not a “good enough” match for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) you can just return it and try another mattress if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for but once again you will only know whether it’s “good enough” and you won’t know whether it would have been better or worse or how it compares to other mattresses that you could have purchased instead that you haven’t actually tried in person. This is one of the disadvantages of buying a mattress online that you can only try “one at a time” vs local testing in a store where you can compare many mattresses side by side at the same time.
There is more information about the type and quality/durability of the materials in all the mattresses you mentioned along with many of the other what I call “simplified choice” mattresses in post #2 here and the first post in the same topic would also be well worth reading as well.
[quote]I finally visited Urban Mattress this week, and was pleasantly surprised at how down-to-earth and knowledgeable the guy who helped me was (his name was Andy). The mattress I liked the best (and it was an instant “oh my g-d” reaction) was the Integrity from their Urban Mattress line. It was firm and supportive, but also had a plush quilted top, and a bit of bounciness. (SPECS HERE).
The store rep seemed to think I would be happier in the long run with something more plush, because a firm mattress would press too much on my pressure points. Isn’t it true that all mattresses (especially comfort layers) soften a bit over time? I’m concerned about getting a mattress that’s soft to begin with, and ending up in pain from sleeping on a sagging marshmallow after a year.
I asked, and the polyfoam that’s in the top is two 1.5 inch layers of 2.1 LB foam. There’s also 2" of Firm 36 ILD latex. Do you think the plush feeling from the quilted top could eventually go away, leaving me with TOO firm of a mattress?[/quote]
There will be an initial break in and adjustment period for any new mattress or sleeping system as the mattress loses any of it’s “false firmness” and the cover stretches and loosens a little and the materials settle and your body gets used to a sleeping surface that is different from what it is used to (see post #3 here). This would typically be a few weeks but it can be shorter or longer depending on the specifics of the person and the mattress (higher density materials can take longer) and it can be surprising to many people how much their sleeping experience can change over the course of the first month or so.
Once you are past the initial break in and adjustment period then if the mattress uses good quality and durable materials (which it does) then any further foam softening will tend to be much more gradual and happen over a much longer period of time. The mattresses on a showroom floor will usually be past their break in period so a new mattress can feel firmer than the same mattress that you tested in the showroom until it has been broken in as well. In other words I would choose a mattress based on whether your careful testing in a showroom (hopefully using the testing guidelines in the tutorial) indicates that a mattress is a good “match” for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP and not on how it “may” feel in the future.
The Integrity uses good quality materials and there are no lower quality materials or weak links that could compromise the durability or useful life of the mattress or be a reason for concern although it’s also in a higher budget range than other mattresses that use similar materials so I would make some careful “value” comparisons with other mattresses that may be just as suitable and just as durable but are in lower budget ranges.
[quote]The other mattress he had me try was a Prana Sleep Super Vinyasa Luxury Plush (Gen 5). It’s a floor model that’s 50% off. It was nice, but it bordered on too soft, and although my spine was aligned horizontally, it felt like my shoulders and back wanted lean back compared to my hips (so I didn’t feel as stable front-to-back as on the firm mattress). It also didn’t feel as good lying on my stomach. (SPECS HERE)
Given those foam densities, what is the likelihood that this mattress will start to feel even softer, or develop indentations over time? It was nice, but if it were 10-20% softer, I could imagine it being unbearable. I’m not sure if the softness is something I’d get used to (and might be easier on my hips in the long run), or if it would drive me crazy.[/quote]
The Vinyasa also uses high quality materials and there are no lower quality materials or weak links that could compromise its durability or useful life either. Once again though I would make some very careful value comparisons here as well because it’s also in a much higher budget range than other mattresses that use similar materials.
I’m not sure how much of a discount you are receiving but there are other mattresses that use similar materials that are available at substantially lower prices that may be similar to the price you would be receiving for the floor model and it would be a concern for me as well if you aren’t confident that the mattress is a good “match” for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP and that you will sleep well on it.
While I can certainly help with “how” to choose … It’s not possible to 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”, firmness, or PPP 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’m assuming that you’ve read the mattress shopping tutorial here but 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”, 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 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 (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).
While again nobody can speak to how any specific mattress will “feel” for someone else or whether it will be a good “match” in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP because this is too subjective and relative to different body types, sleeping positions, and individual preferences, sensitivities, and circumstances and you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress … outside of PPP (which is the most important part of “value”), the next most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability which is all about how long you will sleep well on a mattress. This is the part of your research that you can’t see or “feel” and assessing the durability and useful life of a mattress depends on knowing the specifics of its construction and the type and quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or how a mattress feels in a showroom or when it is relatively new so I would always make sure that you find out information listed here so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.
When 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.
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 (either locally or online) that sell the types of mattresses that you are most interested in that are in a budget range you are comfortable with 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 …
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.
Checking to make sure that there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress you are considering relative to your weight/BMI range that could compromise the durability and useful life of the mattress (see the durability guidelines here).
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.
Hi, Phoenix, thank you for the detailed reply! This site has been a great resource.
I’d be interested in hearing from other side sleepers or people who have dealt with hip pain. I know PPP and mattress selection is a highly personal thing, but I feel like it can be valuable to examine other people’s experiences, in aggregate.
[quote]Once again though I would make some very careful value comparisons here as well because it’s also in a much higher budget range than other mattresses that use similar materials.
[/quote]
Are there any specific mattresses or brands you can point me to that use similar materials to the Prana Vinyasa Luxury Plush?
While other people’s comments about the knowledge and service of a particular store or business can certainly be very helpful … I would always keep in mind that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress so I would be very cautious about about using anyone else’s suggestions, experiences or reviews on a specific mattress (either positive or negative) or review sites in general as a reliable source of information or guidance about how you will feel on the same mattress or how suitable or how durable a mattress may be for you. In many if not most cases they can be more misleading than helpful because a mattress that would be a perfect choice for one person or even a larger group of people in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP may be completely unsuitable for someone else to sleep on (even if they are in a similar weight range). In other words … reviews or other people’s experiences in general won’t tell you much if anything about the suitability, quality, durability, or “value” of a mattress for any particular person (see post #13 here).
Using other people’s reviews or experiences to buy a mattress would be something like buying a pair of shoes in a size that fits someone else or that is buying shoes for a very different reason than you are (such as running when you are looking for a pair of shoes to wear for work) just because they really like the shoes that they purchased.
Individual or even aggregated reviews would have very little meaning or relevance for any specific person.
The mattress shopping tutorial includes a link to a list of the members here that sell mattresses online (in the optional online step) and many of them sell latex and latex hybrid mattresses that use different types and blends of latex that have a wide range of different designs, options, features, return and exchange policies, and prices that you can use as reference points for “value” based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
I personally don’t have any experiences with these fabrics, but perhaps other knowledgeable people on this site can provide some feedback.
There is some good general information on sheets and bedding here.
Regarding copper and its healing claims, here is an article that discusses that.
Copper is encapsulated and currently used in some foams (like some latex from Talalay Global), more for the small additional amount of heat transfer that it can provide.