What does it feel like to sleep on a "memory/orthopedic/Swedish" foam mattress?

In My Humble Opinion
1

First off, describe your foam mattress – how thick, expensive, and old is it, and from what retailer?

Do you consider it all-weather, or is it too (I imagine) warm to be comfortable during the summer, unless you really crank up the AC? Can sleeping on a memory-foam bed thermally substitute for sleeping on a down-filled featherbed?

Have you had any problems, from back pain to allergies, that either got better or were exacerbated by switching to a foam mattress?

How well do these hold up? What would you estimate your mattress’ duration of usefulness?

Do they have any noticable or harmful odor or chemical fumes issues (as with VOCs, or volatile organic compounds – the kind of offgassing associated with polyvinylchloride, some paints, and most car interiors)?

And has your mattress improved your sleep?

Overall, would you buy it again (or replace it when the time comes)?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

2

First off, describe your foam mattress – how thick, expensive, and old is it, and from what retailer? I bought it from Sleep Inn in Sydney, Australia - it’s a regular matress sized matress, described as “Medium” firmness. It is a queen size, $1500AUD about a year ago. It’s advertised as a “memory foam” I think but cannot recall.

Do you consider it all-weather, or is it too (I imagine) warm to be comfortable during the summer, unless you really crank up the AC? I use mine in summer, in 100 degree heat. It’s not really any warmer than any other bed. Mine’s not that soft, if you had a soft one, this might be a consideration.

Can sleeping on a memory-foam bed thermally substitute for sleeping on a down-filled featherbed? No experience of a featherbed, sorry.

Have you had any problems, from back pain to allergies, that either got better or were exacerbated by switching to a foam mattress? My hips hurt less, as I tend to sleep on my side and not move all night, and my back feels better. Allergies are about the same. The main, best thing every is that my husband rolling over, or cats jumping on the bed, or any other movement is totally dampened, you never feel it. It’s a HUGE difference. Sleeping in hotels with regular innerspring matresses is just awful now.

How well do these hold up? What would you estimate your mattress’ duration of usefulness? Mine’s a year old and just as good as ever. It has a 10 year warranty.

Do they have any noticable or harmful odor or chemical fumes issues (as with VOCs, or volatile organic compounds – the kind of offgassing associated with polyvinylchloride, some paints, and most car interiors)? No, why would you? Would they even sell a matress that did that?

And has your mattress improved your sleep? Yes, to the extent that movement from other parties and hip pain don’t wake me or keep me from going to sleep.

Overall, would you buy it again (or replace it when the time comes)? I’d buy it again in a heartbeat, can cannot fathom now having any other sort of matress.

3

I got a foam overlay for my mattress that is 2-3" thick and it is much more comfortable than the original mattress. However if I were to buy it now, I would probably go with something around 4". I can’t remember the brand name but I got it at Sams Club a few years ago.

I don’t really notice any difference as far as temperature goes but it’s very possible that I just never noticed.

I don’t know if I would go with an all foam mattress. I’d have to try that out. And I don’t know how well an overlay would work with something like a pillow top mattress.

4

Tempurpedic, King, about a year old, and it was a completely non-negotiable $3400 until it looked like we were walking out the door, then, suddenly, we got a friends and family discount than knocked about 30% off the price.

There have been some times during the summer (our A/C conked out and we didn’t bother to fix it) where it was warm enough that the cieling fan and no sheets was pretty comfy. In the winter here, it’s a non-issue. This was a mattress that has three or four different layers with airgaps and it hasn’t ever been uncomfortably warm.

My wife had a long-term back issue that’s ultimate healing I attribute both to buying the Temprupedic AND getting rid of the past-due Sealey.

Well, our first bed, 12 years ago, was $1600 and I suspect we paid too much for it…THIS one was $2400 or so, and they have a 20 year warrantee, I really hope it holds up!

It smelled kinda yeasty, but that went away fairly quickly. It also needed a good 6-8 hours for it to come to equilibrium, temperature-wise.

Absolutely, and without a doubt.

Absolutely and without regret.

5

First off, describe your foam mattress – how thick, expensive, and old is it, and from what retailer?
Tempurpedic Grand King, thick, from a local mattress store. Two years old. Expensive, the negotiations felt like we were buying a new car. (Came with a base, a cover, a frame etc.)

Do you consider it all-weather, or is it too (I imagine) warm to be comfortable during the summer, unless you really crank up the AC? Can sleeping on a memory-foam bed thermally substitute for sleeping on a down-filled featherbed?
We use it 12 months a year. Our comforter is down.

**Have you had any problems, from back pain to allergies, that either got better or were exacerbated by switching to a foam mattress?
**Neither.

**How well do these hold up? What would you estimate your mattress’ duration of usefulness? **
We did a lot of research. I am pretty sure this is our last mattress.

Do they have any noticable or harmful odor or chemical fumes issues (as with VOCs, or volatile organic compounds – the kind of offgassing associated with polyvinylchloride, some paints, and most car interiors)?
We smelled something the day they delivered it but that went away.

**And has your mattress improved your sleep? **
Without a doubt. We had a tempurpedic knock-off before this one, and I loved it but wanted a king bed.
I love the way I sort of sink into it, yet do not feel surface tension.

Overall, would you buy it again (or replace it when the time comes)?
I would definitely buy it again, but I have a feeling I will not need to.

6

We were too poor to buy a whole mattress, so we just bought the 2" topper from Sam’s Club, and that was 6 1/2 years ago. We would like to upgrade to the 3" thickness, but other than desire, there’s no real reason to get rid of the old one.

**First off, describe your foam mattress – how thick, expensive, and old is it, and from what retailer?
** 2", $125, Sam’s Club

Do you consider it all-weather, or is it too (I imagine) warm to be comfortable during the summer, unless you really crank up the AC? Can sleeping on a memory-foam bed thermally substitute for sleeping on a down-filled featherbed? No problems at all at any time of the year.

Have you had any problems, from back pain to allergies, that either got better or were exacerbated by switching to a foam mattress? I’m a side sleeper, and my shoulders no longer ache constantly from being squished all night.

How well do these hold up? What would you estimate your mattress’ duration of usefulness? Still love it.

**Do they have any noticable or harmful odor or chemical fumes issues (as with VOCs, or volatile organic compounds – the kind of offgassing associated with polyvinylchloride, some paints, and most car interiors)?
** It was a little stinky when we first bought it, but it was fine after (IIRC) 2 days of being aired outside.

And has your mattress improved your sleep? Absolutely.

Overall, would you buy it again (or replace it when the time comes)? In a minute.

7

I bought a 4-inch Sealy topper from Overstock.com last summer. It’s the best solution, I think, for someone who doesn’t want to shell out the expense for a whole new mattress. I have a quilted mattress cover over the whole topper/mattress that holds it in place, and haven’t noticed any temperature difference from when the mattress cover was on the bed alone. The mattress and boxspring are 15 years old, and I’m sure I’ll get another 5-10 out of them with the topper on there. I breathe a happy sigh when I go to bed, and sleep like a baby. I used to be uncomfortable sleeping on my back, but now this gives lumbar support, so I sleep in more positions than I used to. There was a smell to it when I first unpacked it, but that went away in a day. It’s relatively heavy - I think the shipping weight was 30 pounds. I would definitely buy it again, and my next bed will be foam.

8

First off, describe your foam mattress – how thick, expensive, and old is it, and from what retailer? It’s not my regular mattress, but it’s what I sleep on when I’m at my parents’ home, so on average a few nights per month, up to a week over Christmas and a week over Thanksgiving. It is 3 or 4" thick, a memory foam topper. It was several hundred bucks. It was from overstock.com. I have slept on my parents’ before. It is from a local wholesaler, it is a full memory foam, and it feels the same as the topper. You can’t feel below the first few inches of a bed, FYI. If you’re looking for a trial without commitment, I would strongly suggest a topper first.

ETA: I think I have what SeaDragon has, the 4" Sealy.

Do you consider it all-weather, or is it too (I imagine) warm to be comfortable during the summer, unless you really crank up the AC? Can sleeping on a memory-foam bed thermally substitute for sleeping on a down-filled featherbed? It is hot as f-u-c-k to me. Which is good in the winter, torturous in the summer. I have no idea what sleeping on a featherbed is like.

Have you had any problems, from back pain to allergies, that either got better or were exacerbated by switching to a foam mattress? I think it takes getting used to, but I do not think that my nominal back pain was alleviated. My mom, however, feels hers was. This could be due the fact her current memory foam is much softer and to her liking than her previous one. My parents stupidly alternate beds - dad gets hard one for several years, she gets a soft one, and on it goes. Again, this is a big YMMV thing. If you’re inclined to soft enscapulating mattresses, you’ll like it.

How well do these hold up? What would you estimate your mattress’ duration of usefulness? I think this depends on how heavy you are and how crazy your sex is. I wouldn’t imagine they last any less time than a regular mattress. Also, since the technology has been widely available for some time, I wouldn’t recommend getting a brand name Tempur-Pedic. There’s no point. You can’t tell the difference between it and a knock-off. Everything is on the same playing field at this point. I remember sex in the tempur pedic was good but had none of the bounce-back you see with virtually all other mattresses. Basically your partner can go a lot deeper because the mattress isn’t giving as much as a regular one would. Very different, I don’t care for it, but again, YMMV.

Do they have any noticeable or harmful odor or chemical fumes issues (as with VOCs, or volatile organic compounds – the kind of offgassing associated with polyvinylchloride, some paints, and most car interiors)? YES. It was noxious. My parents slept in the guest room for several nights when they first got theirs. My brother has memory foam pillows and he aired them out for at least two weeks (he has pretty bad allergies). Harmful, you have to look that up. But stank? Hell yes.
**
And has your mattress improved your sleep?** I prefer a pillow top. My mom swears it’s improved hers, my dad disagrees. I think this is a huge case of YMMV.

Overall, would you buy it again (or replace it when the time comes)? I would keep up with pillowtops because of the heat issue. I don’t particularly like the feeling of “sinking in” either. If you often wake your partner when getting up to pee in the night, they’re a GREAT option because of little motion transfer.

9

Anyone know if a hotel chain uses them? Would be a great way to test them out.

10

Here’s my situation: I’ve got a 15-year-old full-sized mattress that’s seen better days, and a featherbed that’s almost as old, and is now more listless, lifeless and lumpy than lofty. These currently rest on a platform bed (there is no boxspring) of my own construction and design, that’s simply three sturdy planks of plywood (each 2’ x 4’), and a bunch of bricks that I stack in short pillars to support the wood in key spots near the corners, in the centers, and under the shared edges. The three planks pressed together make, in effect, a bed measuring 4’ x 6’, which is just a few inches smaller than my full-sized mattress, which overhangs it slightly at the edges. Even with the brick stacks, there’s enough accessible space underneath to cram many plastic boxes in varying sizes for linen storage. Everything’s readily adjustable and portable, and you can’t beat the price!

Here’s the thing I’m contemplating getting: four 24" x 37" orthopedic-foam-topper DOGGIE BEDS, believe it or not, marketed by Bed Bath & Beyond for sixty bucks each (minus the 20% off coupons they mail me every week)… over a period of four weeks. (Or possibly a similar product at another store for less. The BB&B ad doesn’t specify, but the photo suggests they’re at least 3" deep, and maybe 4". But their version comes with a machine-washable “suede” cover, a big plus.)

When I have four of these little babies and line them up together on my self-made platform bed or mattress, I’ll have a shallow foam bed (or the foam-topped mattress) measuring 4’ x 6’ 2". Said mattress-topper would be portable and storage-friendly, so if I want to strip my bed in preparation for summer, I’ll be able to do so without having to grapple with a gigantic, heavy, awkward foam thingy. And storage should be a cinch; I already have a 36"-wide trunk I use to store the featherbed and down comforter during the summer; these foam doggie beds (tee-hee!) would probably stack okay inside that, although they overshoot by an inch.

The obvious problem here is posed by the seams between the individual foam pieces, especially if I lay these over my old mattress. Even with a bottom sheet helping to hold it all together, I may have to re-make the bed each night, re-aligning these toppers to press the seams neatly together. Hopefully there’ll be enough surface friction with the mattress (or underlying plywood platform bed, if I discard the mattress) to prevent their sliding around, like squishy, tectonic plates, as I sleep. But then, if I understand this product correctly, I probably won’t be moving around much at night if I’m sleeping on these.

Any thoughts, cautionary words (don’t do this!), or advice?

11

The foam itself is a little on the grippy side. I almost said sticky but it’s definitely not that. But I can’t say how this would work out in practice since with the larger, mattress sized pieces, you not only have more connected surface area (even though the total is the same) but mine came with a fitted cover that fits snugly around the mattress.

In my guest room I have just the foam on a twin sized bed and the foam does shift. I don’t know how often but I can ask my SO and see what she says. My impression is that it probably takes at least a week. However if it were 2 smaller sections, IDK. My guess is that it would be more frequent.

If you could find a very good fitted sheet where the entire skirt was elastic, spandex or similar and it provided a very snug fit, you could probably reduce the amount of shifting substantially. I’m sure there would still be some tendency for the pieces to ride up on each other, but at 4" thick, maybe not.

You could investigate the possibility of using some sort of fabric cement or maybe hot glue to attach each section to some sort of foundation. As long as it’s flexible, you still might be able to fold it up - certainly if you did it in a 2 + 2 type of arrangement on separate foundations. IDK. That’s just a thought.

12

I think you’re better off buying one made for a fullsize people bed rather than piecing doggie beds together due to trying to keep them from wandering apart if you move in your sleep. They have a 4" full size one at walmart for just under $100, so that’s actually considerably cheaper than your plan. I don’t think it cost much more for my Dad’s when I picked it up at Target the year before last. Both my parents love theirs, ftr.

13

First off, describe your foam mattress – how thick, expensive, and old is it, and from what retailer?
We had a competing brand - IIRC, it was Sterling. About 8" thick and cost about $1600 at Sleep Train (a San Francisco area chain)

**Have you had any problems, from back pain to allergies, that either got better or were exacerbated by switching to a foam mattress? **
My husband liked it. It crippled me. I’ve got degenerating lumbar discs and on this mattress, I woke up in horrible pain and barely able to move.

**And has your mattress improved your sleep? **
It felt like being halfway buried in damp sand. Trapped. Just turning over was a challenge, and I did not sleep well at all.

Overall, would you buy it again?
Oh hell no! Fortunately, the mattress shop had a 90-night exchange period. We swapped it for a similarly priced normal mattress.

14

Rhythmdvl, the only problem with that is there’s not just one type of softness. My parents had a “hard” memory foam one that they exchanged for a soft-medium grade.

15

And one brand, not sure which, I think has a soft chewy outer layer and a firmer inner layer. So you really have a few choices.

16

First off, describe your foam mattress – how thick, expensive, and old is it, and from what retailer?
It is a Restonic queen size. It appears to be 4" of memory foam over 8" of more rigid foam.

No idea what it cost as it was a gift.

**
Do you consider it all-weather, or is it too (I imagine) warm to be comfortable during the summer, unless you really crank up the AC? Can sleeping on a memory-foam bed thermally substitute for sleeping on a down-filled featherbed?**
It is perfectly comfortable, but I have never tried to sleep on it while the room was hot enough to sweat.

**
Have you had any problems, from back pain to allergies, that either got better or were exacerbated by switching to a foam mattress? **
Nope!

**
How well do these hold up? What would you estimate your mattress’ duration of usefulness? **
It seems to be in exactly the same shape as when I first got it 3 years ago.
Do they have any noticable or harmful odor or chemical fumes issues (as with VOCs, or volatile organic compounds – the kind of offgassing associated with polyvinylchloride, some paints, and most car interiors)?
Nope!
**
And has your mattress improved your sleep? **
Yes. I fall asleep quickly and sleep soundly. I sleep on my side and have never woken up with any back pain.
**
Overall, would you buy it again (or replace it when the time comes)?**
Yep!

17

Thanks for the tip! I think you’re right, although I’m still a bit apprehensive about where (and how) I’ll stash a full-sized topper for the summer, if it’s not a comfy thing to sleep on then. (All my closets are quite full already.)

I went ahead and examined the various foam products at BB&B, and there’s an obvious difference in quality from brand to brand, with some so-called orthopedic or memory foam feeling not all that much different from ordinary* foam, and the thickness in the mattress toppers ranging from 1 1/2" to 3". The doggie beds seemed to be made of the cheaper stuff. It does seem like a product category ripe for exploitation by unscrupulous manufacturers, and maybe due for some government regulation, if only to establish some minimal standard of what “memory foam” is supposed to be. So I’ll check out Walmart and Target and if necessary, Macy’s and JC Penney’s.

And foam topper or no, I wouldn’t buy a featherbed at BB&B right now… all they had were some cheaply priced Laura Ashleys that, upon examination, didn’t seem any thicker than the down-filled comforter I’m using. As old and demoralized as my featherbed is, it’s still a helluva lot better than the featherbeds they’re selling now.

And thanks again to everyone who replied! Keep posting with tips and testimonials…

  • “un-Sweded”? – yes, that’s a reference, to “Be Kind, Re-wind”.
18

I have an Ikea foam mattress (one of the middle-priced ones) and a 3" foam topper from Costco that was about $100-$140 (can’t recall exactly). I live in a desert and I’ve never noticed the foam to be overly warm.

I love love love them and when I have to sleep on a spring mattress I spend the whole night tossing and turning and wake up with sore hips and back.

It did take a little while to get used to the new bed, and the Ikea mattress alone was not super comfortable (why I got the topper). But now, I will never go back to hard uncomfortable springs.

19

I’ve never even considered not using it in the summer. But I have a mattress pad on top of it so I’m not in close contact with the foam. If you just have a mattress cover and sheet between you and the foam, that might be different.

20

I spent the weekend at a friends puppy sitting a couple months ago, and they had a tempurpedic that they had been bubbling over about how great it was. After half an hour I went and slept on the sofa.

I detest uber soft beds, and it felt like I was sleeping in a marshmallow - it was like I was being sucked into an amoeba. I knew that if I was able to spend the night on it, I wouldn’t be able to walk the next day. I need an extreme solid mattress.

I really don’t understand why foam costs so much. They take a mold, spooge some compound into it and let it expand, slap it onto a regular mattress then wrap it in fabric.