Mattress Forum

Hey Joed... i just have a thought here to see if I can any further from my previous post about testing...

A new mattress truly is like a piece of machinery at your local gym. Let's use a treadmill and an elliptical machine. Many people can "run 5 miles" on a treadmill and when they are first introduced to the elliptical, they can barely finish 1-2 miles. Is it fair to say the elliptical machine is a failure or the incorrect machine? Simply put, no. the elliptical machine uses your arms as well as your legs AND it is a very controlled motion for the muscle groups in the lower half of your body. If you keep trying the elliptical for the next couple of weeks, you find that pretty soon you are up to yuor "5 miles" and you have stopped sweating like the entire army in basic training! You may still even feel some soreness for those several weeks as you keep pushing yourself on the elliptical, but ultimately you can feel the benefits and your body continues to adapt.

The longer you have slept on a bed in poor condition, or with the wrong support or levels of comfort for you, the longer it may take to find the correct bed for YOUR needs. It seems that throughout these  posts you have tried several things to no avail, but I have not seen (and I may have missed it) how long you have actually tried some of these beds (it is a lot to read to get all of the facts) but I submit that any soreness felt during the first 5-8 weeks could literally be the change your spine and back muscles experience as they are experiencing the benefits of the new sleep system... if the problem, though is in the pressure points on your hips or shoulders, that won't change with extended use once the bed has been conditioned (or broken in).

As a reminder, I am a sleep consultant and have been doing this for only about 5 years, but I spend countless hours reading, researching and discussing the effects of different support systems and different physical response of individuals so that I stop trying to sell a square and spend more time custom fitting my clients with the proper comfort, support and price. Even with 90-120 days to make an exchange or return, I have less than 4% of my sales ever come back because of the time I spend listening and discussing their responses and less time talking about the things my manufacturer reps tell about why their bed is better than everyone else's... millions of backs and almost as many sleep systems, just gotta find the right one for you!

Sleep well, Joed!
 

But I am back to comment on this Latex thread.

First, hardly anyone seems to mention that the Latex seems to sleep HOT.  I know, I know, it's not supposed to...only Memory Foam is hot.                                                                     But I am absolutely convinced that our new S&F  Latex bed is much warmer than previous, old mattress.  True, it has a pillowtop -- and I suspect that is part of the problem.                 But I also think the Latex itself is an issue -- it doesn't breathe.   What do the experts/salespeople have to say about this?  Better yet, what do actual buyers have to say?            Because I don't trust anyone in the industry.

I also think the Latex gives that "pushback" sensation that has been mentioned here several times.  In that regard, it is not comfortable.

I am on the verge of exchanging our current bed for the non-pillowtop version OR returning it and buying a non-latex model of some sort.

But this is a real dilemma -- finding a bed (that doesn't cost a fortune) that is COOL and doesn't PUSH BACK!

Isn't latex about the most expensive bed material ?   So if you feel it "pushes back" for you, it seems like not going latex helps you with the "costs a fortune" thing.   I decided I really didn't like the 6" latex core from an old mattress I disassembled, instead opting to go with a much cheaper core of p/u (LUX and HD36) from FBM.

I feel your pain, as far as finding something you like - I am trying to converge on something I like by experimenting with layers.   The fact my girlfriend wants to set up a guest bed, and isn't real particular about it, gives me more options.

For latex to "feel" cooler, you must be directly on the latex (not just have latex as one of the layers of foam in the decking of the bed)... if there is more than the cover between you and the latex, it won't really make much difference.

If you are in the pillow-top, another disadvantage will be that the farther you sink into the bed, the hotter you will sleep as you are reducing the amount of airflow coming in contact with your skin.

Latex, like other foams and even coils, come in various firmnesses (foam uses ILD to measure and coils are typically depicted in gauge). I do not remember if I posted on one of your other threads or in response to this earlier, but here you go:

Whatever the combination of foams (any type) and coils (any type), there are a couple of things to consider:

• While in your sleeping position during the testing phase of your shopping, your hips and shoulders should sink enough to allow your spine to contour properly (on your back or stomach) or be level (-ish) to the floor (while on your side).
• Anything that does not completely give way when you push on it is giving you push back, so what you want is something that gives you the sensation of pushing back so evenly across the length of your body, that there is no one area that feels more pressure... this is what reducing pressure points is actually about.
• Let me remind you that while I sell mattresses, I spend so much more time researching the physical responses of clients to various systems, that I feel like I could care what brand or model I sell as long as it is pressure relieving, durable, comfortable and in your price range.
• You will find that I discuss various brands from experience, but (apart from my personal comfort in my bed) I will rarely endorse a bed beyond the questions I am answering on here.

My parents sleep on a Stearns and Foster pillow top with latex and memory foam and have not had some of the same issues you describe, but they are different people, so let me encourage you to go try the bed(s) you think you may want to exchange for and tell the salesperson (after you ask any pertinent questions) to leave you alone and spend 15-20 minutes (per bed) to see if you begin to feel any heat build-up, pressure points, push-back, etc. If you are, keep looking. The muscles in the human back are involuntary and will only relax (release) once they recognize enough support to hold the spine in position without their assistance... it takes on average 12-15 minutes to recognize this support. It isn't a night of sleeping, but it will help eliminate some beds.

Once you find "the one" and you decide to get it... please spend at least 4-5 weeks sleeping on it to allow the bed to be broken in and your back to both experience proper support and allow the change in your body temperature to adjust. Yes, you may sleep warmer, especially during the first few weeks, especially if your last bed created multiple pressure points. Those pressure points reduce blood flow creating a cooler sensation/experience in the attached limbs. Once regular blood flow is re-introduced to those limbs during sleep, you will feel warmer, but the body is an amazing thing and it will adjust in just a few weeks. Not to mention, the increased blood flow does in actuality help your body heal itself quicker (more work is being done in your body while you sleep... but you feel more rested when you wake!)

Hope this answers some questions "boopboopadoop"... sleep well!
 

This is because very few people that sleep on a true latex mattress (with no polyurethane foam) find them to sleep hot.  Read the law label on your S & F pillowtop...there is polyurethane foam in that mattress....this is more than likely what is actually causing you the issues you are experiencing.