About four months ago, I bought a latex mattress from Dreamfoam (24 ILD) that ended up being too soft. I decided to double-down on that and purchase a higher ILD (32) mattress which ended up having a different set of issues, including pressure point pain. I decided to send them both back (whew… this is getting expensive) and instead purchase an innerspring instead, as they have proven to work well for me in the past.
I purchased a Original Mattress Factory Ortho Luxury Firm. It felt fine in the store and I though it would be ideal, but after a few weeks on it, it was becoming clear it was a bit too firm. I was experiencing severe pressure point pain when I woke in the morning and was definitely tossing and turning all night. I’ve been a zombie ever since I purchased it.
Two weeks ago, in an effort to soften it up, I purchased a 20ILD 2" latex topper from Sleep-on-Latex. I’m now waking up with no pressure point pain, however, I’ve just exchanged pressure point pain for lower back pain, likely from sinking too deeply. I’m still tossing and turning all night, and I’m even more of a zombie all day. I’ve reached a point where I can’t decide what to do any more. Everything I’ve tried seems to have made it worse.
The OMF mattress already has a comfort layer that’s about 2.5" deep, so adding any foam tends to exacerbate the sinking issue.
Here is my main question: Would it be better to drop to a 1" layer at the same ILD, or stay at 2" and increase the ILD to 30? I’d assume the additional firmness would prevent the increased sinking, but might also result in pressure point pain that is just as bad as the bare mattress.
Once again I’m sorry to hear that you are having so much difficulty finding a mattress (or a mattress/topper combination) that works well for you.
Unfortunately there is little I can add to the information and comments in my previous reply in post #2 here because the only way to know whether any mattress or mattress/topper combination will be a good “match” for you in terms of PPP will be based on your own careful testing or your own personal sleeping experience.
Again … the only way to know whether any mattress/topper combination will be a good “match” for you will be based on your own personal experience. While a 2" soft topper would normally be a good “average” guess for a mattress that needed “a little to a fair bit” of extra softness and pressure relief … it seems that you are outside the “averages” that would work for most people.
While it’s also only a guess or speculation … I would be cautious about using a 30 ILD topper since your previous experience with the Dreamfoam mattress that had a 32 ILD Talalay comfort layer indicated that it may have been too firm for you (you were experiencing pressure points) even though it also had a 1.5" quilted cover (which would provide some additional softness to the latex comfort layer) so it would make logical sense that a 30 ILD Dunlop topper could also be too firm as well (Dunlop tends to feel firmer than Talalay in the same ILD).
If your main issue is support/alignment then it would probably make more sense to try a 1" topper which would provide a “touch to a little” additional softness and pressure relief and would “stop” your hips and pelvis from sinking in quite as far and hope that it would provide the right balance between additional comfort/pressure relief and support/alignment that would keep you inside the range that was suitable for you in terms of both (it would be “in between” the mattress by itself and the mattress with a 2" topper).
If you are also using your mattress on their box spring then it may also be worth trying your mattress on the floor to find out whether the flex from the springs in the box spring is contributing to the issues you are having as well. If you find that using your mattress/topper combination on the floor works better for you and you aren’t experiencing back pain or pressure points then replacing the box spring with a foundation that doesn’t have any flex under the mattress may also be worth considering.
Not trying to hijack this question, but I had a very similar issue… I went through a record number of latex mattress combinations before I got one that was close to what i was looking for(XF,F,M) I think, which gave me the support I needed.
BUT, the Medium layer top wasn’t soft enough for pressure points from my bony shoulder blades and hips, etc.
I went through a bunch of topper options include plush cotton and fully wool pads.
I finally purchased
Natures Sleep Cool IQ Cal King Size 2.5 Inch Thick, 4.5 Pound Density Memory Foam Mattress Topper with 18 Inch Fitted Cotton Cover from Amazon(Didn’t link in case that is frowned upon)
and i feel i am pretty close. I have no idea what the ILD is on that.
I don’t use the cotton cover, but the pressure relief is great, BUT i sink into it a little too much, especially over the course of the night and i end up back some lower pack discomfort.
So to the original poster, I’m think I should either look for a 5+ lb density topper(hard to get and $$), or perhaps just reduce the thickness, or possibly just a high density/ think polyfoam instead of memory foam.
It’s been pretty hard to reputable options for those though…
Who makes 1.5 inch memory foam if I try thinner?
Is 5lb really much difference or do i need to go 5.5 or 6 if i try denser…?
Any advice / recommendations including websites or manufacturers would be greatly welcome.
The ILD of memory foam can change with temperature, humidity, and the length of time that a topper is continuously compressed (memory foam tends to get softer over the course of the night) and ILD testing with memory foam also produces different results than ILD testing on more resilient materials so the ILD of memory foam can often be more misleading than helpful.
While the density of memory foam is the most important factor in its durability (up to about 6 lb density or so) … I would keep in mind that density isn’t directly related to the firmness or softness of memory foam and any density of memory foam can be formulated in softer or firmer versions and with other differences in its properties (slower or faster response, more or less breathable, more or less temperature sensitive etc) depending on the combination of chemicals that are used to formulate the memory foam. There is more about the different properties that can be formulated into of different types of memory foam in post #9 here and in post #8 here.
[quote]It’s been pretty hard to reputable options for those though…
Who makes 1.5 inch memory foam if I try thinner?
Is 5lb really much difference or do i need to go 5.5 or 6 if i try denser…?
Any advice / recommendations including websites or manufacturers would be greatly welcome.[/quote]
When you can’t test a mattress/topper combination in person then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart and who can help “talk you through” the specific options they have available based on the information you provide them about you and your mattress, any local testing you have done, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific toppers to different body types, sleeping positions, preferences, and different mattresses than anyone else.
Having said that … the only reliable way to know whether a specific mattress/topper combination will end up being a good “match” for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your Personal preferences) is based on your own careful testing or personal experience on the mattress/topper combination. If you can’t test the combination in person then there will always be some risk and uncertainty involved in adding a topper (particularly if you are more sensitive to smaller differences in a sleeping system) because the specifics of the mattress itself along with your own body type, sleeping position, and preferences can affect which specific topper would be a suitable choice on any specific mattress.
There is more information about choosing a topper in post #2 here and the topper guidelines it links to which along with a conversation with a reliable supplier that can provide you with good information about how their toppers compare to each other or to other toppers they are familiar with that are available on the market can help you use your sleeping experience as a reference point and guideline to help you choose the type, thickness, and firmness for a topper that has the least possible risk and the best chance for success. It also includes a link to a list of some of the better online sources for toppers I’m aware of and a link to some online suppliers that have good exchange/return policies as well which can also be an important part of the “value” of a topper purchase (just in case your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).
The three most important parts of choosing a suitable topper and reducing the risks involved are …
Using the topper guidelines and your own preferences between different materials that you are familiar with to give you a reference point for the type, thickness, and firmness that has the best chance of success.
Talking to the suppliers you are considering (assuming that they are knowledgeable about their products) so they can describe the toppers they are selling to give you a sense of how they compare to others that they sell or that you are familiar with or that are available in the market.
Making sure you are comfortable with the return or exchange policies and the costs involved so that you have some “insurance” to offset the uncertainty and risk involved in choosing a topper that you haven’t tried in person just in case you make a choice that doesn’t work as well as you hoped for.