The Mattress Expert

Stearns & Foster Alisia mattress‏

Nicole writes:

Hello I am in desperate need of advice, I have been sleeping on a soft side water

 bed with the

 water tubes for about 15 years and I loved it as I could adjust it to make it as firm

 as I needed

 but it was a chore every time I needed to add water an remove it so I let it go when

 I moved an

 took on what seemed like the impossible task of finding a replacement.

I selected the Stearns & foster Alisia tight top from Macy's it felt ok initially but it

 seems as if the

 mattress is sinking already and I've not had it for 60 days yet, the sides seem fine

 but the center

 Sinking and I cannot stand it, I also don't care for the indentations on the mattress 

which is part

 of he design it just doesn't seem it be as firm as I need it and if its sinking in less 

than 2 months

 I cannot imagine how it will be in 2 years! So it's going back its scary to think that 

after spending 

over $1600 I can be so dissatisfied.

Can you make any suggestions as to what will work for me? It doesn't have to be 

from the same 

line I am totally open.

I am 5'7" I weigh 190, I do suffer from low back pain and I alternate rom sleeping

 on my stomach

 and my back. I don't want to run back to a water mattress but I'm nervous about 

my next selection.

Thanks for your help. Nicole 

Hi Nicole,
Have them exchange that for the S&F Cayla as a luxury firm tight top. If you find it 

too firm, add a layer of soft latex. 

themattressexpert.co/Latex-Mattress-Toppers.

What you have, is the worst model in the S&F line. What I've recommended is their 

best.
Your problem is the 1" of memory foam. Amazing how much damage can be caused

 by just an

 inch of that garbage. 
The Cayla has no memory foam. What it has, is .79" of synthetic latex....which is a 

whole lot 

better than memory foam. Hell, anything is better than memory foam.

Thanks, Pete

Phone: 1-856-874-6894 
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Mattress too firm, need more comfort. Latex topper?‏

Raymond writes:

My wife and I are just into our 40’s, neither are overweight and both in general good health.

I’m 6’0, 185 lbs and have degenerative disc disease and see a chiropractor regularly to keep things in line.

We purchased a traditional  mattress set from Croyden Matress Factory in Pa, about 6 years ago. It’s a fairly firm, single sided mattress, no pillow top or anything like that. It never felt as comfortable to us at home as it did in the store.  We tried a memory foam topper to help, but that was removed and put in the basement closet within a few days.

I have a 1.5” thick wool topper on their now and that has helped control body temperature at night ( I suffer horribly from night sweats, always did…even as a kid) and it has even helped overall comfort.

However, we’re needing more.  Short of attempting to buy another mattress and worried that we’ll make the same mistake again, we’re interested in trying a latex topper. 

We both wake up in the morning, not feeling rested, and normally in some sort of pain, neck, hips shoulders, knees…you name it.  I try to sleep on my back as much as possible because I know that that is best for  my back, but I do find myself attempting to sleep on my side until my shoulder pain wakes me up.

My wife and I agree that the current mattress is just too hard.  I just don’t know if I should go with a 2” or 3” topper, and also soft or medium?

Thanks. Raymond 

 

Hi Raymond,

Since the wool topper helps a little, it makes sense to go with the 2" Soft. If it isn't quite enough, add the wool topper back for that little extra.

The 2" soft does the job for most. The 3" might make it too soft, which wouldn't help your DDD.

Here is a link to the toppers. They can be ordered on line.

 

themattressexpert.com/Latex-Mattress-Toppers

 

 

 

Thanks, Pete

Phone: 1-856-874-6894 
Email: themattressexpert@live.com

Website: http://themattressexpert.com/

Factory Direct to You....All Items Made Factory Fresh to Fill Your Order

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Stearns & Foster GS mattress, Sleeping Hot‏

Jennifer writes:

Hi, I have been reading your blog for some time.  My husband and I are currently sleeping on a GS STERNS luxury plush mattress, tight top.  We are both dying of heat.   It felt very firm at the store, and now has really softened up and it’s been two weeks.   I have shoulder issues so don’t mind, but it’s the heat!!  We think it’s the foam in the comfort layer.  Is there anything we can do?  Should we get a mattress without foam? This seems impossible these days!!  Any help or tips would be great.  We have until today to return.  Thanks, Jennifer

Hi Jennifer,

You could exchange it for the S&F "P" Level, which has no memory foam. It's one step down the line from the GS and will have a firmer feel.

Or, if you are otherwise happy with the mattress, there is a way to cool it off.

If the heat problem isn't very great, you can add a cooling gel pad. If the problem is severe, you can add a Chili Pad, which allows you to choose, by degree, what temperature each side will be....for the ultimate in temperature control year round.

 

Thanks, Pete

Phone: 1-856-874-6894 
Email: themattressexpert@live.com

Website: http://themattressexpert.com/

Factory Direct to You....All Items Made Factory Fresh to Fill Your Order

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Strong mattress and topper choices, overweight‏

Hey Pete.

I've been to a bed store and looked at the Termpur-pedic
 Rhapsody and  the Simmons Renewed Energy. I liked the support feel andidea of

foam... and hope my aching hips and lower back and shoulders would

 benefit. I am a side sleeper, but here's the thing... I suffer hot
 flashes and night sweats! They suck, and I'm worried they would be BAD
 for foam! This site offered the Sealy Embody ( Latex) as another
 option. I like the idea of no dust mites from foam/ latex, but maybe
 coils are a better idea for my body and heat regulation issues?
 Also... my husband has allergies so 'no dust mites' would be good for
 him. PLUS.. we have 3 dogs who all jump up and down off the bed daily
 and share sleeping with us.... and I'm not sure if all that four
 legged action would be bad for foam / latex? My goal is to help my
 back/ shoulder/ hip pain and quit tossing and turning to get
 comfortable....
  enthusiasm for foam/latex idea BUT I do not want to melt my foam in
 menopausal hot flashes!!! 
 YOUR THOUGHTS PLEASE!!! Thank you :-)

 

Hi Kathryn,

Well, we have a lot of details to straighten out.

At present, you are regurgitating the hype that you've heard....most of it is inaccurate.

Let's start with the dust mites. All foams, not just latex, provide a hostile environment for dust mites. There's no place for them to nest and breed.

That is not to say that if you buy a foam mattress, of any kind, that you won't have dust mites. Dust mites are everywhere and they will still collect on the surface of your mattress. They feed off of dead skin cells and you shed thousands of them every night. For dust mites, your mattress is their dinner table....and nothing you buy is going to change that. 

What will help is to 1) change and launder your linens frequently....and 2) when you have your bed striped, vacuum the surface of the mattress.

Only these steps will minimize your dust mite population.

Using fear to sell products is nothing new. Beware of this tactic. It's usually used to sell you something you don't need....and won't work.

"Foams"  There are 3 basic types of foams...Memory, polyurethane and latex. Latex is the only one that is natural, made from the sap of the rubber tree. It is, by far, the oldest...first developed in the 1880s and introduced for use as a mattress in the 1920s. It is the best and most expensive. It out-performs everything else by a long shot. It is also, the coolest of all the foams. 

The Sealy Embody line has two halves...the latex half and the memory foam half. Both halves are hybrids, using a thick base layer of poly foam and a couple/few inches of latex or memory foam.

However, none of the latex used by Sealy is natural. It's 100% synthetic latex....and, the poly foam base will be the first part to wear out.

Sweating at night and having that perspiration getting into the foams is bad for poly foam and memory foam. In both cases, mold will eventually form....something that doesn't happen with natural latex. 

Your problems are not insurmountable. There is a solution for everything....which does not include what you've been looking at.

Here are three links. The first for the right mattress, which will provide the firm support your back requires. The second is for a 2" soft latex topper, which will turn that firm mattress into an extremely comfortable bed...providing all natural, chemical free, comfort that lasts. The third, believe it or not, will solve your menopausal night sweats, allowing you to regulate your temperature on each half of the mattress....truly a dream come true. 

Here they are...everything you need. What's more, stuff that actually works, works well, and lasts a long time. There is no substitute for quality...and, as always, quality is your best value.

 

Simmons Beautyrest World Class Annapolis Place in Luxury Firm

 

themattressexpert.com/Latex-Mattress-Toppers

 

 

Thanks, Pete

Phone: 1-856-874-6894 
Email: themattressexpert@live.com

Website: http://themattressexpert.com/

Factory Direct to You....All Items Made Factory Fresh to Fill Your Order

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Simmons Black Ansleigh mattresses - adding another question‏

Karen writes:

Hello,

Can you please tell me the differences in the gauge of coils in the three Ansleigh mattresses:  luxury firm, plush/firm, and plush?  Somewhere I read that there are thinner coils (or ½ thinner coils) in the plush, but all the specs I see say 14.75, the same as the plush/firm.   What is the mix the two types of coils and the gauges used for each? We are replacing a 10 year old Baymont, which feels ok to my husband but I think has lost its “spring”.    I wonder if you know how it originally compared with these Ansleigh mattresses?

We have tried both the plush and plush/firm and agree that the plush is too soft, but he thinks the plush/firm is a bit soft also.   Is the luxury firm Ansleigh significantly firmer (too firm)?  We have not found it to try locally yet.  My husband did like the feel of an older Elite model which apparently has a thicker, but different, coil than the plush/firm Ansleigh.  I have lower back issues so I do need support.  

Thank you for your input,

Karen

 

Hi Karen,

The line changed in June, for the better...enough that I started recommending it...enough, that when my wife and I moved in October, we bought one for our use. We it, we use a 2" soft latex topper for that "yummy" feel, as my wife puts it.

You can try the luxury firm at Macy's. It seems they are the only retailer to floor it.

Their model name for it is Kameryn. The coil gauge difference is small between luxury firm and plush firm, so the difference in feel will also be small. The plush model uses a much thinner gauge wire and the difference will be more noticeable.

Only in the "plush" , do I hear any complaints about body impressions.

 

http://themattressexpert.com/mattress-brands/simmons/beautyrest-black/

 

Thanks, Pete

Phone: 1-856-874-6894 
Email: themattressexpert@live.com

Website: http://themattressexpert.com/

Factory Direct to You....All Items Made Factory Fresh to Fill Your Order

Free Delivery Nationwide....US & Canada...NO SALES TAX.

Latex mattress topper, herniated discs, sleeping cooler‏

Sue writes:

Hi,
I've been reading about latex toppers on your site, and I have some questions. I have severe degenerative disc disease which causes low back and hip pain (herniations at L4-L5 and L5-S1 with some nerve impingement). I currently have a very firm (relatively new) mattress with a two inch regular foam topper, but I'm not sleeping very well. I toss and turn from one side to the other when my hips hurt. My questions are these: would the 2" latex topper provide enough support/cushioning to alleviate some of this discomfort? Would the soft, medium, or firm topper be best? One of my biggest concerns is about temperature. I had a memory foam topper that I had to get rid of because it made me very warm. I've read that this is not the case with latex. Is that true?

Thanks so much for your help!
Sue 

Hi Sue,

Latex is unlike anything else. It's the best available and has been for almost 100 years.

It will cushion you, hold you up, not get hot and won't let you sink through.

The soft model is the one you want.

You can order that on-line 

 

themattressexpert.com/Latex-Mattress-Toppers

 

Thanks, Pete

Phone: 1-856-874-6894 
Email: themattressexpert@live.com

Website: http://themattressexpert.com/

Factory Direct to You....All Items Made Factory Fresh to Fill Your Order

Free Delivery Nationwide....US & Canada...NO SALES TAX.

Stearns and Foster - Italian Garden Villa Latex Mattress‏

David writes:

Hello,

I am considering purchasing a Stearns and Foster Italian Garden Villa latex mattress.  I understand it might be a discontinued model.  I am having difficulty finding any specifications about the materials and construction of the mattress.  I'm told that the mattress is made of Smart latex which sounds like a synthetic latex.  I don't know if the latex is Talalay or Dunlop.  I also do not know if the mattress is made with non-latex foam.  Would you happen to have any specifications or details on this mattress?

Thank you for your time,

David

 

Hi David,

My wife and I slept on an older version of that mattress for several years. And even though we are large people, it held up well.

Smart latex is synthetic. It's neither Dunlop nor Talalay. The method used to make is called Sapsa, which was developed in England a decade or so ago. It isn't as durable as natural latex, but that difference is small. 

It is a current model, which we had by that name and later changed to Tower View Villa.

 

Thanks, Pete

Phone: 1-856-874-6894 
Email: themattressexpert@live.com

Website: http://themattressexpert.com/

Factory Direct to You....All Items Made Factory Fresh to Fill Your Order

Free Delivery Nationwide....US & Canada...NO SALES TAX.

Adjusting to new mattress‏

Suzanne writes:

Hi Pete,

I have a new mattress that is too firm. Is now a good time to add the latex topper?...or should I wait for it to soften up on its own?

Thanks, Suzanne 

 

Hi Suzanne,
Yes. Now would be a good time to add the topper. 2" of soft latex will do the trick.
It makes a world of difference in providing the surface comfort you're looking for.

themattressexpert.com/Latex-Mattress-Toppers

Thanks, Pete

Phone: 1-856-874-6894 
Email: themattressexpert@live.com

Website: http://themattressexpert.com/

Factory Direct to You....All Items Made Factory Fresh to Fill Your Order

Free Delivery Nationwide....US & Canada...NO SALES TAX.

Simmons Beautyrest Elite Eminece pillowtop firm, Stearns and Foster Firm Euro pillow top mattress‏

I am debatting between the Simmons Beautyrest Elite Eminece pillowtop firm at Macys, they have for an additional $700 the Stearns and Foster Firm Euro pillow top that is $300 more. I don't want to sag in a year of two. 
Thanks

 

Hi,

If you don't want it to sag, you don't want a Pillowtop. Read about pillowtops.

http://blog.pennlive.com/mattress/pillowtop/index.html

 

You will want a firm tight top and add a 2"layer of soft latex... a comfortable sleeping surface that won't sag in a year or two.

 

themattressexpert.com/Latex-Mattress-Toppers

 

 

Thanks, Pete

Phone: 1-856-874-6894 
Email: themattressexpert@live.com

Website: http://themattressexpert.com/

Factory Direct to You....All Items Made Factory Fresh to Fill Your Order

Free Delivery Nationwide....US & Canada...NO SALES TAX.

Serta Bradford mattress, memory foam's toxic fumes‏

John writes:

Are there health problems from toxic gases being emitted from new
 mattresses? (Outgassing?) We have bought a Serta Bradford and have
 since heard that toxic emissions could be a problem. Is there any
 truth to this? There is a smell coming from the mattress, but we've
 only had it for 3 days now.

 Hi John,
 The problem is the toxic fumes emitted by memory foam. Many people react harshly, exhibiting

 respiratory problems from being exposed to it. Unfortunately, most mattress have it. 
 However, there are mattresses with no memory foam. These should be considered above those

 with memory foam. 
 Don't rely on the lack of knowledge from most salespeople. There is a white label on the back

 of the mattress that shows the percentages of materials used. Visco foam is the same as memory 

foam.

http://mattressexpert.typepad.com/the_mattress_expert/memory_foam/

Thanks, Pete

Phone: 1-856-874-6894 
Email: themattressexpert@live.com

Website: http://themattressexpert.com/

Factory Direct to You....All Items Made Factory Fresh to Fill Your Order

Free Delivery Nationwide....US & Canada...NO SALES TAX.