Trouble getting comfortable with Latex, 1 year in
May 11, 2010 5:50 PM
Joined: Feb 2, 2009
Points: 30
I purchased a Talalay blended mattress from SleeptEZ about one year ago, and I've never really been able to get comfortable on it. When I first lay down, I love the way it feels, soft yet supportive, and very springy, yet after a short while pressure points start to build, mostly in my lower back, and I end up tossing throughout the night trying to get comfortable.

Since I have a 3 layer Soft-Medium-Firm split, I've tried swapping layers in every conceivable configuration, but I've still just never been able to avoid waking up with lower back pain in the morning. Since I've had a lot of time to try different things and think about what the problem is, I'm starting to think that the pusback/springyness of the latex is just too strong for me, even though the top layer of foam is soft. When I lay down on my couch with its cheap PU foam I feel more comfort than I do on the latex mattress. Maybe this means latex just isn't for me?

I'm curious what others think about the pushback effect of latex. Is this real, and can it be too much for some people? Is there anything I can try?

Thanks,
Jonathan

 
This message was modified May 11, 2010 by slantedview
Re: Trouble getting comfortable with Latex, 1 year in
Reply #12 May 14, 2010 1:56 AM
Joined: Feb 2, 2009
Points: 30
Thanks for the response Lynn. I ordered a 1" extra soft memory foam piece (cheap, just to see how it goes) and I'll be sure to try adjusting the layers under that, as you suggested.
This message was modified May 14, 2010 by slantedview
Re: Trouble getting comfortable with Latex, 1 year in
Reply #13 May 14, 2010 3:19 PM
Joined: May 3, 2008
Points: 827
In a short time the memory foam will more than likely wear out (they usually do).  Then perhaps you can buy a 18ILD latex topper would be like memory foam?  The memory foam will probably make your shoulders happy, but it never worked for my hips.  It just goes flat on me.  Good luck.

I just read you don't really sleep on your sides, that you are a back sleeper, so maybe a wool pad would fill in the gap the small of your back gets with latex.  I don't have back pain since I got the wool on top Natura pad.  But I am a side sleeper that has to sleep on her back because of hip pain.  Also I have a 1" soft latex under that with other firm latex under that.

A fluffly wool pad might help, but those too go flat after a while.  Good luck.  Post back after a while.  The wool will sleep cooler than memory foam also.

This message was modified May 14, 2010 by Leo3
Re: Trouble getting comfortable with Latex, 1 year in
Reply #14 May 15, 2010 7:55 AM
Joined: Apr 21, 2010
Points: 58
While you are figuring out a solution, try placing a flattish pillow or two under your knees ( for back sleeping). this will take the stress off of the lower back. sleeping on the side, you would place a pillow between the knees
Re: Trouble getting comfortable with Latex, 1 year in
Reply #15 May 16, 2010 1:21 AM
Joined: May 3, 2008
Points: 827
Sometimes I wonder if the 3" layers is too much.  I have to wonder if you switched out the 3" soft latex for a 1-2" piece of perhaps a tiny bit firmer.  Not sure what the soft is rated at for Sleepeze.

Sleeplikeabear has 1" or 2" latex, or Rocky Mountain has 1" 2" 24ILD natural latex.  But maybe like I said before 1-2" of wool would ease your back pain.  Just MHO.  The small of my back use to hurt before I started using the wool.

Re: Trouble getting comfortable with Latex, 1 year in
Reply #16 May 17, 2010 5:09 AM
Location: L.A. area
Joined: Jan 18, 2008
Points: 1161
slantedview wrote:

 

 


Thanks for the response Jim. Your suggestions are right along the lines of what I was thinking. I'm open to trying a soft latex topper, but if it's latex that is causing the problem in the first place I was wondering if more latex is going to solve the problem, even if it's very soft. What do you think? If not latex, I might just try a memory foam topper since they're so cheap and readily available. Most of the ones I see aren't rated in terms of ILD though, just density, 3, 4 and 5 pounds.

jonathan


Jonathan, I did not like the pure latex myself and had to switch to springs. But with springs, I find latex much better than memory foam, and I think a super soft layer of latex is probably better than a similar layer of memory foam. Memory foam breaks in/down too fast and I don't think a 14ILD latex layer would give you that "pushing back" feeling. Admittedly I have not tried it yet but I have been told by experts that I should try one (a 14ILD latex layer on top).

Re: Trouble getting comfortable with Latex, 1 year in
Reply #17 May 17, 2010 3:28 PM
Joined: May 3, 2008
Points: 827
Jim, I think the 14ILD would go flat in no time.  I have the Brylane Home which is 1" Dunlopillo blended talalay and I think it is 18ILD (mine anyway).  This goes flat when I lay on it, so I don't think it does much for you.  I know Lynn likes hers, but she is thin in comparison to me, so consider how much you weigh first.  I still think a fluffy wool topper will help your back.
This message was modified May 17, 2010 by Leo3
Re: Trouble getting comfortable with Latex, 1 year in
Reply #18 May 18, 2010 2:07 AM
Joined: May 18, 2010
Points: 49
When I read your post, It gave me a sinking feeling that my husband and I may be just like you. We have had our bed for a couple of weeks now, and our lower backs are hurting. I talked my husband into getting a latex bed from SleepEz, and now he is not very happy with my decision. I just had a baby a couple of months ago, so I was already dealing with lower back problems from the epidural. We have five kids, and I waited 15 years to get a new mattress, and now I am sad that it is not working out. I feel stubborn, and do not want to send mine back yet. But I'm beginning to think there is no combination that will work for us. Something makes me think that top layer is just too soft in the talalay. I wanted to switch it for a medium, but Shaun said there really is no difference. Do they not like taking the topper back?. makes me wonder. You mentioned getting a memory foam topper. Please think twice before doing that. They offgas, and are very bad for your health. I would think a nie soft talalay on top covered with a luxery cover would work. hope you find comfort soon. how is it that in the 50's people were fine with sleeping on latex, and even loved their latex pillows, but we have trouble. Maybe our bodies are just conditioned already to springs. I do however love my latex pillow even though it smells like tires, which I kinda like. My husband thinks his latex pillow is too hard. I got mine at JcPenny with a nice soft pillow cover on them. My biggest fear is that somehow this mattress is not good for the baby. I should have listened to Shaun and waited to buy this.
Re: Trouble getting comfortable with Latex, 1 year in
Reply #19 May 18, 2010 2:11 AM
Joined: May 18, 2010
Points: 49
randys wrote:

i am sending back my costco latex, have sent back two sleep science foams and 2 tempurpedics and now realize i probably have to find a spring mattress

 

 

my reaction to this latex is almost as if i am allergic to it, i have pain all around my back that i never had before and it isnt muscle pain or it isnt related to discs I should say



yeah that is how I feel. almost like spasm in my back. I am praying my baby is not alergic to this thing. who knows what they really put into this mattress. my back got so sore, I almost felt like I was gonna have diarhea.

Re: Trouble getting comfortable with Latex, 1 year in
Reply #20 May 18, 2010 10:37 AM
Joined: Aug 31, 2007
Points: 404
mycakebed wrote:

 



yeah that is how I feel. almost like spasm in my back. I am praying my baby is not alergic to this thing. who knows what they really put into this mattress. my back got so sore, I almost felt like I was gonna have diarhea.



This is how it was for me when I tried a Flobed a few years back.  We had every firmness core available, so we tried every combination possible before giving up.  I developed lower back pain of an intensity I had never experienced before always by about the 5th hour in the bed.  I too so wanted a latex bed to work for me but finally had to give up.  Does Sleepez have the same return policy Flobeds does?  For the same amount of $, you could get an S brand spring mattress and when the foam in it finally gives out, do mattress surgery in the future as others here have done.  And depending on your weight, the foam in the S brand may never compress - my several-years old Serta looks like new in that regard, no dip whatsoever.

I wouldn't worry about your baby's mattress unless your baby seems unusually restless and doesn't sleep well.  Even though I couldn't sleep on latex, I got my granddaugher the Natura crib mattress.  Maybe my daughter lucked out with an incredibly happy baby, but she said the little thing slept so well she was always checking on her to make sure she was still breathing.  She is now 3 years old and still sleeps very well on the mattress but with a new baby on the way she will have to relinquish it to the new addition.

Re: Trouble getting comfortable with Latex, 1 year in
Reply #21 May 18, 2010 3:31 PM
Joined: May 18, 2010
Points: 49
Thanks DianeK for your thoughts. I'm not ready to give up on it just yet, it's only been a couple of weeks. I still have some more configurations I have not tried yet. My back is not as sore anymore, but I think in the morning my husbands side actually feels better to me. And his is a lot firmer. He has been sleeping on the couch since the baby likes to nurse all night. It is just easier this way. We all get to sleep, and that is what is important right now for our sanity.

I thought about getting the baby a latex mattress too, but I wasn't sure if my bed was making her nose stuffy. she is not having any different symptoms than she did before the bed arrived, I just worry about everything with this baby since I lost the last one at 5 months along in my pregnancy. She is my 5th baby, I did not worry like this with my first, I think I was just too dumb. Now with an overkill over info online, there is just more to worry about.

I still want to get the toppers for my other kids beds. They love my bed. They call it the Marshmellow bed. My 10 year old son is deaf, and he has a lot of skin issues and alergies too, I was hoping a latex topper might help him.