What kind of mattress do you prefer?

[Big Daddy RRT,RPSGT]

Looking at buying a new mattress. Water beds, Sleep number, Temperpedic, Gel, Latex, Padded. I am a big guy 240lbs, my wife prefers a soft bed. I don't care as long as my back stops aching. Lately waking up in the morning with a stiff lower back, but my back doesn't usually bother me except after sleeping? Using a moderately priced Serta with medium pillow top, less than 5 years old. But it seems increasingly uncomfortable.

What type and brand of mattress are you using and why do you prefer it?

[DreamStalker]

All Natural Latex Mattress

Got a Talalay latex matress with a memory foam topper about 5 years ago and have never found anything better ... like sleeping on a cloud or floating in water ... body weight evenly distributed with no pressure points what so ever.

[nanwilson]

The same Serta mattress as you, but when my back started to bother me I added a memory foam topper. Voila, no more back ache, and it was way cheaper than a new matteress.
I have also raised the head of my bed by about 6 inches, ( 4 paperbacks)
Nan

[JeffH]

We are on our third air bed. This one is a Sleep Better bed from Texas. The Sleep Number beds just got too expensive. This one has a three inch memory foam topper on it that is really nice. Can be adjusted to each sides preference.


JeffH

[Uncle_Bob]

We really like a memory foam mattress that we got from costco for around $600 for a King. Its called a NovaForm and they go on sale for $100 off every few
months.
They do not normally have them in the store but you can return it if you do not like it.

[KatieW]

We have a Tempurpedic. Expensive, but worth it, in my opinion.

[oscar98]

We have a Serta pillow top as well. It was getting horrible and my low back and hips were killing me. We couldn't afford a new mattress so we went to Wal-Mart and bought their 4 inch memory foam topper in February. It's holding up nicely and I haven't had a back or hip ache since.

The sleep lab that did my study had a tempurpedic bed and at first I thought it was a bit firm but after a few minutes it forms to your body and all the pressure points go away. Despite being hooked to a million bells and whistles it was quite comfortable and even though I didn't sleep much my body didn't ache the next day. I think my next bed will be a tempupedic or something similar.

The latex bed mentioned above sounds interesting too, I've never heard of that before.

[DreamOn]

Talalay Latex Mattress

I began my quest for The Perfect Bed right after I was diagnosed with sleep apnea last fall. I decided that good sleep was my highest priority. I tried all the beds in local stores and wasn't happy with what was out there. So I started researching online....

After exhaustive research, I purchased the Posture Deluxe Talalay Latex Mattress from http://www.flobeds.com/. Not cheap, but SO worth it!!! They shipped it right away, and it was a breeze to set up myself.

They have other models, but this particular one has three stackable layers of latex, which can be customized for each side of the bed. I chose Medium, Firm and XFirm latex layers for myself. The layers can be rearranged to get different results, but that's worked perfectly for me. Heavier people may need firmer layers. On top of the three latex layers is a latex convolute pad. All that is wrapped in a zippered organic cotton and wool cover. I have an all-cotton mattress protector over that, and then a wool mattress pad on top of all, under the sheets (not necessary for comfort, but it evens out my body heat). HEAVEN!!! No pressure points. As DreamStalker said, it's like sleeping on a cloud, with full support. The mattress "breathes" well, and it should last for a very long time.

There are less expensive latex mattress companies, but I went with FloBeds because they've been around for a long time, have a good layer-exchange policy, and at the time I ordered, the foundation was free. It was one of my best purchases ever! My bed + CPAP = good sleep and pleasant dreams!

[elena88]

A few years ago, before I got diagnosed, I wanted to try a mattress topper, as our beds were still in good shape, but I wanted
more of pillowy feel to be comfortable..

We tried the memory foam toppers first, but when I took the foam out of the package the smell of it made me start coughing
like crazy... also, when I touched it, my arms turned beet red with a rash..

I called the company, they said it was a little "off gassing" from it being in the plastic bag..

Yes, thats just what I needed! Chemical off gassing!

I took it back, and bought a hundred pecrent all natural latex rubber four inch topper, and I got two of them for both beds..
LOVE IT! ....

If I ever replace the mattresses, Im sold on the natural latex..

[Big Daddy RRT,RPSGT]

I like the idea of a topper as the mattress is still visibly in good shape, and not sagging, just my back aches. I guess I'm a cheap skate at heart, not guessing I am a cheap skate. Latex memory foam? That sounds interesting and less expensive than a new mattress for now any way. Latex vs gel memory foam? I didn't know that was a choice.

I've slept on a sleep number before and couldn't get comfortable it either felt stiff or like I was in a hammock but it didn't have a topper.

Anybody using a water bed any more?

[Uncle_Bob]

The sleep lab that did my study had a tempurpedic bed and at first I thought it was a bit firm but after a few minutes it forms to your body and all the pressure points go away.

My sleep lab was kind of cold, so that the gel that attaches the sensors to your body does not become too warm and melt, this was what i was told. And in my experience the memory foam is firmer when cold, as your body warms the foam it will become softer.

[patdart]

I have a bad low back, so bought a memory foam one and it's hot to me. It also is getting a bit worn. Once I had a latex and loved it...anybody have a thought about one today? I put it on a hard frame instead of box springs so is firm enough for me.

[DreamOn]

I like the idea of a topper as the mattress is still visibly in good shape, and not sagging, just my back aches. I guess I'm a cheap skate at heart, not guessing I am a cheap skate.

Big Daddy, if you want to go with a just a topper, check out the Talalay Latex foam toppers here: http://www.foambymail.com/mattresses.html. They have other types of foam too. You’d want to get a zippered cover to protect the foam, which they also sell. And if you want to use two pieces of latex so you and your wife can have different firmness on each side of the bed, you may be able to put two foam pieces side by side inside the zippered cover, with this in between: http://www.foambymail.com/MatAccessorie ... mBedBridge. Not sure how that would work, but you could ask them. Also see http://www.foamsource.com/.

For more information on the Talalay latex process, see this info from the top U.S. manufacturer, Latex International: http://latexfoam.com/index_talalay.php. There are also all-natural latex mattresses/toppers, but my understanding is that the Talalay products last longer.

One additional thing to consider is how "deep" your mattress would be if you add a foam topper. It's not too difficult to find sheets with "deep pockets," but it's something to look at. Whether it could be a problem depends on how deep your existing mattress is.

A comfortable bed really can make a huge difference. May you be sleeping more comfortably soon!

[sleeplessinaz]

Hi--My husband and I just bought a new matress. It is a double pillow top ---it has a layer of Latex as well as a layer of memory foam in the pillow top. It is a Serta. Then, after we got it home --I still put a 2 inch memory foam topper on it that I got at Costco in the store.

Yes---it had a smell when we first took it out of the package. BUT if you READ the directions--it says to unpack it, leave it expand in an open room for at least 24 hours. It has been fine every since--no smell and it really makes the new mattress even softer.

We also tried the Tempurpedic at the store--it felt hard to us when we layed on it and it was HOT. We live in Arizona. AND they are super super expensive so be careful.

Happy Hunting!!!
Carrie

[Muse-Inc]

Sealy Posturpedic extra firm topped with Carpenter's 3-inch Isotonic memory foam. Mattress is getting old but I wanna wait until I'm closer to normal wt so I don't create perm indents if ya know what I mean. Y'all make me think I'd like to try that latex one but I wonder about allergies...gotta investigate. Got time as it's gonna take some time to lose what I'd like to lose before buying a new bed and then there's the whole issue of paying for it