Random Thought Thread

Murphjd25 said:
Hopefully this is the last sleepless night. Been what less then two weeks since we got our new bed. It’s absolutely horrendous. They will be here tomorrow to exchange it with a different mattress. Said eff it and splurged for a Purple mattress. It better be good.
Click to expand...
Hope that works out for you. I've seen too many negatives about Purple mattresses not holding up for very long.

*** turns out, this is going to be a really long read, but could be... potentially life changing.

TL/DR:
My recommendation for the folks willing to splurge (and IMO, something that we spend ~1/3 of our lives on, that has a real tangible effect on the other 2/3rds, is worth splurging on), is to go for a customizable multilayer latex foam mattress (probably missed a lot of 7/4 sales, but most companies have several sales a year).

Here are several reasons and points for the recommendation:
1) unlike memory foam that tends to take a set, latex foam is simultaneously soft, supportive, and springy (and sleeps cooler).

2) the softness that minimizes pressure points (while still providing support), is the reason latex foam is literally the Tier 1 choice for top-level long term care facilities. It reduces the chances of bedsores and blood clots for the folks with poor mobility/bloodflow

3) latex foam is extremely durable, and can last 15-20 years

4) the multi layer customizable route is the best way to go IMO, because it allows you to tailor the mattress to your needs, and the good online retailers have great trial periods and policies, to allow you to test your mattress for 90-180 days, and exchange layers in that time frame, if you decide you prefer more softness or firmness.

5) an ideal mattress needs to provide support to maintain proper spinal alignment. Too stiff/hard, and your spine won't be in alignment. Too soft, and your body/spine curves, and is also out of alignment. Either one, puts uneven stress on the spine and the muscles supporting the spine. And yet, an ideal mattress should have a surface that's soft enough to distribute pressure, so you don't have pressure points (eg. At the hips and shoulders of a side sleeper) that will force you to toss and turn

6) because #5 depends on the individual, a one size fits all approach is a compromise, and we usually just hope for a one size fits most. The ideal support and softness not only varies by personal preference, it is also dependent on preferred sleeping position, and bodyweight and shape. Eg. A back sleeper can sleep on a much firmer mattress, while maintaining good spinal alignment, than a side sleeper. A heavier side sleeper will sink in deeper on the same mattress, than a lighter side sleeper. 2 side sleepers who weigh about the same, will have differences in spinal alignment on the same mattress, if one has a narrow waist with broad shoulders vs another person who has average shoulders and a wide waist.

7) the good companies with customizable multilayer latex foam mattresses will take those factors in #6 into account if you talk to them (either over the phone, or chat/email). They will ask things like height and weight, preferred sleeping position, preference for firmer or softer, and base their starting recommendations from those datapoints. Then after trying out the mattress, you'll still have 3-6 months to swap layers for firmer or softer, to maximize your comfort.

8) your pillow is a crucial part of maintaining good spinal alignment, but it should be purchased AFTER the mattress. Again, the pillow is dependent on your preferred sleeping position, as well as your ideal mattress. Eg. Side sleepers need a thicker, more supportive pillow on a firm mattress, to maintain good neck alignment. A side sleeper with broader shoulders needs a thicker pillow for proper neck alignment than a person with narrower shoulders. The same person on a softer mattress will sink in further, which equates to a thinner pillow to maintain spinal alignment.

I personally don't like down or memory foam pillows for the simple reason that they pack down. If you have to fluff your pillow before laying on it, for it to feel comfortable, it means the support changes when you're sleeping on it, i.e. over the course of the night, your head will sink further down, and the neck alignment will no longer be the same as when you first lay down. For that reason, I also use latex foam pillows. They don't take a set. They don't pack down through the night. The head position when you first lay down on it, will be the same through the night.

The other thing I learned over the years, is that as a side sleeper, a soft pillow that maintains neck alignment, gives me the best night's sleep, and minimizes tossing and turning.

We tend to toss and turn when sleeping, due to discomfort. This could be due to your back starting to ache because your mattress is inducing poor spinal alignment, or pressure points on your hips and shoulders beginning to ache for a side sleeper on a firm mattress. In my case, after getting the latex foam mattress, I realized that as a side sleeper on a firm pillow, I had to turn about every 30 minutes because my ear would ache from the pressure of my head laying on the pillow. Since switching to a Plush latex foam pillow, just like with the latex foam mattress, no more pressure points (and the Malouf Zoned latex foam pillow is ~18 years old now, and still as soft and supportive as when it was new. It's still the same shape, and never needs fluffing. My head position when I first lay down, is the same when I wake up).

*** anecdotal story on my mattress experiences

Back in my early teens, an aunt moved to Switzerland, and gave her King sized bed to us. Since my parents already had their own, I got the bed. It was the comfiest thing I'd EVER slept on. Like sleeping on a cloud. The best sleep I'd ever gotten.

A couple years later, we moved and when we got to the new house, I walked into my room and went, "What the heck is this? Where the hell is MY bed?!!!".

My mom said, "Oh, that mattress was so heavy, we just told the movers to take it away, and we got you a brand new bed".

The new one was a standard coilspring mattress. In comparison, it felt like sleeping on the floor.

I MISSED that mattress. Over the years, then decades, I'd always think about that mattress and how it felt. Saw the Tempur-Pedic ads on TV, and thought, "Maybe THAT'S what it was. I know it was a foam mattress" so I found a local Tempur-Pedic retailer, and went to the store to check them out.

They had the entire Tempur-Pedic line, so I figured I'd start with the cheapest Basic mattress. Lay on it for 10 minutes. "NOPE. This is nowhere near as soft as I recall".

Like Goldilocks, I slowly went up the line to each successively more expensive model, laying on each one for about 10 minutes (I'd heard that they conform from absorbing body heat), until I finally got to their top-of-the-line (~$4500 for a Cali King ~20 years ago, IIRC). "Ahhhh... THIS is that sensation I remember. Like sleeping on a cloud. No pressure points".

After laying on it for ~10 minutes, I tried to roll over. "WTF... I'm stuck in a rut. I definitely don't remember THIS from that old mattress". Nope. Back to the drawing board. That was my first experience with how memory foam takes a set/settles.

It was maybe a year later, when I was browsing for something on the internet, when an old memory hit me like a bolt of lightning. I remembered the name on the mattress tag from 3 decades ago. Dunlopillo. Looked it up on the internet and found ONE remaining US retailer in Florida (looks like they're gone). Placed the order. That first night when it arrived, "This... THIS is what I remember!!!". SO had the same thought. "OMG. it feels so soft, but it's still supportive".

It's about time to replace it. I'll probably wait to see what good sales pop up around Labor Day (many sites will have 25% off or better).
 
Last edited:
bluemax_1 said:
Hope that works out for you. I've seen too many negatives about Purple mattresses not holding up for very long.

*** turns out, this is going to be a really long read, but could be... potentially life changing.

TL/DR:
My recommendation for the folks willing to splurge (and IMO, something that we spend ~1/3 of our lives on, that has a real tangible effect on the other 2/3rds, is worth splurging on), is to go for a customizable multilayer latex foam mattress (probably missed a lot of 7/4 sales, but most companies have several sales a year).

Here are several reasons and points for the recommendation:
1) unlike memory foam that tends to take a set, latex foam is simultaneously soft, supportive, and springy (and sleeps cooler).

2) the softness that minimizes pressure points (while still providing support), is the reason latex foam is literally the Tier 1 choice for top-level long term care facilities. It reduces the chances of bedsores and blood clots for the folks with poor mobility/bloodflow

3) latex foam is extremely durable, and can last 15-20 years

4) the multi layer customizable route is the best way to go IMO, because it allows you to tailor the mattress to your needs, and the good online retailers have great trial periods and policies, to allow you to test your mattress for 90-180 days, and exchange layers in that time frame, if you decide you prefer more softness or firmness.

5) an ideal mattress needs to provide support to maintain proper spinal alignment. Too stiff/hard, and your spine won't be in alignment. Too soft, and your body/spine curves, and is also out of alignment. Either one, puts uneven stress on the spine and the muscles supporting the spine. And yet, an ideal mattress should have a surface that's soft enough to distribute pressure, so you don't have pressure points (eg. At the hips and shoulders of a side sleeper) that will force you to toss and turn

6) because #5 depends on the individual, a one size fits all approach is a compromise, and we usually just hope for a one size fits most. The ideal support and softness not only varies by personal preference, it is also dependent on preferred sleeping position, and bodyweight and shape. Eg. A back sleeper can sleep on a much firmer mattress, while maintaining good spinal alignment, than a side sleeper. A heavier side sleeper will sink in deeper on the same mattress, than a lighter side sleeper. 2 side sleepers who weigh about the same, will have differences in spinal alignment on the same mattress, if one has a narrow waist with broad shoulders vs another person who has average shoulders and a wide waist.

7) the good companies with customizable multilayer latex foam mattresses will take those factors in #6 into account if you talk to them (either over the phone, or chat/email). They will ask things like height and weight, preferred sleeping position, preference for firmer or softer, and base their starting recommendations from those datapoints. Then after trying out the mattress, you'll still have 3-6 months to swap layers for firmer or softer, to maximize your comfort.

8) your pillow is a crucial part of maintaining good spinal alignment, but it should be purchased AFTER the mattress. Again, the pillow is dependent on your preferred sleeping position, as well as your ideal mattress. Eg. Side sleepers need a thicker, more supportive pillow on a firm mattress, to maintain good neck alignment. A side sleeper with broader shoulders needs a thicker pillow for proper neck alignment than a person with narrower shoulders. The same person on a softer mattress will sink in further, which equates to a thinner pillow to maintain spinal alignment.

I personally don't like down or memory foam pillows for the simple reason that they pack down. If you have to fluff your pillow before laying on it, for it to feel comfortable, it means the support changes when you're sleeping on it, i.e. over the course of the night, your head will sink further down, and the neck alignment will no longer be the same as when you first lay down. For that reason, I also use latex foam pillows. They don't take a set. They don't pack down through the night. The head position when you first lay down on it, will be the same through the night.

The other thing I learned over the years, is that as a side sleeper, a soft pillow that maintains neck alignment, gives me the best night's sleep, and minimizes tossing and turning.

We tend to toss and turn when sleeping, due to discomfort. This could be due to your back starting to ache because your mattress is inducing poor spinal alignment, or pressure points on your hips and shoulders beginning to ache for a side sleeper on a firm mattress. In my case, after getting the latex foam mattress, I realized that as a side sleeper on a firm pillow, I had to turn about every 30 minutes because my ear would ache from the pressure of my head laying on the pillow. Since switching to a Plush latex foam pillow, just like with the latex foam mattress, no more pressure points (and the Malouf Zoned latex foam pillow is ~18 years old now, and still as soft and supportive as when it was new. It's still the same shape, and never needs fluffing. My head position when I first lay down, is the same when I wake up).

*** anecdotal story on my mattress experiences

Back in my early teens, an aunt moved to Switzerland, and gave her King sized bed to us. Since my parents already had their own, I got the bed. It was the comfiest thing I'd EVER slept on. Like sleeping on a cloud. The best sleep I'd ever gotten.

A couple years later, we moved and when we got to the new house, I walked into my room and went, "What the heck is this? Where the hell is MY bed?!!!".

My mom said, "Oh, that mattress was so heavy, we just told the movers to take it away, and we got you a brand new bed".

The new one was a standard coilspring mattress. In comparison, it felt like sleeping on the floor.

I MISSED that mattress. Over the years, then decades, I'd always think about that mattress and how it felt. Saw the Tempur-Pedic ads on TV, and thought, "Maybe THAT'S what it was. I know it was a foam mattress" so I found a local Tempur-Pedic retailer, and went to the store to check them out.

They had the entire Tempur-Pedic line, so I figured I'd start with the cheapest Basic mattress. Lay on it for 10 minutes. "NOPE. This is nowhere near as soft as I recall".

Like Goldilocks, I slowly went up the line to each successively more expensive model, laying on each one for about 10 minutes (I'd heard that they conform from absorbing body heat), until I finally got to their top-of-the-line (~$4500 for a Cali King ~20 years ago, IIRC). "Ahhhh... THIS is that sensation I remember. Like sleeping on a cloud. No pressure points".

After laying on it for ~10 minutes, I tried to roll over. "WTF... I'm stuck in a rut. I definitely don't remember THIS from that old mattress". Nope. Back to the drawing board. That was my first experience with how memory foam takes a set/settles.

It was maybe a year later, when I was browsing for something on the internet, when an old memory hit me like a bolt of lightning. I remembered the name on the mattress tag from 3 decades ago. Dunlopillo. Looked it up on the internet and found ONE remaining US retailer in Florida (looks like they're gone). Placed the order. That first night when it arrived, "This... THIS is what I remember!!!". SO had the same thought. "OMG. it feels so soft, but it's still supportive".

It's about time to replace it. I'll probably wait to see what good sales pop up around Labor Day (many sites will have 25% off or better).
Click to expand...

Much appreciate the time you took to write and post this 👍🍻
 
bluemax_1 said:
Hope that works out for you. I've seen too many negatives about Purple mattresses not holding up for very long.

*** turns out, this is going to be a really long read, but could be... potentially life changing.

TL/DR:
My recommendation for the folks willing to splurge (and IMO, something that we spend ~1/3 of our lives on, that has a real tangible effect on the other 2/3rds, is worth splurging on), is to go for a customizable multilayer latex foam mattress (probably missed a lot of 7/4 sales, but most companies have several sales a year).

Here are several reasons and points for the recommendation:
1) unlike memory foam that tends to take a set, latex foam is simultaneously soft, supportive, and springy (and sleeps cooler).

2) the softness that minimizes pressure points (while still providing support), is the reason latex foam is literally the Tier 1 choice for top-level long term care facilities. It reduces the chances of bedsores and blood clots for the folks with poor mobility/bloodflow

3) latex foam is extremely durable, and can last 15-20 years

4) the multi layer customizable route is the best way to go IMO, because it allows you to tailor the mattress to your needs, and the good online retailers have great trial periods and policies, to allow you to test your mattress for 90-180 days, and exchange layers in that time frame, if you decide you prefer more softness or firmness.

5) an ideal mattress needs to provide support to maintain proper spinal alignment. Too stiff/hard, and your spine won't be in alignment. Too soft, and your body/spine curves, and is also out of alignment. Either one, puts uneven stress on the spine and the muscles supporting the spine. And yet, an ideal mattress should have a surface that's soft enough to distribute pressure, so you don't have pressure points (eg. At the hips and shoulders of a side sleeper) that will force you to toss and turn

6) because #5 depends on the individual, a one size fits all approach is a compromise, and we usually just hope for a one size fits most. The ideal support and softness not only varies by personal preference, it is also dependent on preferred sleeping position, and bodyweight and shape. Eg. A back sleeper can sleep on a much firmer mattress, while maintaining good spinal alignment, than a side sleeper. A heavier side sleeper will sink in deeper on the same mattress, than a lighter side sleeper. 2 side sleepers who weigh about the same, will have differences in spinal alignment on the same mattress, if one has a narrow waist with broad shoulders vs another person who has average shoulders and a wide waist.

7) the good companies with customizable multilayer latex foam mattresses will take those factors in #6 into account if you talk to them (either over the phone, or chat/email). They will ask things like height and weight, preferred sleeping position, preference for firmer or softer, and base their starting recommendations from those datapoints. Then after trying out the mattress, you'll still have 3-6 months to swap layers for firmer or softer, to maximize your comfort.

8) your pillow is a crucial part of maintaining good spinal alignment, but it should be purchased AFTER the mattress. Again, the pillow is dependent on your preferred sleeping position, as well as your ideal mattress. Eg. Side sleepers need a thicker, more supportive pillow on a firm mattress, to maintain good neck alignment. A side sleeper with broader shoulders needs a thicker pillow for proper neck alignment than a person with narrower shoulders. The same person on a softer mattress will sink in further, which equates to a thinner pillow to maintain spinal alignment.

I personally don't like down or memory foam pillows for the simple reason that they pack down. If you have to fluff your pillow before laying on it, for it to feel comfortable, it means the support changes when you're sleeping on it, i.e. over the course of the night, your head will sink further down, and the neck alignment will no longer be the same as when you first lay down. For that reason, I also use latex foam pillows. They don't take a set. They don't pack down through the night. The head position when you first lay down on it, will be the same through the night.

The other thing I learned over the years, is that as a side sleeper, a soft pillow that maintains neck alignment, gives me the best night's sleep, and minimizes tossing and turning.

We tend to toss and turn when sleeping, due to discomfort. This could be due to your back starting to ache because your mattress is inducing poor spinal alignment, or pressure points on your hips and shoulders beginning to ache for a side sleeper on a firm mattress. In my case, after getting the latex foam mattress, I realized that as a side sleeper on a firm pillow, I had to turn about every 30 minutes because my ear would ache from the pressure of my head laying on the pillow. Since switching to a Plush latex foam pillow, just like with the latex foam mattress, no more pressure points (and the Malouf Zoned latex foam pillow is ~18 years old now, and still as soft and supportive as when it was new. It's still the same shape, and never needs fluffing. My head position when I first lay down, is the same when I wake up).

*** anecdotal story on my mattress experiences

Back in my early teens, an aunt moved to Switzerland, and gave her King sized bed to us. Since my parents already had their own, I got the bed. It was the comfiest thing I'd EVER slept on. Like sleeping on a cloud. The best sleep I'd ever gotten.

A couple years later, we moved and when we got to the new house, I walked into my room and went, "What the heck is this? Where the hell is MY bed?!!!".

My mom said, "Oh, that mattress was so heavy, we just told the movers to take it away, and we got you a brand new bed".

The new one was a standard coilspring mattress. In comparison, it felt like sleeping on the floor.

I MISSED that mattress. Over the years, then decades, I'd always think about that mattress and how it felt. Saw the Tempur-Pedic ads on TV, and thought, "Maybe THAT'S what it was. I know it was a foam mattress" so I found a local Tempur-Pedic retailer, and went to the store to check them out.

They had the entire Tempur-Pedic line, so I figured I'd start with the cheapest Basic mattress. Lay on it for 10 minutes. "NOPE. This is nowhere near as soft as I recall".

Like Goldilocks, I slowly went up the line to each successively more expensive model, laying on each one for about 10 minutes (I'd heard that they conform from absorbing body heat), until I finally got to their top-of-the-line (~$4500 for a Cali King ~20 years ago, IIRC). "Ahhhh... THIS is that sensation I remember. Like sleeping on a cloud. No pressure points".

After laying on it for ~10 minutes, I tried to roll over. "WTF... I'm stuck in a rut. I definitely don't remember THIS from that old mattress". Nope. Back to the drawing board. That was my first experience with how memory foam takes a set/settles.

It was maybe a year later, when I was browsing for something on the internet, when an old memory hit me like a bolt of lightning. I remembered the name on the mattress tag from 3 decades ago. Dunlopillo. Looked it up on the internet and found ONE remaining US retailer in Florida (looks like they're gone). Placed the order. That first night when it arrived, "This... THIS is what I remember!!!". SO had the same thought. "OMG. it feels so soft, but it's still supportive".

It's about time to replace it. I'll probably wait to see what good sales pop up around Labor Day (many sites will have 25% off or better).
Click to expand...
Any recommendations on current brands that could be reliable choices? I need to replace mine!
 
Murphjd25 said:
Hopefully this is the last sleepless night. Been what less then two weeks since we got our new bed. It’s absolutely horrendous. They will be here tomorrow to exchange it with a different mattress. Said eff it and splurged for a Purple mattress. It better be good.
Click to expand...
We’ve had a Purple for four years now and love it. The first couple of nights were a bit weird. We both slept well, it just feels different. But now every time I’m on a trip I look forward to getting back to my People mattress… oh! And my wife and kids.
 
Happy Saturday yall!

lIMj7Sc.jpeg
 
madcap_magician said:
Any recommendations on current brands that could be reliable choices? I need to replace mine!
Click to expand...
Sleeping Organic is a good one.

Most of the retailers source their latex foam from the same companies (there are only a few companies, that manufacture most of the latex foam on the market, eg. Latex International, Talalay Global etc.), so it's mostly down to the different retailers/websites, what their trial and return policies are like, and pricing.
 
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