Discouraged... Does latex break in a lot after a week or two?
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I thought I FINALLY had my mattress problems solved. My mattress was PERFECT for the first 2 weeks... Then, about 3 nights ago it started to hurt a little. I figured it was just ME... (though I had not done a lot of work - I did a lot of back work the previous days and slept great through those days... But now for the past 3 nights I have had substantial back pain when sleeping. Not as much as before the new latex layer, but enough to make the last few hours of sleep a bit painful. So did the latex "break in" in 2 weeks and is now too soft for me? Or what? Or did the back work I did the previous week take a week to catch up to me? I think I might have to change my configuration after thinking I had it perfect... Ideas? I am very discouraged by this. I REALLY thought I had it right, finally; I had great comfort for 2 weeks! |
Re: Discouraged... Does latex break in a lot after a week or two?
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jimsocal wrote: I thought I FINALLY had my mattress problems solved. My mattress was PERFECT for the first 2 weeks... Then, about 3 nights ago it started to hurt a little. I figured it was just ME... (though I had not done a lot of work - I did a lot of back work the previous days and slept great through those days... But now for the past 3 nights I have had substantial back pain when sleeping. Not as much as before the new latex layer, but enough to make the last few hours of sleep a bit painful. So did the latex "break in" in 2 weeks and is now too soft for me? Or what? Or did the back work I did the previous week take a week to catch up to me? I think I might have to change my configuration after thinking I had it perfect... Ideas? I am very discouraged by this. I REALLY thought I had it right, finally; I had great comfort for 2 weeks! And this is why I hate latex. IMO, inexpensive, 2.8/ft3 density, traditional poly with an ILD of 35, topped with 2" of 5.3/ft3 Sensus is the only choice for those with back trouble. Who cares if you have to drop $600 for new poly/memory foam layers every 3 years? Latex is overpriced and overrated. This message was modified Feb 20, 2010 by Pete
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Re: Discouraged... Does latex break in a lot after a week or two?
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Pete wrote: And this is why I hate latex. IMO, inexpensive, 2.8/ft3 density, traditional poly with an ILD of 35, topped with 2" of 5.3/ft3 Sensus is the only choice for those with back trouble. Who cares if you have to drop $600 for new poly/memory foam layers every 3 years? Latex is overpriced and overrated. Doesn't memory foam and poly foam break in as well? |
Re: Discouraged... Does latex break in a lot after a week or two?
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Slides wrote: Doesn't memory foam and poly foam break in as well? I think he is saying they break in but they cost a lot less to replace, and I would agree to some extent... BUT: I think latex breaks down much less and slower, over time, than other foams. I don't think MOST people would even feel the breaking in that my latex seems to have done. However, for me, it was enough to go from 100% comfort down to only about 70-75% comfort, now. Of course I still do have some HR foam on my bottom layer so that could be the problem. But I hate to buy new foam right now so I'm trying to live with my current configuration (above; minus the wool) and see if I "get used" to it. I also think latex and HR foam have completely different feels and different type of support. The latex is much springier, the HR is more of a "dead" type feel. I used to hate the latex feel but am now getting used to it, I think. I do think that a huge part of my back problems are from sitting watching movies. Unfortunately I have bought several "for your back" type chairs and all of them hurt my back! Also I just plain sit too much, here, there and everywhere! I have become almost totally sedentary and I know that's bad and I am working on that. Not sure what to do about sitting. Can't really afford to buy a chair right now... I'm going to look at that link Leo or someone posted above, though... |
Re: Discouraged... Does latex break in a lot after a week or two?
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jimsocal wrote: I think he is saying they break in but they cost a lot less to replace, and I would agree to some extent... BUT: I think latex breaks down much less and slower, over time, than other foams. I don't think MOST people would even feel the breaking in that my latex seems to have done. However, for me, it was enough to go from 100% comfort down to only about 70-75% comfort, now. Of course I still do have some HR foam on my bottom layer so that could be the problem. But I hate to buy new foam right now so I'm trying to live with my current configuration (above; minus the wool) and see if I "get used" to it. I also think latex and HR foam have completely different feels and different type of support. The latex is much springier, the HR is more of a "dead" type feel. I used to hate the latex feel but am now getting used to it, I think. I do think that a huge part of my back problems are from sitting watching movies. Unfortunately I have bought several "for your back" type chairs and all of them hurt my back! Also I just plain sit too much, here, there and everywhere! I have become almost totally sedentary and I know that's bad and I am working on that. Not sure what to do about sitting. Can't really afford to buy a chair right now... I'm going to look at that link Leo or someone posted above, though... floeds? is that what you have? i may end up back with the 10 inch costco sleep science foam bed, called emma i think |
Re: Discouraged... Does latex break in a lot after a week or two?
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Re: foam support/back pain, not necessarily just being the bed.... ANY chair can be re-foamed to your specs, find an upholsterer and check out the foams they offer. There are so many foams it is incredible. Not all upholsterers use the same foams. It is relatively cheap compared to buying a new chair and having the same thing happen yet again. We love our couch, but the foam is too firm. I fell asleep last night laying on the couch and my hips were tingly when I woke up...lack of circulation. Sucks. May have to have the gal redo the sofa again...my choice for foam. Not sure if the special "for back health" or whatever chairs are especially beneficial or not. I think it is more the firmness than anything. Possibly gimmicky...I would re-do the foam in any chair or couch to see the difference. JIM: Couple more ideas for your bed issues. One woke me up last night! My bed has the insulator layer over the springs composed of wire mesh and burlap, stapled to the far outside of the bed. Possibly important. ON TOP OF THAT is a layer of cotton batting....about 6 or 8 inches thick...then the foam on top of that. Possibly the foam is too much...batting adds softness, but doesn't feel like foam. Maybe that is the missing link????? Maybe that is why some people love their futons because they are often cotton batting filled. Maybe your issue is that you used only foam for your softness layers, might need to think outside of that foam box for some of the fill. I don't see it available on the internet, but I could ask Bill. I saw it in his shop, cool stuff...soooo soft and buoyant. I could understand why that might be an important layer. They USED to use it in beds years ago and no foam, back when beds lasted 20 years. Maybe that's where the bedding industry went to crap...they went to only foam or foam/springs when then should have kept that layer in there? Also, you are right, it is a viscious cycle when your back hurts you don't want to move, then you sit more, probably on non-supportive furniture, and your back never gets strong...can always do what I do, turn on the music(or Sirius on the tv cable if you have that) and find some music that makes you want to dance. I dance around my living room for ten minutes or so and have a workout!!!! Stretches the back, too. ;} Kait This message was modified Feb 21, 2010 by Kait
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Re: Discouraged... Does latex break in a lot after a week or two?
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They do sell cotton batting, at foamonline.com I have not order from them, but it may be the missing link. I have a Stressless (Ekornes) chair, and I fell for the gimmick. But it could be good, but it has a contoured seat. My back is killing me though. I did clean the shower floor, seating on a footstool (bad hip, bad knee). So now my back is killing me worse. Who else is going to clean the shower floor if I don't? I don't have a maid, LOL. Before that I had 2 different chairs I have tried and wasted more money on. It has a flat seat (not contoured) but the foam was horrid, like a rock, the back was even worse. I did change out the foam on the seat, it didn't help. I think the missing link was not good springs underneath. I dunno.... Kate what cushion did you put on your Dad's old chair? I am looking at Bevco 2200SEC adjustable height stool. It has a flat seat, and adjustable back. It was on the link up above, I had to google it though. This message was modified Feb 21, 2010 by Leo3
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Re: Discouraged... Does latex break in a lot after a week or two?
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Slides wrote: Doesn't memory foam and poly foam break in as well? No, 2.8lb/ft3 poly maintains the same ILD for at least 3 years. |
Re: Discouraged... Does latex break in a lot after a week or two?
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Thanks for the tips. Will read more thoroughly later. I saw that foamorder sells cotton batting a few weeks ago and wondered if anyone had ever tried it around here... I know that it used to be used more... I am at about 70-75% with my mattress now and the mystery to me is, why do the first 2 weeks of a mattress often feel so good and then it begins not to work as well for me? I have stuck with the same configuration for a couple weeks now through the discomfort and it has gotten a bit better but is still down to 70-75% of how it felt at first... I am about ready to try replacing the 1/2" of HR foam on the bottom and see if that might help. It's very very firm - like 42ILD or something, and I doubt it is the problem, but... well, it's the only non-latex have in my mattress, now. I'm even thinking my 6-7 year old latex layer of 3/4" could also be overly broken-in... I might try a couple radical changes over the next week or so, like putting the firm-feeling Dunlop layer on the bottom followed only by the medium Talalay and then the 1/2" wool cover... something like that. I can always easily get back to the way it is, now, if I need to. I would not chase "that last 10% of comfort", but at 70-75%, I can't quite feel satisfied... |
Re: Discouraged... Does latex break in a lot after a week or two?
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Leo3 wrote: I have a Stressless (Ekornes) chair, and I fell for the gimmick. I used to have one of these (until my cat peed on it and I couldn't get the smell out) and I loved it. It was wonderfully comfortable, so much so that it was difficult to sit in it without falling asleep :) I wish I could afford another one. |
Re: Discouraged... Does latex break in a lot after a week or two?
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Thanks Leo, for the link to cotton batting...but the stuff in a bed is MUCH thicker. The thick stuff I have not found online. Here's another weird thought...just gonna ramble here...I make saddles for horseback riding, and one of the most important parts is the seat. Since I was mostly self-taught, I took great interest in learning how it was done "one upon a time" by the old time saddlemakers, which is not how it is typically done today. I learned through trial and error and more research that the seat bones form a tripod, with the pelvic bone in front of the two "pin-bones". I thought it would be soo cool to make a saddle where the seat was flat. Made one. It was awful. Turns out that the seat bones need to be even with each other, side to side, but there needs to be a slight roundness between them, a very slight curve, to support the pelvis. In addition, the front bone is set higher than the seat bones, and it needs to be supported too...in a slightly higher plane. Experiment: sit on a chair and try to put your front pelvic bone flat on the seat along with your seat bones. Your low back will arch and be achy very quickly. Especially bad for riding horses, but is it also bad for sitting? Hmmmmnnnnn... Maybe that is the answer for chairs. You need enough cush to soften the surface for your seat bones, and just enough to support the front pelvic bone. I do know that I am happiest sitting in a saddle I've made rather than a chair. Supports my back. But this has nothing to do with beds...I digress.... Kait |