Talalay is bouncier and springier and is generally better at contour and pressure relief on your hips and shoulders. However, Talalay can also be helpful in avoiding back pain because it provides more of what we call secondary support. Secondary support fills in the gaps between your body and the mattress. For side sleepers, this is normally the area between a person’s ribs and waist. For back sleepers, this is normally the area between the small of your back and the mattress. If these parts or your body aren’t being held up by the mattress, your muscles will work all night to hold those parts of your body up, which can lead to back pain. Aside from that, women tend to be curvier, especially around their hips, and having an extra top layer of Talalay can help avoid hip pain and keep the mattress from pushing their hips up, which can also lead to back pain.