topper to fix 4-year-old latex/inner spring mattress

[phoenix]

Hi jctam,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum!

After four years, the mattress is not terribly comfortable – there’s a noticeable indent where I regularly sleep, even though I’ve rotated the mattress regularly, and it doesn’t provide enough pressure relief for my shoulders and hips. It still provides a decent night’s sleep, but I recently slept at friend’s house on bet with a pillowtop topper, and I slept much better.

I’m sorry you’re not sleeping as comfortably as you desire. Assuming you have proper support under your mattress (bed frame and foundation that are not sagging), it sounds as if some of the foam in your mattress has taken a bit of a “set”, and that you desire a bit more surface comfort (as evidenced by your testing at your friend’s house).

I’d like to get a topper for the mattress, rather than buying a new one. I’m hoping to spend under $200, and under $100 would be great. My two top priorities, equally important: getting pressure relief, keeping the bed cool

Adding a topper to a firmer mattress certainly can be a good alternative to acquiring extra comfort without having to purchase an entirely new sleep set. My concern would be the “dip” of your current mattress, as adding a soft topper on top of an indent will not “cure” that indent, but only result in a slightly softer version of the indent, if that makes sense. There is more information about choosing a topper in post #2 here and the topper guidelines to which it links, including information about plushness and temperature regulation.

Also, when I bought the bed, it initially had 2 inches of soft latex on 2 inches of medium, but that didn’t work for me – I sunk into the bed even further without getting pressure relief, so I exchanged it for the four inch medium I have now. Even from the beginning, it was a little hard, but I toss and turn a lot during the night and so the dents that the soft latex left were very uncomfortable.

I see from your follow-up post that you discovered that you do not have latex in your mattress, but instead 4" of unknown density polyfoam. All foams will soften slightly over time, with lower-density foams generally being less durable than their higher density counterparts. There is more information about this in the durability guidelines here.

Regarding temperature regulation, as you do tend to sleep warmer, in very general terms, the materials, layers, and components of a sleeping system that are closer to your skin will have a bigger effect on airflow, moisture transport, and temperature regulation than materials, layers, and components that are further away from your skin and softer mattresses or foam toppers will tend to be more “insulating” and for some people can sleep warmer than firmer versions of the same material. There is more about the many variables that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress or sleeping system in post #2 here that can help you choose the types of materials and components that are most likely to keep you in a comfortable temperature range.

All foams are insulators to a degree, and the more you sink “in” to a mattress (versus sleeping “on” it), the more potential you have for sleeping warmer and the less of your body’s surface area is exposed for heat exchange. You are correct that memory foam in general does tend to be the least breathable foam, followed generally by polyfoam and then latex. Latex will also tend to be the most durable foam, so it may be worth considering for a good plush topper – but you can read more about some good options in the topper post I linked to earlier in my reply.

If after reading everything you have more specific questions, please feel free to reply back and I’ll do my best to be assistive.

Phoenix