What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
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I would like to know what some of the pros & cons are of sleeping on a latex mattress, especially in the kit form from a company like Flobeds (I have samples of the different latex cores from Flobeds). I understand that issues with comfort of latex depend on ILDs, a person's body type & weight, personal preferences, etc. The only type of mattress I've slept has been an innerspring (with no latex). It's hard to tell by laying on a latex mattress in a store what the mattress will feel like to actually sleep on. What is the difference in feel between sleeping on an all latex mattress and on an innerspring mattress? Does a latex mattress provide enough support for the lower back and hips, or is a latex mattress not a good choice for providing good back support? Does a latex mattress provide a good seating surface if you want to sit up in bed to read, or does your butt sink down too much for it to be comfortable enough to sit up in bed? With kits such as Flobeds that don't have a firmer edge support around the mattress to support sitting on, do you just sink in when you sit on the side of the bed? Can a latex mattress feel like you are sleeping on a piece of "dead" foam, "dead" meaning no cushiness, no springiness to the foam? Thank you very much for help and opinions. I've been reading this site (and old one) for over a year now, and I'm still learning. |
Re: What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
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novahelp wrote: Fascinating discussion. I wish I had read more of the negative posts about latex here before getting my latex mattress. I am about at my wits end trying to get this thing to work for me. Its either too soft so I bottom out in the thing, or its too firm where I feel beat up in the morning or it feels like I am sleeping on a rubber ball. I think I would have been better to get a decent spring mattress (indiv coils etc) and just plopped a memory foam topper on it... I could have written this myself--oh wait... I did. Many times! I had EXACTLY the same experience with Talalay latex and I never did manage to get it right. I don't know how long ago you got your mattress, but if you wander through the forum I wrote many negative posts about Talalay latex. Wish you'd seen them. In the end I returned the latex mattress, got an innerspring mattress and just plopped a memory foam topper on it. |
Re: What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
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novahelp wrote: I think you are right. I will try again the Medium Firm X-firm and take an old memory foam topper and place it on that..
The best combination I found was medium over soft with the x-firm on the bottom. (no firm) But even this wasn't comfortable enough to allow me to sleep for more than 2 hours before I woke up with my back feeling strained across the shoulders from lack of support. |
Re: What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
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cloud9 wrote: ..... before I woke up with my back feeling strained across the shoulders from lack of support. ?????? Back sleeper, w/ heavier central axis sinking in, and arms/shoulders floating? |
Re: What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
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This is what happened to me. Only I had put the doorskin plywood over my coils and made it VERY firm. Added the latex toppers and 2" 4 lbs. memory foam topper. My lower back got increasingly more sore each night until one morning I woke in excruciating pain that lasted for two full days. I mean I could barely move without experiencing a sharp pain. So that's when I decided to take off the doorskin and all the foam toppers. Tweaked the innards a little and now it feels better. Not perfect, but at least I'm not having that same lower back pain. My sacroiliac joint problem isn't related, although it definitely hurts every night. I can't blame the mattress for that, though. I decided to order the Brylane topper to see if it might be just enough cushion to add to my mattress to make it a wee bit softer on my hips and shoulders. If I start to experience any lower back discomfort, though, off it goes. I'm curious about that Geo-Matt HR foam topper used in hospitals. It might be more supportive than talalay, but providing just enough softness to take off the pressure. cloud9 wrote: Did you get your mattress from SleepEZ? I ordered this same combination because I like a firm bed. I thought I would add my 4lb 2" memory foam topper for a little cushiness on top. It was almost like the memory foam stopped working. The mattress still felt like concrete. But squishy concrete. All the memory foam seemed to do was hammock into the latex, so I woke up feeling sore all over and had a horrible backache besides. </p><p>The best combination I found was medium over soft with the x-firm on the bottom. (no firm) But even this wasn't comfortable enough to allow me to sleep for more than 2 hours before I woke up with my back feeling strained across the shoulders from lack of support. |
Re: What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
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Do you recommend putting the bed on the slatted base or should I get a flat piece of plywood? Wouldn't the base distribute the weight unevenly and deteriorate the foam? What do you use, and how often do you "clean" this type of bed? |
Re: What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
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emale wrote: Do you recommend putting the bed on the slatted base or should I get a flat piece of plywood? Wouldn't the base distribute the weight unevenly and deteriorate the foam?<BR><BR>What do you use, and how often do you "clean" this type of bed? There is a lot of information about this on the forum and on sites that sell latex mattresses. Most places recommend slats no more than 2 inches or so apart - so the latex can breathe. The type of slats used for a lot of futon couches would be too far apart for latex. You can buy solid foundations (like a box springs without the springs) or slatted platforms designed for latex or memory foam mattresses. We use a platform bed with 1x4's that are about an inch apart. If you use plywood, you would probably want to drill holes in it unless you live in a very dry environment. |
Re: What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
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novahelp wrote: Fascinating discussion. I wish I had read more of the negative posts about latex here before getting my latex mattress. I am about at my wits end trying to get this thing to work for me. Its either too soft so I bottom out in the thing, or its too firm where I feel beat up in the morning or it feels like I am sleeping on a rubber ball. I think I would have been better to get a decent spring mattress (indiv coils etc) and just plopped a memory foam topper on it... We, too, could not stand the feel of an all-latex mattress nor a latex with memory foam topper mattress. The Talalay always felt like it was pushing up against me, instead of providing soft support - yes even with the low ILD's on top.Some people obviously just do not like the feel of Talalay for support. From what I have heard - and what very little I have tried - Dunlop latex and the jungle natural latex does not have this push-back feel so much, and I am looking forward to trying it for my own self-built mattress, soon. Meanwhile, if I were you I would try Firm over Medium over Xtra firm - since you have it there you may as well try it. It may seem counter-intuitive but I think it can work for some people. Even flobeds recommended this to us when we were trying their latex mattress. You may need to go to a zoned system as I am doing, with a firmer section in the middle for your hips and a softer ILD up at the shoulders. Also, make sure you don't put more than 2" of memory foam on or your back will dip too much. I think 1 to 1-and-1/2" is enough memory foam for a topper. You may also want to try a super low ILD Dunlop topper or even Talalay - even I find the the low ILD Talalay doesn't push back like the medium Talalay does. |
Re: What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
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Well, i discovered that this Soft Medium X-firm is the winner so far!! I thought it was too firm so tried Soft Medium Firm And I got shoulder pains I had the last couple of years return. It turns out I need something firmer than my mind wants as my shoulder was healing the last couple of months and I just put it all together.... too soft is causing shoulder pains just as too hard does I guess?! :) Now if this keeps working, i need to talk to Sleepez about some sort of case for the layers that is not packed with that hard wool cushioning that irritates my hip... My god, the ordeal may actually be over soon!!! :D This message was modified Feb 13, 2008 by novahelp
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Re: What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
| Hi all -- I really appreciated this discussion since much of what has been described here is what I've been going through. I know all the positives of latex and invested in a high quality one (PLB Nature), but have struggling with trying to have it stay comfortable throughout a night and not wake up with soreness. I'm on the verge of giving up on the all latex bed idea. This thread is now quite old. If any of you that contributed to it are still around, please post some followup on your experiences since then. What did you end up with? Did you ever find a comfortable solution? Thanks. |
Re: What are the pros & cons of sleeping on a latex mattress? What does a latex mattress feel like?
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Benefits of Memory Foam Mattresses Given the popularity and high owner reviews of memory foam, there’s clearly a lot to like. The most significant advantages focus on comfort and durability. Relief of Pressure Points One of the key things that distinguishes memory foam from other materials like regular poly foam, springs and fiber filling is how it responds to pressure. Memory foam was designed specifically for the purpose of absorbing pressure, which it accomplishes by molding to the shape of the person and distributing weight across its surface. Rather than actively resisting your body weight (and squishing soft tissues in the middle), memory foam accommodates curves, creating a sensation often described as weightless, or cloudlike. The more memory foam in a mattress and the denser the foam, the more pronounced the effect is. Back and Joint Support As body weight is evenly support across the surface of a memory foam mattress, it also works to support your body’s natural alignment. Other types of mattresses concentrate weight on the heaviest areas of the body, which can result in distorting the position of your hips, legs or shoulders relative to your spine. The regular foam layer that sits below the memory foam also plays a role in support, preventing you from sinking too far down. Limits Motion Transfer The ability to isolate motion can be a significant benefit for people who sleep with a partner or with a pet. On other types of mattresses, a person rolling over or getting out of bed on one side can disturb the other sleeper as springs bounce or water shifts, for example. Since the material absorbs pressure and does not conduct motion, however, this effect is virtually eliminated with a sturdy, well-supported memory foam mattress. Provides Good Longevity Mattresses prove one of the larger purchases for the average household, costing several hundred or even several thousand dollars. Given the cost, people in turn typically expect to get several years of a good sleep out of a new bed. While there is significant difference among brands within the categories, memory foam mattresses tend to outlast innerspring beds. They are significantly less likely to receive complaints of sagging in the first few years of use as well. Many manufacturers also say that memory foam beds do not need to be rotated as often as spring beds, and they do not need to be flipped. Another point is that several higher-quality memory foam brands offer strong warranties, around 10 years of full-replacement coverage. Some will even cover impressions as shallow as 0.75”, while most innerspring brands will cover sagging deeper than 1.5”. Large Price and Brand Selection Innerspring beds remain the most widely available mattress type, but among the specialty mattresses, memory foam is the most accessible. Most mattress showrooms will carry at least a brand or two of memory foam and many more can be found online and via larger retailers. Although some people think of memory foam as expensive, in today’s market there is little difference between it and the average innerspring price. Sleep Like The Dead estimates the average innerspring mattress buyer pays $1590 while the average memory foam buyer pays $1610, a difference of $20.Latex tends to come in a couple hundred dollars higher. There are several memory foam options spanning from ultra cheap and ultra luxury ranges, affording shoppers a strong range of choices to compare. Usually Fairly Easy to Compare Another benefit of visco mattresses is that once you learn the basics, they are actually fairly straightforward to shop for. Usually, comparing the type and density of memory foam, density of the core foam, and the warranty is enough to discern a good deal about a bed’s potential quality. There aren’t dozens of details about coils or a book of terms on latex that you need to master before feeling confident about picking a good mattress. And, many medium and small brands are fairly open and transparent about quality, meaning time researching. Potential Drawbacks The minority of memory foam owners who dislike their mattresses usually mention issues related to heat, odor, or durability. They Can Sleep Hot Heat is probably the most prominently mentioned con of foam mattresses. Depending on the brand and type of memory foam, usually about 5% to 15% of reviewers mention feeling like the sleep hotter on memory foam compared to conventional beds. For innerspring beds without memory foam layers, heat complaints are closer to 5%. Sleeping hot can be uncomfortable, as cool temperatures are associated with better sleep. Characteristics that make it more likely foam will trap heat include high-density foams, temperature-sensitive formulas (that use body heat to contour), closed-cell foams, and non-breathable mattress covers. Gel foams are often touted as the answer for this complaint, however Consumer Reports’ tests found little difference compared to non-gel materials. Temperature neutral, plant based memory foams did demonstrate faster heat dissipation than gel in one study by manufacturer Cargill. They Can Be a Little Smelly Odor is a shorter-term drawback that can be associated with any new mattress using polyurethane foams or adhesives. Strong chemical odors are described by about 10% to 15% of memory foam mattress owners, usually dissipating in a few days to a couple of weeks. Some people with strong sensitivities to odor complain of headaches or other issues. Other buyers are concerned about avoiding volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can be released in the air by certain foams and adhesives. The EPA says finished poly foams are safe, and no studies have linked memory foam with long-term health issues. Looking for foams made with a proportion of natural ingredients, water-based adhesives, and low/no-VOC fire barriers can help minimize potential odor. Lower density foams are also less likely off gas, and some manufacturers suggest unpacking a new bed and letting it breathe for a few days to minimize smells. Lower Quality Foams Lack Longevity While memory foam as a category has above average lifespans, lower-quality, low-density foams can have fairly short life spans under five years. Typically, but not always, these types of beds tend to be cheaper and have shorter warranties. When comparing mattresses, this makes the density information important. Some Types Can Feel Cumbersome The other potential disadvantage for some people is that since memory foam is not a bouncy material, it can take more effort to move around on or get off of, and some complain about getting intimate. Temperature sensitive, dense memory foams take longer to recover to their original shape when you get up or move, meaning they are most likely to be associated with this complaint. To summarize, a memory foam mattress is best for: People experiencing joint or back pain People who toss and turn or experience pressure points People bothered by movement or noise People who want a wide range of options People who experience discomfort with spring beds, are concerned about latex allergies, or who prefer low maintenance beds People looking to get a long-lasting mattress for the money |